ã€ŠDivine Transcendenceã€‹


 Prologue

    Prologue

    <em>Plump!</em>

    A thin figure leaped into the river, sshing water everywhere.

    The owner of the figure seemed to be a thirteen or fourteen-year-old boy, dressed in gorgeous clothes, but half of his body was stained with blood. As soon as he entered the water, he kicked his legs and swam downstream to the bottom of the river.

    <em>Whizzing...</em>

    Arrows with a deadly sound shot from behind, piercing the water surface.

    The sharp arrows chased the boy at a high speed, leaving wounds on his cheeks, arms, thighs, and other parts. Blood dyed the surrounding water red in an instant, but fortunately, none of the wounds were fatal.

    The boy gritted his teeth, used his hands and feet, and tried his best to dive to the bottom of the river.

    Suddenly, the nearby water flow became turbulent, and a strong dark current swept his body away, throwing him several feet away.

    The boy was not surprised but pleased and quickly swam forward with the dark current.The arrow rain from behind continued to chase, but it was not enough to threaten him anymore. It was dispersed by the impact of the dark current.

    The boy in gorgeous clothes secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but his movements did not rx. He quickly dived to the bottom of the river and continued to swim forward with all his strength.

    The farther he escaped, the more likely he would survive.

    In a blink of an eye, he had traveled half a stick of incense underwater, and there was no movement behind him.

    However, he had been holding his breath for so long that he was about to run out of air. His chest felt like thunder was rumbling, and his head was swollen. He was about to take the risk of floating up to breathe.

    Suddenly, the dark current around him became several times stronger, and he could hear the loud rushing sound even underwater. The boy could not stabilize his body, and he was directly swept away.

    The rushing sound of the river ahead became louder, like a water dragon coiling and forming a dark current vortex dozens of feet in size.

    Many jagged reefs stood in it, like the teeth of a giant beast, tearing and swallowing everything.

    The boy in gorgeous clothes was shocked. Although he was good at swimming, he was now seriously injured and running out of breath. If he was swept into such a huge dark current vortex, he would undoubtedly die.

    In panic, he quickly inserted his hands into the soil below, trying to grab something to stabilize his body. His right hand touched a hard object, which seemed to be a reef.

    The boy used all his strength to hold onto the object, and his body stopped slightly, which was swept away by the current.

    However, the object in his hand was not strong enough. Before he could stabilize his bodypletely, it fell off from the soil under the river, and he was thrown heavily onto a ck reef.

    The boy could no longer hold on. He spurted out a mouthful of blood mixed with bubbles, and blood flowed out from many arrow wounds all over his body.

    At this moment, he felt as if his bones were falling apart, and his head was getting heavier. In addition to his exhausted breath, he had no strength to resist. He was about to bepletely swallowed by the huge vortex.

    Suddenly, a green light lit up from his right hand, illuminating the sea floor within a few feet. The turbulent dark current vortex suddenly calmed down and disappeared without a sound.

    Everything around him became silent at this moment.

    The boy in gorgeous clothes vaguely felt a cool feeling entering his head, which refreshed his spirit and relieved the feeling of suffocation. He looked at his right hand in surprise.

    Faintly, the glowing object was the antique green incense burner he had just picked up. The blood flowing from his right hand wound was winding around the incense burner, and quickly seeping into it.The young man was about to take a closer look when the green light on the censer suddenly burst forth.

    His mind felt like it had been struck with a heavy blow, even stronger than when he had just collided with the reef. At this moment, a series of bizarre images began to churn in his mind.

    The torn sky and the scarred earth...

    Under the blood-red sun, the west wind whipped up thousands of miles of raging sand. A huge creature, covered in sharp spikes and ws and resembling a snake but not quite, twisted its body, rolling up and down, with lightning gathering around it...

    A giant figure, half-naked and covered in strange tattoos, was bound to a towering cliff that reached straight into the sky. Its eyes were tightly closed, and two dried bloodstains marked its tears...

    The stars in the sky shattered in an instant, and the moon dimmed as well, leaving only endless darkness in the world...

    These images shed through the young man¡¯s mind, seemingly leaving no trace behind.

    Before any thoughts could rise in the young man¡¯s heart, he lost consciousness in an instant.

    The green censer turned into a green shadow and merged into his right arm, bing a faint green mark...

 Chapter 1: Southern Xinjiang prisoners

    Chapter 1: Southern Xinjiang prisoners

    In the southern region, there were ten thousand mountains.

    In a dark and damp cave, a drop of water fell from a stctite hanging from the cliff on the ceiling, hitting the forehead of a delicate-looking boy who appeared to be thirteen or fourteen years old.

    The boy¡¯s lips turned purple, and he shuddered from the cold water, slowly opening his eyes.

    He looked up at the dark ceiling for a moment, struggling to sit up.

    "Hisss..."

    The pain all over his body made him gasp for air, but his strong will allowed him to endure it. He sat up and leaned against the damp and slippery cave wall behind him, causing a series of nging sounds and moans from the two or three hundred people chained to him.

    Startled, the boy looked around, only to find that there were at least two or three hundred people around him in the darkness.

    "Where am I?" The boy was surprised and confused.

    He thought for a moment but found that he couldn¡¯t remember anything about his past except for his name, Yuan Ming.He had lost his memory!

    Before he could figure out what was going on, a loud "boom" came from a distance, causing his heart to race. It sounded like a heavy iron door being pushed open.

    Then a burst of fire lit up the darkness, and several burly men with torches, wearing animal skins and cow horn knives, led in a tall, half-naked man.

    In the flickering light, Yuan Ming saw that these people had reddish-brown skin, bulging muscles, and a wild and primitive aura.

    Especially the half-naked man who led them, his muscles were more robust than the others, and he exuded explosive strength, like a wrestler in a temple.

    However, their hairstyles were quite peculiar, with all the hair on their heads shaved except for a topknot, which was tied into a thick braid.

    As Yuan Ming looked at them, the words "Wog" popped into his mind for some reason.

    With this thought, fragments of his memory began to piece together, showing scenes of bustling streets, magnificent mansions, and people wearing luxurious clothes. Seeing his own ragged clothes, Yuan Ming was sure that he and these "Wog" were not the same kind of people.

    Just as Yuan Ming was full of confusion, the half-naked man suddenly looked over at him and spoke in a strangenguage.

    Yuan Ming listened to the unfamiliar pronunciation and understood it all of a sudden.

    It was the Wognguage!"The man said, ¡¯This is thest one, be quick and don¡¯t miss anything.¡¯

    The savage men in animal skins all held torches and approached, each taking out something that looked like a wild animal bone with a thumb-sized red stone embedded in it.

    ¡¯Who are you people? What do you want?¡¯ Yuan Ming asked in the savagenguage, trying to remain calm as one of them approached him.

    The naked man nced at him in surprise, while the savage in front of him let out a low growl and swung his torch towards his cheek.

    Yuan Ming dodged to the side, and the torch grazed his shoulder and hit the wall, sparking a fire.

    The flying sparks frightened the person next to Yuan Ming, who screamed and squeezed into the crevice under the rock wall.

    In the light of the fire, Yuan Ming saw that the man was bare-chested and wore a skirt made of dry grass. He was dark and skinny, with messy hair, looking no different from a wild man.

    The savage bent down and grabbed the wild man¡¯s ankle, pulling him out with a sudden force. He then held the animal bone above his head while the wild man struggled.

    The animal bone first lit up with a blue ghostly light, and then the red stone in the middle also lit up.

    However, the red light immediately went out as soon as it appeared.

    The naked man frowned and shook his head, while the savage holding the wild man¡¯s ankle did not hesitate to draw his curved knife and chop down on the wild man¡¯s head.

    A scream rang out, and the wild man¡¯s struggling stopped abruptly, gradually falling silent.

    ¡¯Murder, he killed someone...¡¯ Yuan Ming felt a warm blood stter on his face, and his breath was filled with a nauseating smell of blood. He felt numb and forgot to continue running away.

    Of course, he couldn¡¯t escape anyway.

    His wrist was still bound with a cold chain, tied to the still-warm corpse.

    Before he could even react, the light in front of him dimmed, and a bone was sent to him.

    With the blue ghostly light, a red light flickered like a candle me, but it did not immediately go out.

    It wasn¡¯t until a few breathster that the red light slowly went out.

    The man in animal skin holding the bone pressed his hand on the hilt of his knife and looked back at the naked man.

    After a moment of hesitation, the naked man nodded.

    The man in animal skin then released his grip on the knife, turned around, and walked towards another person.

    It was only after his figure disappeared that Yuan Ming emerged from his fear.

    Suppressing all his doubts and shock, he looked around and realized that almost all the people bound by chains around him were wild men with disheveled hair.

    Like him, they were all tested with the animal bone on their heads in a panic.

    Those whose red light flickered and went out were killed with a single blow, while those whose red lightsted a moment were spared.

    For a while, the sound of wailing, screaming, and metal shing from the chains filled the air."For about an hour, the whole cave was filled with a strong smell of blood.

    The naked man saw that all the tests werepleted and began to give orders.

    Then, Yuan Ming and the surviving ten people were all released from the chains, but they were all handcuffed and shackled again and brought to the side to wait.

    Yuan Ming was uneasy and didn¡¯t know what these people were going to do, so he didn¡¯t dare to ask.

    But from the actions of those southern barbarians just now, it was not difficult to see that these people had passed some kind of selection and should not be killed for the time being.

    At this moment, the leader of the naked man suddenly took out a silver bell about an inch long from his waist, held it in his hand with a wooden handle, and shook it.

    "ng..."

    A clear bell sound echoed in the empty cave.

    At the moment Yuan Ming heard the sound, he felt like his head had been hit hard, without any pain, but he felt a severe dizziness, and even the scene in front of him appeared blurry.

    In the hazy illusion, Yuan Ming saw a glow above the heads of the corpses in the cave, and then one blurry figure after another floated out.

    After the shadows floated out of the corpses¡¯ heads, they ovepped one after another, and finally became exactly the same as the corpses.

    Yuan Ming was shocked and realized that those floating shadows were all real.

    But they all hung their heads and their legs were suspended in the air, floating above the corpses.

    Yuan Ming looked at the naked man, who was holding the bell and shaking it again.

    "ng..."

    The same clear sound echoed, but this time Yuan Ming did not feel dizzy. He watched as all the floating shadows flew towards the bell in the naked man¡¯s hand.

    As they approached, the shadows turned into a light spot and disappeared into the bell.

    "Could it be... these shadows are their souls?" Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but think of this, making him shiver.

    If it weren¡¯t for passing that mysterious test, he would not only have lost his body but also his soul like those people.

    "Not bad, there are thirteen. Alright, let¡¯s go back and prepare to return." The naked man put away the bell, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and said.

    It seemed that shaking the bell just now was also a burden for him.

    Three dayster, in a misty valley in the Ten Thousand Mountains.

    A team with blue animal skins covering their faces walked through the purple and blue poisonous mist.

    These people were clearly divided into two categories. One was the southern barbarians wearing animal skins and carrying curved knives, but there were only a few of them, scattered among the team, maintaining order. The other category was the prisoners in shackles, with their upper bodies bare, forming a long dragon, silently walking with their heads down.

    Yuan Ming was among thetter, walking with difficulty with the crowd.Over the past few days, they had been traveling through mountains and muddynds. Yuan Ming had not spoken a single word, nor had anyone asked him any questions. However, through the sparse conversations among the wogs, Yuan Ming learned that their current location was called "Southern Border," and their destination was Bi Luo Cave.

    ording to the Southern Border men, Bi Luo Cave was a ce blessed by the gods and a sacred ce for their cultivation. They were the chosen ones, sent to receive the blessings of the gods.

    Considering the bizarre behavior of these people, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t believe that Bi Luo Cave would be a good ce, and what awaited him would certainly not be anything good. However, at this point, he could only take things one step at a time.

    What was even worse was that he still hadn¡¯t regained any of his memories and couldn¡¯t remember who he was.

    But the "Central ins" in his remaining memories was much more prosperouspared to this uncivilizednd. He should havee from there, but why did he end up here, severely injured? Was he framed by viins or hunted down by enemies?

    Yuan Ming¡¯s mind was filled with thoughts, but he secretly decided to find out the truth!

    Fortunately, the Southern Border men did not make things too difficult for them along the way.

    During the journey, they would distribute food to the prisoners at regr intervals, although it was only some hard-to-swallow dried fruits and pitifully little dried meat. They would also apply some herbal ointment to treat their injuries.

    It was during the treatment process that Yuan Ming discovered that he had more than thirty wounds of various sizes on his body, includingcerations, abrasions, and prating injuries. Even one of his ribs was broken.

    The herbal ointment applied by the Southern Border men, however, was quite effective. In just three short days, almost all of his external injuries had healed, leaving only the broken rib, which would take some time to recover. Aside from some pain, it didn¡¯t affect his movements.

    Now that they had entered this poisonous valley, the Southern Border men even distributed animal skins for poison protection. This made Yuan Ming even more cautious.

 Chapter 2: Life and death are determined by fate

    Chapter 2: Life and death are determined by fate

    The whole team passed through the valley, the poisonous mist in front gradually dissipated, and the terrain began to narrow, forming a narrow passage like a gourd mouth.

    From a distance, Yuan Ming saw a five or six zhang high bronze gate standing on the other side of the passage, with seven or eight armored guards holding weapons guarding beside it.

    The bronze gate was engraved with dense patterns of green snakes coiled together, giving off an exotic atmosphere.

    On both sides of the gate, there were green wolves over two zhang tall guarding, all with their backs arched, wearing specially made scale armor to tightly protect their necks and chests, looking extremely fierce.

    As the group approached, the green wolves immediately bared their teeth, emitting a low, hoarse growl from their throats, crouching down with their muscles tense, ready to attack at any moment.

    After being calmed down by the guards, the green wolves put away their aggressive appearance.

    The leading naked man brought the group to the front, greeted the inside, and a heavy gear turning sound rang out. The heavy bronze gate slowly lifted up, opening a passage.

    At this moment, a sharp whistle suddenly came from the sky, and a shadow flew over the heads of the people.

    Yuan Ming looked up and saw a huge ck eagle hovering with its wings spread in the air. After a turn, it swooped straight down towards the ground."Whoosh"

    A strong wind swept up arge amount of smoke and dust, and a five-foot wingspan eagle with sharp ws shing with cold light flew low over the heads of the people and then flew straight into the air, causing the people to exim.

    Yuan Ming looked at the passage and sighed in his heart. The defense here was far more rigorous than he had imagined. Once he entered, it would be difficult to escape.

    "As long as I¡¯m alive, there will be a chance."

    Yuan Ming squinted his eyes and continued to follow the team, walking along a two-zhang-wide passage for a while. The scenery suddenly opened up in front of them, and a green stone square with an unusuallyrge area came into view.

    Behind the square stood a magnificent circr pce, built entirely of blue stone, with a huge circr dome on top, looking like a huge fortress.

    The pce extended on both sides, with scattered circr pces of simr shapes. In the far distance, there was a towering mountain peak, where stone buildings could also be seen.

    Roars of beasts came from behind the pce, with different tones, seemingly made by different types of beasts. More eagles flew up and down above the heads of the people, constantly chirping.Only a few people walked through the square, and when their eyes looked over here, the Nanchang men who escorted them would put their hands on their chests and bow in salute.

    They did not stay here for long and were led to the left side of the square, eventuallying to arge hall where they stopped.

    Yuan Ming looked up and saw that above the stone door in front of him, there were three crooked characters engraved in a worm-like script, simr to ghost drawings.

    With a little thought, Yuan Ming recognized it as themon snake text in Nanchang.

    And the meaning of those three characters was "Candle Spirit Hall."

    At this time, an old man in a gray robe with a withered face walked out of the hall. His skin was slightly gray, and although he was tall, he seemed to be shrinking.

    "There are quite a few people this time." The old man¡¯s voice was hoarse.

    "Elder Sa Ren, we¡¯re lucky this time. There are a total of 137 people who can light up soul stones, and there should be a few with spiritual roots." The naked man bowed slightly and said with a smile.

    "Hopefully. After I test their spiritual roots, you can go to the treasury to collect your reward." The old man nodded slightly.

    "Thank you, Elder."

    Sa Ren¡¯s gaze swept over the group of Nanchang savages one by one, and when it fell on Yuan Ming, his brow furrowed slightly, seeming somewhat disgusted.

    "Why is there still a person from the Central ins?"

    "Cough cough, we found him on the way and nned to draw his soul together. Unexpectedly, his soul is not weak and he passed the soul stone test. We didn¡¯t dare to make a decision without permission, so we brought him back." The naked man exined quickly.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s heart sank slightly when he heard this. From their conversation, it seemed that the identity of a "Central ins person" was not well received here.

    "Take him in first and see what happens." Sa Ren ordered lightly.

    The naked man and others led Yuan Ming and the group of Nanchang savages into the hall.

    The stone hall was extremely spacious, with bronze beast head-shaped chandeliers hanging on the walls, burning yellow mes that illuminated the entire hall.

    At a nce, Yuan Ming saw a circr stone te in the center of the hall, which looked like a grinding disc, but with uneven surfaces and many carved lines.

    On the stone te, there were eight Nanchang snake text symbols in different directions, each with the words: wood, fire, earth, gold, water, heaven, strange, and empty.

    He didn¡¯t understand what it meant, but guessed that it should be rted to the spiritual roots mentioned earlier.

    "You, go up there."Elder Sa Ren pointed at a burly savage with his hand and gestured towards the center of the stone te.

    The savage looked terrified and trembled all over, afraid to approach.

    Without hesitation, Elder Sa Ren grabbed the savage¡¯s back, causing him to stiffen and unable to move, like a little chick being lifted up and thrown onto the stone te.

    The other savages looked on in horror and fear.

    Yuan Ming watched silently, his eyes wide open.

    Elder Sa Ren forced the burly savage to sit down and then jumped off the stone te. He gestured with his hands in front of him, and a blue light appeared on his palm. He waved his hand, and the blue light fell onto the savage on the stone te.

    The savage was immediately covered in blue light and screamed in terror.

    However, there was no gruesome and bloody scene that followed. The blue light disappeared, and the "empty" character on the stone te shed white and then went out.

    "No spiritual roots, go stand over there." Elder Sa Ren pointed to an empty space on the left side.

    The burly savage was confused but dared not disobey the old man¡¯s request and walked over.

    Elder Sa Ren pointed to another savage who stepped onto the stone te, but only the "empty" character shed.

    "No spiritual roots."

    "None."

    "None."

    Seventeen or eighteen people in a row had no spiritual roots. Elder Sa Ren became somewhat disheartened and did not even bother to speak, just waving his hand.

    The naked man looked at the savages standing on the empty space on the left side of the old man and wiped the cold sweat off his forehead.

    Suddenly, Elder Sa Ren eximed in surprise.

    A blue light fell on a slightly chubby young savage on the stone te, and there seemed to be some spiritual light shining on him, seeping into the stone te beneath him.

    Immediately, a yellow, a green, and a red beam of light shone from the earth, wood, and fire characters on the stone te.

    "Three spiritual roots, not bad. Go stand on the right." Elder Sa Ren nodded slightly.

    He then approached the savage, and his face softened with a few more gentle smiles, which startled the savage.

    "Your turn." He then pointed to another savage with a noticeablyrger head than the others.

    Seeing that the selection process did not seem to have any major consequences, the others were less nervous.

    The big-headed savage walked onto the stone te and sat down, looking around curiously.At this moment, Elder Sa Ren once again struck a green light ball, and a blue light column, a green light column, a golden light column, and a red light column respectively lit up from the stone te.

    "Oh, another one! A water spirit root, a wood spirit root, a fire spirit root, and a gold spirit root. Having four spirit roots is tooplicated. If the aptitude is not good, go stand on the right side first." The old man shook his head, but still let the big-headed wild man stand on the right side.

    "Thank you, Elder." The big-headed wild man bowed to Elder Sa Ren and then walked towards the right side.

    At this moment, even if the other wild people did not understand what spirit roots were, they inferred from the old man¡¯s changing expression that having spirit roots was better than not having them.

    In this way, one wild person after another walked onto the stone te and underwent spirit root testing at the old man¡¯smand.

    After the big-headed wild man, more than twenty people in a row were also without spirit roots, and the old man¡¯s body on the left side suddenly became crowded.

    Elder Sa Ren¡¯s face was obviously not good.

    The naked man rubbed his hands and also appeared a little nervous.

    They worked hard to run around and capture wild people who met the age requirements. How much reward they could get in the end was closely rted to the spirit roots of these people.

    Speaking of which, among mortals, those with spirit roots were already rare. Although these people had gone through a series of screenings, the probability of having spirit roots had greatly increased, but those without spirit roots still ounted for the majority. Even if they had spirit roots, the four spirit roots with poor aptitude still ounted for the majority.

    If the aptitude of those wild people behind was also not good, the reward would be less important, and they would inevitably be scolded, and then continue to be sent out to catch people, with no time for cultivation.

    "What are you standing there for? Go up." Elder Sa Ren looked at a young wild boy who looked young, and his tone was a little impatient.

    The young man had thick eyebrows and big eyes. Although his figure was not inferior to those of the adult wild people, there was still a hint of greenness and childishness between his eyebrows and eyes.

    He walked to the center of the stone te and sat down, and the testing began again.

    In the next moment, a green light column and a yellow light column respectively lit up from the corresponding wood and earth characters, and Elder Sa Ren¡¯s face changed instantly.

    "Double spirit roots, there is actually one with double spirit roots. This is enough to enter the inner door directly." The old man¡¯s sudden ecstasy shocked everyone around him.

    However, soon, the old man calmed down and said to the naked man named Hu Zha with great satisfaction, "Hu Zha, you have done a great job this time. You actually brought back a good seedling. This elder will reward you greatly."Hu Zha was so excited that he couldn¡¯t speak, his eyes were hot as he looked at the bewildered teenager, wishing to hug and kiss him.

    The fewer types of spiritual roots, the purer they are, and the faster the cultivation speed will be in the future. However, the single five-element spiritual root is too rare. It is already enough for them to be surprised by the appearance of a dual spiritual root.

    Happiness came too suddenly!

    With the example of the previous person, the rest of the wild people no longer had any anxiety on their faces. Instead, they seemed a bit eager to try, appearing somewhat noisy.

    But the next sentence from Elder Sa Ren was like a bucket of cold water poured on their heads:

    "Noisy! Those without spiritual roots, drag them out and kill them."

    After speaking, he personally took the still dazed teenager off the stone te and asked him a few questions with a gentle tone.

    Hu Zha immediately took out the bell, waved his big hand, and several Southern Great Han men behind him stepped forward and dragged the group of wild people who had not yet reacted out of the hall.

    Soon, screams came from outside.

    This made the remaining people react. It turned out that those without spiritual roots would die. They no longer fought for it, but instead shrank back one by one, afraid to approach.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s heart sank even more. He had already figured out that this stone te seemed to be some kind of device to test talent, and the result could not be artificially interfered with.

    This also meant that his life and death could only depend on fate.

    "Central ins boy, you go first." At this moment, Elder Sa Ren pointed to Yuan Ming and said with an unquestionable tone.

    Yuan Ming did not resist or struggle, and walked up to the stone te and sat down calmly.

    This scene made Elder Sa Ren¡¯s eyes sh slightly, somewhat surprised.

    Soon, he cast another spell, and a green light wrapped around Yuan Ming. He could feel a hot stream flowing into the stone te under him.

    Immediately afterwards, four light pirs of red, gold, blue, and green lit up around him.

    "Five elementscking earth... Heh heh, another pseudo-spiritual root." Sa Ren shook his head with a smile.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s heart skipped a beat when he heard this.

    At this moment, Hu Zha, who had just returned from outside, asked, "Should we keep this one too...?"

    "Four spiritual roots can still be a beast ve. The camps are short of manpower right now. Although he is from the Central ins, let him stay for now." Elder Sa Ren¡¯s indifferent words saved Yuan Ming¡¯s life.

    Yuan Ming was overjoyed and felt like he had escaped death.The test continued, and the vast majority of the wild people without spiritual roots were killed. The ones who survived, apart from one with three spiritual roots, all had four spiritual roots, not much different from Yuan Ming.

    From the results of this test and the sporadic words of Elder Sa Ren, Yuan Ming deduced that having more spiritual roots was not necessarily better.

    It seemed that having a heavenly spiritual root was the best, followed by different spiritual roots, and then single-element spiritual roots, such as fire spiritual root, water spiritual root, etc. Dual spiritual roots were slightly inferior, but still very rare and umon.

    As for someone like him with four spiritual roots, they were considered inferior among spiritual roots and were regarded as pseudo spiritual roots.

    At this moment, he still didn¡¯t know what his identity as a Central ins person with inferior spiritual roots meant for his future destiny.

 Chapter 3: Beastification

    Chapter 3: Beastification

    After testing their spiritual roots, the self-proimed "genius" with dual spiritual roots named "Yi Guo" was personally taken by Elder Sa Ren to the grandest hall behind the square. The other two wild men with triple spiritual roots were also taken away, leaving only seven people with quadruple spiritual roots, including Yuan Ming, who were still being led by the naked man Hu Zha and leaving the Candle Spirit Hall.

    After leaving the area, Hu Zha suddenly spoke to them, "I know you all resent me now, but one day in the future, you will be grateful for what happened these past few days." The wild men were frightened and looked at him, understanding his words but no one dared to speak.

    "Is it because of the test just now?" Yuan Ming spoke for the first time in days, speaking in the Southern Wildernessnguage, but it was not unfamiliar to him.

    "I see you know our Southern Wildernessnguage, that¡¯s rare," Hu Zha was surprised and looked at Yuan Ming again, but continued talking to himself, "Many mortals dream of embarking on the path of cultivating immortality, but they suffer from not having any way. Although you were forced toe here, joining our Bi Luo Cave is also a great blessing for you. If one day you can move mountains and seas, andmand the winds and rain, don¡¯t forget me, your guide."

    Hu Zha grinned and pointed to himself with his thumb. Hearing this, the wild men looked at each other, but some of them thanked Hu Zha. The Southern Wilderness has always respected strength and absolute power, so the opportunity to be a strong cultivator is indeed very rare.

    "What does ¡¯ape hair beast ve¡¯ mean?" Yuan Ming asked at this moment. Hu Zha was stunned, apparently not expecting that the central ins man in front of him had been paying attention to his conversation with Elder Sa Ren.

    "I¡¯ve heard that people from the Central ins are cunning, and now it seems that you have more tricks than we Southern Wilderness people. But let me remind you, being too smart here may not be a good thing," Hu Zha¡¯s face turned cold and he rebuked.

    After speaking, he seemed to lose interest in continuing to talk to Yuan Ming and the others, and led them westward. Along the way, Yuan Ming ignored the unfriendly or suspicious looks from the others and silently pondered the information that Hu Zha had revealed earlier. Bing an "ape hair beast ve" did not sound like a good thing, otherwise Hu Zha would not have been so unwilling to say more. However, it seems that there should be no danger in the short term.As for the so-called path of cultivating immortality, it¡¯s uncertain if it was just Hu Zha¡¯s bluff. Although he couldn¡¯t remember many things, he still understood what bing an immortal meant. For now, he could only take it one step at a time, first focusing on preserving his life before thinking about anything else.

    After about half an hour, Yuan Ming and the other six people, led by Hu Zha, arrived at a remote area. From afar, they could see a towering stone wall that stretched for dozens of miles. The gate of the wall was made of bronze and looked incredibly thick. Several fortresses were built on the empty ground inside the gate.As they passed through the fortress, a man wearing clothes simr to Hu Zha¡¯s suddenly appeared and spoke with him before letting them through. For some reason, Yuan Ming felt that the man¡¯s gaze towards them carried aplex mix of pity and sarcasm.

    Outside the bronze gate was a dense primitive forest with towering trees that were big enough for two or three people to hug. The giant tree canopies inteced, asionally leaving gaps where sunlight could shine through. The ground below was covered in low shrubs.

    As they entered the forest, the temperature around them slightly dropped, and the sound of birds and insects filled the air. The unique smell of damp soil and nts filled their nostrils. The wild men beside him seemed to rx as they entered the forest, as if they had returned home. However, Hu Zha looked more nervous.

    After walking for half an hour, they arrived at an open space with a tall ck stone in the center. A tall man in a gray robe stood with his back facing them. When he heard them approaching, he turned around. He was a middle-aged man with a serious expression and regr features, and his thick eyebrows slightly furrowed with a cold gaze.

    "Hu Huo Elder, these are the new batch of beast fur ves that I¡¯ve brought to you," Hu Zha said nervously as he saw the man."Okay." The middle-aged man known as Elder Hu Huo nodded.

    "Then I¡¯ll go back and report first." Hu Zha replied and turned to leave.

    After they left, Elder Hu Huo casually nced at Yuan Ming and the others with an indifferent expression, his gaze like looking at trees or stones, without any emotion.

    Afterwards, he pped a palm-sized purple cloth bag hanging from his waist, and a faint light emanated from it.

    Then, strange and varied animal skins appeared out of thin air in Elder Hu Huo¡¯s hand.

    Yuan Ming rubbed his eyes, unable to see how these things appeared.

    The wild men were even more amazed, thinking it was a miracle.

    Yuan Ming focused and looked carefully, and found that these animal skins included a ck leopard, a blue wolf, a mixed-haired wild boar, a gray-white old ape, a brown and mixed bear, a spotted tiger, and even a hairless green rhinoceros skin.

    He could recognize these animal skins at a nce because they were all peeled off with the head and face skin attached. The tusks and horns of the wild boar and rhinoceros were also kept intact.

    Elder Hu Huo walked behind them and put these animal skins on their heads one by one. Half of the skins hung down from behind them, like a short cloak with a hood.

    Yuan Ming had the gray-white old ape skin on his head, and his skin was attached to the white ape¡¯s flesh, slightly itchy with a faint fishy smell in his nose, not too unpleasant but not good either.

    Then, Elder Hu Huo pped the cloth bag at his waist again, and seven brown leather bags with a strange blood-red pattern appeared out of thin air.

    "For the next three days, you must cross this boundary stone and spend time in the forest behind it. During this time, you must hunt and kill a wild beast such as a jackal, wolf, tiger or leopard alone, and bring back the animal blood in this leather bag." Elder Hu Huo spoke.

    He threw the leather bag in front of them and said, "This is the test to be a fur beast ve?"

    Yuan Ming silently thought to himself.

    At this point, he noticed that the faces of the other wild men had changed, seeming reluctant, hesitant, and even fearful.

    "After three days, if you can sessfullyplete the task, you will receive a basic cultivation method, Blood Qi Technique." Elder Hu Huo continued.At this moment, a viger cautiously spoke, "Elder, can you give us some tools, even a stone axe or a stone knife would do."

    With their mortal bodies, it was too difficult for them to survive in this vast forest without the help of external objects, let alone hunting wild beasts and collecting their blood. If they were not careful, they might end up being devoured by the beasts.

    "Tools? Humph... You don¡¯t need them." Elder Hu Huo chuckled lightly and said.

    Before the crowd could understand what he meant, his figure suddenly shed and appeared in front of them. He raised his hand and pressed it on one of the vigers.

    As a green light lit up from his palm, the viger let out a miserable scream, scaring the others to retreat.

    The ck panther skin that the viger was wearing lit up with a dark light, and the hairs on it suddenly stood up. The originally half-body-long skin seemed toe alive, extending and wrapping around the man¡¯s body.

    Yuan Ming looked over and saw that the man¡¯s eyes were bloodshot, with dense blood vessels visible. His mouth was wide open, saliva uncontrobly flowing from the corners of his mouth, and the sound from his throat gradually changed, bing less and less like a human voice and more like a wild beast¡¯s roar.

    This processsted for a dozen breaths. When the man¡¯s roar stopped, the ck panther skin had tightly wrapped around him, as if it had grown on his body.

    The man¡¯s face also turned into the appearance of a ck panther, but his body still maintained a human skeleton. He looked like a half-human, half-beast creature with a panther head and a human body.

    After the transformation waspleted, he immediately crouched down on the ground, seemingly bing more beast-like in temperament. However, his eyes did not change, the blood-red color receded slightly, and a trace of humanity returned.

    "Don¡¯t worry, this is the Skin-wearing Technique, which will be your reliance for survival and hunting wild beasts in the next three days." Elder Hu Huo finished speaking and walked towards the second person.

    As his palm fell on the man, a shrill scream echoed through the forest again.

    A dozen breathster, a wolf-headed, human-bodied creature with blue fur appeared in front of everyone.

    Although he had seen it once before, Yuan Ming still felt a great shock in his heart. It was unbelievable that just wearing a beast skin could turn someone into such a terrifying monster.

    Although he was extremely unwilling in his heart, he had no choice but to submit. If he dared to resist, he believed that Elder Hu Huo would not be merciful and would likely kill him with a single p.

    As he was pondering, Elder Hu Huo stepped in front of him and ced his palm on Yuan Ming¡¯s shoulder.

 Chapter 4: The only way to survive

    Chapter 4: The only way to survive

    Yuan Ming felt a hot sensation on his shoulder, and a stream of heat flowed into his body from Elder Hu Huo¡¯s palm. Then, it uncontrobly spread out to his body surface.

    In the next moment, a needle-like pain first came from his cheek. The white ape skin on his face seemed to have thin hairs growing inward, piercing his skin like needles and entering his pores and flesh.

    Following that, the sharp pain spread to the skin on the back of his head, neck, and back. The white ape¡¯s hair pierced through his clothes and invaded his flesh. The flesh skin that was tightly attached to his body also began to stick to his body.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s vision turned blood red, and his eyesight became blurry. He tried to hold back the scream, but the intense pain was beyond his control.

    "Ugh..."

    A suppressed low growl came from his throat. The extended animal skin wrapped around his body, and an inexplicable violent emotion rose in his heart.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t know why, but a strong desire to kill and an uncontroble thirst for blood emerged in his mind.

    "I can endure the pain, but I cannot lose my consciousness." This was Yuan Ming¡¯s bottom line.

    "Roar..."He stopped suppressing himself, let out a roar, clenched his fists, and subconsciously pounded the ground.

    With a loud bang, the ground shook violently.

    In the next moment, the blood-red color in Yuan Ming¡¯s vision faded away, and his eyes returned to rity. Even the bloodshot disappearedpletely.

    Elder Hu Huo saw this scene and frowned slightly. Speaking to himself, he muttered, "Being able topletely suppress the animal nature for the first time, the soul is not weak."

    After speaking, he didn¡¯t pay much attention and walked towards the fourth person.

    ...

    Soon, beside the giant stone monument, everyonepleted their transformation and appeared as seven half-human, half-beast monsters.

    "Remember, don¡¯t try to escape. The animal skin on your body now consumes the mana I gave you, and it will be exhausted in three days. Then, the animal skin will start to absorb your blood and energy, and it can suck you dry in less than half a day." Elder Hu Huo swept everyone with a warning look.

    After hearing this, Yuan Ming sighed inwardly. Sure enough, there was a backhand.

    "Your only way out is to pass this test and obtain the blood and qi technique. So, don¡¯t do anything stupid." Elder Hu Huo reminded again.

    After speaking, he raised his hand and patted his waist, but this time, he didn¡¯t pat the purple cloth bag. Instead, he patted a green leather bag hanging beside it.

    The leather bag shed with green light, and the mouth of the bag opened by itself. A green light group quickly flew out andnded on the ground not far away.

    At the moment the green light fell to the ground, there was a sharp scream, and a huge shadow appeared.

    When the light dissipated, a giant eagle with a body length of over ten feet appeared. It was covered in brownish-green feathers, and its sharp beak was as big as a hook. Its eyes were dark gold, and it was extremely domineering.

    The green eagle had a sharp gaze and scanned Yuan Ming and the others who had turned into half-beasts. Several wild people retreated, showing their instinctive fear of natural enemies.

    Yuan Ming, who maintained hisplete humanity, was not as afraid as they were.In fact, by now, Yuan Ming¡¯s initial panic hadpletely faded away. He calmly epted the current situation he was in and began to be curious about the Bi Luo Cave, a Southern Sect.

    Elder Hu Huo leaped onto the back of a green falcon and gave a light shout, then the falcon spread its wings and flew into the sky.

    The sound of the wind howled, and countless sand and dust swept towards Yuan Ming and others, silently announcing the beginning of the test.

    On the open space beside the giant stone monument, only a few beast-ve servants who had already transformed remained. They looked at each other with a sense of caution and threat in their eyes.

    After a moment of confrontation, the most robust guy, who was half-human and half-tiger, picked up a beast skin bag and walked towards the mountains and forests first, leaving the others with his back.

    Then the guy wearing the wild boar beast skin rushed towards another direction.

    One by one, the others left and all chose different directions, as if invisibly distinguishing their own hunting territories.

    After picking up a skin bag of stored blood and choosing a direction, Yuan Ming walked towards the depths of the mountains, still maintaining an upright posture.

    But after just a few steps, he felt his back stiff and ufortable. His two thick arms instinctively hung down and supported his body weight in front of him, making him feel a little morefortable.

    "Indeed, I can¡¯t control this body in the same way as before," Yuan Ming silently thought.

    Then he used his arms as support and ran in the mountains like a monkey.

    This trial indeed made him much faster.

    His legs and arms were strong enough. He just needed to be familiar with the strange running posture and could use this power properly, transforming from a simple run to a jumping leap.

    After jumping in the mountains for a while, Yuan Ming¡¯s speed became faster and faster. The wind whistled in his ears, and the trees in the mountains quickly retreated from his side. He elerated and leaped three zhang away.

    When hended, his feet stomped on the ground, making the ground sink. Both feet sank into the ground.

    After stabilizing his body, Yuan Ming pulled a vine from the ground and tied the mouth of the skin bag, making it into a rope and slung it diagonally across his body.

    Then, he looked at an old tree nearby, which was as thick as a millstone. He walked quickly to it, raised an arm, made a fist, and gestured a few times on the trunk.

    Then, with a crisp sound, Yuan Ming¡¯s huge fist smashed into the trunk, and the top half of the tree fell down.

    Looking at the triangle-shaped old tree, Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but feel a little happy: "With this kind of power, hunting and taking blood from wild beasts may not be difficult?"

    At this moment, his ears suddenly moved, and the bushes not far away shook violently. A ck shadow suddenly rushed out from inside, bringing a gust of wind and pounced directly towards him.

    Without waiting to see clearly, Yuan Ming quickly dodged behind another tree. But he saw that the ck shadow had already caught up. It was a huge ck bear, with a body as tall as a zhang.

    The ck bear swung its huge paw like a fan towards Yuan Ming, and directly hit the big tree in front of him.

    The strong wind brought a whistle, and Yuan Ming saw that the situation was not good, so he quickly lowered his body.With a loud "crack", the tree as thick as a bowl broke and the upper half of the trunk flew out, sticking to Yuan Ming¡¯s scalp and flying out ten meters before falling down.

    Yuan Ming was horrified. This ck bear was so powerful that his flesh and blood body couldn¡¯t withstand even one blow.

    Knowing he was no match, he quickly turned and ran.

    The ck bear refused to give up and quickly caught up, even faster than before.

    Yuan Ming had only run a few breaths when the ck bear was already less than ten meters behind him.

    Yuan Ming was startled. He couldn¡¯t match the ck bear in strength or speed.

    He braced himself with his arms and jumped with his legs, trying to widen the distance between him and the ck bear, but it was difficult to move fluidly with his new white ape body.

    As he crossed a thicket, he stumbled on a vine of a banyan tree that was lying in the grass. He fell forward uncontrobly.

    He braced himself with his arms and rolled forward, standing up again, only to find that the ck bear had somehow caught up to him and was about to p him in the head with its paw.

    In a critical moment, Yuan Ming stopped his forward momentum, leaned back, and avoided the bear¡¯s paw, but the sharp ws tore three gashes in his chest.

    Yuan Ming watched as blood spurted from his chest and didn¡¯t dare to fight back against the ck bear. He bore the pain and turned to run in another direction.

    He pressed his hand on the wound and wiped it on a nearby tree before using his hands and feet to leap forward.

    The ck bear, stimted by the fresh blood, became even more ferocious and roared before chasing after him again.

    Yuan Ming saw the ck bear getting closer and closer and seized the opportunity to jump onto an old banyan tree with a trunk as thick as three people¡¯s arms. He climbed up the tree with his fingers tightly gripping the cracks in the bark.

    The ck bear caught up and swung its paw at the trunk.

    "Boom!"

    The old banyan tree shook violently, and Yuan Ming held on to the trunk tightly. His toes also clung to the trunk, preventing him from falling off.

    The ck bear continued to strike the tree trunk, making the ancient tree shake and creak.

    Yuan Ming had to use all his strength to hold on to the trunk, but luckily, the tree was thick enough to withstand the bear¡¯s blows.

    Taking advantage of the bear¡¯s pause, Yuan Ming quickly climbed up to the horizontal branch of the old tree.

    But before he could stand still, the trunk shook violently again, and Yuan Ming fell down headfirst.

    Just as he was about to fall, he grabbed a tree branch with one foot and hung upside down in mid-air.

    "Roar!"

    The ck bear growled lowly, hugged the old tree with both arms, and shook it even harder, trying to shake Yuan Ming loose.

    Yuan Ming hung upside down in mid-air, swaying like a withered leaf in the wind, seemingly about to fall but never actually falling.

    His foot was just as strong as his hand, and he struggled to climb up, hooking his palm onto the branch and letting go of his foot, climbing up directly.The ck bear, unable to shake Yuan Ming off, bared its teeth and snarled at him before turning around and clumsily climbing away into the distance.

    Yuan Ming held onto the tree trunk with both hands, looking back at the fading silhouette of the ck bear, and let out a long sigh.

    He slowly leaned against the tree and sat down, intending to take a break and calm his pounding heart. Suddenly, he felt the tree trunk slightly tremble again.

 Chapter 5: Dangerous situations everywhere

    Chapter 5: Dangerous situations everywhere

    Yuan Ming¡¯s heart, which had just been put down, immediately hung up again. He quickly got up and looked down.

    He saw the ck bear running towards him with all four legs like flying from a distance. Its huge body rushed forward and suddenly turned, using its extremely thick back to hit the banyan tree.

    With a dull sound of "boom"!

    The old banyan tree shook violently, and a crack appeared on the already somewhat withered trunk.

    Yuan Ming had already found out early on and hugged the tree trunk tightly, so he did not fall off the tree. However, when he saw the crack on the tree trunk, he couldn¡¯t help but feel worried.

    After the ck bear¡¯s attack, it ran again and charged towards the old banyan tree.

    "Crack"

    Before it rushed up, the crack on the tree trunk widened again.

    "I can¡¯t hold on anymore."Yuan Ming frowned. At the moment when he saw the ck bear about to rush up again, he turned his body, ran a few steps on the horizontal branch of the old tree, and jumped towards a ancient tree seven or eight zhang away.

    Yuan Ming could not jump over this distance from the ground, but at this moment, the force of the tree branch bouncing added to his body, and his body seemed to fly in the air, leaping towards the opposite side.

    As the old banyan tree copsed behind him, his body jumped to the highest point, and then began to fall again, but there was still some distance from the tree.

    Yuan Ming stretched out his arm and grabbed towards the front, just like a monkey picking peaches.

    At the moment before falling, his palm grabbed the horizontal branch of the opposite ancient tree, and he swung it again in mid-air, jumping towards the tree trunk.

    When he was about to fall on the trunk, Yuan Ming did not let himself fall directly, but stretched out his other arm and grabbed the tree branch again, swaying it again, and leaping seven or eight zhang away.

    It was not until this moment that Yuan Ming felt that he had truly controlled his body.

    He swung his arms one after another until he felt that his arms were sore and powerless, and then stopped on a tree.

    When he looked back, the ck bear had already disappeared.

    Yuan Ming slowly breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a little weak, and sat down leaning against the tree trunk.

    His whole body had already been soaked in sweat, and this feeling was very strange, as if the monkey skin on his body really grew out of his flesh and blood, and even sweat could prate from the fur.

    As his mood gradually calmed down, Yuan Ming closed his eyes and his fingers silently traced in the air in front of him, starting to reconstruct the path he had escaped from in his memory.

    Although he was in a hurry before, he did not forget to leave marks at every turning point. Now, a map of the route he had escaped quickly formed in his mind.Yuan Ming slowly opened his eyes, his stomach rumbling loudly.

    Since he arrived at the Biro Cave, he had not eaten anything. After the intense chase earlier, the strong hunger finally became unbearable.

    Yuan Ming nced at the sun, which was already starting to set. He knew that the primitive forest would be even more dangerous at night. If he didn¡¯t find food and a ce to rest before nightfall, he might not survive until tomorrow.

    With this in mind, Yuan Ming had to gather his strength and stand up. He turned his body to look into the distance, carefully observing his surroundings. Although the mountain forest seemed quiet, there were many subtle movements.

    He saw a grayish-brown snake slowly slithering around an old tree, with skin patterns that almost perfectly matched the scars on the tree trunk, making it a near-perfect camouge.

    Under another mound of earth not far away, a small beast with crocodile-like armor poked its head out of a hole and looked around, only to be startled by arge bird flying overhead and quickly retreated into the hole.

    A clump of wild grass not far from it rustled, and a plump gray rabbit jumped out of it and ran away.

    Yuan Ming immediately jumped towards the direction of the rabbit. In mid-air, he grabbed an old vine with one arm and lowered his body, while the other arm reached out like a fishing rod towards the rabbit.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s palm had already touched the soft fur on the rabbit¡¯s tail when a strong gust of wind, along with flying debris, hit his hand.

    The rabbit bounced up like an arrow, leaping three or four zhang away and disappeared into the grass.

    Yuan Ming remained suspended in mid-air, his movements somewhat stiff, his heart full of bitterness.

    He found that none of the beasts in this forest were normal.

    Yuan Ming slowlynded on the ground and was about to look for other targets when he heard a faint sound behind him.

    He instinctively wanted to turn around and look, but he suddenly caught a glimpse of a green shadow approaching from his left blind spot.

    He quickly stopped himself from turning and immediatelyy down on the ground. Almost at the same time, a nearly eight-foot-long green wolf pounced from his back. If he hadn¡¯t dodged in time, he would have been knocked down and bitten in the throat.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t have time to be scared and ran forward with both hands and feet, with the sound of wind behind him.Suddenly, his forward momentum stopped abruptly, and he swiftly turned around, his long arm swinging back as heunched a straight punch towards the rear. The posture was like wielding a spear, executing a move called "turning horse spear."

    There was a sonic boom from his fist, making a "pop" sound as itnded on the open mouth of a green wolf that was leaping towards him to bite.

    A muffled sound of impact followed. Yuan Ming felt a sharp pain in his fist, and therge green wolf was sent flying, crashing into a sturdy old tree and falling to the ground.

    The wolf got up, its mouth bloody and a broken canine tooth, emitting a low growl of anger, but did not immediately pounce again.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming was also surprised. There were some vague memories floating in his mind, recalling himself practicing with a spear on a vast open square.

    Apanying these images was a lingering sense of drowsiness in his mind. Yuan Ming knew that now was not the time to think about these things. He quickly shook his head, suppressing all those thoughts, and focused on looking ahead.

    He saw anotherrger green wolf appearing on the side of the first one,ing towards him.

    The two wolves separated and nked him from both sides. Yuan Ming¡¯s previous punch was indeed unexpected, and the power it exerted was twice what he thought he was capable of. However, even with that kind of strength, he was still unable to inflict serious damage to the green wolf.

    "I can¡¯t beat them, I have to run." Yuan Ming made a decision in his mind.

    At this time, the two green wolves suddenly elerated, rushing towards him from both sides.

    Yuan Ming quickly ran forward, ncing left and right, but found that the two green wolves were maintaining the same speed, without any difference, obviously intending to attack simultaneously, making it difficult for him to deal with both at the same time.

    His speed was already slower than that of the green wolves, and both sides of the road had been blocked. Even if he wanted to climb up a tree again, it was already toote.

    At this moment, the sound of wind suddenly rang in Yuan Ming¡¯s ears from both sides, and the two green wolves attacked at the same time.

    Without hesitation, Yuan Ming suddenly stopped and twisted his waist to the right, pretending to punch the injured green wolf on the left. Thetter, out of fear, instinctively shrank back.

    This momentary dy gave Yuan Ming a chance. He twisted his body again, changing his fist that was going to hit the injured green wolf into an elbow strike, fiercely smashing towards the green wolf on the right.

    With a loud bang, the green wolf was hit hard by Yuan Ming¡¯s elbow and flew out. However, at almost the same time, the green wolf on the right bit Yuan Ming¡¯s shoulder.The sharp wolf fangs pierced through the flesh, causing intense pain that made Yuan Ming gasp for breath. He grabbed the fur on the back of the green wolf¡¯s spine and threw it forward with all his might.

    The green wolf, having lost a tooth, couldn¡¯t bite down with full force and was thrown off Yuan Ming¡¯s shoulder with a shoulder toss, crashing heavily onto the ground.

    Taking advantage of the gap, Yuan Ming quickly ran towards a tall ancient tree and climbed up with both hands and feet in just a few moments.

    The green wolf that had been hit by his elbow followed closely but bit the air, unable to stop Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming climbed up to a horizontal branch near the top of the tree and stopped. Looking down, he saw that both green wolves had already gathered under the tree.

    The green wolf with a broken tooth and a bloody mouth looked somewhat embarrassed. The one that had taken Yuan Ming¡¯s elbow strike, however, seemed to have no injuries at all, its reddish eyes staring at him unblinkingly.

    Seeing that the two wolves couldn¡¯t climb trees, Yuan Ming felt a little relieved. He nced at his shoulder and saw three bloody holes oozing fresh blood.

    He slightly moved his shoulder muscles, immediately causing him to grimace in pain.

    The green wolf below circled the tree for a while before suddenly raising its head and letting out a howl.

    The sound echoed through the mountains and forests, reaching far away.

    Yuan Ming immediately realized that the wolf was calling for reinforcements. It seemed that even in the strange forests of the Hundred Thousand Mountains, wolves still maintained their habit of living in groups.

    "I can¡¯t stay here. Once I¡¯m surrounded by a pack of wolves, there¡¯s no escape."

    With that thought, Yuan Ming tore a vine from a nearby tree branch, wrapped it around his shoulder, and once again used his aerial skills to leap between the ancient trees.

    The two green wolves followed him relentlessly from below.

    Unlike the bulky ck bear, the green wolves had more patience and endurance, and they wouldn¡¯t let Yuan Ming, their prey, escape.

    No matter how Yuan Ming leaped and ran, they could keep up, asionally howling to report their position to theirpanions.

    Yuan Ming dared not stop. He saw shadows moving in the forest, but the injuries and blood loss,bined with not having eaten for a long time, were pushing his body to its limits.

    His vision began to blur, and even the pain in his shoulder couldn¡¯t stimte him enough to stay awake.

    The shade of the trees ahead grew darker, and his arms ached unbearably. He couldn¡¯t help but slide down when grabbing the vines, and perhaps the next time he jumped, he would fall.

 Chapter 6: Who am I, really?

    Chapter 6: Who am I, really?

    Just then, a cool breeze blew in his face, bringing Yuan Ming to his senses.

    He looked ahead and saw that the forest had suddenly opened up, revealing a ten-zhang wide green-ck river flowing in front of him.

    The water was murky, with rolling waves and a strong current.

    Yuan Ming realized that he couldn¡¯t fly over it with his strength, but he also knew that not crossing it would result in a worse fate.

    He stepped on the branches of the ancient tree beneath him, using their movement to build up momentum.

    He jumped and extended his uninjured arm to grab onto a branch on the opposite bank, but his strength was limited and he fell into the water.

    Underwater, his injuries opened up and blood flowed out.

    He struggled to climb out of the water, but the river was too strong.

    Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his chest and shoulder, and realized that he had been bitten by piranhas."This is bad," he thought.Ordinary fish do not usually attack creatures asrge as him. The only ones that wouldunch such ferocious attacks are the piranhas.

    Although there were fish biting Yuan Ming in other ces on his body, those areas were covered with fur and had no wounds, so it was not a big problem.

    As he reached out to grab the piranhas on his body, arge group of fish immediately bit him.

    At the same time, a huge ck shadow was swimming towards him from downstream in the muddy river water.

    Yuan Ming knew he couldn¡¯t dy any longer. After taking a breath, he immediately sank back into the water, grabbing the reef protruding from the river bottom with his hands and slowly making his way towards the opposite bank.

    The ck shadow in the distance noticed he was trying to escape and elerated towards him.

    Yuan Ming finally reached the shore and began to climb up, with the water behind him making a "swooshing" sound. The ck shadow had caught up to him.

    He couldn¡¯t afford to dy even for a moment, not even daring to turn his head to take a nce. He grabbed the riverbank with both hands and jumped up with all his strength, just as the ck shadow caught up to him. Hended on the opposite bank.

    The ck shadow missed its target and lingered underwater at the shore for a moment before gradually sinking into the water and disappearing.

    Yuan Mingy on the riverbank, breathing heavily. He reached over to his side and found that his blood storage pouch was still there, which relieved him.

    Although he knew it wasn¡¯t time to rest and rx yet, the strong feeling of exhaustion and the feeling of being drained after surviving a disaster made it difficult for him to get up for a long time.

    After resting for a while, Yuan Ming finally sat up with great effort. It was then that he noticed that he still had piranhas hanging from his body, with ck scales growing on them.

    There were especially many fish hanging from the wounds on his chest and shoulders.

    Yuan Ming grabbed a piranha and, enduring the pain, pulled it off his body. He looked at the creature and saw that it had a circle of saw-toothed teeth in its mouth, biting the air with a fierce expression that had not diminished in the slightest despite being out of the water.

    He was about to throw the piranha away, but the "gurgling" sounding from his stomach reminded him not to do anything foolish.

    Yuan Mingughed bitterly, "You bite me, I eat you. It¡¯s only fair."

    With that, he endured the difort in his heart and stuffed the fish whole into his mouth, taking a bite.

    The raw fish meat mixed with fish bones, fish scales, and a slightly fishy and sweet taste as he chewed it bit by bit, making a "creaking, creaking" sound. He then tasted a slightly fishy and sweet taste.

    Yuan Ming thought he would feel ufortable, but to his surprise, he did not dislike the taste and even found it somewhat enjoyable.

    A fish the size of a palm could not possibly satisfy his hunger, so Yuan Ming began to pluck fish from his body one by one and eat them.

    In no time, he had taken off fifty or sixty fish from his body and ate them all clean, relieving some of the hunger in his stomach.

    As he looked at the wounds on his chest and shoulders with blood stains, Yuan Ming suddenly realized something.Previously, the two green wolves chased after him relentlessly, the schools of flesh-eating fish in the water, and even the unknown ck shadow in the water were all attracted by the blood from his wounds.

    He quickly got up and dug up some mud from the riverbank, wiping it on his wounds to cover up the blood. Then he turned and left.

    Staying in one ce for too long in such a harsh environment before finding a safe ce to settle down was not wise.

    As the sun gradually sank in the west, the entire forest was cast in a huge shadow, weing the arrival of night earlier than elsewhere.

    Yuan Ming carefully searched the mountain forest for a long time and finally found a cave half-buried underground less than five miles away from the river.

    This cave was originally a pit with two boulders that had fallen from the mountain on top of each other, forming a roof.

    Yuan Ming carefully examined it and found that the space inside was only two zhang in diameter. Although it was not spacious inside, it was enough to amodate him.

    The two boulders were tightly connected on top, but there were gaps at the front and back.

    The entrance at the front was obvious, and the gap at the back was also two or three chi wide, enough for medium-sized wild animals to enter.

    Yuan Ming searched for rocks of suitable sizes for a long time and brought them over one by one to block the gap at the back of the cave.

    Afterwards, he searched for a long time but couldn¡¯t find rocks of the right size to block the entrance. In the end, he brought over a lightning-struck old tree root from a distance and used it as a temporary door to block the entrance.

    To be safe, Yuan Ming tied a vine to the old tree root and the other end to his wrist. If the old tree root was moved, it would definitely alert him.

    After everything was done, Yuan Ming slowlyy down on the ground. Although he was constantly feeling drowsy, he forced himself not to fall asleep immediately.

    He listened carefully to the outside movements while using his hand to draw on the dark cave floor, recreating his escape route and recalling the details of his fights with the ck bear and green wolves.

    After going over all of this in his mind, he began to try to remember the iplete memory of himself performing martial arts on the square during the day.

    "Who am I, really?"

    With this question in mind, Yuan Ming slowly fell asleep.

    In his dream, Yuan Ming appeared on the martial arts stage again, wielding a long spear and practicing a fierce spear technique.

    On the edge of the martial arts stage, a blurry figure appeared vaguely, tall and mighty but with indistinct features, standing with arms crossed and saying nothing.

    Yuan Ming stopped practicing and wanted to approach the person to see their appearance, but he heard a stern rebuke, "Don¡¯t stop!"

    In an instant, Yuan Ming woke up suddenly.

    Sunlight shone through the gap at the entrance of the cave and onto his face. It was already morning.Yuan Ming felt as if he had only slept for half an hour, and the feeling of drowsiness had notpletely dissipated.

    However, he still propped himself up and sat up, subconsciously rubbing his eyes with his fluffy hands.

    After regaining some energy, he untied the vines tied to his hands, and only then did he realize in surprise that the wounds on his chest and shoulders had healed and scabbed over.

    He had originally thought it would take at least three or four days to recover, but it had only taken one night.

    "It seems that when I transform into a fur-d beast, not only do my strength and speed increase, but even my healing ability after being injured is enhanced." Yuan Ming became more and more satisfied with his body.

    At the same time, he became more and more interested in the "Blood Qi Technique" mentioned by Elder Hu Huo.

    "Gu..."

    "Not only do the injuries heal quickly, but I also get hungry quickly." Yuan Ming got up, moved the tree roots blocking the cave entrance, and walked out.

    The sun shone through the forest, the leaves were green, the mountain breeze was gentle, and the thin morning mist was gradually dissipating. The surroundings were filled with the ethereal chirping of birds, making it quiet and beautiful.

    However, Yuan Ming knew that beneath this tranquility, there were countless hidden dangers.

 Chapter 7: Fill his stomach

    Chapter 7: Fill his stomach

    Yuan Ming stretched his muscles and found that the wound still hurt when the muscles were pulled, but it was much better than yesterday.

    After some thought, he decided not to take any risks hunting beasts and instead nned to make some traps to try and catch some small animals like wild rabbits and groundhogs.

    Once he had eaten and rested enough to regain his strength, he would then go out to hunt and kill wild beasts.

    With this in mind, Yuan Ming began to collect tough vines and branches from around him while also looking for suitable ces to set up his traps.

    He didn¡¯t have much experience or memory when it came to hunting beasts, so he could only rely on his vague impressions to make some rope loops and snares. Whether or not he could catch any wild animals would depend on luck.

    However, while setting up the traps, he did collect some wild fruits.

    Some were as big as apples, with a full purple-red color, while others were as small as marbles, with a deep red and pleasing color. There was also a type that looked very much like raspberries, with small, densely packed particles that looked very tempting.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t recognize any of these wild fruits, but he picked them because his hunger had be increasingly strong and he couldn¡¯t wait for his traps to work their magic.

    He was very hesitant when picking them, afraid of bringing back poisonous fruits. He could only judge whether they were safe to eat by observing whether they had been eaten by wild animals.The few fruits he brought back to the cave were all carefully selected by him.

    After blocking the cave entrance with tree roots, Yuan Ming hesitated before picking up the smallest red berry-like fruit and putting it in his mouth, taking a bite.

    The sweet juice instantly filled Yuan Ming¡¯s cheeks, causing him to widen his eyes.

    After tasting it, Yuan Ming found that he didn¡¯t feel anything special, so he continued to eat.

    After eating the red berries, his taste buds were only satisfied, and his hunger was not relieved at all.

    So, Yuan Ming began to try the second type of fruit, the small cherry-like fruit with a deep red color.

    This fruit was even more brightly colored than the red berry, crystal-clear and very plump and smooth, and it looked like it would taste great.

    Yuan Ming picked up one and put it in his mouth, but was immediately disappointed.

    A sour and tingling juice mixed with hard flesh circted between his cheeks, and the feeling was even stronger than chewing a handful of Sichuan peppercorns.

    Yuan Ming spat out the fruit residue while spitting out his tongue.

    When he wanted to taste the fruit again, he realized that he had unknowingly eaten it all.

    Helplessly, the numb feeling in his mouth not only did not diminish with the passage of time, but became even stronger, even spreading to Yuan Ming¡¯s cheeks.

    He had to pick up thest type of fruit, the purple-red fruit as big as an apple, and take a bite.

    With a "crack" sound, the skin of the purple-red fruit was broken, and a slightly sweet and sour taste immediately covered up the numbness, reced by an indescribable fragrance.

    It was like a mixture of orange and apple, the more he smelled it, the more he felt an irresistible feeling rushing to his brain.

    "Delicious!"Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but take a deep sniff, and the strong scent instantly made his vision blurry. His body then became extremely stiff, and he fell straight to the ground.

    "Charge, charge, go for it..."

    Yuan Ming¡¯s stiff tongue couldn¡¯t urately say the word "poison," and his eyes rolled back as he fainted.

    When he woke up again, it was already evening, and the outside sunset couldn¡¯t shine through the cave entrance. The cave was somewhat dark.

    Yuan Ming sat up, supported himself with his hands, and moved his limbs. He found that besides feeling a little sore, there was no obvious abnormality. He didn¡¯t even feel dizzy, as if he had just taken a nap.

    He rubbed his forehead and looked at the wild fruits on the ground that he hadn¡¯t finished eating, and his stomach growled.

    "I can¡¯t go on like this. If I don¡¯t get some food, I might be eaten by a wild beast before I can kill one and get its blood."

    After a moment of thought, Yuan Ming stood up and walked out of the cave.

    Looking at the approaching night, he quickened his pace and returned to the riverbank.

    Since he couldn¡¯t eat the wild fruits at will and they couldn¡¯t satisfy his hunger, he might as well catch some cannibal fish to fill his stomach.

    When Yuan Ming walked to the riverbank and was thinking about how to catch the fish, he suddenly heard the roar of beastsing from the forest behind him.

    He immediately became nervous, ran a few steps forward, and jumped up two feet high, grabbing a branch of an old tree and climbing up to the top.

    He crouched down and looked towards the direction of the sound from the high point, but was blocked by the mottled branches and leaves in the distance, and couldn¡¯t see anything clearly.

    After some hesitation, Yuan Ming still swung his arms and carefully moved towards the sound.

    After leaping over seven or eight trees, Yuan Ming stopped on a towering tree. Although he was still ten feet away, he could already see what was happening through the gaps in the branches.

    "Boom!"

    A dull impact sounded, and a green wolf was knocked down by arger gray wolf in front of the forest. Its body mmed into an old tree, shaking the tree violently and causing the leaves to fall.

    After the green wolf got up, it didn¡¯t stop for a moment and leaped directly towards the gray wolf, biting and tearing at it.

    Yuan Ming watched this scene, and his brow couldn¡¯t help but furrow.

    The green wolf¡¯s action of breaking the tree earlier was somewhat inexplicable and awkward no matter how you looked at it.

    Before he could figure it out, the battle between the two wolves was alreadying to an end.

    Before Yuan Ming arrived, they had already seriously injured each other. Now both of them had little fighting power left. The gray wolf bit the green wolf¡¯s throat, and its own abdomen was also torn open, with blood and intestines spilling all over the ground.

    In the center of the battlefield, there were only the dying whimpers of the two wolves left.

    "It¡¯s lucky that I found them so easily. It seems that my luck is not bad." Yuan Ming was overjoyed at the sight.

    As long as he could get the blood of these two wolves, he would havepleted the mission.

    "I have to do it quickly. If the blood coagtes after they die, I won¡¯t be able to get it out." Yuan Ming became anxious and quickly flew towards them.However, in the instant he leapt up, he saw a scene that sent chills down his spine.

    The green wolf, whose throat had been bitten off, gradually shrank in size under his gaze. From under the wolf¡¯srge fur, two human feet were revealed, followed by the calves, until it transformed into aplete human body.

    That green wolf was one of the wild men who had traveled with him before, transformed into a fur-covered beast.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but freeze in ce, stopping on an old tree, feeling a sense of sadness rising in his heart.

    But it was this moment of hesitation that saved his life.

    The bushes below rustled, and a group of earth-brown, shaggy hyenas rushed out from all directions, heading straight for the gray wolf¡¯s corpse and tearing it apart.

    Soon, one of the hyenas discovered the wild man¡¯s body, biting his ankle and dragging him out from under the green wolf¡¯s fur. This immediately attracted thepetition of two other hyenas.

    The three hyenas tore at the wild man¡¯s body, quickly devouring it until only a pile of bones remained.

    Yuan Ming watched the brutal scene below and was grateful that he didn¡¯t go down. Otherwise, there would be no chance of survival under the attack of the dozen or so hyenas.

    It was just a pity that the gray wolf¡¯s blood couldn¡¯t be obtained.

    Yuan Ming continued to crawl on the tree, watching the entire beast feast without making a sound.

    After about a cup of tea¡¯s time, the hyenas finished their meal, leaving only a pile of bones behind, and then left together.

    Yuan Ming waited patiently on the tree for a long time, and when he saw that there were no other wild animals appearing, he jumped down from the tree.

    Afternding, he saw the mess on the ground and smelled the bloody air. Surprisingly, he didn¡¯t feel nauseous, but instead felt a hint of sweet temptation in the bloody scent.

    He found some bones that had not beenpletely chewed from the remaining gray wolf skeletons and hugged them in his arms before climbing back up the tree. He began to gnaw on them only when he felt safe.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming¡¯s mind was extremely calm. He didn¡¯t think about anything useless, but calmly thought about what he should do next toplete the task and return alive to report.

    Tomorrow was thest day, and he didn¡¯t have much time left.

    After eating the wolf meat, Yuan Ming threw the bones down the tree and stood up. He immediately felt a warm flow spreading from his lower abdomen, and his whole body began to warm up.

    "This meat is so nourishing, and it has restored my strength quite a bit. It¡¯s much stronger than those river fish and wild fruits." Yuan Ming was delighted and jumped down from the tree,nding firmly on the ground.

    He picked out a few sharp ribs from the gray wolf¡¯s bones, picked two three-four-foot-long shin bones, and tied them together with a vine.

    When he turned around, he saw the scattered wild man¡¯s bones. After hesitating, he still gathered them together and buried them with soil, rocks, and leaves.

    "Dust returns to dust, earth returns to earth." Yuan Ming muttered.After speaking, he stood up and nced at the green wolf¡¯s fur that had fallen to the side. He resisted the urge to take it away and left with the bundle of beast bones.

    Not long after he left, a figure stood with his hands behind his back at the top of the old tree where he had been hiding. The figure was tall, and it was Elder Hu Huo.

    With a light tap of his toes, hended gracefully from the tree and picked up the green wolf¡¯s fur.

    "This man from the Central ins is quite interesting," Elder Hu Huo looked in the direction Yuan Ming had left, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

 Chapter 8: Parasite

    Chapter 8: Parasite

    On the third day, early in the morning, a white ape carried a bundle of white bones on its shoulder and a beast skin bag slung diagonally across its body. It moved swiftly like the wind in the mountains and leaped nearly ten zhang in a single bound. Yuan Ming followed the route he had taken before and began to hurry back.

    By noon, he had returned to the ce where he had been attacked by the ck bear. Wild beasts like ck bears had a strong sense of territory and usually rarely left their original habitats. The reason Yuan Ming came back here was that his target for hunting was precisely that ck bear.

    After arriving, Yuan Ming untied the bundle of green wolf bones from his body and picked out a thick and sturdy shinbone. He held it tightly with both hands and began to dig a pit under a slope.

    Although Yuan Ming¡¯s strength had recovered considerably and he had already adapted to his body, he still had no n to fight the ck bear head-on. Instead, he nned to use traps, which were more reliable.

    The soil in the mountains was soft, and in no time, Yuan Ming had dug a pit that was about two zhang deep and only six feet in diameter. He dug many small pits at the bottom of the pit and inserted the green wolf ribs one by one,pacting the soil.

    The inserted ribs had been sharpened by Yuan Ming to be as sharp as knife tips. Then, he found several dry branches, crisscrossed them over the pit, and collected some dry leaves from the surroundings, evenly covering the hole and sealing the entrance firmly.

    After doing all this, Yuan Ming tied a green wolf scap to his chest with a vine, protecting his heart like a breastte. He then picked up the two shinbones that he had ground to be like short spears and held them in his hands.

    After waiting for a long time, Yuan Ming did not see the ck bear appear. He thought for a moment and then used a white bone spear to stab his palm.

    Seeing blood oozing out of his palm, Yuan Ming immediately wiped some of the blood on the trees around the pit, spreading the smell of blood as much as possible.Then, he grabbed some mud from the ground and roughly smeared it on the wound before holding the white bone spear and waiting quietly for the ck bear to take the bait.

    Yuan Ming climbed up an old tree and didn¡¯t have to wait long before he heard the sound of rustling grass and trees in the forest, apanied by heavy breathing.

    He looked towards the sound and soon saw the figure of the ck bear. He saw that the ck bear seemed to be injured, and his brows furrowed slightly.

    After carefully observing the ck bear for a moment, Yuan Ming did not see any obvious wounds on its body, but from the way the ck bear was running, it was clear that something was amiss.

    "Could it be poisoned?" Yuan Ming wondered. If that was the case, it would be a heaven-sent opportunity.

    Yuan Ming wasn¡¯t sure if he had such good luck, so he didn¡¯t attack recklessly. He just waited quietly for the ck bear to fall into the trap.I saw the ck beare over here, sniffing at the blood stains on the tree one by one. Suddenly, it raised its head and let out a roar of anger. Its eyes were tinged with an abnormal red, as if covered by ayer of gloom.

    Yuan Ming became more and more certain that the ck bear in front of him was abnormal.

    The ck bear looked around but didn¡¯t find any prey. Its footsteps were always close to the edge of the trap, but it never fell in.

    Yuan Ming watched anxiously from the tree. After waiting for a moment, he finally decided to take action.

    One of his arms was wrapped with a vine hanging from the tree, and the other hand tightly held a white bone short spear. He jumped down from the tree and, guided by the vine, rushed towards the ck bear.

    "Get down."

    Yuan Ming shouted in his heart, and his legs, like two door pirs, rushed towards the ck bear.

    At this moment, the ck bear also sensed the danger from behind, and suddenly turned around. When it saw Yuan Ming, it became extremely ferocious and pped its paws towards him.

    A loud bang.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s legs kicked on the ck bear¡¯s paws, and the strong force pushed him back. The ck bear also stumbled back.

    The ck bear took a step back, and the back half of its foot was already on the tree branch where Yuan Ming had set the trap. However, it managed to stop its backward momentum and did not fall.

    On the other hand, Yuan Ming swung back like a swing after being hit and flew back.

    The ck bear watched as Yuan Ming rushed towards it again, but this time it did not try to p him. Instead, it took a step forward and grabbed towards his legs with its ws.

    Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t let it have its way. He immediately threw the white bone short spear in his hand towards the ck bear.

    The ck bear tried to block the spear with its ws, but it slipped past and grazed its arm.

    A loud bang.

    The short spear pierced the ck bear¡¯s eye socket, sshing a burst of blood.

    The ck bear roared in pain, and its mouth emitted a furious howl.

    At this point, Yuan Ming had already rushed forward again and kicked the ck bear¡¯s chest with his legs.

    The ck bear had not yet recovered from the pain in its eyes and had lost its bnce, falling backwards.

    A cracking sound came from the trap branch, and the ck bear broke through the loose soil and dead leaves on top and fell down.

    Immediately after, there was a deafening roar, but the sound became extremely mournful, as if wailing.

    Yuan Ming jumped down to the ground and quickly came to the edge of the pit to check. He saw the ck bear lying face up in the pit, with two hands and one thigh pierced by the sharp white bones buried underneath.

    Its chest and abdomen each had a wound, revealing a little white bone.

    Blood was flowing from the ck bear¡¯s mouth and nose, and it was still struggling violently, growling low in its mouth.

    Yuan Ming turned back to the tree, took another white bone short spear, and nned to end the ck bear¡¯s suffering immediately.

    But when he returned to the edge of the pit, he suddenly became dumbfounded.The bottom of the pit was in disarray, with white bones scattered everywhere, covered in obvious red bloodstains. However, the ck bear was nowhere to be seen. Before Yuan Ming could figure out what was going on, a sudden gust of wind blew behind him. He immediately thought, "this is bad," but before he could react, he was hit hard in the lower back, as if he had been struck by a heavy hammer, and was sent flying forward.

    He flew over the pit and crashed into a tree on the other side, before falling to the ground. Yuan Ming gritted his teeth through the pain and struggled to stand up and turn around, but before he could see what was behind him, a ck shadow shed by and he felt a sharp pain on his cheek.

    He wiped his face and saw blood on his hand. When he looked forward again, he was stunned to see a monster hanging from a tree seven or eight feet away from him. It was difficult to describe the creature because it was a ck bear, but there were thick, dark vines growing out of its wounds, some as thick as a human arm. The two thickest vines extended to a tree branch above, suspending the ck bear¡¯s body in mid-air.

    What was even more bizarre was the six-petaled red lotus growing from the ck bear¡¯s left eye, with white stamens wriggling like white teeth, giving people a chill down their spine.

    "What the hell is this thing?" Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but swallow his saliva. From the ck bear¡¯s strange state at the moment, it seemed to be possessed by something.

    Just then, the monster moved again, and the vines extending from the ck bear¡¯s body swung in the air,shing out at Yuan Ming. He quickly rolled forward, trying to dodge, but the vine changed direction in mid-air and hit his back, tearing a bloody wound.

    Yuan Ming stood up, intending to escape. He had some confidence in fighting the ck bear, but he knew nothing about this strange creature in front of him, and didn¡¯t know how to kill it.

    As he turned to run, the parasitic monster didn¡¯t intend to let him go. Two vines flew out, one from each side, attacking him at the same time. Yuan Ming tried to dodge, but his speed was not enough. He dodged the vine on the left, but the vine on the right wrapped around his leg, causing him to fall to the ground and be dragged back.

    He quickly turned over and faced the monster, trying to attack with his short gun, but another vine had already wrapped around him, tying him up like a dumpling. Yuan Ming had no chance to fight back anymore.

    In this way, he was dragged by the vine to the "ck bear" in front of him.Upon getting closer, Yuan Ming was surprised to find that the ck bear was not dead yet. Its other blood-red eye was still rolling, and its mouth opened and closed, emitting heavy panting sounds.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes flickered, as if he had thought of something.

    Since this thing was a parasite, as long as hepletely killed the creature it was parasitizing, it would be equivalent to cutting off its vitality. As long as hepletely killed the ck bear, it would not be able to survive.

    Unfortunately, it was already toote.

    At the chest of the ck bear, a slit suddenly split open. The rib bones inside looked like two rows of interlocking bone ws, splitting apart to both sides, revealing a bright red heart that was still throbbing "thump, thump."

    Yuan Ming immediately noticed a ck, tumor-like lump on the heart. Several ck threads extended from it, piercing various parts of the heart, as if drawing blood from within to nourish itself.

    Just when Yuan Ming thought he was going to be eaten, the vines that bound him suddenly loosened in circles, exposing his chest area.

    Yuan Ming instantly understood. The ck bear¡¯s body was severely injured and broken, and only by finding a new host could this thing continue to survive. It didn¡¯t want to eat him, but rather, it wanted to use him as a new host to parasitize.

 Chapter 9: Blood Qi Technique

    Chapter 9: Blood Qi Technique

    Under Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze, the ck tumor suddenly began to wriggle rapidly, and ck threads began to split and extend towards his chest.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes widened in horror. He would rather die than be possessed by this thing and suffer.

    In his struggle, he found that although his arms were still tied up, his wrists were still free to move. He immediately twisted his wrist and threw the bone short spear that he had been holding in his hand up into the air.

    Without hesitation, Yuan Ming used all his strength and headbutted the spear, causing it to fly out like a javelin and pierce into the ck bear¡¯s rib cage just before it closed.

    The ck bear roared in anger, and the ck threads that had been extending towards Yuan Ming slowly retreated. Then, the ck bear¡¯s chest cavity slowly opened again, and the bone spear that represented Yuan Ming¡¯sst hope was stuck in the ck bear¡¯s heart, just a hair¡¯s breadth away from the ck tumor, but ultimately it missed.

    The ck bear¡¯s heart continued to contract, and the ck threads went crazy, rushing towards Yuan Ming¡¯s chest.

    Yuan Ming stared intently, his face tense to the extreme.

    Just as the ck threads were about to touch his skin, the ck bear¡¯s heart suddenly stopped beating, and the ck tumor wriggled frantically as if it had encountered a ghost, trying to break free from the ck bear¡¯s heart.

    The ck threads that had been extending towards Yuan Ming also instantly lost their strength and fell lightly to the ground."Great, I made it in time!" Yuan Ming was so excited that he almost cried.

    At the critical moment of life and death, the poisonous fruits he had eaten yesterday had saved his life.

    Before setting the trap, Yuan Ming had crushed all the fruits and smeared the juice on the tips of all the bone spikes and two short spears.

    Perhaps because he had only hit the ck bear¡¯s body earlier, the poison did not affect the parasite, but this time it directly affected the heart, and the ck tumor lost its strength due to the poison.

    The vines that had been entwined around Yuan Ming¡¯s body suddenly fell off, and the strangerge flowers on the ck bear¡¯s body also withered and turned into dust visible to the naked eye. Yuan Ming¡¯s body and the ck bear¡¯s body almost fell to the ground at the same time.The ck tumor that had parasitized on the heart of the ck bear finally fell off and dropped to the side. Its color quickly faded and soon turned into a grayish-white color, looking no different from an ordinary stone.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t dare to dy and quickly climbed up to the side of the ck bear¡¯s corpse.

    While the ck bear was not yetpletely dead, he quickly took off the animal skin bag from his body, cut open the ck bear¡¯s neck with a bone spear, and collected its remaining blood.

    After a while, all the ck bear¡¯s blood had been drained, and he had only collected about half of the bag.

    "Wild animalse in all sizes, and their blood volume varies. The man didn¡¯t say to collect it all, so this should be enough." Yuan Ming sealed the bag and shook it, muttering to himself.

    After that, he put the bag back on his shoulder and looked at the bear¡¯s corpse next to him. His stomach growled again.

    Faced with such arge piece of meat, Yuan Ming was reluctant to throw it away, but when he thought about it being parasitized, he felt disgusted.

    But the disgust in his heart was no match for the hunger in his stomach.

    To be on the safe side, Yuan Ming did not directly eat the ck bear¡¯s meat this time. Instead, he found a pile of twigs and dry leaves, imitating the ancient people by drilling wood to make fire, and finally managed to start a fire and roast the bear meat.

    During the roasting, Yuan Ming went to the side of the parasitic tumor and saw that it had turned into a fist-sized gray-brown stone that looked lifeless. He couldn¡¯t help but poke it with his bone spear.

    As a result, he found that the stone was extremely hard,pletely different from when it was a ck tumor.

    Yuan Ming became interested.

    He waved his hand at the stone, but it showed no reaction. He then reached out to touch it, but still found no movement.

    "It seems to bepletely dead."

    Just as Yuan Ming was about to give up, a drop of animal blood fell from his animal skin bag andnded on the gray-brown stone with a "plop."

    The corpse that had no vitality suddenly swelled up, and the surface once again transformed into the appearance of a ck tumor.

    But soon, the power of that drop of blood was exhausted, and the ck tumor dried up again, turning back into a stone.

    "This little thing is quite interesting." Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but feel surprised.

    He found a few leaves, wrapped the stone in them, and put it aside.

    After the bear meat was roasted ck and emitted a strong meat fragrance, Yuan Ming tore off a piece and started to eat it.This meal was the most satisfying one Yuan Ming had eaten in these days, but he was a little puzzled that the cooked meat could fill his stomach, but it didn¡¯t give him the same feeling of being invigorated as when he gnawed on the bones yesterday.

    "Could it be that the ck bear¡¯s blood was drained, causing a great loss of qi and blood? Or is it that only raw food has such an effect?" Yuan Ming wondered.

    He looked up at the sky and found that it was already mid-afternoon, so he didn¡¯t dy any longer. He took the unfinished meat and the stone that could host parasites, and put them in the cave where he had hidden before. Then, he followed the route he remembered and went towards the direction of the giant stone boundary monument.

    ...

    When it was evening, Yuan Ming finally returned to the giant stone boundary monument, but he did not see the figure of Elder Hu Huo, only a magnificent tiger lying across the stone with its back facing him.

    Hearing the sound of Yuan Ming¡¯s return, the tiger suddenly turned around, but it sat up in a human posture and looked over at him.

    Yuan Ming also looked at him, and neither of them spoke, nor did they make any extra movements. They just kept arge distance from each other, watching each other vigntly.

    Just then, a "rumbling" sound of galloping came.

    Suddenly, a brown-ck wild boar rushed out of the dense mountain forest and ran towards them.

    Yuan Ming immediately held the white bone short spear in his hand, and the tiger also turned its head and stared at the wild boar with its eyes wide open.

    The wild boar was covered in scars, and its tusks were covered in blood. The animal skin bag hanging on its body looked bulging.

    When it was close to them, it also saw Yuan Ming and the tiger, and its speed slowed down quickly, finally stopping not far away.

    The three half-human and half-animal guys surrounded the giant stone boundary monument, guarding and watching each other.

    After waiting for a long time, no other figures appeared.

    It wasn¡¯t until the sun was about to set that the huge eagle falcon flew over, and Elder Hu Huo was standing on its back.

    Afternding, Elder Hu Huo patted the leather bag at his waist, and then a green light flew out, enveloping the mighty and domineering giant eagle falcon, and then it flew back into the bag and disappeared.

    Even though it was the second time he had seen it, Yuan Ming still felt that this scene was particrly magical.

    "Give me the blood storage bag." Elder Hu Huo nced at Yuan Ming and the other two, and said.

    The three of them understood and took off the animal skin bags on their bodies and handed them over.

    Elder Hu Huo opened each one and sniffed at the nose, carefully inspecting them.When Hu Huo Elder saw that Yuan Ming¡¯s bag was only half full, he didn¡¯t say anything, but when he opened it and smelled it, his eyebrows wrinkled involuntarily.

    "Did the ck bear you killed get parasitized by Blood Soul Vine?" Hu Huo Elder looked at Yuan Ming and asked.

    "What Blood Soul Vine?" Yuan Ming looked puzzled.

    Hu Huo Elder frowned but didn¡¯t say anything else. He waved his hand and collected all the blood bags.

    "Not bad, three people passed the test," Hu Huo Elder nodded and then pointed his finger.

    Three thin white threads shot out from his fingertips andnded on the chests of Yuan Ming and the other two, disappearing into their bodies in a sh.

    Before Yuan Ming could react, he felt a warmth in his chest, and then the white ape fur on his body became soft. The blood-colored lines like roots in the fur were forcibly pulled out of his body, pulling his muscles and organs.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s face twisted in pain, his whole body trembling, and he knelt down on the ground, biting his teeth and not making a sound.

    The other two were in a simr situation, but they couldn¡¯t endure the pain like Yuan Ming and fell to the ground, screaming in agony.

    Fortunately, the process didn¡¯tst too long. After a few breaths, the fur on their bodiespletely fell off.

    Yuan Ming and the other two sat on the ground, panting heavily, their skin turning red, and their clothes were torn.

    After putting on the fur, their strength greatly increased, but the pain they endured was really intense.

    "When an outsider performs the Fur Technique on you, you will experience considerable pain, but when you cultivate your own magic power, the situation will be much better," Hu Huo Elder¡¯s voice came, interrupting their thoughts.

    "Really?" The three of them were delighted.

    "Whether it¡¯s true or not, you¡¯ll know when you try it! Now I will teach you the Blood Qi Technique, listen carefully!" Hu Huo Elder said impatiently.

    The three of them sat down quickly and listened attentively."The so-called ¡¯Blood Qi Technique¡¯ is a method of enhancing one¡¯s blood qi through meditation and qi refining. Once you enter the path, you are truly stepping into the enviable path of cultivation, bing a Qi Refining Period cultivator. When you umte enough mana, you can perform the Hair Cloak Technique. The mantra goes like this: Earth¡¯s lungs hold fire, entering from the deep spring, rising into the abdomen, shining brightly like a torch..." Elder Hu Huo said slowly.

    The entire Blood Qi Technique mantra was about two to three hundred characters long, and the content was quite convoluted and difficult to understand. However, Yuan Ming found that after listening to it once, he had effortlessly memorized it word for word.

    "My memory is actually this good." He was quite surprised in his heart, but more than that, he was delighted.

    The other two people kept scratching their heads and cheeks, their faces full of anxiety, obviously not remembering the mantra.

    "Elder Hu Huo, could you please say it again?" The wild boar Hair Cloak Beast ve hesitated for a moment before pleading.

    "I will only say it one more time." Elder Hu Huo looked at him indifferently and recited the Blood Qi Technique mantra again.

    The two hurriedly memorized it with all their heart, and this time they finally managed to remember it.

 Chapter 10: Hard to cultivate

    Chapter 10: Hard to cultivate

    "The Blood Qi Technique is a secret technique passed down by the Bi Luo Cave. You are not allowed to spread it without the permission of the sect. Those who vite this rule will be skinned and have their souls extracted. Remember this," Elder Hu Huo briefly mentioned some things to pay attention to during cultivation, then warned.

    "Yes." The three of them answered in unison, their expressions serious.

    Elder Hu Huo nodded and took out a jade bottle from his pocket, pouring out three pale purple pills and handing them to the three of them.

    "Take them."

    Yuan Ming took the pill but didn¡¯t swallow it. He nced at the other two out of the corner of his eye.

    "Elder Hu Huo, what kind of pill is this?" the tiger beast ve asked.

    "It¡¯s the Corrupt Heart Pill, a secret medicine of our Bi Luo Cave. After taking it, it will slowly invade your heart meridian. You need to take the antidote every month to suppress its toxicity," Elder Hu Huo said in a t tone.

    The tiger beast ve and wild boar beast ve¡¯s expressions changed upon hearing this.

    Yuan Ming also frowned. The Bi Luo Cave intended to control them, the beast ves, with the Corrupt Heart Pill.However, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. He didn¡¯t think too much and swallowed the pill. The Corrupt Heart Pill dissolved in his stomach and a cold feeling spread throughout his body, stopping at his heart. It felt like a cold dagger was pressed against his heart, ready to strike at any moment.

    Although the other two¡¯s expressions were a bit ugly, they also took the Corrupt Heart Pill under Elder Hu Huo¡¯s cold gaze.

    "You have passed the test and have been taught the Blood Qi Technique. You have be official beast ves of our Bi Luo Cave. From now on, you muste here every month and offer five portions of fierce beast blood to receive the antidote for the Corrupt Heart Pill," Elder Hu Huo said, quite satisfied with the three¡¯s attitudes.

    "Elder, what are fierce beasts?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "Fierce beasts are wild beasts that can absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Theirbat power is greater than the wild beasts you previously hunted. There is a canyon ten miles south of here, and fierce beasts appear in the forest on the other side of the canyon. The premise is that you must cultivate the Blood Qi Technique, otherwise, you may not return," Elder Hu Huo said, looking south.

    Yuan Ming remained silent, but his face was very serious.

    The Blood Qi Technique sounded mysterious and difficult to understand at first. He hadn¡¯t had time to carefullyprehend it, but he knew that it was not easy to cultivate.

    Even if he cultivated the Blood Qi Technique, he would only reach the same level ofbat power as before when he used the beast transformation technique.

    He almost died trying to hunt the ck bear before, let alone hunting even stronger fierce beasts.

    A hint of gloom shed through Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes. In the eyes of Elder Hu Huo, or rather, in the eyes of the Bi Luo Cave, the life and death of these beast ves with poor aptitudes was not important. What was important was whether they could be controlled.

    The other two quickly understood the pros and cons of the situation, and their expressions became even more ugly.

    "Remember, if you perform well, your future is bright. I hope you will take care of yourselves," Elder Hu Huo said, not bothering to pay attention to what the three were thinking. He patted his waist and the giant hawk flew up again, carrying his body into the sky. The airflow within a dozen meters around him surged violently, as if a hurricane had been stirred up, causing the trees around him to sway.

    The three of them were blown around, but their heavy hearts were somewhat relieved after the ordeal.

    "This gray hawk¡¯s momentum is far beyond that of ordinary wild beasts. It¡¯s probably a kind of fierce beast, right? To be able to tame it like this, it seems that the Bi Luo Cave¡¯s heritage is truly profound," Yuan Ming guessed silently, unknowingly developing a bit of longing for the Bi Luo Cave.

    "Two of you, we were able to gather here today, which can be considered fate. Let¡¯s get to know each other. I am Wu Lu," the tiger beast ve said, cupping his hands.

    "Yuan Ming." Yuan Ming picked up the white ape skin and returned the gesture."Call me Lago." The wild boar beast ve also gave his name.

    "So it¡¯s Brother Yuan Ming and Brother Lago. Both of you should have experienced the strength of the wild beasts here. Elder Hu Huo just assigned a task that is almost impossible toplete alone. He didn¡¯t explicitly say that we have to act alone. If the three of us work together, we have a greater chance of hunting down the fierce beasts!" Wu Lu nced at Yuan Ming and suggested.

    "Great idea! The three of us working together can definitely kill the fierce beasts!" Lago¡¯s eyes lit up and he immediately agreed.

    "Let¡¯s talk about hunting the fierce beastster. What¡¯s most important now is to find a safe ce to cultivate the blood energy technique. We have all lost the ability to transform into beasts and we have no chance against those wild beasts. It¡¯s safer to act together." Wu Lu proposed.

    "Brother Wu Lu has a long-term vision. It¡¯s indeed better to find a safe ce first." Lago was slightly stunned, then said.

    "Brother Yuan Ming, what do you think?" Wu Lu smiled and looked at Yuan Ming.

    "Sorry, I¡¯m used to acting alone." Yuan Ming remained silent for a moment, shook his head, and left without waiting for the two to speak again.

    He had already prepared a safe ce to stay and he didn¡¯t trust Wu Lu and Lago, whom he had just met, at all. He would probably worry day and night if he stayed with them. It was better to act alone.

    "It¡¯s said that the people from the Central ins always boast about themselves as being the heavenly kingdom and the people of the Night Land are arrogant. It seems that the rumors are true. Speaking of which, it¡¯s quite impressive to pass the test with the powerless white ape beast skin." Lago sneered.

    "Never mind, everyone has their own aspirations. Brother Lago, let¡¯s go. When we were hunting beasts these past few days, I found a safe ce. The two of us working together, I believe we can achieve something." Wu Lu picked up the beast skin and walked in another direction with Lago.

    Yuan Ming wrapped the ape skin around his waist, covered his body with mud to conceal his breath, and carefully made his way towards the cave he had previously stayed in. He immediately hid at the slightest disturbance, as he no longer had the ability to transform into a beast and had no suitable weapons to fight against the wild beasts here.

    Fortunately, he was lucky and managed to avoid the wild beasts he encountered along the way. He arrived safely at the cave and moved somerge stones to block the entrance. The cave was now dimly lit, with only a few faint rays of light shining through the cracks.

    At this point, Yuan Ming¡¯s tense heartstrings finally rxed a little. He cleaned off the mud from his body and began to close his eyes and recall the blood energy technique¡¯s form in his mind, attempting toprehend and cultivate it.

    He first followed Elder Hu Huo¡¯s method, sat cross-legged with his legs crossed, and assumed a posture of five hearts facing the sky. Then he silently recited the form in his mind.

    "Earth¡¯s lungs have fire, enter from the abyss, rise up to the abdomen, shining like a torch..."

    As he recited, Yuan Ming suddenly felt a warm sensation rising from the ground under him, passing through various parts of his body, and slowly gathering in his lower abdomen.

    He was overjoyed and tried to stabilize the flow of heat in his abdomen as instructed. However, the warmth suddenly dissipated the next moment, leaving no special feeling at all.

    "What¡¯s going on?"

    Yuan Ming frowned and pondered. He found that his movements were correct and there was no problem with reciting the form. He tried again.

    However, the result was the same as before. He could only feel a slight warmth in his lower abdomen, but couldn¡¯t stabilize it. He could only watch it gather and disperse, disappearing without a trace.ording to what Elder Hu Huo had said earlier, afterpleting a full cycle of the Heavenly Circuit, under normal circumstances, one should be able to maintain this heat flow in the Dantian, making it like a charcoal stove, heating the Qi and blood throughout the body, making the Qi and blood vigorous and strong, and gradually nourishing and strengthening it. This would be a long process, depending on one¡¯sprehension and aptitude.

    When the Qi and blood were strong enough, during cultivation, one would feel the sensation of hair standing on end. At this time, the pores all over the body would open wide, allowing one to further attempt to sense and absorb the elusive spiritual energy contained between heaven and earth.

    Once the spiritual energy entered the body through the pores, it would be transformed in the Dantian, and then stored as one¡¯s own mana. When it reached a certain level, one could activate the beast skin through the Pelt Technique,bining it with one¡¯s own flesh and blood, and then transform into a half-human, half-beast state, possessing far greater strength than usual.

    However, Yuan Ming found himself embarrassingly stopped at the very first step of cultivation.

    Afterward, he tried several times in a row, but all ended in failure.

    Yuan Ming was not discouraged, as he had expected that the Blood Qi Method would not be easy to cultivate. If he could not seed today, he would continue to explore tomorrow, believing that he would eventually seed.

    "Gurgle..."

    At this moment, a rumbling sound came from his stomach, indicating that he was hungry.

    Yuan Ming rubbed his empty stomach, stood up, cut a piece of ck bear meat, swallowed it, and drank some water before continuing to cultivate the Blood Qi Method.

    Time passed quickly, and half a month had gone by in the blink of an eye.

    Inside the cave, Yuan Ming sat cross-legged, with his heart facing the sky.

    The spiritual energy of heaven and earth slowly gathered and followed the route of the Blood Qi Method, sinking into the Dantian.

    The previous problem still persisted. The gathered spiritual energy quickly dissipated, vanishing almostpletely in an instant, with only a trace of almost imperceptible spiritual power entering the Dantian and transforming into mana.

    "It¡¯s still like this. It seems that my aptitude is reallycking." Yuan Ming opened his eyes, his expression somewhat solemn.

    After half a month of hard work, he had made some progress, breaking through the bottleneck of spiritual power not being able to enter the Dantian, and incorporating the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into the Dantian.

    However, the situation of spiritual power overflowing was still very severe, almost a hundred to one. After half a month of hard work, he had only umted a trace of mana in his Dantian, which was far from enough to activate the Pelt Technique. ording to his current cultivation speed, it would take at least half a year to umte enough mana.

    Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but shake his head and smile bitterly. Let alone half a year, in a month, he would probably die from the poison.

    Could it be that the Blood Qi Method was more suitable for people from the Southern Region to cultivate, and his Central ins body was somewhat ipatible?

    He couldn¡¯t help but specte.

    More troubling was the fact that the food and water in the cave were almost gone, and he could no longer continue to cultivate so peacefully. Going out to hunt with his current flesh and blood body, if he encountered ck bears or green wolves again, it would be certain death.

    "Am I really going to be trapped here to die? No, I still have time, I can¡¯t give up!" Yuan Ming clenched his teeth, bent his legs into the posture of his heart facing the sky, and prepared to continue his hard work.

    At the moment, apart from continuing to cultivate, he seemed to have no other options, as stopping would only lead to death, and continuing to try might still offer a glimmer of hope.

    However, after another half day and more than a dozen Heavenly Circuits, the trace of mana in his Dantian had hardly changed.

    "Give me mana... I want to return to the Central ins!" Yuan Ming¡¯s heart was filled with nameless anger, and his strong obsession grew even stronger.

    In the next instant, his vision suddenly went ck, and he almost fainted.

    At the same time, his right arm suddenly felt a slight heat, as if a scorching hot current had seeped in, and then disappeared immediately.

 Chapter 11: Incense burner

    Chapter 11: Incense burner

    "What¡¯s going on?" Yuan Ming¡¯s heart skipped a beat as he quickly looked at the warm spot on his right arm.

    He had been in a dim environment for the past half a month, and his eyes had gradually adapted to the darkness. The warm spot was a faint blue mark that looked somewhat like an incense burner.

    The originally faint mark was now bing clearer at a visible speed, emitting a weak glow.

    "Huh, when did this strange mark appear on my arm?" Yuan Ming was taken aback. He touched it with his finger. The blue mark was neither painful nor itchy, and there was nothing unusual about it.

    After a moment of contemtion, he tried to mobilize the trace of mana in his dantian, concentrating it on his fingertips and touching the blue mark.

    Although the light emitted by the mark was weak, it carried a faint fluctuation of mana, which inexplicably gave him an impulse to do so.

    The blue mark suddenly emitted a suction force, and "whoosh", it swallowed the trace of mana!

    Yuan Ming was shocked. This trace of mana was what he had painstakingly umted over half a month, and it was all lost in an instant.

    In his panic, he tried to use his blood qi method to suck the mana back from the mark, but he couldn¡¯t. His heart sank.It was already difficult to umte mana, and now all his previous efforts were in vain.

    Just as Yuan Ming was feeling somewhat despondent, a warm current emerged from the blue mark, and a hazy light immediately lit up on his arm.

    Yuan Ming widened his eyes and looked at the light.

    To his surprise, he saw a palm-sized blue incense burner emerging from the light. Under the support of the light, itnded steadily in front of him.

    The incense burner seemed to be made of pottery, with three legs and two ears, but no lid. On one side, there was a Yin-Yang fish pattern of The Great Ultimate, and on the other side, there were stars engraved, depicting a starry sky-like array.

    The Yin-Yang Great Ultimate pattern was shining brightly, looking very mysterious.

    On top of the incense burner, there were three sticks of ck incense, one short and two long.

    Yuan Ming was startled by this strange sight. He was stunned for a few breaths before reaching out his palm and gently stroking the incense burner. The touch was delicate and real.

    "It¡¯s not an illusion."

    Yuan Ming sat up straight, gently touched the three sticks of ck incense, and found that the material seemed no different from ordinary incense, but it felt smoother.

    He looked down at his arm again, where the mark was gone, leaving only a slight burning sensation.

    "Strange, where did this incense burnere from? How did it get on my arm?"

    Just as Yuan Ming was puzzled, a memory suddenly surfaced in his mind. He vaguely remembered falling into the river, tumbling in the turbulent waves, and finally being swept to the bottom by the undercurrent.

    In the chaos, he saw a light at the bottom of the water and struggled to touch something.

    That thing was the incense burner.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s pupils contracted instantly, and when he looked at the incense burner again, his eyes were filled with surprise.

    Although he didn¡¯t know what the incense burner was, it could attach itself to him, and it was definitely not an ordinary object.

    Yuan Ming ced his palm on the incense burner, and felt a warm current seeping in, quickly entering his mind.

    He felt a cool sensation in his mind, and the fatigue umted from days and nights of cultivation disappeared without a trace, leaving him feeling extremely invigorated.

    "This incense burner is indeed a divine object, it can even have such a refreshing effect." Yuan Ming murmured joyfully.

    He looked at the three sticks of ck incense standing in the burner, pondered for a moment, then lit a piece of cloth with the method of drilling wood, and ignited one of the ck incense sticks.

    The tip of the incense lit up a spark, illuminating a tiny point of light in the dark cave, and smoke rose from it.

    Yuan Ming immediately smelled a unique fragrance that he had never experienced before, somewhere between sandalwood and pine. Just a slight sniff made his consciousness be drowsy, and his eyes blurred.

    "Is this a sedative incense?"

    Just as this thought shed through Yuan Ming¡¯s mind, he immediately fell into darkness, losing all consciousness.

    He didn¡¯t know how long it had been when his consciousness gradually recovered, and a noisy sound rang around him.

    "Damn, there¡¯s a beast attack!" Yuan Ming was startled and suddenly opened his eyes.

    But what came into view was not the dim cave, but arge, golden embroidered table with a carved pattern.

    The table was neatly arranged with the four treasures of the study and a stack of books wrapped in yellow satin. The inkstone was carved with dragons, and the brush was made of jade and wolf hair. Each item was exquisite and luxurious.

    "Am I dreaming?"

    Yuan Ming suddenly woke up, looked up, and found himself in a magnificent hall.

    Below the hall, there were four people in white brocade clothes, two men and two women, standing on both sides with their heads down.

    "Your Majesty, are you awake?" At this moment, a sharp voice came from beside him.

    Only then did Yuan Ming notice that there was a middle-aged man with a feminine appearance, dressed in a brocade robe, holding a feather duster, and with a white face without a beard, standing next to him.

    "Your Majesty?" Yuan Ming narrowed his eyes. Was this man calling him?

    Looking at his ttering smile, Yuan Ming frowned and looked at the smooth bronze mirror next to the carved table. His reflection was clearly reflected in it, but it was a young man in a gorgeous golden robe, with a five-wed golden dragon embroidered on his chest.

    The young man was about his age, but his face waspletely different!

    Yuan Ming involuntarily leaned back, hitting the back of the dragon chair.

    "Oh, this servant deserves to die, I startled Your Majesty." The effeminate man was startled and quickly knelt down in fear, shouting.The four people in the hall were startled, immediately kneeling on the ground, their heads lowered, not daring to look up.

    A storm of shock surged in Yuan Ming¡¯s heart, but he paid no attention to the effeminate man and the others.

    Just a moment ago, he was in a dark cave, how did he suddenly end up in such a ce? If this was a dream, everything around him was too real, whether it was touch, hearing, or smell, nothing was different from reality.

    "Could it be that the incense burner brought me here?" Yuan Ming recalled his previous actions, and a thought suddenly popped into his mind. The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed.

    "I... I¡¯m fine, you all can leave first." He took a deep breath, steadied his mind, and slowly spoke.

    "Yes!"

    The effeminate man hesitated slightly, but still quickly agreed, leading everyone out of the pce while walking backward.

    Once the pce waspletely empty, Yuan Ming stood up from the dragon throne and came to the bronze mirror, looking left and right. He finally confirmed that this body was not his own.

    The pce was filled with dragon and phoenix carvings, and the dominant color was the golden yellow that represented the supreme authority. Combined with the effeminate man¡¯s address to him and the golden dragon robe on his body, this body seemed to belong to a young emperor.

    "Did I die and reincarnate because of that incense burner? But shouldn¡¯t reincarnation be in the body of a newborn baby? How could it be in the body of a teenager?" Yuan Ming was full of doubts.

    He paced around the room for a while, then sat down behind the desk, calmed down for a moment, and a strange thought emerged in his mind: "Could it be that my soul has left my body and possessed someone else?"

    Apart from this, he couldn¡¯t think of a more usible answer.

    Just then, Yuan Ming sniffed and smelled a fragrant aroma. Following the scent, he saw a porcin box about a foot square on the corner of the desk, with green patterns carved on the surface resembling birds and beasts.

    He quickly lifted the lid of the box, and a burst of fragrance hit his nose.

    Inside the box were variously shaped exquisite pastries, square, round, and flower-shaped, each with different colors, and still steaming hot.

    Yuan Ming had been eating raw meat these days, and to save food, he ate very little each day. He swallowed subconsciously, grabbed a translucent square cake that looked like white jade, and stuffed it into his mouth, chewing vigorously.

    A sweet and delicious date vor mixed with the fragrance of osmanthus immediately filled his mouth.

    "Delicious!"

    Before he had finished chewing the food in his mouth, he hurriedly grabbed another lotus-shaped cake and swallowed it. It was crispy and sweet.

    Yuan Ming simply stood up, using both hands, he devoured all the pastries in the box like a whirlwind, then picked up a teapot next to him and gulped down the tea until the pot waspletely empty.

    "Burp"

    Yuan Ming let out a satisfied burp, sat back down on the dragon throne, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and patted his slightly protruding belly, feeling extremely satisfied.

    The feeling of being full was wonderful, he hadn¡¯t eaten so heartily in a long time!

    After eating and drinking his fill, Yuan Ming began to reconsider everything in front of him.

    Was he brought here by that incense burner? If so, perhaps he could find some clues.

    He looked around for the incense burner. There was one on the desk in front of him, but it was made of ancient bronze and looked very different from the one that had just emerged from his arm.

    "Arm imprint!" Yuan Ming suddenly remembered something, hurriedly rolled up the sleeve of his right arm, and his eyes widened in surprise.

    On his right arm near the elbow, there was a green imprint, exactly the same as the one on his original body, with a faint heat flow circting inside.

    Yuan Ming thought to himself that it was indeed so.

    Now he was almost certain that he was brought here by that incense burner, but could he go back?

    Although this body was an emperor and about the same age as him, he still wanted to return to his own body.

    Yuan Ming touched the green imprint with his finger, but there was no response.

    He tried other things, but the imprint remained motionless.

    "It¡¯s a pity that this little emperor is not a cultivator, there is no magical power in his body, otherwise I could try to summon the incense burner here." Yuan Ming gave up helplessly, sighing quietly.

    After collecting his thoughts, Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze shifted to the yellow satin books piled on the desk.

    Now he didn¡¯t know if he could return to his original body, so he decided to first understand the current situation, y the role of the young emperor well, and not let anyone see through him.

    With this in mind, he picked up a book and opened it. It was a report from a state official about a flood in his jurisdiction, praying for the emperor¡¯s mercy to allow the state granary to be opened for disaster relief.

    What should have been a simple matter was made extremelyplicated by the state official. He first busied himself with apologizing to heaven, then said that heaven was not merciful, and then used a long description to depict the disaster scene.

    After thousands of words, he finally reported the specific disaster situation and relief measures at the end of the memorial, which made Yuan Ming¡¯s head spin.

 Chapter 12: Nine Elements Technique

    Chapter 12: Nine Elements Technique

    "You¡¯re so verbose!"

    Yuan Ming shook his head and opened another memorial. Inside was a report from a deputy minister of the Ministry of Works about the repairs to the Tianzun Hall of Changchun Temple, also a long-winded document that bored Yuan Ming.

    Before he finished reading it, he hastily closed the memorial and threw it aside.

    "If I were the emperor, I would definitely pull out these officials who talk nonsense and give them a good beating," muttered Yuan Ming.

    He rubbed his forehead, lifted his spirits, and opened the third memorial.

    This memorial was different from the previous ones. It looked very concise and to the point, and at the beginning, it briefly reported to the emperor about the mission sent to the Southern Frontier that was attacked.

    "It turns out to be a famous general. Indeed, he is very different from the literary officials who drop books," Yuan Ming said, looking at the signature at the end: General Yuan Zuochong of Zhen Nan.

    "Yuan Zuochong? This name sounds familiar. I seem to have heard it somewhere," he murmured to himself. He was about to read the memorial carefully to see if he could find more clues when suddenly the voice of the soft-spoken man came from outside:

    "Your Majesty, the National Teacher, Yu Hu Xian Chang, requests an audience.""Yu Hu Xian Chang? It seems like a cultivator from the name!" Yuan Ming¡¯s eyelids twitched, and he instinctively wanted to refuse.

    But he thought again that he knew nothing about the rtionship between the young emperor and Yu Hu Xian Chang, and it seemed inappropriate to refuse rashly.

    Moreover, the idea of a young emperor possessed by a soul was too incredible. This cultivator should not be aware of it.

    "Pleasee in." After weighing his options, Yuan Ming put down the memorial in his hand and said.

    The soft-spoken man agreed, and the pce door was pushed open.

    An old man in a purple-gold Daoist robe stepped in and bowed to him, saying, "May the blessings of the Immortal Emperor be with you."

    Yuan Ming looked at the old Daoist and saw that he had a clear and thin appearance, although his face was thin, his skin was radiant, and three long beards hung down his chest, giving him an immortal and Daoist air.

    In addition, he was dressed in a purple-gold Daoist robe embroidered with the Eight Trigrams Cloud Pattern, and he wore a lotus flower crown made of gold threads. The whole person looked even more royal and noble, making people feel awe-inspiring.

    "National Teacher, no need to be so polite. What brings you here?" Yuan Ming raised his hand and carefully chose his words.

    "I just heard Li Gonggong say that Your Majesty¡¯s dragon body is not well, so I came to visit," said Yu Hu Xian Chang, shaking his feather duster.

    "I am fine. National Teacher is kind to care," Yuan Ming said, trying to maintain his tone.

    "Your Majesty¡¯s dragon body is rted to the rise and fall of the world, and it is not to be taken lightly. Let me check your pulse." Yu Hu Xian Chang walked up without hesitation.

    Yuan Ming narrowed his eyes. This person was really overbearing, but he didn¡¯t know the rtionship between the two clearly, so he extended his wrist.

    Yu Hu Xian Chang nced at the empty porcin box on the corner of the desk and quickly retracted his gaze. He pinched Yuan Ming¡¯s wrist with his fingers.

    A slightly cool breath prated in and quickly flowed through his body.

    "This old Daoist is indeed a cultivator!" Yuan Ming¡¯s pupils slightly contracted, and he didn¡¯t dare to breathe, regretting letting this person check his pulse. He hoped that he wouldn¡¯t find anything suspicious.

    The old Daoist closed his eyes and concentrated. After a moment, his expression changed.

    "National Teacher, how is it?" Yuan Ming asked, gritting his teeth.

    "Has Your Majesty been resting welltely? The pulse shows that your blood is still vigorous, but your spirit seems to be restless," Yu Hu Xian Chang opened his eyes and said."Recently, I have had trouble sleeping and have had asional nightmares. Will it be a problem?" Yuan Ming asked vaguely.

    "Your Majesty, there is no need to worry too much. These are just small issues. If Your Majesty is willing to listen to me and cultivate the Nine Elements Technique, with magic power, there will be no such problems." Yu Hu Dao Chang said while stroking his beard.

    "What did you just say, Master?" Yuan Ming blinked and asked again.

    "The Nine Elements Technique is a secret technique passed down in our Changchun Temple. It is not passed down to ordinary disciples. There is no risk in practicing it, and it also has the effect of strengthening the body. Your Majesty, why do you keep refusing?" Yu Hu Dao Chang sighed lightly and said.

    "The Nine Elements Technique? Is this technique really as amazing as you say?" Yuan Ming asked, testingly.

    "Of course, the Nine Elements Technique is a secret technique of the Daoist sect. Our Changchun Temple¡¯s ancestors have spent countless efforts to improve and perfect it. It is not boasting to say that in terms of consolidating the meridians and regting qi and blood, no other technique in the world canpare to the Nine Elements Technique." Yu Hu Dao Chang said proudly.

    "How fast can this technique umte magic power?" Yuan Ming¡¯s breathing became slightly rapid as he asked.

    "The Daoist technique emphasizes gradual progress. The Nine Elements Technique was not originally known for its speed of cultivation, but our ninth generation leader, Wu Fangzi, spent a lot of effort to integrate a spiritual gathering technique into the Nine Elements Technique. This technique¡¯s speed of umting magic power has improved a lot, and it is not inferior to some demonic techniques. Moreover, the most important thing is that there is no hidden danger." Yu Hu Dao Chang smiled and said, feeling pleased with himself.

    "Since you rmend it so highly, I will practice the Nine Elements Technique. Please teach me, Master." Yuan Ming stood up and bowed to the old Daoist.

    However, upon hearing this, Yu Hu Dao Chang hesitated for a moment and scrutinized the young emperor up and down. There was a look of surprise in his eyes, but soon, his furrowed brow suddenly rxed, and aforting expression appeared on his face.

    "Okay, okay, Your Majesty has finallye to his senses today. It is indeed in line with the will of heaven. I will teach you with all my heart." Yu Hu Dao Chang said joyfully.

    He took out a purple cloud script book called "The Nine Elements Technique - Volume One" from his sleeve and handed it to Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming eagerly received it and opened it to read.

    Unlike the Blood Qi Technique, the content of this first volume of the Nine Elements Technique was much longer, with nearly a thousand words written in an ancient and majestic style. It was obviously much more exquisite than the Blood Qi Technique.

    ording to the book, this technique had thirteen levels, corresponding to the cultivation of magic power in the Qi Refining stage.

    Yuan Ming read it quickly and was overjoyed.

    "Your Majesty, cultivating oneself is no different from studying and cultivating one¡¯s qi. The Nine Elements Technique is a treasure passed down from our Changchun Temple¡¯s ancestors. It can only be taught to the legitimate disciples of the sect and the legitimate heirs of the Great Jin Dynasty. Today, I have taught Your Majesty the first volume, please keep it confidential." Yu Hu Dao Chang reminded.

    Yuan Ming waspletely immersed in the Nine Elements Technique and did not reply.

    "Your Majesty, the cultivation of the Daoist technique requires caution and patience. Do not be too anxious. After memorizing all the techniques, I wille to exin them to you." Seeing the emperor so focused, Yu Hu Dao Chang felt relieved and reminded him before leaving.

    At this moment, there was a light clicking sound, and Yuan Ming had already closed the purple book.

    "Master, I have memorized the content of the Nine Elements Technique, but there are still some things that I do not understand. Please enlighten me, Master." Yuan Ming said solemnly.The old Daoist¡¯s action of stroking his long beard suddenly froze, and he looked at the emperor with some disbelief.

    "Your Majesty...you remembered everything?"

    "I did." Yuan Ming nodded seriously.

    After saying that, he also realized that his memory seemed to be somewhat extraordinary.

    When he first learned the blood qi technique, he had only listened to it once and was able to remember it immediately. However, at that time, there were only two hundred characters, and Yuan Ming didn¡¯t think much of it.

    But now, it seemed that he was able to remember everything at a nce.

    "Your Majesty, what is the next sentence after ¡¯Tianfu, Yunmen, Lieque, and Taiyuan¡¯?" The Jade Pot Daoist paused for a moment before asking.

    "Fish pass through the meridian canal, never returning to leap over the dragon gate." Yuan Ming immediately replied.

    "Shenchong Taixu Yuan?" The Jade Pot Daoist continued to ask.

    "Yi Shou Dantian Gong." Yuan Ming answered with ease.

    "Boyang doesn¡¯t turn, leaving the remaining Yin?"

    "Tian Qian has surplus, connecting with Di Qian."

    ...

    After a series of questions and answers, the surprise on the Jade Pot Daoist¡¯s face grew thicker, and he couldn¡¯t help but praise: "In the past, I thought Your Majesty was still young and indulged in y, but today I know that it was just hiding your talent. With Your Majesty¡¯s ability to remember everything at a nce, your cultivation must surely be smooth sailing, advancing a thousand miles in a day."

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming thought to himself: "That¡¯s not necessarily true."

    "Daoist, I know about Tianfu, Yunmen, Lieque, and Taiyuan mentioned in the book, which are the acupoints of the human body. But what are Taixu Yuan and Dantian Gong?" Yuan Ming seized the opportunity and asked.

    Seeing the emperor so eager to learn, the old Daoist had no doubt and immediately exined:

    "The acupoints Your Majesty knows are basically the same as those rted to cultivation, except that the cultivation acupoints are deeper. When you cultivate and gain magical power, you will naturally notice them. As for Taixu Yuan, it refers to the sea of consciousness in humans, which is where the soul and mind are stored. Dantian Gong, also called Dantian, is where the magical power will be stored in the future, located in the lower abdomen."

    "I see..." Yuan Ming gestured on his stomach and found that it was basically the same ce where the heat flow gathered when he practiced the blood qi technique.

    Yuan Ming seized the opportunity and asked all the doubts in his heart one by one.

    Although the Jade Pot Daoist felt that the emperor before him was very different, he still patiently answered.

    Soon, all of Yuan Ming¡¯s doubts had been resolved, and he had no more questions about the Nine Elements Technique. He sat cross-legged on the dragon chair, ready to try cultivating.

    At this moment, the mark on his right arm suddenly jumped, and the heat flow inside quickly receded.

    Just as Yuan Ming was about to check, he suddenly felt an indescribable sense of fatigue, his eyelids heavy and unable to lift. His vision went ck, and he lost consciousness once again.

    In a state of drowsiness, Yuan Ming felt as if he had had a long dream, not knowing how long it took before he slowly woke up.

    He rubbed his eyes and found that he was back in the dim cave, and his body had returned to its original state.

    "I¡¯m...back!" Yuan Ming felt relieved.

    At this moment, the ancient-looking green pottery incense burner was ced in front of him, with two slender ck incense sticks inserted in it. The third incense stick had burned out, leaving only thest bit of ember that had not yet been extinguished.

    The cloth wick he had used to light the incense had also burned almostpletely, leaving only a small piece held in his hand. The two fingers that had pinched the cloth were ckened and emitted a burning pain, obviously caused by the me on the cloth wick.

    Yuan Ming shook his fingers, it seemed that when his consciousness entered the young emperor¡¯s body, his own body had remained motionless,pletely unaware and unresponsive to the fire.

 Chapter 13: Burn incense

    Chapter 13: Burn incense

    Seeing that his finger was not seriously injured, Yuan Ming stopped paying attention to it and reached out to grab the incense burner.

    At that moment, thest spark on the ck incense stickpletely extinguished, and a hazy light shone. His finger unexpectedly passed directly through the incense burner.

    In the next instant, the green ceramic incense burnerpletely disappeared, turning into a stream of light that flew into the mark on his arm.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s pupils contracted, and his previously somewhat groggy consciousness instantly became clear.

    He rolled up his right sleeve and saw the green mark reappear there, but it no longer emitted any light.

    Yuan Ming gently touched the mark with his finger, and the memory of his recent transformation into a young emperor began to emerge in his mind bit by bit.

    "It seems that the incense burner only transported me to the young emperor for a while, and it immediately returned to its original form when the time limit was up." He pondered for a moment, and a realization dawned on him.

    This experience was very novel, and the young and passionate Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but want to experience it again.

    Unfortunately, he had no magical power left in his body, so he couldn¡¯t summon the incense burner."Although the experience with the incense burner is mysterious, the most important thing right now is to cultivate enough magical power to perform the Hair Covering Technique!" Yuan Ming steadied his mind, put aside his yful thoughts, sat cross-legged, and was about to practice the Blood Qi Method.

    "My progress in the Blood Qi Method is too slow. The old Daoist from the Jade Pot boasted that the Nine Elements Form umtes magical power very quickly. Why not give it a try?" A thought suddenly popped into his mind.

    However, the Nine Elements Form and the Blood Qi Method are twopletely different techniques. He wondered if the magical power cultivated by this technique could be used to perform the Hair Covering Technique?

    "Never mind, let¡¯s give it a try first."

    Yuan Ming made up his mind, slowly closed his eyes, began to carefully recall the content of the Nine Elements Form, and started to recite it silently in his heart.

    Before long, he felt the acupoints all over his body slowly opening, and the spiritual energy from the outside world slowly seeped in through the opened acupoints, turning into a warm current flowing through his meridians.

    "The Nine Elements Form can actually use all the acupoints in the body to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth at the same time!" Yuan Ming was both surprised and delighted.

    The Blood Qi Method could only use a few easy-to-control acupoints such as the Yongquan point on the sole of the foot and the Baihui point on the top of the head to connect with the outside world. In terms of the number of acupoints alone, the Nine Elements Form was far superior to the Blood Qi Method.

    Yuan Ming continued to meditate and practice, breathing in and out the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

    At first, the spiritual energy gradually seeped in. As he continued to circte the energy, the speed at which the spiritual energy entered his body gradually increased, and the whole process was smooth and unimpeded.

    Gradually, more and more spiritual energy gathered in his meridians, gradually filling them and making them somewhat swollen.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t know if this was normal, so he could only continue to practice the Nine Elements Form, trying to sort out these spiritual energies. Soon, a clear stream of spiritual energy was formed, which waspletely different from the almost non-existent flow of the Blood Qi Method.

    He controlled the spiritual energy to circte in his body for a full cycle, and finally sank into the Dantian.

    Whether it¡¯s the Nine Elements Form or the Blood Qi Method, the basic principle is the same: to circte the absorbed spiritual energy in the body and then sink it into the Dantian, transforming it into magical power.

    Yuan Ming stared intently at the spiritual energy flow, fearing that it would overflow again.

    However, his worry did not ur. The spiritual energy flow sessfully broke through the bottleneck of the Dantian and entered the Dantian.

    "Did I seed so easily?" Yuan Ming was overjoyed.

    The problem that had troubled him for half a month while practicing the Blood Qi Method was now quietly resolved.

    All of this was due to the effect of the Nine Elements Form. This technique is a real cultivation method, far superior to the Blood Qi Method in terms of grade. It can even be said that the two are not on the same level at all.

    "No wonder the old Daoist from the Jade Pot spoke so highly of the Nine Elements Form." Yuan Ming thought to himself.

    What he didn¡¯t know was that the "Nine Elements Form" was the top entry-level cultivation technique of the Changchun View in the Central ins of the Great Jin Kingdom. Even the ordinary inner disciples of the Changchun View might not have the opportunity to glimpse its true nature. Its guidance and achievements in cultivation were far beyond the ordinary techniques of the Southern Border like the "Blood Qi Method".

    Yuan Ming took a deep breath and continued to practice. The spiritual energy condensed in the Dantian suddenly became a bit restless, like a runaway horse, showing signs of random collision.

    He immediately remembered the phrase "The mind enters the Tai Xu Garden, the intention guards the Dantian Pce", and immediately concentrated all his consciousness and attention on the Dantian.

    After a while, the spiritual energy in the Dantian became extremely hot, and there was a faint feeling of burning.

    Yuan Ming was not flustered. The old Daoist from the Jade Pot had told him before that this feeling was a sign of transforming spiritual energy into magical power.

    He immediately elerated the recitation of the Nine Elements Form in his heart, assisting the hot spiritual energy to break free from its shackles, and quicklypleted the final transformation, turning into a slightly cool magical power.

    "The Nine Elements Form is much more advanced than the Blood Qi Method in terms of condensing magical power." Yuan Ming marveled.

    He didn¡¯t continue to practice, but instead circted the newly condensed magical power to his finger and without hesitation, touched it to the green mark on his right arm.All the events that happened to him today were caused by this mysterious incense burner, especially the fact that he had identally obtained the Nine Elements Form, a heaven-defying technique. This made him unable to resist the urge to summon the incense burner again, to see if there were any other surprises.

    As he expected, the mark once again emitted a suction force, swallowing this strand of magical power. A green light shed on the mark, and the mysterious incense burner appeared out of thin air.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming breathed a sigh of relief.

    Now he could basically confirm that the green incense burner was not a one-time consumable. The green mark was formed after the incense burner attached to his body, and it could be summoned as long as he slightly infused it with magical power.

    He joyfully examined the incense burner in his hand, then suddenly let out a soft exmation.

    The green incense burner was the same as before, except that the Great Ultimate pattern on it was dim andcked the previous brilliance.

    Yuan Ming raised an eyebrow, explored the Great Ultimate pattern, and even infused it with magical power, but nothing unusual happened.

    "It seems that this Great Ultimate pattern is rted to some mechanism of the incense burner," he thought to himself, then shifted his gaze to the two ck incense sticks inside the burner, his face showing a thoughtful expression.

    Based on the previous situation, lighting these two ck incense sticks would allow him to traverse space and possess someone. There were only two incense sticks left, meaning he had two more chances to traverse and possess someone.

    However, the incense burner was mysterious and attached to him. If he couldn¡¯t grasp the whole picture, he wouldn¡¯t feel at ease.

    After weighing his options for a while, Yuan Ming gritted his teeth and lit a piece of cloth, bringing it close to the ck incense stick in the burner.

    This time, he lit one of the two long incense sticks.

    However, despite the me burning, the ck incense stick showed no signs of igniting.

    "What¡¯s going on? It lit up easily before," Yuan Ming frowned, bringing the burning cloth close to the other ck incense stick, but it also failed to ignite.

    "It¡¯s strange, could it be that the incense burner needs to meet certain conditions to light the incense and traverse?" He muttered to himself, his gaze suddenly falling on the dim Great Ultimate pattern.

    "Perhaps the incense can only be lit when the Great Ultimate pattern is bright," Yuan Ming guessed to himself.

    Apart from this reason, he couldn¡¯t think of any other possibilities. However, he had no clue how to make the Great Ultimate pattern light up.

    "Gurgle..."

    His stomach rumbled like a drum, and a strong sense of hunger hit him, interrupting his thoughts.

    "Forget it, this incense burner is indeed mysterious. It¡¯s unrealistic to figure it out in a short time. I¡¯ll deal with itter," Yuan Ming shook his head, no longer wasting his energy in vain.

    He held the incense burner in his hand, considering how to take it into his body.

    The incense burner had previously returned to his right arm on its own, but he hadn¡¯t yet figured out how to retrieve it.

    Just as this thought crossed his mind, the green incense burner suddenly became transparent, turned into a green light, and returned to his right arm, forming the mark.

    "It really is a treasure," Yuan Ming¡¯s face lit up with joy, further confirming that this incense burner was a rare treasure.

    However, even the most powerful treasure couldn¡¯t solve the problem of hunger.

    He got up and went inside the cave, took out a piece of animal skin, which contained five or six wild fruits. These were leftovers from before.

    The meat in the cave had been eaten up, and he still couldn¡¯t use the Fur Covering Technique. It was too dangerous to go out and hunt, so he could only rely on these wild fruits to barely satisfy his hunger.

    "I must master the Fur Covering Technique before I run out of fruit!" Yuan Ming made up his mind, grabbed a fruit and wolfed it down, slightly easing his hunger.

    Without any dy, he immediately sat down cross-legged and started practicing the Nine Elements Form.

    The spiritual energy of heaven and earth gathered from all directions, entered his body through various acupoints, and began to condense in his dantian again.

    In the blink of an eye, five days passed.

    Yuan Ming sat cross-legged in the cave, looking somewhat haggard, his lips pale and cracked.

    At his age, he was growing and needed food. One wild fruit a day was far from enough, it could only barely keep him alive. Fortunately, the practice of the Nine Elements Form was surprisingly smooth.

    The spiritual energy of heaven and earth continuously gathered from all directions, entered his meridians through the acupoints all over his body, then circted ording to the route of the Nine Elements Form, transforming into strands of magical power.

    The magical power in his dantian gathered into threads, slowly circting. Half a dayter, it formed a small vortex.

    "I¡¯ve finally formed a magical power vortex," Yuan Ming rejoiced in his heart.

    ording to what Elder Hu Huo had said before, forming a magical power vortex meant that his magical power had a small foundation, and he could use the Fur Covering Technique.

    Yuan Ming opened his eyes, impatiently draped the White Ape¡¯s skin around his waist, chanted the spell, and activated the Fur Covering Technique mantra that Elder Hu Huo had taught him.

    As he cast the spell, strands of white light appeared on the White Ape¡¯s skin, then covered his body like a living thing. Blood-red root-like patterns emerged from the inside of the ape skin and prated into his body.

    Yuan Ming clenched his fist, barely enduring the pain that felt like needles piercing his entire body.

    However, just as Elder Hu Huo had said before, the pain of the Fur Covering Technique was greatly reduced when he cast it himself.The white ape skin quickly covered Yuan Ming¡¯s entire body, transforming him into a white humanoid ape, a powerful force filled his body.

    Yuan Ming looked at his furry appearance and let out a sigh.

    After twenty days, he had finally managed to perform the Fur Coat Technique on his own again, gaining the power to protect himself, no longer a weak existence without strength.

    However, he had been hungry for several days, his body weak and feeble, the power surging within him was much less than before.

    But Yuan Ming didn¡¯t mind this at all. Being able to umte enough mana in five days to perform the Fur Coat Technique, he was already satisfied.

 Chapter 14: Grinding a knife with a whetstone

    Chapter 14: Grinding a knife with a whetstone

    Yuan Ming moved away therge stone at the entrance of the cave, used the "Fur Transformation Technique" to transform into a white ape, and leaped out of the cave in a few jumps, climbing up a nearby big tree.

    Having stayed in the cave for nearly twenty days, day and night, breathing in the fresh air outside made him feel refreshed and clear-headed.

    After taking a deep breath, Yuan Ming began to jump and move from tree to tree towards the direction of the river he had seen before.

    Although he could now use the "Fur Transformation Technique" on his own, hunting wild beasts was not an easy task. He nned to catch some man-eating fish to fill his stomach, recover some strength, and then continue hunting.

    When Yuan Ming arrived at a big tree less than thirty feet away from the river, he paused and hid himself behind the dense leaves, peering down through a gap.

    He saw a figure that looked half-human and half-tiger in the nearby river, constantly thrashing about. Every time it stood up, it would have a fish in its mouth, which it would swallow before diving back into the water.

    Yuan Ming recognized this person as Wu Lu, who had previously traveled with Lago but was now nowhere to be seen.

    "This guy has also mastered the ¡¯Fur Transformation Technique¡¯ so quickly!" Yuan Ming was surprised.

    He had been struggling to master the "Blood Qi Technique" all along and had only just achieved the "Fur Transformation Technique" today with the help of the "Nine Elements Form." Wu Lu, who had the same four spiritual roots as him, had actually seeded as well?Yuan Ming did not reveal himself and watched Wu Lu catch more than ten man-eating fish before leaving. He then jumped down from the tree and went to the riverbank.

    As before, he used his monkey tail to catch ten or so man-eating fish, held them in a bear skin, and quickly left the water¡¯s edge.

    He returned to the cave, lit a fire, and roasted the fish.

    After eating more than ten man-eating fish, two of which had many ck fish eggs that could replenish his vitality, Yuan Ming felt his energy and strength had recovered significantly.

    After eating and drinking his fill, he wiped his mouth and thought about his next strategy.

    Now, with only ten days left until the one-month deadline, he needed to pay five doses of beast blood to get the antidote. Although he could now use the "Fur Transformation Technique" on his own, his strength had not improved muchpared to before. Hunting that ck bear had been so difficult, let alone a fierce beast.

    After some consideration, Yuan Ming decided to wait a few more days to adjust his body while umting some magical power before going to hunt the fierce beasts.

    Elder Hu Huo had told them that the stronger their magical power, the greater the power of the "Fur Transformation Technique." He understood the saying "Sharpening the knife does not hinder the work of cutting wood."

    He sat cross-legged and continued to practice the "Nine Elements Form," breathing in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

    In the blink of an eye, five more days had passed.

    While Yuan Ming was quietly practicing and recovering his energy in the cave, a ray of golden sunlight shone through the crack in the stone, and the crisp sound of birdsong came from outside.Yuan Ming opened his eyes and stopped his cultivation. He picked up a piece of cold barbecue meat next to him, took a few bites, drank some water, and stood up to stretch his muscles.

    At this moment, a sparkling glow emanated from his skin, and the haggardness on his face had disappeared.

    As Jade sk Old Dao had said, the Nine Elements Technique was effective in cultivating the body. With sufficient food and the regtion of the Nine Elements Technique, his body hadpletely recovered.

    After five days of hard cultivation, his magical power had also greatly increased, and a small amount of magical power was slowly flowing in his dantian.

    But with only five days left until the deadline of one month, he had to set out to hunt beasts!

    With this thought in mind, Yuan Ming left the cave, performed the Fur Coat Technique with a hand gesture, and the white ape skin around his waist rolled up, revealing a white ape that quickly appeared in the forest.

    The white ape¡¯s figure seemed to have grown a bit stronger, and its strength had also increased by about half.

    "Indeed, the stronger the magical power, the greater the power of the Fur Coat Technique!" Yuan Ming nodded slightly and ran towards the south.

    After half an hour of running, his field of vision suddenly widened, and the forest came to an end. A huge canyon appeared in front of him.

    The canyon was about two or three miles wide and of unknown length, extending to both sides and reaching the end of the field of vision.

    White mist drifted inside the canyon, deep and bottomless, like a barrier that separated the two sides.

    "This must be the canyon that Elder Hu Huo mentioned." Yuan Ming muttered to himself.

    The opposite side of the canyon was also a dense forest where the ferocious beasts were said to be. He needed to cross the canyon to kill the beasts and obtain their blood.

    However, the white mist in the canyon was dense, and he didn¡¯t know how deep it was or if there were any ferocious beasts lurking inside.

    He picked up a stone and threw it with force into the misty canyon. After two or three breaths, he heard the faint sound of the stone colliding.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes rxed a bit. It seemed that the canyon was not too deep.

    After a brief hesitation, Yuan Ming still moved forward, looking for a ce with a gentle slope and sliding down towards the bottom of the canyon. He quickly entered the bottom of the canyon.

    The mist was thick here, and he could only see one or two zhang ahead. Perhaps because of the white mist, the bottom of the canyon was damp and humid. It never saw the sunlight, and only some moss grew here, forming a sharp contrast with the lush forest above.

    Yuan Ming breathed a sigh of relief when he saw this. There should be no ferocious beasts living in such a deste ce.

    He groped forward, leaving a mark on the ground with each step to prevent himself from getting lost.

    He soon passed through the bottom of the canyon and came to the other side of the mountain wall.

    The white ape was not only good at climbing trees but also climbing mountain walls. Yuan Ming used both his hands and feet to climb up the mountain wall and quickly arrived at the forest on the opposite side.As soon as he entered this ce, he immediately noticed a slight change in the surrounding environment. The trees here were taller and denser, and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth seemed to be more abundant. However, the mountain wind hovering here carried a piercing chill, and even with the white ape skin separating him, his body hair stood on end.

    Yuan Ming raised his eyebrows and thought to himself that this forest was indeed a bit strange. He jumped onto a tree and headed towards the depths of the dense forest. He stopped not far in and walked slowly along the edge of the canyon, carefully searching for traces of ferocious beasts.

    After all, he was not sure how powerful the ferocious beasts were. Walking near the canyon was more appropriate. If he couldn¡¯t defeat them, he could jump into the canyon to escape.

    During the journey, the surroundings were silent, with only asional bird calls in the distance. This dead silence made Yuan Ming a little dry-mouthed and his palms became slightly sweaty.

    He wiped his palms and was about to continue forward when a strange cry came from the forest ahead, sharp and piercing, like a baby crying. Yuan Ming¡¯s body shook, and he quickly stopped and hid behind a dense leaf, looking towards the direction of the sound, but unfortunately he could not see anything.

    At this moment, another beast roar came,pletely different from the previous scream. Yuan Ming¡¯s eyebrows moved, and he slowed down his pace as much as possible, trying not to make any noise.

    Soon, Yuan Ming arrived at the source of the two beast roars. Through the gap in the leaves, he looked down.

    The strange wild beast that made the sharp cry was half a zhang tall, with a head like a mouse, covered in thick yellow short hair on its chest and abdomen, and a thick turtle shell-like armor on its back, which was obviously extremely strong.

    "Armadillo?" Yuan Ming guessed secretly, but armadillos were not this big.

    The yellow armadillo¡¯s two green bean eyes emitted fierce light, looking towards the grass ahead where two green foxes were crawling.

    This fox¡¯s fur was all blue-green, and its eyes were also blue,pletely different from ordinary foxes. It was about a zhang long and three chi tall, with a smooth arc body, giving the impression of being very fast.

    The green fox stared fiercely at the yellow armadillo and growled low in its mouth.

    The fierce light in the eyes of the three beasts became stronger and stronger, and soon they all rushed out and fought together.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s face showed a concentrated expression. These three strange andrge beasts were probably ferocious beasts, and he wanted to see their abilities.

    After watching for a while, his face gradually became serious. Whether it was the yellow armadillo or the green fox, their strength far exceeded his expectations. The green fox was indeed an agile type of ferocious beast, with a speed twice as fast as ordinary foxes, wolves, and other wild beasts, and its attacks with sharp teeth and ws were also not to be underestimated.The yellow Armadillo was even more powerful, its ws like ck iron hooks that could easily scratch deep marks on stones. The yellow armor on its back was extremely sturdy, and the ws of the two green foxes could only leave white marks on it.

    The battle situation quickly became clear. The yellow Armadillo fought against two opponents and still had the upper hand. The two green foxes had more and more wounds on their bodies, and their fur was dyed red with blood.

    After a fierce battle for a while, the two green foxes finally couldn¡¯t withstand it and turned to flee.

    The yellow Armadillo didn¡¯t pursue them, instead, it roared a few times and burrowed into the nearby bushes.

    Yuan Ming, who was in the tree, had his eyes brightened. He swiftly moved through the trees, chasing after the two green foxes.

    The green foxes were already injured, making them perfect prey!

    The two green foxes were severely injured, one of them even had a wounded hind leg, and they were not fast. Yuan Ming quickly caught up with them.

    The green fox behind seemed to notice something amiss, especially the one with the injured leg. It turned its head back to look but found nothing.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming had already reached above the green fox¡¯s head. He pushed off the tree with his foot and swooped down like a hunting eagle.

    The green fox was startled and hurriedly dodged to the side. However, its leg injury slowed its movement, and it was knocked down by Yuan Ming.

    The fox was both frightened and angry, opening its mouth to bite Yuan Ming¡¯s arm. But Yuan Ming reacted faster, bending his knee and mming it hard into the fox¡¯s spine.

    The intense pain that prated its bones made the green fox scream, and it couldn¡¯t help but raise its head.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s thick ape-like arms took the opportunity to wrap around the green fox¡¯s neck, intertwining like two ropes, rendering the fox¡¯s head immobile.

    The other green fox noticed the situation behind it and immediately turned around, rushing over.

    Yuan Ming red and shouted, pushing the power of his fur technique to the extreme. His arm muscles wriggled and swelled, instantly bing three times thicker. He twisted fiercely.

    With a "crack" sound, the throat bone of theme green fox was twisted and broken, its head slumped to the side.

    At this moment, a foul-smelling wind came from behind, as the other green fox pounced.

    Yuan Ming hurriedly turned to avoid it, but his shoulder was still hit by the fox¡¯s w. The tough ape skin was shed with several wounds, and blood gushed out.

 Chapter 15: Thatâ€™s it

    Chapter 15: That¡¯s it

    Yuan Ming felt a sharp pain in his shoulder, but he didn¡¯t stop his movements. He turned his body, swung his right leg like an axe, and kicked the green fox¡¯s waist with a sharp gust of wind.

    "Bang!"

    The green fox was kicked and flew out, hitting a big tree behind and falling to the ground.

    The fox quickly got up, and although its waist seemed to be uninjured, several wounds that had not yet healed on its body began to bleed again.

    Perhaps due to excessive blood loss, the green fox¡¯s steps were a bit unstable, and its green eyes stared at Yuan Ming. Yuan Ming didn¡¯t back down and stared back at it while clenching his fists and letting out a few low roars.

    After a few breaths, the green fox suddenly turned and ran towards the distance, disappearing into the jungle in the blink of an eye.

    Yuan Ming breathed a sigh of relief and rxed his tense face. He had made up his mind to fight the fox to the death and was not going to let go of its body.

    Yuan Ming treated the w wounds on his shoulder and stopped the bleeding before hanging the fox¡¯s body on a nearby tree and cutting its throat with a bone knife.

    The fox¡¯s blood flowed out and was caught in a beast skin bag that Yuan Ming had prepared. He quickly filled half the bag with fox blood."Looking at this trend, the blood of one green fox can fill this bag. How can I hunt other fierce beasts?" Yuan Ming murmured to himself, with a hint of doubt in his eyes.

    As an elder and experienced hunter, Hu Huo couldn¡¯t have overlooked this problem.

    "Could it be that this bag has some special features?" Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze fell on the strange blood-colored pattern on the surface of the bag, and a thought suddenly came to his mind.

    He pointed one or two fingers at the blood-colored pattern and infused his mana into it.

    The pattern became even brighter, and the bag lit up with a faint blood-red light, like the glow of a sunset. The fox blood in the bag also flowed as if an invisible hand was stirring it.

    To Yuan Ming¡¯s surprise, the fox blood in the bag visibly decreased at a speed that could be seen with the naked eye. Within a few breaths, half of the fox blood had disappeared.

    The remaining fox blood looked even brighter, and the smell of blood became even stronger.

    "This bag is indeed not an ordinary item. It¡¯s a refined and purified storage for animal blood, isn¡¯t it?" Yuan Ming¡¯s face showed a look of joy as he continued to infuse his mana carefully into the bag.

    At this moment, the bag suddenly made a "pu" sound, as if the mana he infused had broken through a barrier. The surface of the bag lit up with a faint white light, forming a white circle that kept swirling.

    A strong suction force emerged from the white circle and enveloped the green fox¡¯s neck wound.

    Ssh!Arge amount of fox blood gushed out, but not a drop fell outside, and it all fell into the skin bag.

    "Does this bag also have the ability to collect animal blood on its own?" Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes widened slightly, but he quickly regained his calm.

    It¡¯s not surprising that this blood-storing skin bag has the ability to collect animal blood. If you hang the body of a fierce beast on a tree, not only is the efficiency of collecting blood too low, but there will also be a lot of waste if you are not careful. As a sect, since the Bi Luo Cave needs this kind of animal blood, it cannot ignore this problem.

    However, Elder Hu Huo did not mention this matter from beginning to end, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

    As the green fox blood was sucked dry, the refinement inside the skin bag also ended, and all the fox blood turned into a small crystal blood clot the size of a fist, quietly suspended in the bag.

    Although very weak, the crystal blood clot emitted a trace of magical power fluctuations.

    "It seems that my guess was correct. This green fox is indeed a fierce beast that can absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to strengthen itself." Yuan Ming came to a conclusion and did not stay here for long. He grabbed the green fox¡¯s body and retreated towards the canyon, quickly arriving at the edge of the canyon.

    Just at this moment, a dense running sound came from behind, mixed with the sound of panting.

    Yuan Ming jumped onto a big tree and looked back. Suddenly, his pupils shrank.

    He saw more than a dozen green fox fierce beasts rushing towards him, less than twenty yards away.

    "Bad news, these green foxes are actually a group of fierce beasts!" Yuan Ming quickly got off the tree, leaped into the canyon, and his figure soon merged into the thick fog.

    After a few breaths, the green fox group chased to the edge of the canyon, roaring incessantly at the misty canyon, but none of them dared to step into it, as if they were considering something.

    ...

    Amidst the rolling fog, Yuan Ming did not slow down his pace and ran all the way to the opposite bank, quickly arriving at the rock wall.

    After running so far with a green fox¡¯s body, even though he had used the fur technique, he was still tired and had to stop to catch his breath.

    Fortunately, it was quiet inside the fog behind him, and those green foxes did not chase after him.

    Yuan Ming felt a little strange, but he did not investigate further. After regaining some strength, he carried the green fox¡¯s body and climbed up, quickly reaching the top.

    The green foxes on the opposite side were still lingering there. When they saw Yuan Ming and the green fox¡¯s body on his back, they roared one after another, still not daring to enter the canyon.

    "It seems that these green foxes are afraid to enter the canyon. I don¡¯t know if they are afraid of the fog here or if the people of Bi Luo Cave have used some means to make them not dare to enter?" Yuan Ming spected to himself.

    If it was thetter, then this canyon would be very useful. In the future, as long as he hides in the canyon, he can avoid powerful fierce beasts.

    After standing silently for a while, Yuan Ming turned around and walked into the forest, and his figure soon disappeared.

    The green fox group on the other side of the canyon lingered at the edge of the canyon for a while before finally dispersing.

    Half an hourter, Yuan Ming returned to the cave with the green fox¡¯s body, and he had a cloth bag in his hand with several nts inside.

    He couldn¡¯t remember the names of these nts, but he suddenly remembered that they had the effect of stopping bleeding and healing wounds, so he picked them on the way back.

    "It seems that I also have some knowledge of medicine." He thought to himself, using magic to remove the fur technique and revealing the wound on his shoulder.

    After being covered with ape skin for so long, the bleeding had stopped.Yuan Ming crushed several flowers and herbs, mixed them with water to make a paste, and applied it to his wounds.

    Instantly, a cool sensation spread out, greatly reducing the pain in his injuries, and the bleeding stoppedpletely.

    "It really works." Yuan Ming was pleased.

    In this forest, hunting beasts and getting injured wasmon, so this healing recipe would definitelye in handy.

    Just then, his stomach growled.

    Using the Shapeshifting Technique not only consumed his magical power, but also his physical strength. After a fierce battle with the Green Fox, he had used up all his supplies.

    Yuan Ming stood up and cut two pieces of fox meat, then started a fire to cook them. The aroma quickly spread, making his mouth water.

    "The flesh and blood of ferocious beasts contain spiritual energy, which is different from ordinary wild animals." He salivated, waiting eagerly for the meat to be cooked.

    After eating the two pieces of fox meat, Yuan Ming felt warm and satisfied, rubbing his stomach. He then sat down and began to n his next move.

    He had witnessed the power of ferocious beasts today. The Green Fox and the Yellow Armored Armadillo lived in the forest edge area and were probably just ordinary ferocious beasts. Even the weaker Green Fox, in a one-on-one situation without any other help, he believed he would be more likely to lose than win, let alone the fact that there were arge number of them.

    He had four more days left and needed to hunt four more ferocious beasts. His time was very tight, so he had toe up with a good n as soon as possible.

    Yuan Ming pondered for a moment, then decided to target the Green Foxes.

    Firstly, because the Green Foxes were slightly weaker, and secondly, because there were many of them, which was enough for him to kill.

    "Should I dig a trap like I did when I hunted the ck bear before?" Yuan Ming had little experience in hunting beasts, and the first thing that came to mind was still the old method.

    However, after careful consideration, he rejected this idea.

    The Green Foxes were different from the ck bear. They were cunning enough to retreat and call for help from theirpanions when there was a risk. Moreover, they were agile, so a roughly set trap would probably not work and might even backfire.

    Yuan Ming continued to think of other ways, and after a while, he suddenly looked up as if he had thought of something.

    "Yes, that¡¯s it!"

    The night passed quickly.

    Yuan Ming opened his eyes, his eyes shining brightly.

    After a night of hard work, the magical power in his Dantian had increased slightly. With the speed of umting magical power using the Nine Elements Technique, if he had another ten days or half a month, he might not be afraid of the Green Foxes anymore.

    Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t have much time left.

    After eating two more pieces of fox meat to fill his stomach, Yuan Ming used the Shapeshifting Technique to transform into a white ape and headed straight across the canyon to the other side. He quickly arrived at the ce where he had found the Yellow Armored Armadillo yesterday.

    After a search, he finally found the trace of the Yellow Armored Armadillo in a clump of trees near the mountain wall.

    The Yellow Armored Armadillo also noticed Yuan Ming on the tree and looked at him with threatening eyes.

    Yuan Ming grinned at the Armadillo, then turned around and leaped among the trees, heading towards the distance.

    The Yellow Armored Armadillo did not expect the sudden appearance of the white ape to just leave like that, and was stunned for a moment. Its small ck eyes stared at Yuan Ming¡¯s departing figure until it was sure that he had left its "territory," then turned around and "swooshed" into a small cave in the bottom of the mountain wall.Inside the cave, ayer of hay was spread out, and several small armadillos were lying there. Seeing the big armadilloing in, they chirped and gathered around it.

    The yellow armadillo¡¯s eyes showed a loving expression as its pink tongue licked the young armadillos.

 Chapter 16: Expedient measure

    Chapter 16: Expedient measure

    After leaving the territory of the Qiu Yu, Yuan Ming searched for half a day along the direction of the second green fox that escaped yesterday, and finally found the trace of the green fox outside a mountain hollow.

    There were two slightly smaller green foxes lyingzily at the exit of the hollow, basking in the sun.

    Before Yuan Ming could do anything, a fox howl came from inside the hollow, followed by four or five green foxes rushing out from inside and joining the two outside, disappearing into the dense forest.

    "It seems that this hollow is the den of those green foxes." Yuan Ming nced inside the hollow and then followed the group of green foxes into the forest.

    With his current control over the body of the transformed white ape, he easily followed behind the green fox without being noticed.

    After entering the forest for a while, those green foxes seemed to have their own purposes and gradually dispersed. Yuan Ming chose one of the lone green foxes to continue to follow.

    In a blink of an eye, the two had traveled several miles away from the hollow.

    Yuan Ming confirmed that there were no other fierce beasts around, and then elerated his speed to catch up with the green fox, climbing onto a tree above its head.

    The green fox, with its keen ears and nose, immediately noticed Yuan Ming, stopped its footsteps, and snarled at him.Yuan Ming just smirked, took a green stone out of his animal skin bag, and threw it at the green fox.

    The stone turned into a green shadow, cutting through the air and heading straight for the green fox¡¯s head.

    The green fox quickly dodged to the side, but another ck shadow struck again, this time a small ck stone.

    It couldn¡¯t dodge this time, and its head was hit by the ck stone.

    With a "bang," the stone shattered, and the green fox¡¯s vision darkened, feeling a little dazed.

    Yuan Ming looked at his left hand, a little stunned.

    After throwing the first stone, his left hand unconsciously threw the second stone without much time interval.

    This seemed to be some kind of throwing martial arts that he unconsciously used, which even the agile green fox couldn¡¯t dodge.

    Yuan Ming quickly regained his senses, flew down, and grabbed the green fox¡¯s neck with both hands.

    The green fox¡¯s vision had not yet recovered, but it instinctively sensed the danger and jumped aside, avoiding Yuan Ming¡¯s grab, and then bit his arm.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s grab was originally a feint, and seeing that it was not good, he quickly retracted his arm, avoiding the fox¡¯s bite.

    "A green fox that hasn¡¯t been injured is really hard to deal with." He secretly cursed, turned around and ran away.

    The green fox shook its head and quickly recovered.

    It was indeed provoked by Yuan Ming, with bloodthirsty anger in its emerald green eyes, and it immediately chased after him.

    The white ape transformed by Yuan Ming was much slower than the green fox on two legs, and the distance between the two quickly narrowed to less than ten yards.

    Seeing that he was about to be caught up, Yuan Ming jumped onto arge tree next to him, climbed up in three or two strokes, punched his chest, and started leaping forward on the tree while looking down at the green fox below.

    The green fox was stunned for a moment, but waspletely provoked by Yuan Ming¡¯s behavior and continued to follow him.

    Yuan Ming advanced steadily, asionally using stones to attack the green fox to prevent it from retreating.

    The two of them chased and fled, and soon came near the den of the yellow Qiu Yu.

    The yellow Qiu Yu was feeding several cubs in the cave. When it heard themotion outside, it immediately leaped out.

    Yuan Ming had been paying attention to the situation near the Qiu Yu¡¯s den from a distance. When the bushes moved, he immediately shed and hid behind a dense cluster of leaves.

    In the forest, only the green fox continued to roar.The territory was invaded by the green fox several times, and this time it even came near the den. The yellow armadillo¡¯s eyes almost burst into mes, and ayer of yellow light emerged from its body as it charged towards the green fox.

    The green fox finally realized something was wrong and turned around to escape.

    However, the yellow armadillo was already furious and chased after the green fox with all its might. In just a few breaths, its two iron-like ws turned into two ck shadows and fiercely grabbed the green fox.

    The two fierce beasts fought fiercely together in an instant, and their roars echoed in the mountains, raising clouds of dust.

    Behind the dense leaves, Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes shed with excitement.

    His n was already halfway sessful, and all he had to do now was wait for the green fox to be defeated and flee so he could take advantage of the situation.

    "Wait, there were two green foxes yesterday, and they were able to escape. Now there¡¯s only one. Will it be killed by the yellow armadillo?" Yuan Ming suddenly had a thought and quickly thought of a solution.

    Just then, he suddenly heard a small sound that was not caused by the two beasts fighting, but rather a small animal¡¯s cry.

    <em>"The yellow armadillo is so angry, could it be..." </em>Yuan Ming had a thought and quietly approached the yellow armadillo¡¯s den. Soon, he arrived at arge tree in front of the den.

    He looked down through the gaps in the leaves and a hint of joy appeared on his face.

    From this angle, he could vaguely see several armadillo cubs crowded together inside the yellow armadillo¡¯s den, making a cooing sound.

    "Exactly as I thought." Yuan Ming muttered to himself, taking out a ck stone from his backpack.

    The battle in the forest quickly ended, just as Yuan Ming had predicted. The green fox didn¡¯tst long and waspletely defeated, covered in wounds and with one eye gouged out, screaming as it fled.

    The yellow armadillo naturally would not let it escape and was about to chase it.

    A piercing whistle came from behind, and a ck shadow flew towards the armadillo¡¯s den.

    The yellow armadillo was shocked and angry, immediately giving up on the green fox and using its powerful legs to rush towards the den.

    The ck shadow did not hit the armadillo¡¯s den but hit a nearbyrge tree, making a loud noise. It was a ck stone.

    The yellow armadillo stood there stunned, itsrge body sliding forward due to inertia, crushing arge patch of bushes and grass.

    Yuan Ming smiled slightly, leapt out of his hiding ce, and chased after the injured green fox.

    The yellow armadillo was concerned about its cubs in the den and roared angrily at Yuan Ming and the green fox before turning and diving into the cave.

    ...

    Yuan Ming soon caught up with the injured green fox, calcted the distance, and pounced on it from the tree like an eagle hunting. The sound of fighting and roaring once again echoed in the forest, and dust rose into the air, quickly returning to calm.

    Yuan Ming stood up, dusted off his body, and couldn¡¯t help but grin.

    There were several bloodstains on his arm from the green fox¡¯s bites during its final struggle. But the green fox, which was already severely injured, had also turned into a corpse, lying on the ground with a broken neck just like the yellow armadillo had done.

    Yuan Ming looked at his hands, lost in thought.

    He had used the same technique as yesterday, using his arms to strangle the green fox.

    This martial art of locking the throat and capturing was quite proficient in his hands. During the battle, he unconsciously used it, just like the martial art of throwing stones.

    Although these two martial arts were simple, they were extremelypatible with his transformed white ape body.

    Yuan Ming took out a beast skin bag that stored blood, used his magic to suck the green fox¡¯s blood dry, and turned it into a crystal-clear blood clot. He did not continue to hunt and instead took the green fox¡¯s corpse and retreated towards the canyon.In the following three days, Yuan Ming practiced at night, and during the day he lured the green foxes into the territory of the yellow armadillo, causing the two to fight each other, and then took the opportunity to hunt them.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s luck was not bad, as he was able to sessfully hunt a green fox every day. By the fifth day, he had sessfully collected five portions of fierce beast blood essence.

    He weighed the blood-storing beast skin bag in his hand, breathed a sigh of relief, and sat down on the ground.

    Although the process was a bit thrilling in the past few days, he had finallypleted the task at thest moment.

    The most difficult moment had passed, and with the help of the Nine Elements Technique, his strength would steadily increase. He believed that it wouldn¡¯t take long for him to be able to hunt the green foxes alone, and even challenge the armadillo might not be entirely impossible.

    After resting for a moment, Yuan Ming got up and returned to the other side of the canyon, heading for the giant stone monument.

    When he arrived back at the giant stone, he found that Wu Lu was already waiting there, while the previously apanying La Ge was still nowhere to be seen.

    "I don¡¯t know where the so-called safe ce that this guy mentioned is. La Ge hasn¡¯t appeared until now, so it¡¯s mostly bad news." Yuan Ming looked deeply at Wu Lu, who was sitting with his eyes closed, and didn¡¯t intend to greet him. He also sat down beside the giant stone and closed his eyes.

    With outsiders present, he didn¡¯t use the Nine Elements Technique but instead used his mana to probe his body¡¯s condition.

    A month had passed, and the poison from the Corroding Heart Pill had gradually spread, invading his heart meridians. A bowl-sized area around his heart was faintly cold and numb.

    Yuan Ming had tried to force the poison out with his mana these past few days, but to no avail.

    This was normal, as the Green Grotto was a cultivation sect, and using poison was not something he, who had only been cultivating for a few days, could easily break.

    "I hope that Hu Huo is true to his word and provides the antidote." Yuan Ming thought to himself.

    Before long, a gray shadow appeared in the distance and quickly approached.

    Yuan Ming was not unfamiliar with this object and suddenly got up. Wu Lu, who was not far away, also opened his eyes and stood up immediately.

    The gray shadow quickly approached, and it was the gray bird belonging to Elder Hu Huo. It circled slightly in the air beforending on the giant stone, and Elder Hu Huo¡¯s figure floated down from its back.

    <em>"Elder Hu Huo!" </em>Yuan Ming and Wu Lu saluted together.

    "Bring the blood storage bag for me to see." Elder Hu Huo didn¡¯t say anything else and went straight to the point.

    Just as Yuan Ming was about to speak, Wu Lu stepped forward and presented the blood storage bag.

    Elder Hu Huo nced at the contents of the bag, nodded, and threw a jade bottle to Wu Lu.

    "Take this month¡¯s antidote."

    <em>"Thank you, Elder Hu Huo!"</em> Wu Lu was overjoyed, pulled out the jade bottle¡¯s stopper, poured out a pale red pill, and swallowed it. His tense face rxed.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming also handed over his blood storage bag. After Elder Hu Huo took a look, he didn¡¯t say anything more and also gave him a detoxification pill.

    Yuan Ming swallowed the pill and immediately felt a surge of warmth from his lower abdomen, which counteracted most of the icy poison. He returned to the state he was in a month ago when he had just taken the Corroding Heart Pill, and his heart meridians returned to normal.

    This made him secretly relieved, as it seemed that Elder Hu Huo was trustworthy. At least, as long as he handed in the beast blood on time every month, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about the poison from the Corroding Heart Pill.

    Without saying a word, Elder Hu Huo took out a slightly bulging blood storage bag and collected the blood essence from Yuan Ming and Wu Lu. Without waiting for the two to say anything else, he left again on his flying bird, seemingly in a hurry.

 Chapter 17: Determination

    Chapter 17: Determination

    "Hehe, congrattions Brother Yuan Ming on mastering the Beast Transformation Technique and sessfully surviving the first month," Wu Lu didn¡¯t leave immediately, instead, he looked at Yuan Ming and said with a smile.

    "Likewise. Speaking of which, Brother Wu Lu, why haven¡¯t we seen Lago?" Yuan Ming changed the subject.

    "Lago went hunting alone a few days ago, unfortunately, he was killed by a beast," Wu Lu said with a calm expression.

    "What a pity." Yuan Ming nodded, didn¡¯t say anything more, and turned to leave.

    Wu Lu watched Yuan Ming walk away, his gaze flickering, as if he was thinking about something.

    Instead of continuing to hunt beasts across the canyon, Yuan Ming returned to his hideout in the cave.

    There was no rush to hunt the beasts, what he needed most now was to enhance his strength.

    He blocked the entrance of the cave, sat cross-legged, and started to cultivate the Nine Elements Form. The spiritual energy of heaven and earth immediately gathered around him.

    ......Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, twenty days had passed.

    On a century-old giant tree outside the Green Fox Den, arge white ape stood quietly. It was Yuan Ming who had used the Beast Transformation Technique.

    Compared to twenty days ago, the white ape had grown muchrger, its muscles were more robust and powerful, and it looked formidable.

    Before long, five or six green foxes ran out of the den in the mountain hollow, and quickly dispersed.

    After several previous attempts to lure and hunt, Yuan Ming had a clear understanding of the habits of these green foxes. They were dispersing to find food.

    He skillfully followed one of the green foxes to a ck pine forest.

    This ce was four or five miles away from the den in the mountain hollow. Even if there was a disturbance, it wouldn¡¯t reach the den.

    Yuan Ming sped up, and in a few breaths, he overtook the green fox, jumped down from the tree, and blocked its path.

    The green fox was startled at first, but then it realized it was just a white ape. Its eyes rxed, and it pounced fiercely.

    This green fox was slightlyrger and faster than the ones he had hunted before. A blurry green shadow shed, and in the blink of an eye, the green fox was in front of Yuan Ming, its deep green ws shing down!

    However, Yuan Ming¡¯s body lightly swayed, and he disappeared from the spot, causing the green fox to pounce on nothing.

    The green fox was startled and quickly tried to steady itself.

    However, before it could fully stabilize, Yuan Ming descended from the sky, his right foot carrying a terrifying force, and kicked hard on the back of the green fox.

    A terrifying force surged into the body of the green fox, and with a "crack" sound, its spine broke.

    Its body copsed on the ground, and blood gushed from its mouth.

    Before it could struggle to get up, Yuan Ming¡¯s other foot descended from the sky and stepped on the fox¡¯s head.

    With a crisp sound of bone breaking, the fox¡¯s head was crushed, and white brain matter spilled out. The fox waspletely lifeless.

    Yuan Ming withdrew his foot, looked at the dead green fox, and was stunned.

    He chose to continue hunting green foxes, partly because he understood the habits of this group of green foxes and felt that even if he couldn¡¯t beat them, he wouldn¡¯t be in danger. More importantly, he wanted to test his own strength.

    Twenty days ago, the green fox was a powerful beast that he found difficult to fight against. But twenty dayster, this fox couldn¡¯t even withstand two moves from him.

    Unconsciously, his strength had increased to this extent!

    Yuan Ming suppressed the excitement in his eyes, took out a blood storage bag to collect the blood of the green fox, then returned to the vicinity of the Green Fox Den to stalk the other green foxes.

    A day passed, and he sessfully hunted three green foxes.

    The next day, he came to the outside of the mountain hollow again, and without much effort, he hunted two more green foxes.

    The task that he had barelypletedst month was now easily aplished.

    "Now I haven¡¯tpleted the first level of the Nine Elements Form, and the Beast Transformation Technique has such power. If I continue to cultivate at this rate, once I make progress on the first level of the form, or even break through to the second level, wouldn¡¯t I be able to walk sideways in this forest?"

    Yuan Ming touched the ape skin on his body, the more he thought about it, the more excited he became, the more he thought about it, the further he thought, feeling as if he had found a shortcut to bing stronger.

    But then he thought of something, and a contemtive look appeared in his eyes.

    Although he was just starting on the path of cultivation, he felt something was strange. The Beast Transformation Technique was too useful, as long as he had mana, he could use it, and the power increase was so easy.

    Of course, the Nine Elements Form yed a big role in this, but he still felt a bit uneasy.

    In addition, this was quite different from the cultivators he had imagined who could move mountains and seas, and summon wind and rain. Was it possible that after cultivating mana, he could only show his strength by turning into a half-human, half-beast monster? That would be too stifling for an immortal.

    Once this thought arose in his heart, Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but feel more and more that something was wrong, but he couldn¡¯t pinpoint what it was.

    He tried to calm his mind, thought about it carefully for a while, and felt that he couldn¡¯t figure it out for the time being, so he simply put the matter aside, headed towards the cave, and soon arrived near the canyon.

    Just as Yuan Ming was about to go down, a low moan suddenly came to his ears.

    He looked surprised, wondering why there would be someone here?

    Following the sound, he found a figure in a ck robe lying in the grass, his body trembling non-stop, and the exposed skin was blood-red.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t approach rashly. After observing the person for a few moments, he suddenly eximed, broke off a small tree from the nearby jungle, and turned the ck-robed man over.

    The man¡¯s face was revealed, it was Wu Lu.

    Yuan Ming had already noticed some clues from the man¡¯s back, so he wasn¡¯t surprised.

    Wu Lu¡¯s face was also blood-red, his lips were trembling, his eyes were rolled back, and he had lost consciousness.

    "Has he contracted some kind of disease?" Yuan Ming guessed to himself.

    At this moment, blood was flowing from Wu Lu¡¯s nostrils, ears, eyes, and other ces, his breathing suddenly became rapid, but his breath was rapidly weakening.

    Yuan Ming hesitated for a moment, then squatted down to check Wu Lu¡¯s condition, and quickly discovered something: "It seems there¡¯s a problem with his heart meridian."

    Wu Lu¡¯s heart was beating violently, ten times faster than a normal person, the meridians around his chest were disordered, his muscles were spasming, and the cirction of his qi and blood was greatly hindered.

    Yuan Ming activated his mana, quickly tapped Wu Lu¡¯s chest more than a dozen times with his fingers, and finally pressed his palm on Wu Lu¡¯s chest, releasing a surge of mana to unblock the meridians.

    A quarter of an hourter, he withdrew his hand, his forehead slightly sweaty.This ce had neither medicinal herbs nor tools. He could only do so much. Whether Wu Lu lived or died depended on his own fate.

    Perhaps Wu Lu was not destined to die. His internal energy gradually recovered, the flush on his cheeks receded significantly, and he regained consciousness.

    "Yuan Ming... is it you?" Wu Lu managed to speak.

    "Your condition is very serious. Your energy is flowing in reverse in your body. How did this happen?" Yuan Ming asked.

    Wu Lu opened his mouth, hesitated, then closed it again.

    "If you don¡¯t want to talk about it, that¡¯s fine. But your condition is very critical. I can only alleviate it a little. There¡¯s no cure. It will rpse soon. Do you have any specific medicine?" Yuan Ming waved his hand and asked.

    Wu Lu¡¯s face showed hesitation, but he quickly became determined and looked at his waist.

    "Do you have medicine here?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "Yes... Yuan Ming, could you... get it for me..." Wu Lu managed to speak.

    Without a word, Yuan Ming took out a cloth bag from there. It contained various items, including four sealed bamboo tubes, two dark red stones, a white jade pendant, and a ck jade bottle.

    "Is it this jade bottle?" He picked up the ck jade bottle.

    Wu Lu¡¯s face lit up, and he immediately nodded.

    Yuan Ming opened the jade bottle and poured out a dark red pill. It didn¡¯t have any medicinal smell, so he couldn¡¯t tell what kind of elixir it was.

    He didn¡¯t bother to figure it out and put the pill into Wu Lu¡¯s mouth.

    Wu Lu swallowed the pill with difficulty. His face quickly turned even redder than before. The veins on his forehead bulged out, wriggling like living creatures. He let out a suppressed growl from his throat, appearing to be in extreme pain.

    Yuan Ming frowned. Looking at Wu Lu¡¯s condition, it didn¡¯t seem like an illness.

    After the time it took to eat a meal, Wu Lu¡¯s condition began to improve. The flush on his face gradually faded, and the bulging veins slowly returned to normal.

    He looked extremely tired but managed to sit up cross-legged and began to meditate.

    Yuan Ming jumped onto a nearby tree and sat on a thick trunk several feet off the ground, recovering the mana he had just used.

    After a long while, Wu Lu¡¯splexionpletely recovered. A red light shed across his body, and the tiger skin at his waist rolled up and attached to his body. In the blink of an eye, he transformed into a spotted tiger about a foot tall.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s pupils contracted slightly. Wu Lu¡¯s body was muchrger than thest time he saw him by the stream.

    His cultivation was constantly improving, and the height of his white ape transformation was also increasing, but his growth seemed to be slightly less than Wu Lu¡¯s.

    Wu Lu looked at Yuan Ming in the tree, his eyes shing coldly.

    "I just saved your life. Why are you looking at me like that, Brother Wu Lu? Is this how the people of the Southern Border treat their saviors?" Yuan Ming said with a smile.

    "Why did you save me?" Wu Lu asked in a deep voice.

    "We entered the Bi Luo Cave at the same time. Regardless of our rtionship, we arepanions. It was a simple task for me, so why not save you." Yuan Ming said indifferently.

    Hearing this, Wu Lu¡¯s expression softened a bit, but the cold light in his eyes did not fade.

    "It seems that I was being nosy. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t tell anyone about what happened today. We¡¯ll meet again." Yuan Ming stood up, dusted off his butt, and was about to leave.

    "Wait a minute." Wu Lu suddenly called out to Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming stopped and turned to look at him.

    "Regardless, thank you for saving me, Brother Yuan Ming. I can¡¯t express my gratitude enough. Please ept this Fire Pattern Iron as my repayment." Wu Lu took out a dark red stone from the cloth bag and threw it up.

    Yuan Ming raised an eyebrow. When he opened Wu Lu¡¯s cloth bag earlier, he noticed that these two stones were not ordinary. They emitted faint spiritual fluctuations and should be items needed by cultivators.

    However, he did not catch the Fire Pattern Iron and flicked it back.

    "I didn¡¯t save you out of greed for your possessions." Yuan Ming said calmly.

    Wu Lu caught the Fire Pattern Iron and was stunned for a moment. "Since Brother Yuan Ming refuses to ept the Fire Pattern Iron, consider it as I owe you a favor. If you need help in the future, as long as I can, I will not refuse."

    "You¡¯re too polite. We¡¯ll meet again." Yuan Ming gave a faint smile, jumped up, and disappeared into the forest in a few breaths.

    Wu Lu stood silently in ce, his expression somewhat deste for some reason.

    After a while, he turned and left the canyon, his figure quickly disappearing into the fog at the bottom of the valley.

    Yuan Ming hadn¡¯t gone far. He was hiding in a tree on the edge of a cliff about ten feet away, watching Wu Lu leave.

    He was not a do-gooder. The reason he saved Wu Lu just now was partly because they werepanions, and since it was easy for him to save Wu Lu, he wouldn¡¯t be so cold-hearted as to watch Wu Lu die.

    On the other hand, Yuan Ming was curious about the speed of Wu Lu¡¯s cultivation progress and wanted to use this opportunity to get closer to him and learn more about his situation.

    However, Wu Lu¡¯s reaction was somewhat unexpected. He seemed to be very concerned about his illness being known to others.

    "There¡¯s definitely something wrong with that illness." Yuan Ming muttered to himself.

    But he didn¡¯t delve into it. He jumped down from the tree and quickly crossed the canyon, returning to the cave to continue his closed-door cultivation.

    The incident with Wu Lu was just a minor interruption. For Yuan Ming, the most important thing was to quickly improve his own strength, which might give him a slim chance to return to the Central ins.

    Regardless, his intuition told him that cultivating the Nine Elements Form was always the right choice.

    Three months passed in a sh.

    During this period, apart from spending a day or two each month hunting green foxes toplete the tasks of the Bi Luo Cave and replenishing his food supply, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t step out at all. He devoted all his time to cultivating the Nine Elements Form.

    Thanks to his hard work and the profoundness of the Nine Elements Form, his mana improved rapidly.

    One day, while Yuan Ming was meditating, his increasingly solid mana suddenly began to boil like boiling water. It flowed out of his dantian and into his meridians.

    His body trembled, and a sound like bones colliding came from within. He couldn¡¯t help but open his mouth and spit out.

    A burst of green light spewed out, turning into a cloud of green mist that circled around his body.

    A chant came from within the mist, and the circling green light quickly dissipated. Yuan Ming had already stood up."I¡¯ve finally mastered the first level of the Nine Elements Form!" Yuan Ming looked at his hands and murmured.

    Now, he was equivalent to a Qi Refining Stage One cultivator, officially stepping into the ranks of cultivators.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s magical power had increased several timespared to three months ago. He couldn¡¯t wait to find out the extent of his transformation technique. He got up and went outside the cave, forming hand seals to cast the spell.

    The white ape skin around his waist rolled up, enveloping his body. Countless blood threads emerged from the inner side of the ape skin, piercing deep into his body.

    Yuan Ming had grown ustomed to this pain, gritting his teeth to bear it.

    The heart-wrenching pain quickly passed, and a white ape about ten feet tall appeared.

    "The height is still about the same as before, it seems to have reached its limit." Hepared himself to arge tree nearby and murmured.

    Over the past few months, as Yuan Ming¡¯s magical power continued to increase, the size of the transformed white ape had been growing. Two months ago, it reached its current height of about ten feet.

    However, since then, no matter how his magical power grew, the height and size of the white ape didn¡¯t change much, obviously reaching the limit of the transformation technique.

    The height didn¡¯t increase, but the muscle density on the white ape¡¯s body had greatly increased. Huge and solid muscles bulged, showing the amazing power contained within, far beyond what it was before.

    He clenched his right fist and struck out, making a dull and shocking sound as it hit arge tree.

    Crack!

    The tree as thick as a water bucket was directly sted apart. Half of the broken tree fell to the ground, dust flying, and birds and beasts retreated in shock!

    Yuan Ming withdrew his fist, a satisfied look on his face.

    With his current strength, dealing with the Green Fox was naturally easy, even the Yellow Armadillo, known for its defense, probably wouldn¡¯t dare to face his full strength attack.

    "With my current strength, I wonder if I could cross the Hundred Thousand Mountains and return to the Central ins?" In his excitement, he couldn¡¯t help but think of escaping.

    But thinking of the deadly poison of the Heart Corroding Pill in his body, his blood turned cold.

    "Staying in this forest full of beasts and transformed beast ves, what¡¯s the use of being stronger! No, I have to find a way to truly escape from here!" Yuan Ming clenched his fist.

    His current identity was a transformed beast ve of the Bi Luo Cave, he had no chance to contact the outside world. The only channel to the outside world was Elder Hu Huo, but how could Hu Huo possibly give him the real antidote to the Heart Corroding Pill?

    "Right, it¡¯s been a few months, I wonder if the incense burner can be used again? Maybe I can establish contact with the outside world through the incense burner?" Yuan Ming pped his forehead, how could he forget that treasure.

    He immediately cancelled the transformation and returned to the stone cave, using his magical power to summon the incense burner.

    Yuan Ming held the incense burner in both hands, feeling a warm current seeping into his mind through his palms, instantly invigorating his spirit.

    But at this moment, he didn¡¯t have time to enjoy the pleasure of the invigorated spirit, his eyes were fixed on the green incense burner in front of him.

    Compared to before, the incense burner seemed to have undergone some changes. A small part of the Great Ultimate pattern on it had be shiny, while the rest remained dull.

    "It seems that this Great Ultimate pattern will automatically restore its brightness after a certain period of time, I wonder if I can travel through it again when that happens?" He guessed quietly.

    But looking at the speed of the Great Ultimate pattern¡¯s restoration, it would take a considerable amount of time to fully brighten.

 Chapter 18: Path for advancement

    Chapter 18: Path for advancement

    Yuan Ming sighed and casually ced the green incense burner down, identally touching one of the ears of the white ape skin around his waist.

    The surface of the incense burner shed with a green light, and a warm airflow quickly spread out and merged into the white ape skin.

    The white ape skin trembled slightly, and a faint golden light appeared on the surface. Then, with a "whoosh," it unfolded and draped itself over Yuan Ming¡¯s body.

    Yuan Ming had not yet understood what had happened when suddenly, the mana in his dantian surged outwards and continuously poured into the white ape skin, which began to merge with his body.

    <em>This feeling was like the first time Hu Huo Elder activated the fur-covering technique to cover his body with fur.</em>

    The white ape skin wriggled like a living thing, and small bumps bulged on the surface, as if countless mice were crawling inside.

    Yuan Ming was shocked and tried to stabilize the mana in his dantian to stop it from pouring out, but it was futile.

    Not only the mana in his body, but even the spiritual energy in the surrounding air seemed to be drawn by some invisible force and gathered towards the white ape skin.

    A scene that stunned Yuan Ming appeared.As the spiritual energy continuously poured into the white ape skin, the originally gray and withered fur became white, shiny, and smooth to the naked eye. Some bald areas grew white fluff again, which quickly thickened and lengthened.

    At the same time, a white ape phantom appeared inside the white ape skin, covering his body.

    <em>"What is this?"</em> Yuan Ming was surprised, scratching his head and ears uncontrobly, and the sound of monkey cries echoed in his ears.

    Before he could react, a cold breath suddenly rose in his mind, causing a sharp pain in his forehead, as if a dagger had been thrust into it and pierced through his skull!

    Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but open his mouth, but he couldn¡¯t make a sound. He felt dizzy and almost lost consciousness.

    Even though his mind was always firm and he endured this inhuman torture, his consciousness was almost copsing. He couldn¡¯t hear any sound with his ears, and he couldn¡¯t see any light with his eyes.

    In a trance, Yuan Ming saw a tall and burly white ape standing proudly on a giant peak in the wind and rain, punching his chest with both fists and roaring angrily towards the sky.

    Then, he lost consciousness.

    Yuan Ming gradually regained consciousness, and his senses gradually recovered.

    He shook his slightly swollen head and felt that the ape skin on his body had stopped wriggling and no longer absorbed his mana. However, his dantian was empty, and his mana had beenpletely absorbed.

    The originally gray-white ape skin was now white and shiny, as if it had just been peeled off. There were even strands of golden light on the surface.

    <em>"What happened just now? Why does this white ape skin seem toe alive? Oh, that white ape, could it be..." Yuan Ming frowned, silently thinking.</em>

    <em>Although there was no evidence, he instinctively felt that the white ape that appeared in his mind just now was the owner of the ape skin on his body.</em>

    "BOOM, BOOM, BOOM."

    Suddenly, a very strong heartbeat sounded in his ears, causing Yuan Ming¡¯s heart to tremble, waking him up from his scattered thoughts.

    "AH!"

    <em>The next moment, he felt a piercing pain in his fingertips, and bloody white ws pierced through his skin and flesh, causing him to tremble and groan in pain.</em>

    After a full fifteen minutes, the ws stopped growing, and the piercing pain disappeared.

    Yuan Ming breathed a sigh of relief, his whole body almost soaked in sweat, and his head was ringing, almost fainting.However, themotion he had just caused was quite loud, and he didn¡¯t know if any wild beasts would hear it ande over. So he forced himself to sit cross-legged and use the Nine Yuan Technique to adjust his breathing.

    After half an hour, Yuan Ming opened his eyes, hisplexion slightly better, and his mana had also recovered a little.

    He looked at his hands and saw that the sharp ws on his ten fingers were half a foot long, curved like dragon ws, seemingly made of steel, and looked indestructible.

    "Although I don¡¯t know what exactly happened, it seems that due to the mysterious incense burner, the white ape skin has undergone some kind of evolution? This incense burner is truly a rare treasure!" Yuan Ming thought to himself.

    He used his magic to put away the incense burner, and with a wave of his arm, he casually grabbed a handful of the cave wall.

    The wall was easily scratched with five deep marks, and the solid earth wall was like tofu in front of the sharp ws, almost no resistance was felt.

    <em>"So sharp!"</em> Yuan Ming eximed.

    <em>Originally, the white ape was rtively strong in terms of arm strength, but with its flexible body, it could freely shuttle through the mountains and forests. Compared to jackals, tigers, and leopards, it did not have much advantage in terms of attack. However, with these sharp ws, it was naturally different.</em>

    For example, the armadillo beast that faced the attack of the green fox without any fear, often stood undefeated with its extremely tough armor. With his current strength, he could rely on brute force to win, but it would be very difficult. If he had these sharp ws to assist him, he could easily break through the opponent¡¯s defense and achieve twice the result with half the effort.

    "No matter how much my strength improves, as long as I don¡¯t get the real antidote for the Poisonous Heart Pill, I won¡¯t be able to leave this area and return to the Central ins for a long time." Yuan Ming thought of the severe poison he was inflicted with by the Biluo Cave, and couldn¡¯t help feeling disheartened.

    "Since the incense burner can¡¯t be lit temporarily, maybe I can try to get some information from there?" His thoughts turned, and he looked south.

    In the past few months, he had used every opportunity to submit the blood of the beasts tomunicate with Elder Hu Huo.

    Although the other party came and went like the wind, unwilling to say much, one time, whether intentionally or unintentionally, he mentioned that there were many ape beast ves under the jurisdiction of the Biluo Cave, which were distributed in various areas of the Ten Thousand Mountains and managed by different elders. He was responsible for as many as twenty or thirty.

    <em>Yuan Ming believed that these beast ves were all "seniors" to him, and they must have a better understanding of Biluo Cave or this Ten Thousand Mountains than himself. Perhaps by finding and contacting them, he could obtain some information he needed.</em>

    After making up his mind, Yuan Ming did not immediately set off to find other beast ves. With only two days left before the next blood submission, he could submit this month¡¯s blood first before leaving.

    Two dayster, Yuan Ming arrived at the Giant Stone Monument with the blood he had prepared early.

    Elder Hu Huo was already waiting there, but Wu Lu did not appear.

    "Elder Hu Huo, please count this month¡¯s blood of the beasts." Yuan Ming took out the blood storage bag and handed it over.

    "The color and aura of these five blood samples are simr. Were they collected in one day?" Elder Hu Huo took the blood storage bag and nced at it, his eyebrows twitched, and he looked up at Yuan Ming and asked.

    <em>"Elder¡¯s insight is truly amazing! I identally discovered a nest of green fox beasts and luckily collected five blood samples in one day." </em>Yuan Ming didn¡¯t understand the meaning behind Elder Hu Huo¡¯s words, but he didn¡¯t lie or deceive.

    "Killing five green foxes in one day is not bad. Did your cultivation break through to the first level of Qi Refining?" Elder Hu Huo looked at Yuan Ming and asked.

    "A few days ago, I had some enlightenment and luckily broke through." Yuan Ming hesitated for a moment and said.

    "Being able to break through to the first level of Qi Refining within half a year is not bad. You barely qualify." Elder Hu Huo nodded.<em>"What does Elder mean by this?" </em>Yuan Ming asked with a surprised expression on his face.

    "Most of you beast ves have four spirit roots, which ording to the cultivation world¡¯s evaluation, are considered ¡¯pseudo-spirit roots.¡¯ Without special opportunities or extraordinary determination, it is difficult for you to achieve great things. Our Bi Luo Cave has always valued talent, and setting up the beast ves is a kind of trial. For those who can break through the first level of Qi Refining within half a year, we offer a path for advancement. However, whether you seed or not depends on your determination," Elder Hu Huo said with a pleasant expression, lifting his chin slightly.

    "Please enlighten me, Elder," Yuan Ming guessed something and showed a trace of excitement on his face.

    "As long as you can hand in a certain amount of fierce beast essence blood within three years, you can be rid of your beast ve status and be taken in as a registered disciple of Bi Luo Cave, learning the true immortal arts and secret techniques," Elder Hu Huo seemed quite satisfied with Yuan Ming¡¯s reaction and continued.

    <em>"Join Bi Luo Cave! Is this true?" </em>Yuan Ming¡¯s spirits lifted, and he blurted out.

    "When have I, Hu Huo, ever spoken false words in Bi Luo Cave?" Elder Hu Huo¡¯s expression darkened slightly.

    "Elder, please forgive me. I was too excited and spoke out of turn. How much essence blood do I need to hand in within three years?" Yuan Ming quickly apologized and changed the subject.

    "One thousand."

    Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief at what he heard.

    "If you can¡¯t even collect a mere one thousand essence blood, I advise you to give up on the idea of cultivating. I find you quite pleasing to the eye, so I¡¯ll give you a reminder. If you want toplete the task, it¡¯s best to hunt higher-ranked fierce beasts. ording to the rules, one portion of a first-level mid-ranked fierce beast¡¯s essence blood is equivalent to ten portions of a low-ranked fierce beast¡¯s essence blood, and one portion of a high-ranked fierce beast¡¯s essence blood is equivalent to one hundred portions of a low-ranked fierce beast¡¯s essence blood," Elder Hu Huo nced at Yuan Ming and said.

    "Thank you for the guidance, Elder. I understand," Yuan Ming replied respectfully, his heart shivering.

    Last month, when Elder Hu Huo collected essence blood, he had mentioned this matter to Yuan Ming and Wu Lu. The so-called first-level low-rank refers to the strength ssification of first-level fierce beasts, with two other levels above it: mid-rank and high-rank.

    The Green Fox and Qiongqi he had encountered before were first-level low-ranked fierce beasts, whose strength was roughly equivalent to Qi Refining cultivators at levels one to four. The first-level mid-ranked fierce beasts lurking deeper in the hundred thousand mountains were equivalent to cultivators at Qi Refining levels five to eight, and their strength was naturally iparable.

    As for first-level high-ranked fierce beasts, they were even more terrifying, far surpassing mid-ranked fierce beasts. If one¡¯s strength was insufficient, encountering them would mean instant death.

    Of course, due to the low intelligence of fierce beasts, cultivators could try to hunt higher-ranked beasts using various means, even if their actual cultivation was not up to par. However, this couldn¡¯t be generalized.

    In short, with his current Qi Refining first-level cultivation, he had no confidence in escaping unscathed from a first-level mid-ranked fierce beast.

    In other words, if he wanted to gather one thousand portions of fierce beast essence blood, he would have to either further increase his cultivation or continue to hunt down one thousand first-level low-ranked fierce beasts honestly.

    Just as Yuan Ming was about to ask Elder Hu Huo for the antidote and take his leave, a rustling sound came from the nearby bushes, and faint footsteps approached.

    Yuan Ming turned his head to look and saw Wu Lu limping towards him.

 Chapter 19: Show oneâ€™s talent for the first time

    Chapter 19: Show one¡¯s talent for the first time

    Yuan Ming looked at Wu Lu, who was gradually approaching, and unconsciously frowned, but soon rxed.

    Only to see Wu Lu¡¯s shoulders, chest, arms, and other ces were all injured, and even a few ces were still oozing blood, as if he had just experienced a fierce battle not long ago, and he looked quite embarrassed.

    Speaking of which, Wu Lu didn¡¯t know what special opportunity he had. Although he was still some distance away from the first level of Qi refining, his overall cultivation speed seemed not to be inferior to him.

    And the beast skin he obtained, the spotted tiger, was far stronger in overallbat power than the white ape. It should have been effortless to deal with ordinary level one lower rank ferocious beasts, but I don¡¯t know what happened.

    "Hu Huo elder, I¡¯mte. This is the ferocious beast essence blood for this month." Wu Lu stopped in front of Hu Huo elder and handed over the blood storage bag.

    Hu Huo elder seemed to have not seen Wu Lu¡¯s miserable appearance and collected his five portions of essence blood expressionlessly. After throwing two portions of antidote, he summoned a giant bird and left.

    After Yuan Ming took the antidote, he did not stay here and nned to leave.

    "Brother Yuan, wait a moment. Do you still have that healing ointment in your hand?" Wu Lu suddenly stopped Yuan Ming.

    "There is still a tube." Yuan Ming stopped his footsteps."That¡¯s great. Can you sell it to me? I¡¯ll exchange it with this tube of cartge poison." Wu Lu¡¯s face showed joy and took out a bamboo tube, which was tightly sealed with animal skin.

    "Sure." Yuan Ming took out a bamboo tube from his arms and threw it over.

    "Thank you." Wu Lu hurriedly caught it and handed over the bamboo tube in his hand.

    Yuan Ming opened the bamboo tube, and inside was a bottle of dark purple viscous liquid.

    Since thest time they saved each other, the rtionship between the two has be closer, and there has been moremunication between them.

    Wu Lu imed to be from a small tribe in southern Jiang, and he knew how to refine some highly poisonous substances. This cartge poison could make people¡¯s muscles and bones weak and was quite effective against ferocious beasts. Yuan Ming exchanged it with his self-made healing ointment twice and found that the effect was good.

    "I vaguely heard Hu Huo elder talking just now. I don¡¯t know what he said?" Wu Lu nced at the direction where Hu Huo elder had gone, and asked curiously.

    "I asked Hu Huo elder for some information about ferocious beasts." Yuan Ming said so.

    Since Hu Huo elder did not tell Wu Lu about bing a named disciple of the Bi Luo Cave, he naturally would not talk too much.

    The two chatted for a while and left one after another.

    Yuan Ming returned to the cave and nned his next steps.He originally nned to go to other areas of the Ten Thousand Mountains to find some fur beast ves, inquire about the Bi Luo Cave and the Corrupt Heart Pill, and see if there was a chance to get away from being a ve forever.

    Now that Elder Hu Huo has pointed out a clear path to join the Bi Luo Cave, there is no need to go through so much trouble.

    A thousand portions of fierce beast essence blood seems like a lot, but if he reduces his cultivation time, he is confident he can gather it within a year.

    "Something¡¯s not right, the Bi Luo Cave doesn¡¯t seem like a sect that¡¯s easy to talk to, how could they set such loose conditions? Any fur beast ve with a little bit of strength, as long as they¡¯re careful, should be able toplete this task, right?" Yuan Ming rubbed his chin and wondered.

    Could there be some other unknown tricks involved?

    He couldn¡¯t figure it out for a while, so he didn¡¯t waste any more time. At least during the process of collecting essence blood, he could also cultivate the Nine Elements Technique to improve his future self-protection.

    Thinking of this, Yuan Ming began to pack up the things in the cave.

    This cave was a bit far from the canyon, and it took a lot of time to go back and forth. He needed to find a new ce to stay.

    Yuan Ming wrapped the items in the cave with a piece of animal skin and left the cave he had lived in for almost half a year. But before leaving, he blocked the cave entrance with arge stone.

    This ce was quite hidden, and he might still need it in the future.

    Carrying the animal skin bundle, Yuan Ming headed south and soon arrived near the canyon.

    "It won¡¯t take much time to cross the canyon, so let¡¯s settle down on this side of the canyon."

    Yuan Ming scanned around and didn¡¯t continue forward, but instead looked for a suitable ce to live nearby.

    Soon, he found a winding cave under a small mound of earth, which looked like it had been dug out by some underground wild beasts like pangolins.

    The cave was quite long, extending all the way to the other side of the mound. In addition to the front entrance, there was also a back door in the shady area behind the mound.

    However, the back door was rtively small, and a person could not pass through.

    Yuan Ming blocked the back door with arge stone, then transformed into a white ape and used his sharp ws to expand the cave space near the front entrance, forming a rudimentary earth house.

    Fortunately, the mound was mostly made of earth and had few stones, which saved him a lot of effort. Otherwise, even with his sharp ws, it would not be possible to expand the cave so much in just a day or two.

    Yuan Ming moved arge stone from nearby to block the cave entrance, and collected a lot of dry branches and hay to make a simple bed inside the cave. With that, his simple dwelling wasplete.Lying on the dry grass bed, he rxed and couldn¡¯t help but yawn.

    The previous cave conditions were simple, and he was busy practicing and hunting beasts, so he didn¡¯t pay attention to personal life at all. At this moment, lying on the soft grass bed, the umted fatigue slowly emerged, and he was a little drowsy.

    Yuan Ming did not drive away the sleepiness this time, and fell asleep quickly on the dry straw bed.

    He slept very well, and woke up refreshed the next day at noon. After eating some dried meat, he left the cave and came to the forest on the other side of the canyon.

    Yuan Ming nced at the mountain where the green fox¡¯s nest was located, and quickly retracted his gaze.

    He had killed most of the green fox group. Since he killed the leader of the green foxst month, the remaining green foxes had scattered and there was one less stable hunting base.

    Yuan Ming shook his head and walked towards the depths of the forest.

    He had been wandering around the edge of this forest for several months, and it was his first time going deep into it.

    As he went deeper, he found that the trees around him became exceptionally tall, with hundreds of towering trees that were over a hundred years old. The dead branches and leaves fell thickly, and there was a soft feeling under his feet. The surrounding area was full of dense bushes and vines, much denser than the other side of the canyon, blocking his view.

    After a little thought, Yuan Ming transformed into a white ape and jumped from tree to tree, starting to move forward.

    He walked for about a quarter of an hour without encountering any fierce beasts, which was not surprising to him. This forest was only the outermost part of the Ten Thousand Mountains, and although there were fierce beasts lurking, there were not many. Wu Lu hadined before that the time spent searching for fierce beasts was much longer than the time spent hunting them.

    He was lucky to have found arge group of green foxes before, which made it easy for him toplete his monthly task. As for the yellow armadillo, it was nowhere to be found. To achieve the goal of collecting one thousand drops of blood, he must go further into the forest.

    Of course, Yuan Ming did not intend to rush for sess. Safety was still the top priority.

    After walking for some distance, he heard the sound of rushing water in front of him. It turned out to be a small waterfall cascading down from the mountain cliff, pouring into a clear water pool, and a cool water vapor hit his face.

    Yuan Mingy on the tree, looking ahead through the gaps in the leaves.

    He saw arge wild boar-like fierce beast drinking water by the water pool, with its entire body covered in fiery red fur, and its back and hooves bulging with muscles, showing that it was a powerful fierce beast.The wild boar had a sharp horn on its forehead, which looked very sharp. There were also two sharp and shiny pig teeth at the corners of its mouth, shing with a cold light, making people shudder.

    Yuan Ming looked at the "prey" in front of him, his mouth curled up, and his eyes looked around the environment near the water pool, wanting to confirm if there were any other potential dangers nearby.

    At this moment, the wild boar suddenly lifted its head from the water pool, looking around as if it had heard something.

    Yuan Ming quickly hid behind a tree trunk and didn¡¯t move.

    The wild boar shook its ears, as if listening to the surrounding sound. After a few breaths, it continued to lower its head to drink water.

    Yuan Ming breathed a sigh of relief and quietly leaned out to carefully observe the other party.

    "Looking at the size of this guy, it¡¯s much stronger than the previous green fox and armadillo. The target of one thousand is starting with you." He secretly calcted in his heart, quietly approaching the wild boar.

    Just then, the wild boar stood up, shook off the water on its body, snorted in satisfaction, and was about to turn around and leave the water pool.

    Yuan Ming seized the opportunity and pounced from the tree,nding on the wide and thick back of the pig. Before the wild boar could react, he fiercely inserted his two sharp ws into the neck of the wild boar and forcefully shed.

    "Chih!"

    The neck of the wild boar was cut with two deep bone-visible wounds, and blood rushed out.

    It let out a miserable scream, and its tall body ran forward, breaking two big trees in session, and the broken branches and leaves flew around.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t have time to stabilize his body and was thrown out.

    "Roar!" The wild boar¡¯s eyes had turned blood red, and it turned around and rushed towards Yuan Ming.

    The wild boar¡¯s head leaned forward, staring at the red horn, and stabbed towards Yuan Ming¡¯s chest like a giant spear. Its tall body brought up a surging airflow, causing the trees several yards away to rustle.

    Yuan Ming had just stabilized his body and didn¡¯t have time to dodge. He reached out his hands and grabbed the red horn.

    "Chih!"

    He rubbed his feet on the ground, and his whole body slid backwards.

    Retreating two yards, Yuan Ming¡¯s feet were half a foot into the ground, and his body stood firm, allowing the wild boar to exert all its strength, but it couldn¡¯t shake him at all.

    "Get up!" Yuan Ming shouted loudly, his arms bulging, and he lifted it up.

    The tall body of the wild boar was actually lifted by him, turned half a circle in the air, and mmed heavily on a nearby big tree.A treerge enough for a person to wrap their arms around broke with a loud crack as the fierce wild boar¡¯s body continued to smash into the ground. The impact created a loud "bang," causing the ground within several feet to shake slightly.

    Before the beast could regain its senses, a white, sharp w descended from the sky, fiercely stabbing into its head and piercing through the hard skull.

    The wild boar let out a desperate scream, its massive body convulsing a few times before it finally stopped moving.

    Yuan Ming nodded in approval. The strength of this wild boar was not weak; if he had encountered it three months ago, he would have lost more than he won. But now, facing him, it had no power to resist, like a small cat or dog.

    Giving up the Blood Qi technique and switching to the Nine Elements Art was indeed the right choice.

    Yuan Ming took out a blood storage bag and collected the wild boar¡¯s blood. Just as he was about to leave, a deep roar suddenly came from the front, followed by the ground shaking and a wave of dust and debris being kicked up!

 Chapter 20: Desire to kill

    Chapter 20: Desire to kill

    Yuan Ming¡¯s heart tightened, and he quickly looked towards the source of the noise.

    In a cloud of dust, arge figure crawled out, it was a brown bear covered in yellow fur, much taller than the ck bear he had killed earlier, almost the size of a small house.

    Under the gaze of the brown bear, Yuan Ming felt like he was being stared at by a terrifying monster, and he couldn¡¯t help but shiver with fear, even though he appeared calm on the surface.

    "This fierce beast is far more powerful than the wild boar earlier. Could it be that I¡¯m so unlucky to encounter a mid-level first-tier existence?" he thought to himself.

    Even though he had just gone through a battle, which he easily won but still consumed a lot of his spiritual power, he wouldn¡¯t dare to face a mid-level first-tier fierce beast head-on even at his peak state.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s thoughts raced, and he suddenly let out a thunderous roar, his muscles bulging as he prepared to pounce.

    The brown bear paused, its eyes showing a hint of caution.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming suddenly leaped backward, agilely climbing up arge tree behind him and quickly jumping to a higher spot.

    "Roar!"The brown bear realized it had been deceived and roared furiously, running at an astonishing speed. It almost instantly arrived at therge tree Yuan Ming was climbing and mmed its fat paw down.

    "Bang!"

    The tree, as thick as a bucket, was shattered, and Yuan Ming, who had only climbed halfway up, fell down.

    Although he was shocked, he didn¡¯t panic. He kicked off the tree and jumped to another nearby tree.

    The brown bear looked up and let out a terrifying roar, which sounded like metal colliding with stone.

    The sound shook Yuan Ming¡¯s ears, and his head felt heavy. His limbs stiffened, and he fell like a rock.

    Before Yuan Ming hit the ground, the Nine Elements Technique in his body instinctively activated, and a pure spiritual power rushed out of his dantian, quickly flowing throughout his body. Wherever it passed, his blood and qi recovered, and the numbness quickly disappeared.

    As soon as his arm regained its sensation, he quickly reached out and stabbed a w into the nearby tree trunk.

    "Chi!" The w went halfway into the wood, and his body hung in mid-air.

    The brown bear below was startled and rushed to the tree again, mming its fat paw down.

    "Boom!"

    The tree was also shattered by a single blow and copsed.

    However, Yuan Ming had already jumped out in advance andnded on another giant tree nearby. He covered his body with spiritual power to guard against the brown bear¡¯s next attack.

    To his surprise, the bear didn¡¯t roar again.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s face showed a hint of surprise, and he quickly climbed to the top of the tree, which was about ten zhang (33 meters) above the ground, out of the range of the brown bear¡¯s roar.

    The brown bear wouldn¡¯t let Yuan Ming escape and rushed to the giant tree, both paws mming down fiercely.

    The tree shook violently, the bark cracking, and arge number of leaves falling off, but it didn¡¯t fall down. Apart from a few w marks on the bark, there was no indication of damage.

    "Such a huge tree can be shaken, and this brown bear is probably a mid-level first-tier fierce beast, but it¡¯s a pity that it¡¯s not very smart." Yuan Ming muttered to himself and took out a stone from his body, throwing it down from above.

    The stone turned into a gray light and hit the brown bear¡¯s head hard.With a loud bang, the rocks shattered, but it didn¡¯t cause much damage to the brown bear. Instead, it made the bear angrier and more frenzied as it attacked the giant tree.

    The tree shook violently, but it was so huge that it was unlikely to copse anytime soon.

    Yuan Ming smiled and watched from above like a monkey, asionally throwing stones to provoke the brown bear below.

    As time passed, the bear became less aggressive and more exhausted, panting heavily and showing less anger in its eyes.

    After a while, the brown bear growled at Yuan Ming in dissatisfaction, lowered its body, and turned to leave.

    Yuan Ming threw another stone, hitting the bear on the back of its head. However, the bear seemed to have learned its lesson and ignored Yuan Ming¡¯s provocation, continuing to run away without looking back.

    "Not too stupid, but toote to escape now!" Yuan Ming no longer watched from the sidelines and jumped onto the bear, turning into a white ape and attacking it with his sharp ws.

    The bear sensed something behind it and rolled to the side, but it was still hit by the ws, leaving a shallow wound on its tough skin. The wound was stained with a faint purple color, which was the poison Yuan Ming had obtained from Wu Lu earlier and applied to his ws.

    The bear was once again enraged, swinging its paw towards Yuan Ming¡¯s head. However, it had already exhausted most of its strength earlier, and its movements were slower than before. Yuan Ming¡¯s white ape body shrank and passed under the paw, leaving another shallow wound on the bear¡¯s waist.

    The bear became more furious and attacked with its paws, but Yuan Ming did not n to engage in a direct fight. He used the nearby trees to dodge and left small wounds on the bear¡¯s body with his ws.

    Although the bear was much stronger than Yuan Ming, it had consumed too much energy on the giant tree earlier and was not very fast. It was also constantly getting injured, and its body was covered in blood. Additionally, the poison was gradually taking effect, making its movements slower.

    The bear seemed to know that the situation was not good and gave up on defense and evasion, rushing towards Yuan Ming with all its might, making a final desperate attempt.

    However, Yuan Ming was prepared and used a nearby tree as a shield. The bear charged forward, its eyes turning blood-red as it let out a deafening roar.

    "I knew you would use this move." Yuan Ming was ready and released all his energy, flowing through his body.

    He only swayed slightly, and his movements were not affected much. At the moment the bear charged forward, he dodged to the side.

    With a loud bang, the bear crashed into the tree, and its huge body rebounded and fell to the ground, dizzy and disoriented. The entire tree copsed, kicking up a cloud of dust.The brown bear beast struggled to get up and run away, but only took a few steps before falling to the ground.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s figure flew out of the dust and instantly arrived next to the brown bear, grabbing down with his right hand.

    The sharp ape ws pierced the back of the brown bear¡¯s neck, "pu chi" sound entered, and then he forcefully shed down.

    The brown bear¡¯s neck was cut off, and half of its neck was cut off, and blood spurted out. The huge body twitched twice and then lost its breath.

    Yuan Ming took out a blood storage bag and drew out the brown bear¡¯s blood without refining it. He then sat down on the ground, panting heavily. Obviously, the dangerous battle just now almost used up hisst bit of strength.

    The physical strength of this brown bear beast was truly terrifying, and its fur defense was amazing. If he had not used small means to consume most of its strength, plus the cartge poison, he would definitely not be its opponent.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming felt sore all over his body and it seemed difficult to move.

    However, this ce was full of blood and definitely not a ce to stay for long.

    Yuan Ming suddenly bit his tongue, using pain to stimte his spirit, and stood up with the support of a nearby tree, returning along the way he came.

    However, an anomaly suddenly urred not long after he left.

    He suddenly felt like he was struck by lightning, and the white ape skin on his body suddenly wriggled, and a crazy breath permeated.

    The residual mana in his body suddenly became restless, and his eyes also showed a trace of blood, and a killing intent surged in his heart.

    "It¡¯s happening again."

    Yuan Ming¡¯s heart trembled, and he quickly sat cross-legged and operated the Nine Elements Technique.

    After threerge weeks, this desire to kill was barely suppressed.

    He condensed mana with his left hand and pointed at the incense burner mark on his right arm.

    A green light shed on the mark, and the mysterious incense burner appeared in his hand.

    As a burst of heat emanated from the incense burner and prated into his body, Yuan Ming felt like his whole body was soaking in a hot spring, especially his head. The blood in his eyes slowly dissipated, and the desire to kill quickly retreated.

    After fifteen minutes, the anomaly caused by the white ape skinpletely disappeared.

    Yuan Ming rxed his eyes and released the fur technique, looking at the incense burner in his hand silently.

    Simr situations had urred twice in the past three months, both after experiencing a fierce battle with a great depletion of mana and physical strength.

    Now, this strong bloodthirsty desire could only be resisted by the Nine Elements Technique, and it could not be eliminated. When he first encountered it, he didn¡¯t know how to deal with it. Later, he remembered that the heat from the incense burner had the effect of nurturing the soul, so he quickly took out the incense burner and suppressed it.

    "Is it because I have been in this mountain forest for too long as a white ape, and I have unknowingly umted some hostility? Fortunately, I have the incense burner." Yuan Ming secretly rejoiced, but also worried that this desire would increase day by day.

    He had previously intended to ask Hu Huo about the anomaly of the white ape skin, but unfortunately, he had not found a good opportunity.

    Yuan Ming shook his head and put away the incense burner before standing up and quickly leaving, climbing up a big tree nearby.

    Although he did not transform into a white ape, he was faster at climbing trees than before. He quickly reached half of the tree and found a rtively t ce to sit cross-legged and recover his mana.A momentter, he took out the blood storage bag, activated his magic power to refine the blood, and the brown bear¡¯s blood quickly decreased, soon turning into a clump of essence blood.

    However, this clump of essence blood was a whole circle bigger than that of the green fox and wild boar, and the fluctuation of magic power contained within it was much stronger.

    "It seems that this brown bear is very likely a mid-level first-grade fierce beast." Yuan Ming clenched the blood storage bag.

    After this battle, he finally had a preliminary understanding of the true strength of a mid-level first-grade fierce beast. Although it was powerful, it was notpletely impossible to deal with.

    He put away the blood storage bag, cast the Feather Cloak technique again to transform into a white ape, and continued to head deeper into the forest.

    An hourter, a fairly wide stream appeared in front of him. The stream meandered out from a mountain ravine not far away, and the water was very clear, with a refreshing and moist atmosphere.

    Having traveled for so long, Yuan Ming was a bit thirsty. He bent down to drink a few mouthfuls of the stream water and was about to continue on his way when he suddenly stopped and looked at the ground next to him.

    There were a few green fruit shells scattered there, very fresh, obviously just peeled not long ago.

    Yuan Ming recognized this fruit. It was sour and sweet, a rare delicious fruit in this forest, and he had eaten it a few times before.

    It was quitemon for a few fruit shells to fall in the forest. Many apes would also pick fruits to eat. However, the peeling of the fruit by apes wouldn¡¯t be so intact, would it?

 Chapter 21: Stimulate

    Chapter 21: Stimte

    "Could these fruit shells have been left by other beast ves?" Yuan Ming looked around but didn¡¯t see anything special.

    Suddenly, his gaze froze as he looked at arge tree not far away.

    On a slender branch sat a silver cat about half a foot tall, about the size of a house cat.

    The cat¡¯s fur was all silver-white, without a trace of impurities, and it looked very beautiful. Its eyes were one golden and one amber, like two sparkling jewels, looking straight at Yuan Ming.

    Their eyes met, and the silver cat immediately turned and leaped away, jumping agilely from tree to tree, disappearing in an instant.

    "Why run away? I won¡¯t eat you! This silver cat is really timid." Yuan Ming didn¡¯t pay much attention and continued searching around.

    After a while, he stopped and stared at some shallow footprints on the ground in a nearby patch of grass.

    The footprints were fresh, and their owner didn¡¯t try to hide their tracks, so it wasn¡¯t difficult for Yuan Ming to follow them.

    After about fifteen minutes of walking, he came to a rocky area where the footprints abruptly disappeared.Yuan Ming frowned and thought for a moment before continuing forward.

    As he emerged from the rocky area, he saw a vastke ahead of him.

    Theke wasn¡¯t very big, about a dozen acres, and it looked calm. The surrounding grass was as tall as a person, and even though it was summer, the temperature near theke was noticeably cooler than in the jungle.

    Yuan Ming crouched down by theke and touched the water with his hand, feeling a chilling sensation.

    Just then, there was a rustling sound from the nearby grass, and a silver figure darted out.

    Yuan Ming was about to attack, but when he saw it clearly, he was slightly surprised.

    The silver figure was none other than the silver cat he had encountered earlier, holding a ck object in its mouth with its tail held high.

    When it saw Yuan Ming, the silver cat seemed frightened and quickly turned and disappeared into the grass, dropping the ck object.

    "It¡¯s that silver cat again." Yuan Ming took a few steps forward, but the grass was too tall, and the silver cat disappeared immediately.

    He sighed with regret. He actually quite liked the handsome silver cat and thought it would be nice to catch and tame it to relieve boredom during his cultivation.

    Yuan Ming continued forward and suddenly remembered something. He turned around and walked a few steps back, picking up something from the ground. It was the ck object that the cat had just dropped, and it looked like a piece of leather with exquisite patterns, definitely something that was artificially made.

    "This deep mountain forest couldn¡¯t possibly have something like this. Could it have been left by someone?" Yuan Ming thought and hurried to search the nearby grass where the silver cat had disappeared, but found nothing.

    He carefully examined the ck leather in his hand and sniffed it.

    A fishy smell wafted over, not the smell of an animal¡¯s mouth but something simr to the rotting of water nts.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze turned to the greenke, and he began searching along the shore. Soon, he found several shallow cat paw prints on wet soil.

    Following the prints, he pushed aside some nearby lush grass and his pupils slightly contracted.In front of him was a tall corpse, the upper body almostpletely skeletal, and the lower body embedded in the muddyke shore, obviously dead for a long time. The clothing on the body was soaked and rotten, wearing a ck leather jacket, which was the piece of leather that the silver cat was holding in its mouth.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze fell on the ck beast skin wrapped around the corpse¡¯s waist, which looked like a fur beast skin. He squatted down beside the corpse and manipted it a few times, removing the ck beast skin.

    This thing waspletely different from his white ape beast skin. It had no hair and was covered in dim white lines. There were also jelly-like scales on the back, which seemed to be the skin of a certain aquatic fierce beast.

    The rest of the beast skin was basically intact, except for a palm-sized crack on the back, which seemed to have been pierced by some sharp weapon.

    Yuan Ming carefully pulled the corpse out of the mud, and several ribs were broken at the heart position on the back, which should have been a fatal blow from behind by something.

    He searched around the body for a while and did not find any other clues. The person¡¯s blood storage bag was not found either.

    "It seems that this person was probably not killed by a fierce beast, but by another fur beast ve." Yuan Ming felt a chill in his heart.

    Fur beast ves were both beasts and ves. Trapped in the mountains, it was survival of the fittest. When you were staring at prey, you were also prey in the eyes of others.

    "By the way, Elder Hu Huo mentioned in passing that these fur beast skins were something that Bi Luo Cave spent a lot of effort to refine and were quite precious. Each skin had a magic mark inside. Once the fur beast ve died, the sect would send someone to collect the skin along the mark. Why didn¡¯t they take this one?" Yuan Ming suddenly remembered something and was puzzled.

    He looked at the crack in the ck beast skin, thought for a moment, released the white ape transformation, activated the fur technique, and injected magic into the ck beast skin, but the skin remained motionless.

    "It seems to be broken, that¡¯s why no one came to collect it. What a waste of time." Yuan Ming muttered to himself, threw away the ck beast skin, and left.

    But after a few steps, he seemed to think of something, picked up the ck beast skin again, and walked to a hidden ce by theke and trees.

    Yuan Ming sat down and spread the beast skin in front of him, then summoned the mysterious incense burner. His white ape skin had undergone some changes just by touching the incense burner, and perhaps it could also have some effect on this ck beast skin.

    Of course, he didn¡¯t expect the incense burner to repair the ck beast skin, but just wanted to learn more about the green incense burner.

    Yuan Ming ced the incense burner on the beast skin. As soon as the two touched, the mysterious incense burner suddenly lit up, and a stream of green light with a warm airflow prated into the ck beast skin.

    After the green light merged with the ck beast skin, the dim white lines on the surface spread out like water, and where it passed, the originally dim lines became bright. The entire ck beast skin trembled slightly.

    The green light quickly flowed through the entire beast skin, converging towards the crack on the back, where the white lines were abnormally dense, as if it were an important node.

    No wonder the beast skin waspletely useless if this area was destroyed.

    The green light surged around the crack, and the white lines there flickered. Then, a somewhat blurry figure emerged from the crack, with a big head and a round body, and the hands and feet were spread out like a frog. It was a toad."What is this? Could it be the soul of a toad fierce beast? My white ape skin also showed a white ape illusion under the influence of the incense burner before. It seems that all the beast skins contain beast souls." Yuan Ming thought to himself.

    The toad illusion gradually solidified in the blue light, and after emitting a "croak" sound, it disappeared in a sh and entered the cracked area, leaving no trace.

    With a soft "hiss" sound, the white lines around the cracked area suddenly stretched out like living creatures, bypassing the crack and reconnecting with each other.

    "Is this even possible?" Yuan Ming was both shocked and delighted.

    Once those white lines connected, the entire ck beast skin revealed strands of fluctuating aura, obviouslypletely repaired.

    Not only that, but the ck beast skin also appeared brand new, with its natural patterns much clearer, as if it had just been peeled off, exactly like the white ape skin after being affected by the incense burner.

    Yuan Ming activated his mana and poured it into the ck beast skin, urging the transformation technique.

    The ck beast skin wrapped around his body like a living creature, covering every part of his body, and quicklypleted the transformation.

    His whole body was covered in ck beast skin, with bulging ck bumps on his back, looking very sturdy. Webbed membranes grew between his fingers and toes, and his eyes drooped a lot.

    Yuan Ming put away the incense burner and came to the edge of theke to look at his reflection in the water. At this moment, he looked like a humanoid toad.

    "No wonder I heard a strange noise just now. It turns out it¡¯s a toad skin. When I first got the white ape skin, which had no attack power, I was already frustrated. I didn¡¯t expect someone to be even worse off than me. What can a toad do?" Yuan Ming looked at his ugly reflection in theke water and said somewhat speechlessly.

    Yuan Ming moved his body, sensing the abilities he gained after transforming into a toad.

    He felt a faint flow of air surging in his chest, and his entire abdominal cavity seemed to have expanded a lot. Each breath was much deeper than before, and the time between breaths grew longer and longer.

    Yuan Ming took a deep breath, and the air rolled into his body, causing his abdominal cavity and stomach to swell continuously, quickly resembling a pregnant woman in her tenth month.

    However, he didn¡¯t feel ufortable and stood still, holding his breath.

    After a full quarter of an hour passed, Yuan Ming still didn¡¯t feel any suffocation and could move freely.

    He leaped into theke water and dived towards the bottom.

    Theke¡¯s surface rippled and soon calmed down, everything returning to tranquility.

    Another quarter of an hour passed, and Yuan Ming¡¯s figure emerged from the water¡¯s edge on the opposite side of theke, leaping ashore.

    Excitement shed in his eyes, as the toad beast skin allowed him to go without breathing for two full quarters of an hour.

    Wu Lu had once mentioned that some areas deep in the Hundred Thousand Mountains were filled with highly toxic miasma. With this toad beast skin, if he were to encounter such a situation, he would at least have enough time to escape.

    In addition, after transforming into a toad, his swimming speed in the water was quite fast, which could also be considered a good means of escape.

    Compared to the toad¡¯s smooth swimming in the water, its ability to move onnd was much worse. It could only walk by hopping clumsily, and its attack power was almost nonexistent, at least not yet discovered by Yuan Ming.

    Thinking of this, he couldn¡¯t help but feel sympathy for the fellow who had transformed into a toad.

    Yuan Ming released the toad transformation and carefully stored the ck beast skin.

    Thebat power of the ck toad was far inferior to that of the white ape transformation, but it might be useful in specific environments.

    However, the biggest gain today was his further understanding of the green incense burner.

    This mysterious incense burner seemed to be able to repair damaged beast skins through some means and perhaps even stimte some of thetent abilities of the beast skins. This could be utilized in the future.

 Chapter 22: Make friends

    Chapter 22: Make friends

    Yuan Ming dug a pit by theke and buried the body. He stood in front of a small lonely mound for a while.

    "You should have already reincarnated. In your next life, I hope you won¡¯t be a beast ve. The path of cultivation is so cruel, it¡¯s better to be an ordinary mortal and live carefree."

    "Today, I buried your bones for you. If something happens to me in the future, who will bury me?"

    "The heavens are heartless, and the strong prey on the weak. If I can¡¯t get rid of my identity as a beast ve and join the Bi Luo Cave, my fate in the future may be worse than yours."

    Yuan Ming muttered to himself a few words in front of the small mound, reminding himself of the harsh reality and strengthening his belief in returning to the Central ins.

    He did not transform into a white ape and continued on his way, quickly leaving theke area and entering a dense forest.

    Not far away, a silver shadow crouched on a branch of arge tree, the silver cat from before. Its slender pupils stared at Yuan Ming¡¯s back.

    The light was dim around him, so Yuan Ming slowed down and walked carefully.

    Suddenly, he stopped and crouched down.He found another set of footprints on the ground, the same size as the person he had been tracking.

    Yuan Ming followed the footprints and soon heard the sound of a fight, mixed with the roar of a fierce beast.

    Yuan Ming raised his eyebrows and quickened his pace, soon arriving at the source of the sound.

    It was a spacious clearing in the forest, where tworge and exotic beasts were fighting for their lives. Severalrge trees had copsed and smoke and dust filled the clearing.

    One of the fighters was a blue wolf beast standing upright like a human, towering over a zhang and a half tall. Its limbs were sturdy and it exuded a strong sense of oppression, even more imposing than Yuan Ming¡¯s white ape form.

    The wolf beast had slender, pale blue pupils full of coldness and calmness, clearly a beast ve.

    The other exotic beast was a ck crocodile that crawled on the ground, three zhang long. Its whole body was covered with thick scales, and its yellow eyes emitted a hungry and fierce light.

    This crocodile was not only huge in size, but also exceptionally powerful. Its thick and long tail was like a ck steel whip that left deep marks on the ground every time it swung. Its strong jaws could easily bite through a tree as thick as a water bucket, much more powerful than the previous brown bear.

    The blue wolf beast ve was obviously no match for the ck crocodile in terms of strength, but it was extremely agile and had an amazing jumping ability. It constantly jumped to avoid the crocodile¡¯s attacks and found opportunities to attack with its four scythe-like ws.

    However, the crocodile¡¯s scales were extremely tough, and the wolf¡¯s ws could only leave shallow scars without drawing blood. The battle was at a stalemate."This green wolf beast tamer is quite powerful, his cultivation should be above mine." Yuan Ming had originally nned to hide and observe, but after a moment of hesitation, he transformed into a white ape and appeared boldly.

    The green wolf beast tamer immediately noticed Yuan Ming¡¯s presence and gave him a cold gaze.

    Although the beast tamers in this mountain forest were all collecting essence blood for the Bi Luo Cave, their rtionships were far from harmonious and there were often hidden conflicts, even incidents of murder and robbery. However, the Bi Luo Cave paid no attention to these matters and let them be.

    Now, a white ape beast tamer suddenly appeared, apparently intending to wait for the green wolf and the ck crocodile beast to both be injured before taking advantage.

    However, the green wolf beast tamer was also somewhat puzzled. Usually, when someone tries to make a sneak attack, they would wait in ambush and strike when the time is right. So why did this white ape beast tamer show up so directly?

    Taking advantage of the green wolf beast tamer¡¯s distraction, the ck crocodile suddenly opened its mouth and spat out a bright water stream like a sharp arrow, shing towards the green wolf beast tamer¡¯s legs at a speed almost too fast to be seen.

    The green wolf beast tamer seemed to have anticipated this and jumped up three feet high, easily dodging the water stream¡¯s attack.

    As hended, whether by coincidence or intention, hended on the ck crocodile¡¯s back and immediately moved his right leg.

    His w turned into a blue shadow and grabbed towards the ck crocodile¡¯s eye.

    The ck crocodile was shocked and quickly shook its head to avoid it.

    But the green wolf beast tamer¡¯s attack was too swift. The ck crocodile was unable topletely dodge it and was scratched on the nose.

    Although the crocodile¡¯s body was covered in scales, its nose was rtively fragile and was immediately scratched with five long wounds, causing blood to flow.

    The ck crocodile let out a furious roar and its huge body rolled on the spot, kicking up a cloud of dust.

    The green wolf beast tamer was wary of the ck crocodile¡¯s strength and quickly jumped away.

    "Roar!"

    The ck crocodile¡¯s yellow eyes stared fiercely at the green wolf beast tamer, with a hint of blood red appearing. The originally ck crocodile skin also had strange blood-red lines appearing, and its body continued to expand.

    "What kind of ability is this?" Yuan Ming saw this scene from afar and couldn¡¯t help but exim.

    "It¡¯s actually a bloodline crocodile!" The green wolf beast tamer spoke, with surprise in his voice.

    The ck crocodile¡¯s transformation waspleted in the blink of an eye, and it had grown by thirty percent. Many blood-red lines appeared on its scales, and the wound on its nose stopped bleeding. Its four ws mmed onto the ground, and its huge body carried a stench as it rushed towards the green wolf beast tamer, causing the air within several zhangs to roar.

    The green wolf beast tamer saw the crocodile¡¯s imposing manner and did not dare to take it lightly, dodging to the side.

    However, the ck crocodile¡¯s reaction became much more agile after its transformation. Its tail mmed onto the ground, and it instantly changed direction, continuing to rush towards the green wolf beast tamer. Its speed not only did not weaken, but it became faster, catching up to the other party in the blink of an eye.The lightning-fast crocodile mouth stretched out, almost leaving an afterimage. It bit the left arm of the green wolf beast ve and pressed one of its thick front paws onto the body, ready to knock it down.

    At this moment, a green shadow shot out from afar and headed straight for the left eye of the ck crocodile.

    Although the ck crocodile was in battle, it didn¡¯t lose itsposure. It tilted its head slightly, and the green shadow hit the scale armor near its left eye, but it was a green bamboo tube.

    Bang!

    The bamboo tube burst open, and a light purple liquid sshed out, pouring onto the ck crocodile¡¯s head and into its eyes.

    The ck crocodile¡¯s eyes were in excruciating pain, quickly turning ck and rotting, emitting a painful scream. Its mouth opened wide.

    The green wolf beast ve quickly withdrew its left arm, sweating profusely.

    However, this person was extremely brave, not only did not retreat, but also took the opportunity to pounce on the ck crocodile, extending its right paw.

    Blood sttered!

    The green wolf beast ve¡¯s right hand pierced the right eye of the crocodile, grabbing its eyeball.

    The ck crocodile let out a thunderous roar, its huge body tumbling violently, its tail swinging wildly, and several nearby big trees were smashed to pieces, making a terrifying sound.

    The green wolf beast ve jumped out of the way just in time, avoiding the crazed attack of the ck crocodile, and looked towards Yuan Ming in the distance.

    He saw it very clearly, the bamboo tube was thrown by Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming nodded at the green wolf beast ve, still standing there without any intention of getting closer.

    The ck crocodile raged for a while, and the bloodline on its body quickly receded, and its size also returned to its original size.

    "So this kind of mutation has a time limit." Yuan Ming thought to himself.

    The ck crocodile¡¯s body recovered, and its sanity also returned. Its four paws flew, stomping the ground loudly, and ran away into the distance.

    It was no match for the green wolf beast ve without its eyes, leaving only a dead end.

    However, the ck crocodile had lost its eyes and couldn¡¯t determine its direction. It didn¡¯t run far before it hit a grinding wheel-sized giant tree.

    With a loud "boom," the giant tree was shattered and fell over.

    The ck crocodile was also knocked down, revealing its soft and pale belly.

    The green wolf beast ve was obviously an experienced beast hunter, and immediately leaped up. Its two wolf ws pierced into the crocodile¡¯s belly and pulled hard.

    Several long wounds were immediately cut open on the crocodile¡¯s belly, and blood rushed out, staining the ground with red and white.

    The ck crocodile struggled frantically again, but this time it suffered a fatal injury and soon stopped moving.

    The green wolf beast ve bent down and took out a blood storage bag to collect the ck crocodile¡¯s blood, while looking at Yuan Ming nearby with a slightly wary expression.

    "Thank you for your help just now. I am Ha Gong. May I ask for your name, friend?" The green wolf beast ve quickly finished collecting and bowed to Yuan Ming."My name is Yuan Ming." Yuan Ming returned the courtesy.

    "So it¡¯s Brother Yuan. This is not a ce for conversation, let¡¯s find another ce to talk." Ha Gong said.

    The recent battle had caused quite amotion, so Yuan Ming naturally agreed.

    The two quickly left the area and soon arrived at akeside.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s eyebrows twitched slightly, as thiske was the ce where he had discovered the ck beast skin.

    Ha Gong, covered in dust, washed himself in theke water and removed his beast skin disguise, revealing his true form - a tall, twenty-something young man with blond hair and blue eyes, a typical appearance of a Southern Region native.

    Yuan Ming had also removed his ape skin and revealed his face.

    "Brother Yuan, are you from the Central Region?" Ha Gong asked with a hint of surprise in his eyes.

    "Yes. Due to some coincidences, I entered the Bi Luo Cave and became a beast ve." Yuan Ming did not hide the truth.

    "I see. But Brother Yuan, you seem to be quite unfamiliar." Ha Gong didn¡¯t delve too much into Yuan Ming¡¯s identity and said.

    "I haven¡¯t been here for long. I just saw Brother Ha Gong fighting the ck crocodile earlier, and I was curious to watch. I hope Brother Ha Gong doesn¡¯t mind." Yuan Ming was friendly.

    "Not at all. If it weren¡¯t for Brother Yuan¡¯s timely help, I would have been dead or at least severely injured by now. I should be the one thanking you." Ha Gong said solemnly.

    Seeing Ha Gong¡¯s sincere attitude, Yuan Ming¡¯s determination to befriend him grew stronger.

    The two chatted for a while and gradually became acquainted with each other.

    From their conversation, Yuan Ming learned that Ha Gong had been a beast ve for two years, making him a senior among the beast ves.

    "Brother Ha Gong, how much do you know about the Bi Luo Cave sect?" He asked about the matter he was concerned about.

    "Like you, I was inexplicably captured and brought here, and I don¡¯t know much about Bi Luo Cave either. I only know that it¡¯s a major sect in the Southern Region, with many disciples and three Nascent Soul stage cave masters in charge. They dominate the Hundred Thousand Mountains, a massive mountain range with immense power." Ha Gong said.

    "Are the Hundred Thousand Mountains the mountain range we are in right now?" Yuan Ming recalled the Southern Region characters on the big stone and asked.

    "Exactly." Ha Gong nodded.

    Yuan Ming looked around, seeing towering mountain ranges on all sides, stretching to the limits of his vision, with no end in sight.

    "The Hundred Thousand Mountains are one of thergest mountain ranges in the Southern Region, and you won¡¯t be able to see the end just by looking." Ha Gongughed.

    Yuan Ming smiled faintly, not intending to see the end of the Hundred Thousand Mountains, but to reacquaint himself with the mountain range controlled by the Bi Luo Cave.

    "Brother Ha Gong, do you know how many beast ves like us are there in the Hundred Thousand Mountains?" Yuan Ming asked after looking around.

 Chapter 23: Gang up together

    Chapter 23: Gang up together

    "In the various parts of the hundred thousand mountains, there are beast ve collectors collecting the essence blood of ferocious beasts. I¡¯m not sure how many there are. I only know a few people in the nearby areas and haven¡¯t had contact with the farther regions." Ha Gong could tell that Yuan Ming had helped him earlier to inquire about something and didn¡¯t mind.

    Yuan Ming nodded slowly and asked a few more questions about the beast ve collectors, receiving fairly good answers.

    "Ha Gong, I have another question. I¡¯ve been practicing the fur technique for several months now. A few days ago, when I used it, there was suddenly an urge to kill and a craving for blood that surged up from my heart, almost taking control of my will. Do you know what¡¯s going on?" Yuan Ming asked about what he was most concerned about.

    "It¡¯s normal. It¡¯s the bacsh of using the fur technique," Ha Gong said calmly.

    "Bacsh?" Yuan Ming¡¯s expression immediately became serious as he asked.

    "The fur technique is a unique secret technique of the Bi Luo Cave. It can merge specially made beast skins with those who have just started on the path of cultivation, giving them powerful strength that can rival that of demonic beasts. It¡¯s truly a formidable spell, but this power isn¡¯t something we cultivate ourselves and has strong side effects." Ha Gong sighed and spoke.

    "The side effects are the bacsh you just mentioned?" Yuan Ming hurriedly asked.

    "The beast skins we have in our hands are all made by refining the fur and skin of ferocious beasts in the hundred thousand mountains through secret methods. These skins contain the primitive demonic energy and killing intent of the ferocious beasts, which will gradually erode our bodies. When it reaches a certain point, there will be a bacsh, and in the end, our bodies willpletely merge with the beast skins, turning into monsters that only know how to kill." Ha Gong¡¯s voice was tinged with a bitter tone.

    "Is there any way to avoid the bacsh of the fur technique?" Yuan Ming asked."No, as long as the fur technique is used, the ferocious energy and killing intent within the beast skins will continuously erode our bodies. The more the fur technique is used, the greater the risk of bacsh, and in the end, it¡¯s a one-way street. No one can escape." Ha Gong¡¯s eyes shed with a hint of pain.

    "Then how long can we fur vesst on average?" Yuan Ming¡¯s face became solemn as he asked.

    "If you only hunt five beast ves a month and try not to use the fur technique as much as possible, it¡¯s not a problem to hold on for four or five years or even longer. However, if you frequently use the fur technique, many people willpletely go insane within a year or two." Ha Gong said.

    "Does the Bi Luo Cave just let this happen?" Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but feel a sinking feeling in his heart and said after a moment of silence.

    "Why would the Bi Luo Cave care about the life and death of us fur ves? By the way, if you can collect a thousand essence blood samples beforepletely going insane, you may be able to be a named disciple and avoid using the fur technique." After saying these words, a hint of self-mockery appeared on Ha Gong¡¯s lips.

    "Have you epted this task as well?" Yuan Ming asked."Hehe, as long as we perform well in the first few months, the elders who manage us will privately assign us this task to collect as much essence blood as possible in a short period of time." Ha Gong smirked and nced at Yuan Ming.

    "If what you said earlier is true, then the person would have gone mad before collecting enough beast blood." Yuan Ming sighed and said.

    "Not necessarily. There are also people with extraordinary talents. If they haven¡¯t lost their minds, it means they have strong willpower. The Bi Luo Cave will not refuse such people." Ha Gong replied nomittally.

    Yuan Ming nodded silently and was about to ask something else when his eyebrows suddenly raised. He looked towards the dense forest behind him and transformed into a white ape form using the Fur Transformation technique.

    Ha Gong also turned around abruptly and transformed into a green wolf form.

    Five figures flew out of the dense forest, all of them Fur Beast ves, and surrounded Yuan Ming and Ha Gong in a fan shape, with extremely agile movements.

    The encirclement had already formed almost as soon as Yuan Ming and Ha Gong hadpleted their Fur Transformation technique.

    Yuan Ming frowned. He didn¡¯t expect it to be so difficult to find a Fur Beast ve before, but now they had encountered six of them in a short time. However, the five people behind them were obviously hostile.

    "It¡¯s you guys!" Ha Gong calmly spoke, obviously recognizing the people.

    "Ha Gong, we meet again. I saw the body of a bloodline crocodile over there. Did you hunt it down? It seems that your strength has improved. Admire, admire." A red tiger Fur Beast ve stepped forward, nced at Yuan Ming, andughed at Ha Gong.

    This person was huge, even bigger than Ha Gong¡¯s green wolf transformation, with bulging muscles full of strength. He was obviously the leader of this group.

    "Stop ttering. You have be more hypocritical after joining the Green Wolf Gang. So, what do you want to do?" Ha Gong snorted.

    "Ha Gong, you stole my preyst time. This time, I¡¯ll make you pay ten times the price!" Another grey wolf Fur Beast ve stared at Ha Gong and gritted his teeth.

    "Wu Li, we both found the spotted leopard at the same time. You couldn¡¯t kill it, but you won¡¯t let others do it either?" Ha Gong looked at the grey wolf Fur Beast ve and smirked.

    "Nonsense, it was clearly you who stole my prey." Wu Li growled.

    Zan Bai, with a cold gaze, nced at Wu Li, as if ming him for speaking out of turn.

    Wu Li¡¯s heart trembled, and he took two steps back without daring to speak again.

    "Ha Gong, let¡¯s not beat around the bush. You have provoked our people several times. If I don¡¯t punish you severely, how will others look at me? Since we both joined the Bi Luo Cave, hand over the blood storage bag, and I can let you go." Zan Bai said calmly.

    "Really?" Ha Gong seemed to be somewhat tempted.

    "Of course, you should know that our ckwood tribe people are the most trustworthy." Zan Bai patted his chest with one hand and said proudly.

    "Okay, I surrender today. Catch." Ha Gong took out the blood storage bag from his arms and threw it towards Zan Bai.Yuan Ming was surprised to find a little blood stain at the bottom of the blood bag, which was not the one Ha Gong had used before. Could it be that he had killed a beast ve and taken it?

    Ha Gong seemed to notice Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze and pointed to the left with his left hand behind his back.

    Yuan Ming looked at the scene with a pensive expression.

    Zan Bai¡¯s expression was also surprised. He subconsciously caught the blood bag and suddenly felt something strange. There was a hole at the bottom of the blood bag, and there was a small ck ball inside.

    He took a closer look and suddenly became angry and shocked.

    The ck ball exploded with a bang, and arge ck smoke suddenly appeared, engulfing an area of more than ten meters near theke.

    "Let¡¯s go!" Ha Gong turned into a blue shadow and flew towards the left.

    Although Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t see Ha Gong, he immediately ran in that direction and easily escaped from the encirclement of the beast ves.

    "Ha ha, Zan Bai, we¡¯ll meet again!" Ha Gongughed and led Yuan Ming into the jungle.

    As soon as Yuan Ming entered the jungle, he quickly took out two stones from his backpack and threw them left and right.

    The two stones flew out and hit two ces in the jungle, causing the leaves to shake.

    The figures of Zan Bai and others shed in the ck smoke, but Ha Gong and Yuan Ming had disappeared from theke. There were only three swaying bushes, and it was impossible to judge which direction they had gone.

    Zan Bai¡¯s eyes were full of anger, and he clenched his fists.

    ...

    Yuan Ming followed Ha Gong and fled for seven or eight miles. When he saw that no one was chasing him, he stopped.

    "Ha Gong, who are those guys?" Yuan Ming gasped and asked.

    "Those guys are from the Qing Lang Gang, just like us, they are all beast ves. Their leader is called Wu Bao, leading a group of more than ten people to rob others." Ha Gong leaned against an old tree and said.

    "They dare not hunt fierce beasts themselves, but instead attract attention by robbing others. What¡¯s the difference between them and bandits?" Yuan Ming sneered.

    "In fact, there are quite a few groups like them, but most of them choose to hunt beasts together, and only a few engage in robbery. Yuan Ming, with your skills and courage, you might as well join a group to make it easier." Ha Gong sighed and said.

    "What about you? Are you a member of any group?" Yuan Ming raised his eyebrows and asked.

    Ha Gong shook his head and said, "I used to join, but I leftter."

    "Why?" Yuan Ming asked in confusion.

    "Different paths lead to different destinations. Once a group is formed, there must be a leader and a hierarchy. When hunting beasts, there is indeed an advantage and can minimize casualties. But when ites to sharing the results, it¡¯s not so harmonious. The leader and his cronies naturally get more, as for others...hehe." Ha Gong didn¡¯t finish his words, but Yuan Ming already understood."In that case, it¡¯s better to fight alone." Yuan Mingughed.

    "No matter what, it¡¯s not easy to survive here. Let me remind you, don¡¯t trust others too easily, and don¡¯t help others too easily. When ites to desperate situations, people can do anything." Ha Gong said with aplex expression.

    "I have my own principles in dealing with things." Yuan Ming nodded and smiled.

    Hearing this, Ha Gong didn¡¯t say anything more.

    After resting for a while, Yuan Ming suddenly asked, "Ha Gong, what was that thing you threw out earlier that released arge amount of smoke?"

    "That thing is called a smoke bomb. It was created by the registered disciples of Bi Luo Cave. It¡¯s very useful for escaping." Ha Gong answered.

    "Smoke bomb? How did you get something made by the registered disciples of Bi Luo Cave?" Yuan Ming was puzzled.

    "What, you¡¯ve never been to Toad Valley?" Ha Gong was a little surprised.

    "No." Yuan Ming shook his head.

    "Alright, I¡¯m free today, so I¡¯ll take you there to have a look. It¡¯s a ce for bartering, where you can exchange some items from fierce beasts, or directly use blood food, for things you need." Ha Gongughed, got up from the ground, patted the dirt off his butt, and said.

    "Isn¡¯t that just a market street? There¡¯s such a ce here?" Yuan Ming became curious.

    "It was set up by some Bi Luo Cave disciples. They sometimes need things that we risk our lives to get from the fierce beasts. Let¡¯s go, it¡¯s not far from here, we can get there in half an hour." Ha Gong grinned and said.

 Chapter 24: Accumulation Arm

    Chapter 24: umtion Arm

    Yuan Ming followed Ha Gong through the forest and over the stream for more than half an hour before finally arriving at a secluded valley. As soon as they arrived at the entrance of the valley, Yuan Ming wrinkled his nose and stopped.

    <em>"What¡¯s that strange smell?" </em>he asked, covering his nose.

    He smelled a scent simr to sulfur, but moreplex.

    "It¡¯s the smell of beast-repelling powder. It can drive away some poisonous insects and ferocious beasts, and keep them away from here," Ha Gong exined, pointing to the red and white powder on the ground not far away.

    <em>"Can we get some of this inside?" </em>Yuan Ming raised his eyebrows and asked.

    "We can, but it¡¯s not very useful. It can drive away some poisonous insects and ferocious beasts, but it¡¯s also easy to reveal our hiding ce. Sometimes, humans are more dangerous than ferocious beasts," Ha Gong said.

    The entrance to the valley was quite narrow, like a natural pass, but inside it was suddenly spacious, as if they had entered a frog¡¯s mouth and arrived in its belly.

    As soon as they entered the valley and walked a few steps, they saw several crude stone houses built with stones, without doors but only open doorways, through which they could vaguely see shadows of people inside.

    Around these stone houses were some people wearing animal skins, with few in number and expressionless, without any emotion on their faces.Yuan Ming was about to go forward to take a look, but was stopped by Ha Gong.

    "Be careful what you sayter, don¡¯t provoke those named disciples, most of them have bad temper," Ha Gong reminded him.

    Yuan Ming nodded silently.

    He walked up to the first stone house and looked inside, only to see that it was very simple, with only a wooden table and a recliner. A young man in a green cloth robe was lying on the recliner with a paper book in his hand, covering half of his face, looking veryfortable.

    In front of him was a wooden sign with white paper attached, which read "buying mature spirit grass and all kinds of ores". It only had one simple sentence, without specifying what was being bought or the specific time limit.

    Next to him was another stone house with a table and a wooden sign attached with white paper, which read "buying spirit grass, ores, beast bones, and blood food". However, this room was empty, with no one inside.

    The other two stone houses were in simr conditions, each with their own disy, but all looked a bit rough.

    In thest stone house, Yuan Ming happened to see two beast fur ves trading with the named disciple inside. The disciple seemed very impatient, picking and choosing from the two dark red ores and a yellowish herb that looked like ginseng brought by the beast fur ves.

    In the end, he used a small white porcin bottle to dismiss the beast fur ves.

    After the grateful beast fur ves left with the small bottle, they were full of joy."Two pieces of fire patterned iron ore and a red and yellow essence, just exchanged for a bottle of blood replenishing pill. These guys are getting more and more ruthless," Ha Gong muttered beside Yuan Ming.

    His voice was very soft, almost no one could hear it except himself.

    Yuan Ming heard it clearly.

    But he didn¡¯t ask much here, instead he waited until he and Ha Gong walked away before asking:

    "So, did that beast ve suffer a loss in that deal just now?"

    "It¡¯smon to suffer losses, but this guy squeezed the price too hard. Just the two pieces of fire patterned iron ore were enough to exchange for a bottle of blood replenishing pill. That red and yellow essence, judging by its thickness, must have been at least fifty years old. It was like giving it away to him for free," Ha Gong said with surprise and indignation.

    Yuan Ming was not yet clear about the ins and outs of this, so he asked Ha Gong for more information and learned about the names and characteristics of some of the spiritual medicines and ores that the named disciples often collected.

    "I¡¯m quite surprised that the Biro Cave would allow the existence of this trading ce," Yuan Ming said in amazement.

    "You¡¯ll know after spending some time here. The management of the named disciples by the Biro Cave is very loose. As long as theyplete the tasks assigned by the sect, the sect will not interfere in other matters," Ha Gong said with a smirk.

    Yuan Ming felt that this was still far from what he was doing now, so he didn¡¯t pay too much attention.

    After wandering around the valley for a while, Yuan Ming bid farewell to Ha Gong and left on his own.

    Ha Gong also just said a simple goodbye, and the two went their separate ways without mentioning whether they would meet again in the future.

    ...

    Time flew by, more than three months had passed.

    It was noon, but the sky was overcast with low clouds pressing down on the ancient trees in the forest, making it feel a bit oppressive.

    In the dense mountain forest, a muscr white ape was stretching its long arms and swinging between the towering ancient trees. Each swing covered a distance of ten zhang, and the speed was extremely fast.

    This was not a wild ape in the mountains, but Yuan Ming using the Beast Fur Technique.

    At this moment, his whole body was soaked in sweat, and there were several shocking bloodstains on his body, but his eyes were very bright, always vignt and scanning the surroundings, asionally turning around to look behind him.

    Less than thirty zhang away from him, the earth shook, trees broke, and smoke rose.

    A ck-haired wild boar, with a body length of one zhang and a height of six chi, was roaring with its mouth open, exhaling hot breath, and chasing after Yuan Ming like crazy.

    There were a pair of white fang-like sharp teeth growing in its mouth, shining with a cold white light, extremely sharp. Whenever it encountered a tree obstacle, it would pierce through it.

    At the same time, there was an invisible light shield between its two long teeth, like a triangr light shield, covering its head. When it collided with a tree that had been pierced by its long teeth, it could easily split it into pieces.One of the eyes of the fierce wild boar had been injured by Yuan Ming, and had be bloody and blurry. The other eye was also red with intense hatred and murderous intent, chasing after Yuan Ming relentlessly. Although it was fast and incredibly powerful, there were countless ancient trees blocking its way, hindering its pursuit of Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming seemed to have taken advantage of this and did not rush to escape. Instead, he deliberately suppressed his speed, always keeping a distance that allowed the wild boar to see him. Once he noticed that the wild boar was bingx, he would stop and provoke it, luring it into chasing him again and again.

    Of course, Yuan Ming was not just idly passing the time. <em>He wanted to use this method to dissipate the wild boar¡¯s murderous intent and wear down its stamina, so that when its strength weakened, he could be sure to strike it down in one blow.</em>

    In this way, the monkey and the wild boar chased each other through the mountains and forests for more than half an hour. Yuan Ming listened carefully and noticed that the wild boar¡¯s breathing had be rougher, its galloping footsteps were bing chaotic, and its speed was slowing down as it collided with ancient trees. He knew that the time hade.

    He hung onto an ancient tree with one arm, panting heavily, as if he could no longer run. The wild boar, which was already struggling to keep up, saw this and became excited. It let out a loud roar and charged towards Yuan Ming once again.

    This time, Yuan Ming deliberately slowed down his speed. He waited until the wild boar was only four yards away from him before swinging his arm and changing direction, flying towards the center of two other ancient trees. At the same time, the wild boar also turned towards Yuan Ming¡¯s direction and charged towards him.

    It saw the two old trees standing side by side, and leaped towards them, intending to pass through the gap between them. The distance between the two trees seemed tailor-made for its body, just enough to allow the wild boar to pass through.

    However, in fact, these two trees were the ones that Yuan Ming had chosen for it earlier. As the wild boar leaped, Yuan Ming¡¯s body twisted and stopped. He picked up a white bone short spear that he had ced there earlier, and the nine-element form in his body madly circted, with the Qi in his dantian turning into a warm current that flowed up his meridians and into his right arm.

    His right arm immediately bulged with blue veins, his hair stood on end, and his muscles swelled at a visible speed, growing a circlerger than before. This was the second small magical technique derived from the white ape skin that he had named "Elemental Arm," which he had developed after practicing the nine-element form to the second level of Qi refining. Once this magical technique was activated, his right arm would change shape, and the power he could unleash would instantly increase threefold.

    However, this power eruption was instantaneous and could not be sustained for long. Yuan Ming had developed a method of storing power and throwing it, allowing him to attack from a distance.Yuan Ming tightly gripped the short bone gun in his hand, his arm tensed in an instant, and his strength continued to gather and umte. As his arm swung around, he let out a roar from his mouth.

    <em>"GO!"</em>

    As his voice rang out, the bone short gun in his hand was thrown out, emitting a piercing sound through the air.

    The wild boar beast had just reached the middle of the two old trees, trapped between them with no room to dodge. It could only rely on the light shield covering its head to face Yuan Ming¡¯s powerful strike head-on.

    It was like a spear and shield confrontation, but the battle ended the moment they touched.

    The bone short gun pierced through the invisible light curtain with a <em>"PUFF"</em> sound, thrusting into the head of the wild boar beast and prating its entire body, shooting out from its buttocks.

    The wild boar¡¯s body, suspended in mid-air, fell down helplessly, stuck perfectly between the two old trees.

    Upon seeing this, Yuan Ming showed a delighted expression. On one hand, he was happy for sessfully killing the ferocious beast, and on the other hand, he was satisfied with the power of his own umtion Arm.

    He quickly walked over, took out a blood storage bag from his waist, and skillfully began to collect the blood and flesh of the wild boar beast.

    After finishing the collection, Yuan Ming immediately picked up the bone short gun, used the tip of the gun to cut open the corners of the wild boar¡¯s mouth, exposing the roots of its two long tusks.

    These pair of tusks were also his target, as they contained a trace of spiritual power, which was one of the ferocious beast materials needed by the disciples of the Bi Luo Cave.

 Chapter 25: Forcing and Coercing

    Chapter 25: Forcing and Coercing

    Yuan Ming pulled out the long tusks of two wild boar beasts and tied them up with a prepared bark rope, nning to take them to the toad valley to exchange for something. But before that, the fat wild boar couldn¡¯t be wasted and was used to sacrifice to the five internal organs temple.

    However, just as Yuan Ming was preparing to peel the wild boar skin, footsteps suddenly came from all around, and he immediately grasped the bone short spear, vigntly looking around.

    In the next moment, four figures rushed out from the surrounding mountains and forests, surrounding Yuan Ming in the center.

    "Friends from the Qinng Gang, why did you suddenly rush out like this? " Yuan Ming frowned slightly when he saw these people.

    "What, kid, not nning on running away this time?" The leader among them sneered. He was a short and thick man wearing a green wolf skin, with dark and reddish skin, obviously from a wild background.

    Yuan Ming had already had several dealings with these people before. To be precise, these people had tried several times to surround and kill him, but Yuan Ming was extremely vignt, and they were never able to catch him.

    This time, they finally blocked Yuan Ming, how could they easily give up?

    Yuan Ming had never had a good impression of these people and had always avoided them whenever possible, but today it seemed that he couldn¡¯t escape easily.

    "Stop the nonsense and hand over those two wild boar tusks and the blood food in your blood bag, or today next year will be your death day." The leader of the group said.They had an absolute advantage in numbers and strength and didn¡¯t take Yuan Ming seriously.

    Yuan Ming sighed lightly in his heart, knowing that he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to eat this wild boar meat. However, he was not afraid at all. The leader among these people was barely at the first level of Qi refining, and the other three were not even at the first level of Qi refining. Even if they joined forces, they were not his opponents.

    He tied the wild boar tusks he had just bound onto his back, and lightly rubbed his fingers on the bone short spear.

    This action was obviously a sign that he was not willing to hand over the tusks. The people of the Qinng Gang immediately put on their fur and leather skins, preparing to use the fur and leather technique to transform into beasts.

    But at this moment, Yuan Ming suddenly attacked without warning. He threw the bone short spear in his hand towards the leader of the wild men in front of him.

    The man was shocked and did not expect Yuan Ming to dare to attack him. At this point, it was toote for him to use the fur and leather technique. The bone short spear flew towards his chest with a "swoosh".

    With a muffled sound, the man was heavily hit and flew backwards, hitting a thick and sturdy ancient tree, spitting out blood and falling heavily to the ground.

    The others immediately used the fur and leather technique, but by the time they were ready, Yuan Ming had already leaped up andnded in front of the short and thick man.

    He picked up the bone short spear and pressed it against the man¡¯s neck, saying, "If I wanted to kill you, the spear tip would have hit you just now, not the spear handle. I spared your life this time to let you go back and tell your gang leader that I just want to hunt in peace and not be bothered by you!"

    When he said thest sentence, Yuan Ming¡¯s voice suddenly raised, full of warning.

    The man was so scared that he nodded repeatedly, wanting to speak but unable to as his throat was full of blood."Seems like I went too hard on him." Yuan Ming thought to himself and walked away with his bone short spear in hand.

    As Yuan Ming walked away, the burly man spat out the blood in his mouth with force. Then, he hoarsely said with hatred, "You dare to attack me when I¡¯m not prepared... I will definitely kill you sooner orter."

    The three people beside him didn¡¯t dare to say anything.

    "You three useless people are of no use at all! The blood tribute to the gang this month will be doubled. Within three days, no matter what method you use, you must hand it over to me." After finishing his tough words, the burly man looked at the three people and became even more furious.

    "Boss Zaha, have mercy!"

    "The monthly tribute that the sect and the gang demand is already too much! In a few days, it¡¯s time to hand over to the sect. We won¡¯t have time to collect enough. If we can¡¯t hand it over to the sect, it will be a dead end."

    The three people¡¯s faces turned pale when they heard this. They knelt down and begged for mercy.

    With their strength, it was already very difficult to hunt beasts and hand over five portions of blood food to the sect every month. They joined the Green Wolf Gang reluctantly, seeking protection and also robbing others.

    Of course, the Green Wolf Gang didn¡¯t keep useless people and demanded that members hand over a certain amount of blood food every month, which added to the members¡¯ pressure.

    "Only three days! If you can¡¯t hand it over, you know the consequences!"

    The burly man showed no mercy to their begging. His anger had to be vented somewhere.

    The three people knew that kneeling down was useless and stood up. Their expressions changed from fear to calmness and finally to indifference. They looked at each other and then surrounded the burly man together.

    The burly man was still cursing, but when the three people held his shoulders, he finally realized that something was wrong. He asked in a trembling voice, "What... what do you want to do? Do you want to die?"

    "It¡¯s all because of you. Don¡¯t me us..."

    Soon, a scream of agony came and was quickly muffled, turning into a low moan.

    ...

    In the jungle, there was a settlement.

    Wooden houses made of brown boards were nailed to the branches of huge trees, with varying heights and numbers. On the ground below, there were only a few simple stoves surrounded by stones. Under the thick ash of grass and wood, there were dark red sparks, emitting waves of heat.

    One of the fire pits had a bonfire with arge stone pot on top, boiling thick white meat soup and emitting a strong meaty fragrance.

    Around the bonfire, there were about ten burly, dark-skinned men.

    Most of them were bare-chested, with half-body animal skins around their waists, mainly from wolves and ck panthers. They all wore animal skin masks on their heads, obviously all beast ves.

    At this time, three figures rushed back to the settlement and came directly to the bonfire, kneeling down in front of the person sitting in the middle.

    The three people bowed their heads, not daring to look up."Wu Bao... the leader, Zha Ha... Zha Ha is dead." One of the men reported nervously.

    The man sitting in the center had messy ck hair, sharp eyes like knives, a high nose bridge, a slightly curved nose tip like an eagle¡¯s beak, and three long scars running through almost his entire cheek, giving him a sinister and ferocious appearance.

    "Who dares to kill someone from our Qing Lang Gang? Which force is behind this?" Wu Bao stopped eating and asked.

    "It¡¯s not any force. That kid seems to be from the Central ins, always wandering alone. Zha Ha had been watching him for a long time, and he slipped away from our previous ambushes. This time, we finally caught him, but he killed Zha Ha instead." The man steadied his voice and spoke the prepared words.

    Wu Bao frowned and stood up, throwing the bones in his hand back into the pot. "Four of you couldn¡¯t handle one person, and Zha Ha was killed? What was his strength?"

    "We¡¯re not sure. He only used one move, and Zha Ha died..."

    "A lone wanderer dares to kill our Qing Lang Gang¡¯s people. It seems that our gang has been too softtely and let others think we¡¯re easy to bully." Wu Bao looked around and spoke slowly.

    The people who had just arrived were scared and dared not speak.

    "Leader, anyone who dares to kill our Qing Lang Gang¡¯s people must not be spared. I am willing to lead people to pursue him and make sure he won¡¯t escape. If I can¡¯t bring his head back, I¡¯ll offer mine." At this time, a bald man walked out of Wu Bao¡¯s side and patted his chest, saying in a deep voice.

    "Leader, I have a different opinion. May I speak?" Suddenly, someone walked out of the crowd and spoke up.

    The bald man turned his head and looked at the person, his eyes showing a hint of disgust. "Wu Lu, you¡¯ve only been in Qing Lang Gang for a few days. When did you have the right to speak here?" he scolded.

    Wu Lu just stared at Wu Bao without speaking.

    "Ba Yin, don¡¯t be impatient. Let¡¯s hear what he has to say." Wu Bao spoke up.

    Although Ba Yin was dissatisfied, he had to suppress his anger and look at Wu Lu.

    "Leader, if I¡¯m not mistaken, that Central ins person should be Yuan Ming." Wu Lu said.

    "Do you know him?" Wu Bao frowned.

    "This person became a beast ve with me. He¡¯s a good fighter. He could kill Zha Ha, who was at the first level of Qi refining. I think his strength is probably close to the second level. Instead of wasting time and effort chasing him, we should try to recruit him and make him one of us." Wu Lu nodded and spoke.

    Upon hearing Wu Lu¡¯s words, the expressions of the people around them changed slightly.

    A guy who had just be a beast ve not long ago was already close to the second level of Qi refining? Most of them had been practicing for years and had not even reached the first level.

    Compared to them, Yuan Ming was an outstanding talent.

    "No, he killed our people. We can¡¯t let him go, or our Qing Lang Gang won¡¯t be able to stand in the Ten Thousand Mountains anymore!" Ba Yin immediately objected."Vice-leader Ba Yin, I¡¯m sure you can also imagine that ten Zahas are no match for one Yuan Ming. If we can subdue him, the benefits will surely be much stronger than killing him," Wu Lu said, looking at the bald man.

    Wu Bao pondered for a moment and said, "I¡¯ll give him a chance. You¡¯ll handle the rest, Wu Lu."

    "I¡¯ll get on it right away," Wu Lu immediately bowed with a fist and said.

 Chapter 26: The Way of Magic

    Chapter 26: The Way of Magic

    At the same time, Yuan Ming, who had escaped, first returned to his hiding ce and then headed to the toad valley. He stopped at the door of the first stone house in the valley, where the named disciple who was lying on the chair reading a book was still there.

    "Zhao Tong, it¡¯s time to do business," Yuan Ming called out.

    The person on the chair heard the voice and slowly moved away from the book, revealing a fair and clean round face with a slightly chubby baby fat, slightly thick eyebrows, and bright round eyes. He couldn¡¯t be called handsome but could be considered decent.

    Seeing that it was Yuan Ming, his face showed a slight smile. Although they were not close, they had dealt with each other a few times, so they were somewhat familiar.

    There were many named disciples doing business in the toad valley, but they all had a proud attitude. Zhao Tong was slightly more normal than the others, but when it came to trading with beast ves, he never softened the price. Perhaps because they were both from the Central ins, he was rtively kind to Yuan Ming, so when Yuan Ming had a harvest, he woulde to him first to exchange.

    "Hey, these pig teeth are not bad. It looks like they have condensed spiritual power and have reached the threshold of refining low-level magic weapons. So, what do you want to exchange for this time?" Zhao Tong said.

    "Earth Spike Technique," Yuan Ming replied without hesitation.

    "You are really persistent... but the rules are the rules. The price we agreed on before cannot be changed. Have you saved enough?" Zhao Tong asked.

    "It¡¯s all here," Yuan Ming nodded.He began to take off the pair of wild boar tusks from his body, took two pouches from his waist, and took out two dark red stones and a withered purple herb from his arms.

    After hearing this, Zhao Tong stood up and began to check each item that Yuan Ming ced on the table. After careful inspection, he nodded in satisfaction and said, "Not bad, everything is here. To be honest, I thought it would take you at least six months to collect these things, but I didn¡¯t expect you to do it in less than three months."

    "I need the Earth Spike Technique urgently and can¡¯t wait for six months," Yuan Ming said.

    During this period of time, he had fully realized hisck of strength. He might be able to deal with beasts, but when it came to conflicts with other beast ves, he always felt that he had too few means and was too dangerous. Especially after offending the Qinng Gang this time, his situation would only be more dangerous.

    He had learned from Zhao Tong that Qi refining cultivators could also learn some spells, and the Earth Spike Technique was a rtively easy-to-learn primary-level lower-ss attack spell for Qi refining cultivators, and its power was rted to the caster¡¯s mana.

    Of course, these spells could only be learned by bing a named disciple of the Biro Cave, but for the sake of profit, some named disciples would secretly copy them and exchange them with beast ves, although the price was often high.

    "Okay, this is the copy of the Earth Spike Technique, and you have one hour to memorize it," Zhao Tong took out a thin white booklet from his arms and threw it to Yuan Ming.

    "I can¡¯t take it with me?" Yuan Ming frowned and asked.

    "What are you thinking? If you take the copy with you and learn it, then sell it to others, how can I do business in the future?" Zhao Tong sneered.

    "Good point," Yuan Ming nodded.

    He then opened the book and began to read it carefully.In his ear, Zhao Tong¡¯s voice came, "If you have any questions within this hour, you can ask me anytime."

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t react to his words at all, as if he hadn¡¯t heard anything, which made Zhao Tong unhappy.

    But before he could sit back down on his chair, Yuan Ming closed the book, stood there with his eyes closed, silently chanting.

    After a moment, he opened his eyes again and asked Zhao Tong, "In the technique, it says that when using this skill, you need to transfer your mana into the ground and connect with the earth¡¯s aura. Do you have to touch the ground with your hand?"

    Zhao Tong was stunned for a moment, then replied, "Oh... that¡¯s right. The Earth Spike technique has three stages. At the beginning, if the skill proficiency is not enough, it is best to touch the ground with your hand to shorten the release time and increase efficiency. When the skill is at a lower level, you don¡¯t need to use your hands. When you step on the ground, you can stillmunicate with the earth."

    "When the skill is at the highest level, even if you are in mid-air, you can release mana through hand seals to use the Earth Spike technique?" Yuan Ming asked after a moment of contemtion.

    "Yes, but you need sufficient mana and mastery of the skill," Zhao Tong nodded.

    "Understood, thank you," Yuan Ming said.

    "Do you have any other questions? You can ask me more," Zhao Tong said with a smile.

    "No, that¡¯s all," Yuan Ming said calmly, then returned the book.

    Zhao Tong was puzzled by Yuan Ming¡¯s behavior and asked, "Why aren¡¯t you reading it anymore?"

    "I¡¯ve memorized it all. If I have any doubts, I can only discover them during practice," Yuan Ming said.

    Although the Earth Spike technique was only three thousand words long, it was much simpler than the Nine Elements technique.

    "Can you memorize everything?" Zhao Tong asked in disbelief.

    "I have good memory," Yuan Ming said before leaving.

    Watching Yuan Ming¡¯s back as he walked away, Zhao Tong became more interested in him. Having a photographic memory wasn¡¯t a particrly impressive skill for cultivators like them, but for those who didn¡¯t have it, it was a gift from the heavens.

    "Brother Yuan."

    As soon as Yuan Ming left the valley, someone called out to him.

    A person jumped down from arge rock not far from him and walked over.

    "Wu Lu, do you need something from me?" Yuan Ming was surprised to see him, as they didn¡¯t interact much.

    "Did you kill someone from the Green Wolf Gang?" Wu Lu asked bluntly.

    "We had a conflict, and I injured one person. Why... did he die?" Yuan Ming furrowed his brows in confusion.

    "He did. When they mentioned someone from the Central ins, I guessed it was you," Wu Lu grinned, not caring about the person¡¯s death.

    "They?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "I joined the Green Wolf Gang," Wu Lu admitted frankly.

    "So you came to arrest me?" Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze narrowed.

    "I came to persuade you," Wu Lu shook his head.

    "To persuade me?""I told them to persuade you to submit and join the Qing Wolf Gang. But I know your personality, you won¡¯t agree. So I just came to remind you in advance, to be more cautious." Wu Luughed.

    Yuan Ming was slightly surprised at his words.

    "What, surprised? This is also a repayment for your previous kindness." Wu Lu asked and answered himself.

    "Then I thank you." Yuan Ming smiled and said.

    "After I go back this time, they should issue a wanted order for you and even offer a bounty. ording to their style, as long as someone reports your whereabouts, that person can avoid harassment from the Qing Wolf Gang and even get their protection. So your situation will not be good in the future." Wu Lu continued.

    "I guessed it." Yuan Ming nodded without surprise.

    "If I¡¯m not mistaken, Ba Yin will be the one chasing after you. He is a fierce bald man who has just broken through to the third level of Qi Refining. He is also considered a master among the beast ves in the Ten Thousand Mountains. Don¡¯t take it lightly if you encounter him." Wu Lu said.

    "Understood, thank you." Yuan Ming nodded and saluted.

    After that, Wu Lu left first and returned to his hiding ce outside of the toad valley.

    Yuan Ming immediately began practicing the Earth Spike technique when he returned to the cave.

    ...

    Half a monthter, in a sparsely wooded area.

    Yuan Ming crouched down, propped up with one hand on the ground, and pinched a gesture with the other hand, sending a strand of mana into the ground.

    Suddenly, a yellowish light shed in his eyes, and he shouted, "Rise!"

    As soon as he finished speaking, a sharp, earthy-yellow stgmite shot out of the ground like a dagger, about a foot long and as thick as a child¡¯s arm, with a metallic sheen at the tip, indicating its sharpness and sturdiness.

    Yuan Ming wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand and smiled when he saw this.

    After practicing for this period of time, the distance that he could use the Earth Spike technique had increased several times from the initial few feet, and its sharpness and sturdiness had also made great progress, making him quite satisfied.

    "The Earth Spike technique is not difficult to practice, but it consumes a lot of mana. If it is used continuously, I¡¯m afraid the mana will not keep up. I still need to improve my cultivation." Yuan Ming muttered to himself.

    Just then, his ears moved suddenly, and he turned his head sharply towards a direction and shouted, "Who¡¯s there?"

    As soon as he finished speaking, rustling sounds were heard all around, and five figures appeared, surrounding him in the center. It turned out to be Ba Yin and his men.

    "You brat, you¡¯re really hard to find." Ba Yin stepped forward and scolded.

    Yuan Ming immediately put on the ape skin and transformed into a white ape.

    "I advise you not to act recklessly. I don¡¯t want to kill anyone." Yuan Ming spoke.Upon hearing this, Ba Yin was not afraid butughed instead. He said, "You killed that useless Zaha and now you think you¡¯re somebody? Today, if I don¡¯t twist your head back, I don¡¯t deserve to be the vice-leader of the Green Wolf Gang."

    With that, he also put on a beast skin and performed the Beast Transformation Technique.

    His body slightly swelled, and long, dense hair began to grow all over him. His forehead became broader, his eyes smaller and rounder, his nose tter and blunter, and sharp, hard ws grew on both his hands and feet.

    However, the most eye-catching feature was the white hair that ran from the top of his head to his back, about two feet wide. It looked like he was wearing a silver-white long cloak.

    ...

    Friendship rmendation: "Cultivation: Three Thousand Great Creations." This is a book written by a friend of the Alliance Leader¡¯s group. It¡¯s a fantasy love story with humorousnguage and novel ideas. If you like it, you can go and have a look^^

 Chapter 27: Chase and kill

    Chapter 27: Chase and kill

    "This is... a honey badger?" Yuan Ming looked at the beast that Ba Yin had transformed into, feeling a bit dumbfounded.

    Unlike the huge changes in body size that urred when others used the fur transformation technique, Ba Yin¡¯s body size did not change much, and his appearance looked even moreical.

    But just by seeing the redness in his eyes, the heavy breathing from his nose, and the fierce aura emanating from his body, one could tell that this guy was not easy to deal with.

    Following closely behind, the other members of the Qinng Gang who hade with him also transformed into three green wolves and a ck panther using the fur transformation technique.

    Yuan Ming quickly surveyed the area and pulled out a white bone short spear from the ground behind him, holding one in each hand.

    His gaze swept over the members of the Qinng Gang one by one, as if looking for a target to attack. Three of them were the people who had followed Zaha before and had seen Yuan Ming¡¯s abilities before. They all understood what he wanted to do next and retreated.

    "What are you afraid of? I am here!" Ba Yin roared, his voice as loud as a bell.

    However, as soon as he finished speaking, a sound of breaking air suddenly attacked.

    Yuan Ming used his stored elemental arm to throw the bone spear with all his strength, and it flew straight towards Ba Yin¡¯s heart like an arrow.Just as it was about to pierce his chest, a palm suddenly mmed down from above, heavily hitting the white bone short spear.

    With a "bang" sound, Yuan Ming saw a ck light explode under the badger¡¯s palm. His white bone short spear was like a heavy hammer, exploding and breaking in half, falling to the ground.

    But immediately after, another sound of breaking air exploded.

    The second white bone short spear had already arrived, flying straight towards Ba Yin¡¯s face.

    Only to see Ba Yin shout loudly, not avoiding it at all, and directly using his head to collide with the white bone short spear.

    With a "pop" sound, the white bone short spear was bounced off Ba Yin¡¯s forehead and grabbed by him.

    At the same time, a figure suddenly rushed past him from the side, leaping towards the distance.

    "Still want to run?"

    Ba Yin sneered, turning his body and throwing the white bone short spear towards Yuan Ming who was escaping in the distance.

    Yuan Ming had already jumped into the air and was reaching out to grab a drooping vine, but he heard the sound of wind behind him and quickly lowered his head, falling downward.

    The white bone short spear flew past his scalp, breaking the vine he was about to grab with a "bang" sound, sting a big hole in a further away old tree, and piercing through the one behind it.

    "What a strong power." Yuan Ming secretly eximed.He fell to the ground, and as soon as hended, two ck shadows attacked him from both sides. They were two green wolves transformed from beast ves, with their blood-stained mouths biting towards his arms on both sides.

    Helpless, Yuan Ming could only roll on the ground and dodge forward.

    As he turned over, he saw a ck panther rushing towards him, blocking his way.

    He couldn¡¯t avoid it no matter what.

    Seeing the panther charging towards him, Yuan Ming put one hand on the ground and the other hand formed a finger gesture in front of him, shouting, "Rise!"

    Suddenly, a yellow light shone on the ground in front of him, and a sharp yellow stone spike suddenly rose up, piercing through the panther¡¯s chest in an instant.

    Blood sttered, and the beast ve transformed from the ck panther screamed in pain.

    Yuan Ming quickly ran towards the mountain forest.

    "Be careful, that kid knows spells!" Ba Yin roared and chased after him.

    Taking advantage of the gap, Yuan Ming leaped up and climbed onto a tree, escaping into the distance.

    The three green wolves immediately followed him, getting closer and closer to him with their speed advantage, but intentionally or unintentionally kept a certain distance.

    Only the honey badger transformed from Ba Yin was not particrly fast and gradually fell behind.

    While being chased, Yuan Ming observed the surroundings and constantly identified the direction.

    His face was tight, but his eyes were not panicked.

    Obviously, he had a n for his current situation.

    The three green wolves chased him for almost half an hour.

    However, the distance between them and Yuan Ming had widened, not because they couldn¡¯t keep up, but because they knew that Ba Yin had been left behind and didn¡¯t dare to follow too closely, afraid of being caught off guard if Yuan Ming suddenly turned around and attacked them.

    Yuan Ming also had this idea, but he didn¡¯t know Ba Yin¡¯s strength and couldn¡¯t predict when he would catch up. If he was caught by the beast ve of the three green wolves and couldn¡¯t escape, and then caught up by Ba Yin, it would be very dangerous.

    He didn¡¯t stop and went straight to a deep valley sandwiched between two towering mountain ridges. He took a nce at the valley and saw that it was still covered in mist, like a fantasy world.

    Without hesitation, Yuan Ming plunged into the misty valley.

    As soon as he entered the valley, a breeze carrying a burning smell hit him, making him frown.

    But when he walked into the valley and passed the windy area, the pungent smell wasn¡¯t as strong.The trees in the valley were much sparser than outside, and there were some fierce beasts among them. However, they seemed to be very cautious and timid by nature. When they heard Yuan Ming¡¯s movement, they ran away.

    Yuan Ming walked inward for about half an hour. Suddenly, the air in the valley became murky, and a pungent smell of sulfur filled the air.

    When he passed a bend in the canyon, the scenery suddenly opened up. Not far ahead, there was a sulfurke that covered about ten acres ofnd with an irregr shape.

    The water in theke was clear but golden in color. Only ayer of white frost was formed on the edge of the stone shore, which looked like a huge yellow gem embedded in the valley from a distance.

    On the seemingly beautifulke surface, white skeletons could be seen standing, some still maintaining a rtively intact form, while others were already iplete, standing on theke surface like nts growing out of theke.

    On the mountain wall near theke, there were more than a dozen caves of different sizes, some as high as ten feet, and some as small as dog holes.

    Yuan Ming took a nce at the cave entrance and immediately bypassed theke, running towards that direction.

    Outside the valley, Ba Yin rushed over and saw his subordinates circling outside the valley but dared not enter.

    "Where is that kid? What are you doing here?" Ba Yin immediately scolded.

    "Master Ba Yin, he ran into the valley. The fog inside is pervasive, and we dare not rush in recklessly, afraid of falling into his ambush." One of the green wolves spoke up.

    "You fools, go in and chase him. If he escapes again, I will expel you from the Green Wolf Gang and let you fend for yourselves." Ba Yin scolded.

    The few people panicked upon hearing this. They usually relied on the reputation of the Green Wolf Gang to do many bad things, but they rarely suffered retaliation. However, once they lost thisyer of protection, they would only die faster than others.

    Without saying a word, three green wolf beast ves rushed in quickly, and Ba Yin followed closely behind.

    On the other side, Yuan Ming, who was running along theke shore, suddenly saw a shadow swiftly passing over the water surface and rushing towards him. As it approached, the ck shadow becamerger andrger.

    He immediately stopped and stared at the water surface, but as the shadow approached the shore, he suddenly woke up and looked up at the sky.

    He saw a giant ck eagle hovering in the air. Suddenly, its outspread wings folded back, and it dived towards him.

    Yuan Ming immediately took a step back, clenched his fists tightly, and waited for the eagle to approach. As the eagle approached, he heard a light "chirp" sound.The eagle falcon let out a sharp cry, and its huge body suddenly burst into a bloody light. Its entire body seemed to have been cut by several sharp des at the same time, splitting into seven or eight pieces and falling down.

    The crimson blood sttered in mid-air, almost drenching Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming was shocked and quickly retreated several meters, not knowing what had happened.

    However, when he looked up into the air again, he found that at a height of more than ten meters above the ground, several crisscrossing blood-red lines appeared in the void, floating in the air.

    Yuan Ming narrowed his eyes and looked closely, only to find that the blood-red lines extended out to form a huge spider web that almost covered the entire sulfurke.

    If it weren¡¯t for the blood of the eagle falcon staining it, no one would have been able to detect it.

    "I was careless. I didn¡¯t notice it just now." His heart shuddered, feeling a lingering fear.

    At this moment, the sound from behind came again, and the guys from the Green Wolf Gang had already caught up.

    Yuan Ming nced back and revealed a relieved smile, as if he was afraid they wouldn¡¯t dare to follow.

    He quickly sped up his pace and ran towards the direction of the mountain wall.

    Ba Yin saw Yuan Ming running towards the mountain wall and thought he was going to climb the rock wall to escape. He immediately shouted, "Don¡¯t let him get close to the mountain wall, stop him quickly."

    As he spoke, he muttered words under his breath, and wisps of pink mist began to emerge from his body. His muscles swelled, and his running speed instantly doubled as he rushed towards Yuan Ming.

    Two green wolves took the lead in chasing after him, one on the left and one on the right, pouncing on Yuan Ming at the same time.

    Yuan Ming dodged left and right, swinging both arms simultaneously, smashing them onto the backs of the two green wolf beasts, knocking them over at the same time.

    However, immediately after, the third green wolf beast had already surrounded him, blocking his way.

    Seeing this situation, Yuan Ming seemed very annoyed and let out an angry roar.

    With no bone spear in his hand, he could only fight the three green wolf beasts barehanded. With his powerful punches, he beat them to wail in pain. However, he didn¡¯t have much advantage in closebat, and his arms and shoulders were bitten in several ces, blood dripping down.

 Chapter 28: Murder a person with a borrowed knife

    Chapter 28: Murder a person with a borrowed knife

    As Yuan Ming was in a stalemate with three young wolf beast ves, Ba Yin finally caught up and joined the battle without hesitation. He rushed out and directly rammed into Yuan Ming with brute force. In a hurry, Yuan Ming could only cross his arms in front of him, but he was still hit by the immense force and flew backwards, hitting the mountain wall hard. Yuan Ming felt a sweetness in his throat, and a mouthful of blood had already spilled from his mouth.

    "Indeed, very strong," Yuan Ming judged in his mind. With his current strength, he was definitely not a match for Ba Yin in a head-on fight, especially with three others assisting him.

    Just then, Yuan Ming suddenly heard rustling sounds above his head. Then, a string of small stones rolled down from the mountain wall behind him.

    "Finally arrived," Yuan Ming murmured. He then suddenly released his fur technique and transformed back to his human form. This move was like disarming in battle, which surprised Ba Yin and the others. They couldn¡¯t figure out what he was nning to do.

    Yuan Ming had no intention of exining and immediately took out a paper bag from his pocket. He roughly tore it open and sprinkled the red and white powder all over his body, emitting a pungent smell.

    Ba Yin wrinkled his nose and then heard one of the young wolf beast ves say, "Boss Ba Yin, this seems to be... Beast Repelling Powder." Although he didn¡¯t know what was going on, he already sensed that something was wrong.

    "Don¡¯t worry about it, go up and kill him," Ba Yin shouted.

    The three young wolf beast ves rushed towards Yuan Ming, who had not used the fur technique again and instead turned to climb up the mountain wall. One of the young wolf beast ves ran quickly, grabbed a rock protruding from the wall with its front paws, and jumped up, opening its bloody mouth to bite Yuan Ming¡¯s leg.

    Just as its teeth were about to sink into Yuan Ming¡¯s leg, a sharp ck bone spur flew past Yuan Ming¡¯s back with a "whoosh." It pierced through the young wolf beast ve¡¯s head, sttering blood everywhere. The young wolf beast ve¡¯s body was carried by the strong inertia of the bone spur and mmed onto the ground, dying on the spot.The other two young wolf beast ves were frightened and stopped their charge. They all looked up at the huge ck head that had just emerged from arge hole in the rock wall above Yuan Ming.Its head was as big as a cow¡¯s, covered in short ck fur. Two rows of eightpound eyes were neatly arranged, with a pair of curved hook-like mouthparts below, shining with a dark glow. Above its head was a sharp ck horn.

    "What the hell is this?" eximed a wolf beast ve.

    His voice immediately attracted the strange head, and all eight eyes looked over. The sharp ck horn on its head shed, and a ck bone spike shot out.

    The wolf beast ve reacted quickly and dodged, but the bone spike grazed his back, leaving only a scratch.

    The strange head immediately moved, extending its head forward and poking out of the cave. Its entire body and eight spear-like ck spider legs crawled out of the cave.

    Its body clung to the steep cliff, and its eight spider legs were firmly nailed to the crevices of the rock, as stable as Mount Tai.

    "A horned wolf spider? How could there be such a thing here?" Ba Yin couldn¡¯t help but exim.

    As he spoke, he looked at the wolf beast ve who had been scratched by the bone spike and had already fallen to the ground, with ck blood flowing from his mouth and nose.

    The remaining wolf beast ve was petrified in ce.

    "Such a strong toxicity," Ba Yin said, and a ck bone spike flew towards him.

    He immediately pped it away with his paw, and the bone spike was deflected towards Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming quickly dodged to the side and climbed up again towards the horned wolf spider. Because he was covered in beast-repelling powder, the spider did not attack him immediately, but instead prioritized attacking Ba Yin.

    The horned wolf spider quickly crawled towards Ba Yin, its eight steel-like spider legs supporting its body. Its sharp leg tips constantly stabbed towards Ba Yin.

    Ba Yin could only swing his two badger paws, constantly blocking with his ws, making a series of metallic nging sounds. The seemingly slender legs of the horned wolf spider collided with his ws, but instead of being damaged, it forced Ba Yin into a corner, leaving him with bloody wounds.

    Soon, his wounds turned ck, indicating that they were also poisoned.Yuan Ming took the opportunity to quickly climb up and soon arrived at the cave where the lone horned wolf spider lived.

    He entered the cave and was immediately hit by an indescribableplex smell.

    Yuan Ming looked around and saw that the cave was filled with white bones that had been gnawed clean and pieces of tattered and broken flesh.

    In the center of these filthy things, there was a dark red object that looked like a Lingzhi fairy grass, with wood-like textures and slight movements like an animal.

    "It¡¯s the meat Lingzhi mentioned in the ¡¯Bai Cao Ji¡¯." Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement.

    A few days ago, when he was out hunting, his injured prey disappeared after entering this secluded valley. Heter found out that it was taken by the lone horned wolf spider.

    When he came to investigate, he found the meat Lingzhi, a precious medicinal herb recorded in the ¡¯Bai Cao Ji¡¯, and decided to take it.

    However, Yuan Ming found that he was no match for the lone horned wolf spider, so he came up with a n to lure the Green Wolf Gang to chase him and take advantage of the chaos to steal the treasure.

    As soon as he saw the treasure, Yuan Ming immediately went forward and dug out the palm-sized meat Lingzhi, wrapped it in a prepared animal skin, and put it in his pocket.

    After getting the item, Yuan Ming went to the cave entrance to observe the situation outside before making a decision.

    However, as soon as he arrived, a pale and terrifying face suddenly appeared above the cave entrance, staring at him with round and ck eyes.

    The eyes werepletely ck, without any white, and looked very strange.

    Yuan Ming was startled and immediately dodged backwards, only to see that the pale face was actually a special pattern on the head of a ck spider.

    This spider was much smaller than the lone horned wolf spider, with thin legs like a stick and a long and slender body, but its head was round and had a pale white face.

    When Yuan Ming stared at it, it also looked at him, but its ck eyes revealed nothing.

    Suddenly, the strange face grinned, but there were no teeth or even a visible mouth. It was like a face stuck on the spider¡¯s forehead.

    This eerie scene made Yuan Ming¡¯s scalp tingle, and he instinctively wanted to escape.

    However, the cave was shallow and had only one exit, so Yuan Ming was trapped inside.He had no choice but to use the Feather Transformation Technique, turning into a white ape. He randomly grabbed a bone from the pile of white bones, not knowing what kind of beast it belonged to, and was about to throw it using his Stored Power Arm.

    However, the beast bone, which had been dead for who knows how long, shattered with a "crack" before he could even use it.

    Yuan Ming hurriedly picked up another one, but it also shattered as soon as he squeezed it.

    Cursing silently, he reached for another bone and was about to throw it when he suddenly realized that it felt different in his hand. Upon closer inspection, he found that it was not a bone at all, but rather a rusty bronze ancient sword.

    At that moment, the human-faced spiderunched its attack first. One of its slender legs shot out like a steel spear, stabbing directly at Yuan Ming with incredible speed, even faster than the Single-Horned Wolf Spider.

    Yuan Ming had no time to think and hastily blocked the attack with the sword.

    "ng!" A sharp sound rang out as the sword collided with the spider¡¯s leg, sending sparks flying.

    Yuan Ming felt a strong forceing at him, causing him to involuntarily retreat. Upon inspecting the sword in his hand, he found that it had only lost a bit of rust and was otherwise unharmed.

    The human-faced spider attacked again, this time with two of its legs stabbing at Yuan Ming from both sides,unching a continuous assault.

    Yuan Ming swung his sword to block the attacks while desperately pushing towards the cave entrance.

    The limited space inside the cave restricted his movements, making him extremely passive.

    As he pushed against the spider¡¯s legs and approached the cave entrance, the abdomen of the human-faced spider suddenly contracted, and a small hole in its belly sprayed out a stream of white liquid. The liquid expanded into a white spider web in mid-air, enveloping Yuan Ming¡¯s head.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming blocked the stabbing spider leg with his sword and grabbed the spider web with his other hand. He swung his arm, wrapping the web around it, and then rolled it into a knot.

    A sharp, intense pain immediately spread through his palm, and a powerful corrosive force seeped into his flesh. Even with the protection of the white ape skin, his palm was instantly corroded, leaving several wounds.

    The burning pain caused Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes to widen in anger, and a fierce aura that seemed not to belong to him was also stimted.

    He let out a roar, gripping the sword with one hand to block the attack while his body lunged forward. The injured palm clenched into a fist, and he threw a punch directly at the stabbing spider leg.

 Chapter 29: I wonâ€™t accompany you any longer

    Chapter 29: I won¡¯t apany you any longer

    Yuan Ming¡¯s arm was charged with force, his muscles bulged, and his fist collided with one of the spider legs on the spider¡¯s face with a "bang" sound.

    The seemingly thin spider leg was unexpectedly tough. It didn¡¯t break under the heavy punch, but it was pressed inward and suddenly retracted.

    The eerie human face of the spider twisted in pain.

    Its other legs also pierced into the cave, brushing against Yuan Ming¡¯s side, and its entire body was like a huge w, grabbing onto Yuan Ming.

    Before Yuan Ming could make a counterattack, its body immediately pressed down, tightly attached to Yuan Ming. The painful expression on the human face disappeared, reced by an exaggerated smiling face.

    The smiling face flipped upward, as if it had moved to the top of its head. Below it, a blood-filled mouth opened, revealing two rows of sharp and thin teeth, with a slender tongue poking out and licking towards Yuan Ming¡¯s cheek.

    Yuan Ming watched helplessly as the somewhat sticky tongue licked his face. Even through the animal fur, he felt a burning pain.

    He pushed the long sword away with his two ape arms, muscles bulging, and his inner strength exploded, trying to break free from the spider¡¯s lock and escape.

    The spider seemed to have noticed his intention and let out a sharp howl. Its legs contracted with all its strength, trapping Yuan Ming tightly. Its bloody mouth did not hesitate and bit down on him.Yuan Ming¡¯s head tilted to one side, and his shoulder was bitten by the spider¡¯s fine teeth, and blood sttered out.

    Immediately, a strong suction came from the wound, and Yuan Ming felt his whole body¡¯s blood rushing towards it, being sucked by the spider.

    The intense pain intensified Yuan Ming¡¯s ferocity. His eyes turned red, and he growled lowly, then bit down on the spider¡¯s head.

    The spider did not expect Yuan Ming to be so fierce and immediately let go of its mouth, dodging backward.

    Taking advantage of this gap, Yuan Ming did not hesitate, and his figure jumped out of the cave and directly leaped down to the ground dozens of zhangs high.

    The spider followed closely behind.

    As soon as Yuan Mingnded, he threw down the bronze ancient sword and pressed his palm on the ground while pinching his fingers. He shouted:

    "Rise!"

    Earth Spike Technique wasunched again, and a sharp stgmite pierced out of the ground and stabbed towards the spider falling down.

    The spider immediately contracted its eight legs, supporting its body high up, and the stgmite could not attack its body. Its slender legs also perfectly avoided the spike¡¯s thrust, without any impact.

    Yuan Ming cursed, nced ahead, and saw Ba Yin fighting with the unicorn wolf spider. One of its legs had been cut off and was already at a disadvantage.

    The only green wolf beast ve on the side wanted to help but was too weak and dared not get too close, only circling back and forth between the two fighting sides, looking flustered.

    "Ba Yin, he... he¡¯s back." The green wolf beast ve saw Yuan Ming jump down from the nearby cliff and run towards them, shouting loudly.

    Ba Yin swiped away the attacking unicorn wolf spider and nced at Yuan Ming, his mouth twitching with anger.

    But then he saw the huge figure chasing after Yuan Ming, and his face suddenly changed. He eximed, "Human-Face Ghost Spider, how did this guy attract this ghost thing?"

    While shouting the name of the fierce beast, Ba Yin couldn¡¯t help but curse Yuan Ming¡¯s ancestors in his heart.Just dealing with a lone unicorn spider was already difficult enough, but now it had attracted a human-faced ghost spider as well. Both were top-level existences among the first-level fierce beasts, and it seemed like they were both determined to take everyone down together.

    In an instant, he had the thought of retreating, as nothing was more important than his own life.

    However, just as he let his guard down for a moment, the lone unicorn spider¡¯sst remaining leg suddenly thrust forward once again, and Ba Yin instinctively blocked it, only to have it suddenly pull back and swipe upwards.

    Ba Yin was caught off guard and a thin cut was opened on his chest, with fresh blood flowing out.

    With a grunt, he stepped back and used his ws to press down on his chest, causing his chest muscles to contract and quickly stop the bleeding. However, the flesh and blood at the wound had turned purple, indicating that he had been poisoned.

    At this moment, the lone unicorn spider was already following closely behind, forcing him to make a decision. He nced at Yuan Ming and the human-faced ghost spider rushing over, and suddenly lowered his body, dodging the spider¡¯s attack.

    Then, he suddenly pushed off with his legs and pounced to one side.

    The green wolf beast tamer looked at Ba Yin, who was rushing towards him, but before he could react, he had already been grabbed by the long mane on his neck.

    "Leader, what are you doing..."

    Before he could finish his sentence, he was lifted up by a huge force and lifted off the ground.

    Ba Yin looked at him without saying a word, and with a sudden push of his feet and a sudden burst of strength from his arms, he twisted his waist and swung his arm round, flinging the tamer towards the spider that was chasing them from behind.

    The green wolf beast tamer struggled in fear, but he had no control over himself as he was flying in mid-air, unable to find any leverage. He could only watch as his body was smashed towards the lone unicorn spider that was catching up from behind.

    Seeing the green wolf beast tamer rushing towards him, the lone unicorn spider thrust out one of its spider legs, piercing through his body, but was also knocked back by the strong inertia, tumbling backwards.

    Yuan Ming had already caught up, and seeing this scene, he quickly dodged to the side and ran past the lone unicorn spider.

    "What a vicious guy, even attacking his own people like this." He muttered under his breath, but then looked back and saw the human-faced ghost spider still chasing after him, so he quickly increased his speed and ran faster.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s transformed white ape had limited speed on the ground, and with the human-faced ghost spider¡¯s stride speed, it was only a matter of time before it caught up with him.

    Just as he was thinking about what to do, he suddenly realized with surprise that Ba Yin, who was running ahead of him, was actually slower than him. He was overjoyed.

    He gritted his teeth, held the bronze sword in his mouth, swung his arm and rushed towards Ba Yin.

    Ba Yin was panting heavily, feeling numbness and pain all over his body, and with the wound on his chest, he couldn¡¯t run at full speed. The poison from the lone unicorn spider was usually easy to resolve by sleeping in his badger beast tamer state for a while, but now it was proving to be a big problem.

    Just as he was feeling frustrated, he suddenly heard a series of urgent footsteps behind him.

    He quickly turned around and saw Yuan Ming, who was holding a bronze long sword in his mouth, catching up to him.

    Before he could react, Yuan Ming had already shed to his side and shed horizontally with the sword.

    Ba Yin quickly dodged and angrily asked, "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t answer, but every few steps he took, he would sh over and make a sword strike, unable to hurt Ba Yin, but also making it impossible for him to run at full speed.Seeing that the human-faced spider was getting closer and closer, and the distance between them was only about thirty or forty feet, Yuan Ming finally stopped harassing Ba Yin and left him with a fleeing figure.

    Ba Yin was burning with anger but had no way to deal with it. If he could, he would tear Yuan Ming apart right away. But if he got dyed and caught up by the human-faced spider, it would be difficult for him to escape with his speed.

    He let out an angry roar, mobilizing the mana from his dantian, pouring it into his legs, forcibly dispelling the numbness, and began to run at full speed again, trying to widen the distance between him and the human-faced spider.

    This sudden burst consumed a lot of mana, but the effect was remarkable, immediately extending the distance to about seventy or eighty feet.

    However, before he could catch his breath, he suddenly saw Yuan Ming, who was running ahead, squat down. A faint yellow glow appeared on the palm of his hand, pressing it on the ground, and Ba Yin immediately felt that something was wrong.

    A strong sense of alert caused him to slow down subconsciously.

    Just as he slowed down, the ground in front of him suddenly shattered. With a "crack" sound, a sharp, earthy-yellow stgmite suddenly burst out, drilling up through the gap in his ws.

    If he hadn¡¯t controlled his speed just now and had been a little faster, this stgmite might have pierced his foot directly.

    Although he didn¡¯t get hurt directly, Ba Yin was still tripped by the sudden appearance of the stgmite. His body lost its bnce and fell forward.

    The moment before he hit the ground, the ground below his face cracked again.

    Another sharp stgmite suddenly pierced out, aiming straight for his right eye.

    At the critical moment, Ba Yin¡¯s palm, which was originally intended to support the ground, swung fiercely at the stgmite.

    With a "bang" sound, the sharp stgmite was smashed into pieces.

    Ba Yin, who was falling rapidly and had one less hand to support him, couldn¡¯t maintain his bnce and fell t on his face.

    After this stumble, by the time he got up, the human-faced spider had already caught up, and the distance between them was less than ten feet.

    "Ba Yin, I won¡¯t apany you any longer. Enjoy the rest!"

    Five or six feet away, Yuan Ming saw this scene and finally felt a little relieved. He immediately got up and ran forward.

    He had already consumed a lot of mana before, and had used the Earth Spike Technique twice in a row, so he was somewhat exhausted. If he stayed and fought, there was no guarantee that there wouldn¡¯t be any problems.

    However, after running more than ten feet away, Yuan Ming suddenly heard a roar from behind.

    He stopped and quickly looked back, only to see that the human-faced spider had already entangled Ba Yin, and the two were fighting again.

    Yuan Ming watched this scene, hesitated for a moment, then ran several feet towards the valley entrance, found a huge rock to hide behind,y down behind it, and looked towards where Ba Yin and the human-faced spider were fighting.

 Chapter 30: Semi-magical artifact

    Chapter 30: Semi-magical artifact

    Ba Yin saw that there was no hope of escape and became fierce, waving his ws to constantly sh with the spider legs of the human-faced ghost spider.

    The human-faced ghost spider was obviously stronger than the single-horned wolf spider. Every time its two spider legs collided, they made a metallic sound, and the attack speed became faster and faster.

    Ba Yin¡¯s arms kept swinging, but he was ultimately no match for the human-faced ghost spider. In just a moment, his arms and body were cut with seven or eight bloody wounds.

    The intense pain and flowing blood stimted his ferocity. Ba Yin pped away a spider leg and endured the other spider leg of the human-faced ghost spider piercing his right shoulder. He charged to the underside of the human-faced ghost spider¡¯s abdomen.

    With a wave of his long w, he tore three deep gashes in the human-faced ghost spider¡¯s belly.

    The human-faced ghost spider suffered and shook the spider leg that pierced its chest, throwing Ba Yin far away.

    Ba Yin rolled on the ground and hit a rock before stopping. But before he could get up, a "pu pu" sound came from the void. One after another, white spider webs sprayed out from the human-faced ghost spider¡¯s abdomen, covering him underneath.

    "Hiss"

    A burst of sound came, and white smoke suddenly rose from Ba Yin¡¯s body. The ces where his fur, flesh, and blood touched the spider webs were all corroded, leaving shocking blood marks.Especially where there were wounds, the blood burned as if on fire when it touched the spider webs.

    The extremely intense burning pain made Ba Yin roll on the ground, howling in pain and frantically tearing at the spider webs, but he couldn¡¯t escape.

    At this time, the human-faced ghost spider had caught up again.

    Yuan Ming saw this scene and knew that the oue was already decided. Ba Yin had no chance of winning.

    He saw the human-faced ghost spider lift one spider leg high and suddenly stab down. Ba Yin¡¯s screams stopped abruptly.

    Just when Yuan Ming thought everything had ended, the spider leg that the human-faced ghost spider had stabbed down with lifted up stiffly.

    Yuan Ming looked closely and saw that Ba Yin¡¯s hand was holding onto that spider leg, slowly lifting it up and forcing it to rise.

    He didn¡¯t know if it was an illusion, but he felt that Ba Yin¡¯s arm seemed to have thickened by a circlepared to before.

    Immediately after, there was a "boom."

    The human-faced ghost spider¡¯s body was suddenly lifted and flipped over by that arm, and it fell to the ground with its eight legs up.

    Ba Yin¡¯s body stood up again, and Yuan Ming finally realized that it was not an illusion. His entire body had thickened by a circle, with exaggerated muscr lines all over his body.

    It looked likerge pieces of muscles were stacked together, indescribably strange and awkward.

    Before the human-faced ghost spider could get up, Ba Yin rushed forward and directly rode on its belly, swinging his two thick and exaggerated arms to continuously strike the human-faced ghost spider¡¯s body.

    "Chi chi chi"

    Even from far away, Yuan Ming could hear the sound of flesh being pierced.

    The human-faced ghost spider cried out for the first time, its voice like a baby¡¯s crying, both sharp and eerie.But at this moment, Ba Yin seemed to have gone mad. His arms did not stop for a moment as he mechanically poked the face spider in the abdomen, causing blood and flesh to fly everywhere.

    The eight legs of the face spider retracted, with the first two stabbing Ba Yin¡¯s chest, the middle two stabbing his neck from left and right, and the remaining four stabbing his back at the same time.

    This was obviously the face spider¡¯s fatal blow.

    But Ba Yin was faster than it, after piercing its chest and abdomen, he gathered strength in his right arm and stabbed straight towards the face spider¡¯s head like a knife.

    Just as it was about to hit, a sudden sound of breaking through the air came.

    "Chi" sounded.

    A bronze sword shot out and pierced Ba Yin¡¯s right arm, causing his fatal blow to fall in the empty space.

    However, the face spider did not miss the opportunity. All eight of its legs pierced into Ba Yin¡¯s body, causing blood to stter everywhere.

    Ba Yin groaned with blood in his mouth, turned his head and looked towards the valley. His eyes were bloodshot and covered with ayer of blood, and he saw a white ape standing there, still in the throwing position.

    He opened his mouth to curse, but couldn¡¯t say anything and died.

    Under him, the face spider was also seriously injured. It struggled a few times, trying to get up, but did not have the strength to remove its legs from Ba Yin¡¯s body.

    Yuan Ming saw this and immediately rushed over in the form of a white ape.

    When he got closer, he did not immediately check, but picked up the bronze sword first, and then circled around the face spider.

    Seeing that it really had no resistance, he walked up and cut off its head with one sword.

    The face spider, without its head, and its eight legs lost strength and copsed.

    At the same time, Ba Yin¡¯s body quickly shrank, returning to human form, with a loose animal skin draped over him.

    Yuan Ming breathed a sigh of relief, removed the animal skin, took out a blood storage bag, and began to collect the blood of the face spider.

    After collecting it, he suddenly saw the face on the face spider¡¯s forehead shrinking, like a human skin mask, falling off and slipping to the ground.

    Yuan Ming was surprised and picked it up. After rubbing and pulling it, he found that it was very tough and unusual, so he kept it.

    Then, he turned to the face spider¡¯s abdomen and saw the shocking wound. He felt that Ba Yin was really terrifying. If he had fought with him and used these methods before he died, he would not have been able to bear it easily.

    At this time, his gaze fell on the two front legs of the face spider, and he found that the flesh and blood on them had withered, revealing bones with a faint metallic luster, which seemed unusual.

    Yuan Ming immediately took action, pulled Ba Yin¡¯s body off the spider legs, put it aside, and then used the bronze sword to cut off the joints of the spider legs before removing them from the body."This thing will definitely interest Zhao Tong." Yuan Ming smirked.

    Then, he walked over to Ba Yin and took off the blood storage bag from his body, pouring all the stored blood food into his own bag. He then searched for other things on his body.

    When Yuan Ming tried to take off Ba Yin¡¯s fur cloak, he was surprised to find that the fur had already stuck to Ba Yin¡¯s head, and tearing it off would result in arge piece of flesh being torn apart, so he had to give up.

    Moreover, Ba Yin¡¯s originally sturdy body had be extremely thin, as if all the flesh and blood had melted away, which was very strange.

    In the end, besides the blood storage bag, he only found a small ck pottery bottle that was about an inch tall on Ba Yin¡¯s body.

    When he opened it, a pungent smell wafted out, and there were two red pills the size of green beans inside, but he didn¡¯t know what they were.

    After collecting everything, Yuan Ming rested for a while next to the two corpses until his mana and strength had recovered somewhat before getting up again.

    Looking at Ba Yin¡¯s body on the ground, Yuan Ming hesitated for a moment before pulling him up and carrying him on his shoulders, heading back towards the valley.

    When he was close to the sulfurke, Yuan Ming stopped and looked inside for a long time, but he never saw the lone horned wolf spider, guessing that it had escaped back to its nest due to its injuries.

    Then, Yuan Ming threw Ba Yin¡¯s body into the sulfurke. He only found one rtively intact beast ve corpse and one that had already been gnawed to almost nothing in the ce where he had fought before, and he reluctantly threw them into theke as well.

    He couldn¡¯t find thest corpse no matter how hard he looked, and it should have been dragged back to the cave by the lone horned wolf spider, so he had to give up.

    Fortunately, the blood storage bags of these three corpses were still intact, and Yuan Ming collected all the blood food inside, adding up to about thirteen portions with what he had collected earlier.

    After packing up these things, Yuan Ming left the valley with his bronze long sword and the spider leg of the human-faced ghost spider.

    ...

    The next day, in the Toad Valley.

    Zhao Tong looked at the spider leg of the human-faced ghost spider that Yuan Ming had brought back, and was momentarily stunned.

    "Judging from the quality, this human-faced ghost spider should be above the third level of Qi Refining. Did you really kill it?" He couldn¡¯t help but ask when he saw the slightly injured Yuan Ming in front of him.

    "What, if it wasn¡¯t me who killed it, you wouldn¡¯t take it?" Yuan Ming retorted.

    "Of course I¡¯ll take it. Why wouldn¡¯t I take it? This spider leg is a rare item that the people of the Fire Refining Hall like." Zhao Tong¡¯s face was full of smiles as he quickly grabbed the two items.

    "The Fire Refining Hall?" Yuan Ming asked in confusion.

    Zhao Tong shouldn¡¯t have told him about the internal affairs of the sect, but he was in a good mood today and exined briefly, "The hall responsible for refining weapons in the sect. You wouldn¡¯t understand even if I told you."

    "What are weapons?" Yuan Ming asked further.

    "They are powerful weapons." Zhao Tong didn¡¯t want to say too much and just gave a perfunctory answer.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming took a long cylindrical animal skin package from his waist and ced it on the table. "What is this?" Zhao Tong asked in confusion.Yuan Ming calmly unwrapped the animal hide, revealing the bronze sword inside, and said, "Take a look at this for me."

    Zhao Tong nced at the ancient bronze sword, first with a look of disdain, then his eyebrows slightly raised, revealing a hint of surprise.

    "This seems to be a semi-magical artifact, where did you get it?" He picked up the sword and examined it carefully, asking with some doubt.

    "I found it on the way while searching for the ferocious beast," Yuan Ming casually replied with an excuse.

    "Would you sell this? It¡¯s a bit old, but the materials used in its refining are still quite solid. Although it¡¯s only a semi-magical artifact, it should be worth some money," Zhao Tongmented.

    "What is a magical artifact, and why is this sword considered a semi-magical artifact?" Instead of answering, Yuan Ming changed the topic.

    "What¡¯s with all the questions today?" Zhao Tong pouted, dissatisfied.

    Yuan Ming remained expressionless, reached out to take back the sword, and said, "If you don¡¯t know, I¡¯ll ask someone else."

    "Who said I don¡¯t know?" Zhao Tong immediately red.

    "Then let¡¯s hear it," Yuan Ming said with a smile.

 Chapter 31: Take what you need

    Chapter 31: Take what you need

    "Ordinary weapons, no matter how tough and sharp they are, can only be considered as sharp weapons, and their effectiveness is limited, only for ordinary people to use. If a cultivator infuses their mana into it, even the best sharp weapon will break because it cannot withstand it, while a magic weapon is different, it can withstand and contain mana." Zhao Tong cleared his throat and exined confidently.

    "This sword can be infused with mana?" Yuan Ming eximed.

    "Try it yourself." Zhao Tong did not directly answer, but handed the sword to Yuan Ming.

    After taking the long sword, Yuan Ming grasped it and stimted the mana in his dantian, guiding it towards his palm.

    He only felt that after the mana condensed in his palm, it immediately found an outlet and extended into the bronze long sword in his hand.

    In the next moment, ayer of blue light appeared on the bronze long sword, like a fish swimming from the hilt, rushing towards the tip of the sword, emitting a sharp aura.

    "Blue Fish."

    At this moment, Yuan Ming noticed that there were two delicate characters engraved near the hilt of the sword, which were inscribed by the person who crafted the sword, not his own name. It seemed that this sword was either his masterpiece or had extraordinary significance to him. Zhao Tong nced at it and said casually.

    "Why do you say it¡¯s a half magic weapon?" Yuan Ming asked again."Because usually magic weapons have certain auxiliary powers, such as releasing ice, fire, thunder, and so on. This is because they contain different attribute runes. After this sword was crafted, it did not undergo rune engraving, so it does not have such abilities." Zhao Tong continued to exin.

    Yuan Ming thought for a moment and realized that the sword was only sharper without any other auxiliary powers, so he asked: "Can it be remedied by re-engraving the runes?"

    "It can be done, but it requires an elder from the Fire Refining Hall to do it. Ordinary disciples don¡¯t have this ability." Zhao Tong said.

    Yuan Ming knew that there was no hope for the time being. As a beast tamer, no matter how much resources he umted, he could not possibly invite a sect elder to craft a magic weapon for himself.

    "There¡¯s one more thing I want you to take a look at." Yuan Ming said, taking out the ck pottery bottle he had obtained from Ba Yin.

    Zhao Tong took it over, opened it curiously, and immediately smelled a pungent and spicy odor.

    He quickly moved it away, pushed it back with a disgusted face, and said, "This is the Bloodthirsty Pill, where did you get it?"

    "What is it used for?" Yuan Ming did not exin, covered the bottle cap, and asked.

    After thinking for a moment, Zhao Tong understood where this thing came from. He had seen many fights and snatches between beast tamers.

    "Burning essence blood and stimting potential can make a person temporarily burst out power far beyond their actual strength, but the seque are extremely serious. Unless it is a matter of life and death, do not use it." Zhao Tong exined and reminded.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming¡¯s doubts were immediately resolved. Ba Yin must have taken this thing before, which gave him the power to kill the human-faced spider. As for the seque, just think about how terrifying his body would be after he died."Thank you for your help. I¡¯ll sell these two spider legs now," Yuan Ming said, putting away his blue fish sword.

    "Okay, what do you want to exchange for this time?" Zhao Tong asked.

    Yuan Ming pondered for a moment and asked, "Do you have any sword techniques or cultivation methods?"

    "Well...actually, we don¡¯t have any," Zhao Tong replied, shaking his head.

    Yuan Ming felt a little disappointed upon hearing this.

    "Our Bi Luo Sect is known for our beast-taming techniques, and our cultivation methods mainly revolve around that. We do have some misceneous low-level cultivation methods, but I haven¡¯t seen any sword techniques," Zhao Tong exined.

    "In that case, let¡¯s not exchange anything for now. Keep the items with you, and I¡¯ll exchange them when I have something I want," Yuan Ming said after a moment of contemtion.

    "Sure, or I can help you inquire about whether any senior brothers from the Fire Refining Hall are willing to take the risk and carve a formation for you. We can see if they need the spider legs of the human-faced ghost spider," Zhao Tong nodded and said.

    "Thank you," Yuan Ming thanked him.

    "It¡¯s just business, no need to be polite," Zhao Tong waved his hand casually.

    Yuan Ming bid farewell and nned to leave. Today was the day to offer blood food, and he nned to go to the boundary monument.

    Suddenly, Zhao Tong¡¯s voice came from behind him, asking casually, "By the way, did you take the face skin of the human-faced ghost spider when you killed it?"

    Yuan Ming¡¯s heart stirred slightly upon hearing this and asked, "Is that disgusting thing useful?"

    As he asked this, a hint of disappointment shed in Zhao Tong¡¯s eyes.

    "That thing is the main material for refining the Thousand-Machine Mask. If you didn¡¯t pick it up, then forget it," Zhao Tong waved his hand and signaled him to leave.

    From his reaction, Yuan Ming judged that the face skin of the human-faced ghost spider was not an ordinary thing, at least it was important to Zhao Tong.

    "No wonder he exined so much to me. He wasying the groundwork for this," Yuan Ming thought to himself.

    He stopped and turned around, asking, "By the way, do you have any books like the Bai Cao Ji? Can you give me two more?"

    Yuan Ming was able to recognize the meat spirit ganoderma because he got the Bai Cao Ji from Zhao Tong.

    "What do you want them for?" Zhao Tong asked.

    "To broaden my horizons. Next time I encounter a vicious beast like the human-faced ghost spider, I¡¯ll know what things on its body are useful and what things are not," Yuan Ming said with a smile.

    Zhao Tong hesitated for a moment and then took out a blue booklet from his pocket and threw it over.

    Yuan Ming quickly caught it and nced at the cover, which read "Illustrated Guide to Common Vicious Beasts in the Ten Thousand Mountains."

    "This book records all the vicious beastsmonly found in the Ten Thousand Mountains, their personalities, attack methods, and the degree to which they can be utilized. This should be enough for you," Zhao Tong said.

    Yuan Ming was overjoyed upon hearing this. He was about to thank him when he heard him add, "This booklet is of great value to you beast-taming ve warriors. It¡¯s worth a spider leg."

    "I..." Yuan Ming¡¯s words of gratitude got stuck in his throat, and he cursed inwardly before leaving.

    ...

    Yuan Ming arrived at the boundary monument and met Hu Huo, the elder.When Elder Hu Huo took the thirteen blood offerings from him, he only nced at them before putting them away without any surprise. "Not many people can adapt to the life of a beast ve so quickly. You did well," he said calmly and threw a detoxification pill at Yuan Ming.

    Instead of taking it immediately, Yuan Ming asked, "Elder, I have some doubts about the technique of wearing beast fur. May I ask for your advice?"

    "No," Elder Hu Huo refused directly.

    Yuan Ming thought to himself that it was impossible to get any help from Elder Hu Huo. "As I told you before, don¡¯t forget about bing a named disciple," Elder Hu Huo reminded him coldly.

    As long as he became a named disciple of the Bi Luo Cave, he could get rid of his identity as a beast ve and no longer worry about the bacsh of wearing beast fur. However, the cost of collecting a thousand blood offerings would increase the risk of bacsh and shorten the time.

    "Take it one step at a time, improve your own strength as much as possible. The road ahead is long and winding," Yuan Ming murmured to himself.

    After a few days, the members of the Qing Lang Gang confirmed that the team sent to chase Yuan Ming had disappeared. "Boss, we searched a hundred miles around and still couldn¡¯t find Vice Leader Ba Yin and the others. It seems they are in a bad situation. They went to chase after Yuan Ming before. Could that kid have killed them?" a savage-looking man with a square face and a fierce expression said.

    "ording to Wu Lu¡¯s feedback, Yuan Ming may have reached the second level of Qi Refinement. Even so, Ba Yin is at the third level. How could he die at the hands of a second-level Qi Refinement cultivator?" Wu Bao¡¯s facial muscles twitched.

    "Right, even if Ba Yin is useless, he shouldn¡¯t die at the hands of a second-level Qi Refinement cultivator. I think there must be something fishy going on," Ba Tu pondered.

    "Ba Tu, just say what you want to say. Don¡¯t beat around the bush," Wu Bao scolded him.

    "Boss, I mean... we¡¯ve been expanding too fast recently. Could we have attracted the attention of other forces? Otherwise, how could a mere second-level Qi Refinement cultivator dare to attack our people?" Ba Tu lowered his voice.

    "That¡¯s impossible! I know the situation of the nearby forces like the back of my hand. Even if Ba Yin is not strong enough, he should still be able to protect himself. " Wu Bao frowned and thought for a moment before saying, "There¡¯s another possibility."

    "What is it?" Ba Tu asked.

    "Ba Yin and his men have rebelled against us and joined someone else," Wu Bao said angrily.

    Upon hearing this, Wu Bao¡¯s eyes narrowed and he scolded, "You and Ba Yin have never gotten along, and I never asked about it. But now, you can¡¯t just make baseless usations.""Boss, please calm down! I¡¯m just putting forth my guess. Ba Yin and the other three disappeared together, and no matter how you look at it, this matter seems quite strange," Ba Tu insisted.

    Upon hearing this, Wu Bao ced one hand on his leg, propping up his chin, and remained silent for a long time.

    "For the time being, let¡¯s put aside the matter of hunting down Yuan Ming. Recall all the men, and from now on, try to form groups of ten as much as possible. Don¡¯t act alone. Focus all our efforts on finding Ba Yin and the others." After a moment, Wu Bao raised his head and ordered.

 Chapter 32: Courage in hunting

    Chapter 32: Courage in hunting

    At night.

    In a hidden cave, a dim yellow light was shining.

    Yuan Ming sat cross-legged in the cave, with a concave goose egg-sized stone in front of him filled withmp oil made of snake oil, and a faint smoke emitting from the lit fire, giving off a sweet and greasy smell.

    He held a blue book in his hand, reading it attentively.

    "No wonder Zhao Tong wants the face skin of the human-faced spider. It turns out that this Qianji mask is so useful that it can change a thousand faces, and cultivators below the Foundation Establishment stage cannot see through it." Yuan Ming said with a click of his tongue.

    During this time, his understanding of cultivation gradually became clearer. He knew that after the Qi Refining stage, there was the Foundation Establishment stage, followed by the Core Formation stage, and then the god-like Elemental Infant stage.

    However, he only knew the names of the stages after the Qi Refining stage, and he didn¡¯t understand the differences between them.

    After a moment, he closed the book "Illustrated Handbook of Dangerous Beasts" and silently recalled the information about the beasts recorded in it, memorizing it in his mind.

    "I¡¯ve been stuck at the bottleneck of the second level of Qi Refining for a long time, and I don¡¯t know if this thing is useful." Yuan Ming put away the book and held the palm-sized flesh spirit mushroom, muttering to himself.ording to the "Compendium of Hundred Herbs", flesh spirit mushrooms over ten years old can produce white bones and eliminate rotten flesh.

    Those over a hundred years old can revive the dead, strengthen Qi and blood, and assist in cultivation. Whenbined with other herbs such as Poria, Red and Yellow Ginseng, and Five-leaf Spirit, they can be refined into Lingzhi Dan, which can double the effects.

    Judging by the size and shape of the one in his hand, it was already over a hundred years old. Unfortunately, Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t find anyone to help him refine it into a pill. Once he took it out, he would probably bring disaster upon himself.

    After all, the innocent need not fear the guilty.

    "I can only eat it raw, better than not eating it at all." Yuan Ming sighed and said.

    After that, he sat cross-legged, adjusted his breathing, and began to silently operate the second level of the "Nine Elements Technique", mobilizing the mana in his dantian and circting it around his body.

    When the qi and blood in his body were mobilized, Yuan Ming slowly opened his eyes, picked up the flesh spirit mushroom, and took a bite.

    The fleshy texture felt like wood fibers, and a bitter taste spread in his mouth, making him widen his eyes in surprise.

    "It tastes terrible." Yuan Ming silently said to himself, but he didn¡¯t spit it out, and instead forced himself to chew it.

    In a short while, Yuan Ming had swallowed the entire flesh spirit mushroom.

    Afterward, he continued to try to operate the third level of the "Nine Elements Technique" and carefully feel the changes in his body.

    However, to his disappointment, just as the third level of the "Nine Elements Technique" had just started to operate, he felt a sense of stagnation and obstruction, and his mana felt like it had hit a high wall, unable to cross over.

    "Is it not working?" Yuan Ming sighed inwardly.

    Indeed, even heavenly treasures and earth treasures like spiritual herbs need to be refined in a specific way to unlock their effects.

    But just then, Yuan Ming suddenly frowned and ced his hands on his lower abdomen.

    Immediately, a hot stream rose from his dantian, like a warm stove in his stomach.

    Just as Yuan Ming was surprised, he suddenly felt the temperature of the hot stream in his lower abdomen suddenly increase, from a warm sensation to a slightly scorching one.

    He felt as if the warm stove in his stomach had sprung a leak, and the mes were all pouring out, making his stomach ache.

    Yuan Ming felt a little panicked and quickly unbuttoned his clothes, exposing his chest and abdomen.But this still couldn¡¯t dispel the heat, his lower abdomen skin turned red, and began to spread towards his chest and groin.

    Yuan Ming quickly took off all his clothes and sat naked on the ground, feeling slightly relieved.

    But this feeling didn¡¯tst long, he was once again swallowed by the heat, and his skin turned red all over, looking like a cooked shrimp.

    Yuan Ming even blew out the small oilmp in front of him, but still felt dry-mouthed and uneasy, his heart beating like a drum in his chest.

    At the same time, he felt the mana in his dantian restless, uncontrobly rushing into his meridians, causing a needle-like pain throughout his body.

    He had never experienced such a situation before and was a little panicked.

    But soon, he forced himself to calm down and began to use the Nine Yuan Technique to try to guide the mana back to his dantian.

    With this attempt, he found that his mana was still under his control, but the speed and power had increased.

    Realizing this, Yuan Ming quickly recited the thirdyer of the Nine Yuan Technique in his mind, guiding the mana to flow through his meridians and attempting to break through to the third level of Qi Refining.

    After a moment, Yuan Ming suddenly opened his eyes, shining brightly.

    The bottleneck that he couldn¡¯t break through before was easily ovee this time.

    In an instant, his mana surged in his dantian, the speed of mana cirction increased, and the time required to run a full cycle was reduced by half, greatly improving his cultivation efficiency.

    Yuan Ming worked tirelessly, running the technique again and again, sweating profusely, and a white mist rising from his head.

    As he continued to practice, the heat in his body gradually subsided, his red skin faded, and his mana became stable, with a significant increase in the amount stored in his dantian.

    After a few hours, Yuan Ming slowly opened his eyes, a smile on his face.

    With the help of the hundred-year-old medicinal Lingzhi, he had finally broken through to the third level of Qi Refining.

    After the joy, Yuan Ming did not stop practicing, but continued to meditate, trying to stabilize his realm.

    Half a monthter, Yuan Ming was running through a jungle beside a stream, wearing a white ape skin and carrying a bronze ancient sword.

    He was not using the beast transformation technique, but was running at an incredible speed.

    Behind him, trees in the forest continued to fall, making a crashing sound.

    In the rolling dust, a gray-green forest python, seven zhang long and as thick as a water bucket, with amber eyes, bloodthirsty mouth, and two pairs of sharp teeth, chased after Yuan Ming with a six-foot-long crimson snake tongue.Yuan Ming was in mid-air, reaching out to grab a vine hanging from an old tree beside him, and forcefully pulled it down. The vine trap on both sides of him immediately contracted rapidly.

    Half of the Senyan¡¯s body had entered a rapidly shrinking rope circle, and before it could fully escape, it was tightly bound by the tightened vines, with half of its body hanging in mid-air.

    It struggled incessantly, pulling the vines and causing the thick branches above to shake violently, as if they were about to break.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming, who had already returned, leaped high, gripping the Qingyu Sword tightly with both hands, and shed down fiercely at the Senyan¡¯s head.

    Just as the Senyan was about to be killed in one blow, its six-foot-long snake tongue suddenly coiled and wrapped around Yuan Ming again.

    The old tree branch could not withstand the weight of the Senyan¡¯s body and copsed with a loud crash.

    With a flick of its long tongue, the Senyan dragged Yuan Ming and pulled him into its mouth in one fell swoop.

    Before Yuan Ming had time to react, his vision went ck, and the upper half of his body had already been swallowed by the Senyan, entering a moist and sticky cavity.

    The Senyan¡¯s upper and lower jawbones closed together, and a tremendous pressure tried to crush Yuan Ming¡¯s bones.

    Yuan Ming suddenly felt a huge pressure on his chest and ribs, making it difficult for him to breathe. The stench from inside the Senyan¡¯s abdomen kept rising, making him feel as if he was about to suffocate and pass out.

    As the muscles in the Senyan¡¯s mouth wriggled, slowly sending Yuan Ming further into its belly, a green light suddenly shone from its lower abdomen, and a sword tip with a green sheen pierced through the Senyan¡¯s skin from the inside out.

    Following that, as the muscles in the Senyan¡¯s mouth continued to wriggle, Yuan Ming¡¯s body slowly sank deeper into the snake¡¯s belly, and the Qingyu Sword split open the Senyan¡¯s stomach, creating a huge opening.

    Yuan Ming, covered in slime, crawled out of the wound in the Senyan¡¯s abdomen, holding the Qingyu Sword in one hand and a dark green, papaya-sized fleshy pouch in the other.

    That was the Senyan¡¯s galldder, the most valuable thing on its body besides its blood, and also the thing that Zhao Tong had specifically asked Yuan Ming to bring back.

    Yuan Ming had already killed three Senyans before, but each time he had cut open their stomachs, he had found that the galldders inside had been shattered, and the dark green bile had corroded the abdominal cavity beyond recognition.

    At first, he thought it had been identally shattered during the battle, butter he realized that the Senyans had shattered it themselves when they were on the verge of death, so as not to be hunted for their galldders.

    Left with no choice, he decided to be swallowed by the Senyan and take the galldder from inside.

    The Senyan, which had its galldder removed, did not die immediately. Its writhing body twisted incessantly, and its long tail swept from side to side, still trying to put up a struggle before dying, but it was ultimately futile.

    After storing the beast blood in a blood storage pouch, Yuan Ming carried his sword to the riverbank, intending to clean the filth from his body.

    He had just arrived at the water¡¯s edge and had not yet bent down when he noticed that his reflection in the water was strange. Just as he was about to take a closer look, his heart suddenly jolted.

    His face reflected in the water suddenly twisted, turning into an extremely hideous snake face.

 Chapter 33: Riding the momentum

    Chapter 33: Riding the momentum

    Yuan Ming¡¯s pupils suddenly contracted, and his body quickly leaned back.

    In the next instant, a wave sshed on the surface of the river, and a huge ferocious snake head suddenly rushed out of the water, opening its bloodthirsty mouth and biting towards Yuan Ming.

    Fortunately, Yuan Ming dodged in time and was not bitten. The snake head, with its ten-foot-long python body, rushed straight up, reaching into the air and sweeping fiercely with its snake tail that emerged from the water, hitting Yuan Ming¡¯s abdomen heavily.

    With a loud bang!

    Yuan Ming felt a sharp pain in his abdomen, and his whole body was thrown out by a tremendous force, finally stopping after breaking three old trees.

    He struggled to stand up and immediately felt a sweet and bloody taste in his throat. He immediately realized that the water python that attacked him was much stronger than the previous forest python.

    When dealing with the forest python, Yuan Ming was confident and did not transform because he was aware of the disadvantages of the fur transformation technique. He wanted to rely solely on the power of his human body to try to kill the fierce beast. But now, it was not possible.

    He activated his internal mana with a single-handed gesture, transforming into a fierce white ape.

    After stabilizing his figure, he realized that the water python that rushed out of the river was pitch ck, covered in diamond-shaped scales, with a ck spiral horn on its raised snake head. Its crimson eyes were bright and filled with bloodthirsty light."This is... the single-horned viper python?" Yuan Ming hesitated.

    He had only seen the depiction of this creature in the "Illustrated Book of Ferocious Beasts" given to him by Zhao Tong. Its appearance was only 50% simr, but the textual description and theparative characteristics were basically the same.

    If it really was that creature, then it would be troublesome. Yuan Ming sighed inwardly.

    At this moment, the ck viper python had alreadyunched an attack, its body swimming towards him, still maintaining its raised head posture. It opened its bloodthirsty mouth from above and sprayed towards Yuan Ming.

    A purple smoke instantly spewed out from its mouth, rushing towards the ground and instantly engulfing an area of ten zhang in radius, causing the flowers and nts inside to wither and appear deste.

    "It has poisonous gas that can wither all nts and toxic gas that can be neutralized by the venom of the fire moss frog." Yuan Ming silently remembered the description in the book and immediately confronted it.

    Although this creature was not considered a high-level second-grade fierce beast, it was close to it and much more difficult to deal with than the average forest python.

    Yuan Ming quickly retreated to avoid the spreading poisonous smoke.

    "Roar..."

    But just at this moment, a loud beast roar suddenly sounded, apanied by a powerful hurricane, instantly elerating the spread of the purple poisonous smoke, covering an area of one hundred zhang in no time.

    No matter how fast Yuan Ming¡¯s escape speed was, he couldn¡¯t match the speed of the wind. He was immediately enveloped.

    He instinctively held his breath and quickly fled towards the outskirts, but the purple smoke pervading the surroundings not only blocked his vision but also corroded the vines hanging from the trees.

    Even the branches of the ancient trees became withered because of it. Yuan Ming tried to climb several times, but as soon as he grabbed them, the branches would rot and break, causing him to fall down.

    "This is troublesome." Yuan Ming frowned and could only hold his long sword in his hand, keeping a close eye on his surroundings.

    Just at this moment, the ground under his feet suddenly trembled violently, and a ck shadow moved horizontally, bringing a gust of wind.

    Yuan Ming sensed the danger and quickly blocked with his sword.

    With a ng sound!

    The sword edge of the Green Fish Treasure Sword struck the scales of the single-horned viper python, sshing a shower of sparks.

    The tremendous force once again forced Yuan Ming to retreat. Although he was not as embarrassed as before, the breath he had been holding was dispersed, and he involuntarily inhaled the purple poisonous smoke.

    The moment the poisonous smoke entered his mouth, Yuan Ming¡¯s mouth and throat immediately felt a burning and dry sensation, as if he had swallowed a piece of charcoal, causing pain and dryness, making him very ufortable.

    Yuan Ming once again held his breath and focused his gaze on his surroundings.

    In the pervading poisonous smoke, a ck shadow attacked again. Inside it were twonterns emitting red light, but it was not the body of the viper python, but its head rushing towards Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming saw this and immediately exerted force in his arm, muscles swelling up, and his mana surged out from his dantian, pouring into the Green Fish Sword.

    As soon as the single-horned viper python¡¯s head approached, Yuan Ming raised his arm high and the long sword in his hand emitted a bright green light, shing directly in the middle of the two rednterns.

    The huge head of the single-horned viper python seemed to be charging recklessly, but its direction control was extremely urate.

    The spiral horn on its head was like a spear thrusting straight towards Yuan Ming, colliding with the sword edge in his hand.

    A metallic sh sounded, creating a tremor.

    The long sword in Yuan Ming¡¯s hand was almost shaken off by the tremendous force, and the single-horned viper python was also hit, causing its body to stagger, forcing it to shake its head and remove the force.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming was faster and stabilized his figure before the python, taking a few steps forward. He tightly gripped the Green Fish Sword with both hands, turned his body in arge circle, and swung the sword horizontally at the abdomen of the single-horned viper python.

    "ng ng ng!"

    As a shower of sparks flew, a sh of blood appeared.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s powerful strike left a cut on the scales of the single-horned viper python.

    "If I can injure it, then I still have a chance to fight." Yuan Ming felt relieved.

    However, before he could be happy for a moment, the situation suddenly took a turn for the worse.

    The ground under Yuan Ming suddenly shook violently, and the earth cracked, revealing a gap.

    Before he could react, he had already fallen into the gap.

    Immediately after, the cracked ground revealed half of the python¡¯s body that had already coiled inside, waiting for Yuan Ming to fall before immediately constricting its snake body and entangling him in the middle.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s heart sank. This viper python had actually set a trap for him?

    His whole body tightened, and a powerful force squeezed from all directions, making the bones in his chest and ribs creak, bile surged up, and his throat felt a bitter and dry sensation.

    "What a strong force." Yuan Ming thought to himself. He began to exert his full strength, trying to open the python¡¯s snake body.

    However, as soon as he resisted a little, the python¡¯s strength increased exponentially. The friction sound of his chest bones became more frequent, and the feeling of heaviness in his chest intensified, making it difficult to breathe.

    He forcefully pulled his arm holding the sword out, exerted his strength with one arm, and tried to swing the sword.

    But at this moment, the poison he had just inhaled began to take effect. The cirction of his qi and blood suddenly became sluggish, although he could still mobilize his mana, his physical strength quickly weakened.

    As the single-horned viper python tightened its binds again, Yuan Ming felt his arm go soft, and the long sword slipped from his hand, falling to the ground with a "crack" sound.

    Faced with absolute strength, Yuan Ming felt despair for the first time.

    The single-horned viper python saw that Yuan Ming was no longer armed and already showed signs of exhaustion. It no longer tightened its body but raised its head and approached Yuan Ming.

    It looked down at him with its crimson eyes, revealing a hint of human-like emotions.

    Yuan Ming sensed hatred, resentment, contempt, and cruelty from its eyes.

    Obviously, this single-horned viper python waspletely different from the fierce beasts he had encountered before. It not only had extremely strong strength but also high intelligence.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s blood flow was sluggish, and his strength was rapidly diminishing. He struggled to control his arm and groped around his body.

    The single-horned viper python thought that he still had some means left, so it immediately tightened its body again.

    "Uh..."

    Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but let out a painful cry, and his body became stiff.

    The python no longer hesitated and its huge head rushed towards Yuan Ming, opening its mouth to swallow the prey in front of it.

    Yuan Ming was bound and unable to dodge, he could only use one hand to form a spell, and with a low shout, he said, "Rise."

    In the next instant, a yellow halo lit up in front of the single-horned viper python, andrge stgmites suddenly rose from the ground, stabbing towards it.

    After advancing to the third level of Qi Refinement, his Earth Spike Technique had also made considerable progress. Now, he could use the technique without touching the ground, and the speed of its execution had also increased.

    However, the stone spikes formed by the Earth Spike Technique had limited power and could not break through the scales of the single-horned viper python. They only lifted its body, causing no harm.

    The body of the single-horned viper python was lifted, causing its body to lose bnce slightly. The snake head brushed past Yuan Ming¡¯s side and failed to bite him.

    But Yuan Ming¡¯s hand had already urately pierced into the wound on its abdomen.

    The single-horned viper python felt pain, and its body immediately tilted backward, pulling out Yuan Ming¡¯s hand that had been pierced into it.

    Blood sttered, and the single-horned viper python became furious, once again opening its bloodthirsty mouth and biting towards Yuan Ming.

    This time, Yuan Ming did not use the Earth Spike Technique or even try to dodge. Instead, he stared at the single-horned viper python and silently counted, "Three, two, one."

    When he finished counting, the single-horned viper python¡¯s rushing head suddenly froze in mid-air.

    In its crimson eyes, there was a momentary pause, followed by a struggling expression. Then, it started to struggle, and eventually, it released the constricting hold on Yuan Ming¡¯s body, flipping over and violently thrashing on the ground.

    Yuan Ming fell to the ground, coughing dryly, and quickly rolled forward, picking up the fallen Green Fish Sword and turning to look at the single-horned viper python.

    He saw that the wound on its belly had widened, and inside, there were ck vine-like things growing wildly, drilling into the python¡¯s flesh and blood.

    "It¡¯s a good thing I didn¡¯t throw it away earlier." Yuan Ming felt relieved.

    Just now, when he was entangled with the single-horned viper python, he had stuffed the piece of flesh tumor that had parasitized the ck bear into its wound.

    That thing looked like a stone, but when it encountered blood, it would absorb it crazily, resurrecting andpeting for control of the host¡¯s body.

    And now, it was a critical moment when the single-horned viper python and the Bloodvine were fighting for control of the body.

 Chapter 34: Struggle

    Chapter 34: Struggle

    Yuan Ming seized the opportunity, gathered all his strength in his arm, and infused all his mana into the Green Fish Sword.

    He leaped high into the air, abandoning hacking and instead using a stronger piercing ability to charge at the Single-Horned Viper.

    The viper was currently entangled by the Blood Soul Vine and had no strength to deal with Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s long sword was not hindered at all and pierced directly into the viper¡¯s right eye.

    With a light sound of <em>"PU"</em> arge spray of blood sttered. The struggling Single-Horned Viper¡¯s body suddenly straightened, then violently bounced up, throwing Yuan Ming down.

    Immediately after, the viper¡¯s body contracted and twisted, almost forming a ball. But it didn¡¯t struggle for long before losing its strength and stopped moving.

    After Yuan Ming climbed up, he immediately pounced again, stepping on the viper¡¯s head with his foot and pulling out the Green Fish Sword.

    He held the sword with both hands and randomly hacked at the viper¡¯s chest, causing scales to fly and blood to ssh.

    He wasn¡¯t venting his anger, but rather trying to find the viper¡¯s heart as soon as possible to prevent the Blood Soul Vine frompletely upying it. Otherwise, it would probably possess the body and move again. At that time, his own condition would be in a bad state.After a difficult hacking, Yuan Ming finally managed to chop open the viper¡¯s chest and saw the still slightly beating heart, which was already covered in ck threads.

    Without any hesitation, Yuan Ming immediately thrust the sword, stabbing the viper¡¯s heart into pieces in just three or four strikes.

    Afterpleting all of this, Yuan Ming finally breathed a sigh of relief and took out a blood storage pouch from his body, cing it on the wound to collect blood.

    But just at this moment, another change urred.

    <em>The Single-Horned Viper, which he thought was already dead, unexpectedly moved again. Dozens of thick ck vines suddenly grew from the wounds on its body, binding Yuan Ming.</em>

    At this moment, Yuan Ming still had residual poison in his body and had consumed a lot of mana, so he couldn¡¯t forcefully activate his blood and qi anymore. His eyes became somewhat blurry, his bodycked strength, and he almost lost his ability to resist.

    Meanwhile, the head of the Single-Horned Viper lifted up again, still in the same posture as before, looking down.

    But the remaining eye waspletely red and no longer had the emotions simr to those of humans. Its gaze became dull and lifeless, apparently controlled by the Blood Soul Vine.

    Yuan Ming was bound by the vines and brought in front of the viper¡¯s head. It was then that he noticed a ck lump in the hole where the Green Fish Sword had pierced the viper¡¯s right eye, which was shrinking and squirming.

    "It seems it doesn¡¯t need to parasitize the heart..." Yuan Ming realized, but it was already toote.

    The vines were slowly bringing him closer to the Single-Horned Viper¡¯s blood-filled mouth. After struggling for a while, Yuan Ming inevitably fell into the fate of being swallowed by the serpent.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes condensed, trying to regain clear vision, but he couldn¡¯t do it. Even though he faced death and had no vitality, he still refused to give up.

    A desperate struggle might bring a glimmer of hope, while giving up would undoubtedly lead to death!

    The Nine Yuan Technique within his body crazily circted, attempting to continue gathering mana so that he could have the strength to fight again. However, thisst-ditch effort was ultimately ineffective.

    The Single-Horned Viper¡¯s mouth closed, swallowing Yuan Ming.

    Just as the viper¡¯s mouth was about to close, Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes began to turn blood-red. A surge of ferocious and violent emotions, which didn¡¯t belong to him, suddenly rushed into his mind.

    In these emotions, there was anger, hatred, bloodlust, and many other emotions that Yuan Ming rejected. The only thing that coincided with his current emotions was unwillingness.

    Unwilling to be defeated, unwilling to die, unwilling to give up.

    In the next moment, Yuan Ming was almost overwhelmed by theseplex emotions, almost losing his consciousness.

    But at the critical moment, a warm flow surged from his arm, stabilizing his mind and allowing him to control the almost-mad emotions.

    At the same time, Yuan Ming felt the White Ape Beast Skin on his body tighten. The connection with his bloodline became even stronger, and the stagnant blood and qi in his body suddenly boiled again.

    Yuan Ming felt a burning sensation throughout his body as arge amount of blood and qi rushed towards his chest.

    Then, his chest swelled, flesh and bones grew, and a pale golden arm abruptly broke through his chest, piercing through the vines that bound him. The five fingers, like knives, stabbed into the Single-Horned Viper¡¯s right eye.

    The golden arm grabbed the squirming ck lump in the eye socket and clenched its fingers tightly.

    With a light sound of <em>"BANG"</em> the ck lump exploded, turning into powder.

    Immediately after, the Single-Horned Viper¡¯s body quickly withered and shrank, and the vines parasitizing it instantly withered, turning into ashes.

    Yuan Ming regained his freedom and fell to the ground.

    He quickly and amazedly examined the lone arm that appeared on his chest, even forgetting to collect blood.

    The arm seemed no different from the ape arm, but it had a pale golden fur, making it look as if it had been grafted onto his white ape-like body, which was extremely discordant.

    <em>"Could it be that the White Ape Beast Skin still has room for evolution?"</em> Yuan Ming was shocked and surprised.

    With a thought, the golden ape arm retracted back into his chest.

    He quickly touched his chest and found that everything was normal, with no changes at all.

    After a moment of contemtion, Yuan Ming took out a blood storage pouch and collected blood. Then, he peeled off the Single-Horned Viper¡¯s horn on its head before hastily leaving.

    ...

    In the blink of an eye, several months had passed, and the Ten Thousand Mountains were already in the depths of winter.

    The mountains were covered in snow, and everything was white.

    During these months, Yuan Ming diligently cultivated and hunted fierce beasts to obtain blood. He gradually improved and exceeded the monthly quota, sometimes even delivering ten times the required amount.

    Of course, he avoided using the transformation technique whenever possible.

    Calcting, it had been less than a year and a half since he officially became a Beast Skin ve, but he had already umted more than five hundred and seven units of blood.

    Completing thousands of units within three years and bing a named disciple of the Biro Cave beforepletely falling into the abyss was no longer an unattainable goal.

    On this day, in the early morning.

    Yuan Ming carried a thick deer leg on his shoulder and walked through the snowy forest step by step.

    His skin was dark, his face rough, and from his appearance alone, he was no different from the people of Southern Frontier or even the wild tribes.

    After the mountains were sealed off by winter snow, many bear-like and snake-like fierce beasts entered hibernation, and the activities of other fierce beasts were greatly reduced, making hunting more difficult than before.

    Yuan Ming had left two days ago in the morning and only returned now. If he hadn¡¯t been lucky enough to encounter a ck Horned Deer, he would have returned empty-handed.

    As he passed through a pine forest, he suddenly heard somemotion up ahead, as if someone was fighting.

    Yuan Ming instinctively wanted to detour and leave. Nowadays, besides hunting fierce beasts to umte points, he didn¡¯t care about anything else. This was because as his cultivation increased, the bacsh from the transformation technique became more severe.

    Especially after growing the third golden ape arm, every time he used the transformation technique, the ferocious aura in his chest became stronger, and the bloodthirsty and violent emotions repeatedly assaulted his rationality.

    Yuan Ming also didn¡¯t know how long the incense burner hidden in his arm could suppress this bacsh.

    Just as he was about to detour, he suddenly heard a somewhat familiar voice: "You dogs from the Scorpion Dog Gang, if I wasn¡¯t seriously injured, how dare you make a move against me with just the two of you?"

    "Ha Gong?" Yuan Ming muttered.

    Responding to this voice were a few sneers, scornful taunts, and the sound of a fight.

    Yuan Ming sighed and put down the deer leg, quickly walking over.

    Before he could reach them, a figure had already flown out from arge clump of bushes.

    Yuan Ming quickly caught the person¡¯s back, using his left foot as a pivot point to spin around, dissipating the force of impact and stabilizing the person in ce.

    Immediately after, two more people jumped out from behind the trees, each holding a sharp knife.

    When they saw Yuan Ming, the two guys clearly hesitated for a moment. Then, one of them with a pointed face and monkey-like cheeks immediately shouted, "Who are you? Do you want to meddle in our business?"

    The other person raised his knife and pointed it at Yuan Ming¡¯s nose.

    "Yuan Xiong?" Ha Gong¡¯s face turned pale, and his forehead was covered in sweat as he eximed in surprise.

    His clothes were soaked in blood, and there was an extremely exaggerated tear in his waist and abdomen. His arms also had several regr knife wounds, totaling more than ten.

    <em>"What happened to you? How did you end up like this?"</em> Yuan Ming frowned.

    "I..." Ha Gong couldn¡¯t say a word and slumped down against Yuan Ming¡¯s shoulder, passing out.

    Seeing Ha Gong faint, Yuan Ming felt somewhat helpless.

    <em>"You two, why haven¡¯t you left yet?"</em> He looked up at the two people who were chasing after them and scolded.

    <em>"Do you want to die?"</em> the guy with the pointed face and monkey-like cheeks shouted, then pounced at Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes shed, raised one hand, and softly chanted, <em>"Rise!"</em>

    As soon as the words fell, a yellow halo of light shone from the ground. The guy with the pointed face and monkey-like cheeks let out a scream, and his foot had already been pierced by a sharp stone spike rising from the ground.

    The other person quickly looked down at his feet and quickly retreated.

    Yuan Ming also didn¡¯t bother with them and carried Ha Gong on his shoulder, turning around and leaving.

    Bringing back a living person, Yuan Ming naturally couldn¡¯t return to his cave, so he had to go to a temporary shelter where he usually rested.

    It was a dpidated treehouse, apparently the residence of a previous Beast Skin ve that had been abandoned for a long time. Yuan Ming tidied it up briefly, making it barely usable.

    He brought Ha Gong into the treehouse and used some medicinal powder he had obtained to treat his injuries. Then, he went outside and made a bonfire, roasting the ck Horned Deer leg.

 Chapter 35: Dream cat

    Chapter 35: Dream cat

    After eating half of the deer leg, Yuan Ming returned to the tree house with the remaining cooked meat. He found that Ha Gong had not yet awakened. After a brief thought, he took out a thumb-sized yellow bamboo tube from his pocket.

    He removed the cork from the bamboo tube and immediately ced it under Ha Gong¡¯s nose.

    A cool and refreshing scent immediately rushed into Ha Gong¡¯s nostrils. His nose wrinkled, and he let out a light breath, gradually regaining consciousness.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming quickly moved the bamboo tube away and sealed it again.

    After Ha Gong woke up, he took a deep breath and felt the pain from his injuries, causing him to grimace and take a while to recover. He then saw Yuan Ming standing beside him.

    "Yuan brother, you saved me again." Ha Gong¡¯s eyes shed with gratitude as he spoke.

    After saying that, he struggled to sit up, but Yuan Ming held his shoulder and pressed him back down.

    "The injuries on your stomach are not light, it won¡¯t get better in a short while, so don¡¯t rush to move. Tell me, what happened? Those two guys from the Lycan Gang couldn¡¯t hurt you." Yuan Ming asked.

    Upon hearing Yuan Ming¡¯s question, Ha Gong did not immediately answer. Instead, he looked up and nced at his abdomen, seeing that it had already been bandaged, hey back down."If I hadn¡¯t been injured, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to hurt me. I encountered a monster." Ha Gong¡¯s face shed with a trace of fear as he spoke.

    "A monster? Not a fierce beast?" Yuan Ming became interested upon hearing this term.

    "I...I¡¯m not sure. But that thing is definitely different from the ordinary fierce beasts I¡¯ve seen. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a fierce beast." Ha Gong hesitated for a moment before saying so.

    "What does it look like? Tell me." Yuan Ming said.

    He had the "Illustrated Guide to Common Fierce Beasts" given by Zhao Tong. Even if he hadn¡¯t seen the general fierce beasts that appeared in the Ten Thousand Mountains, he was confident that he could recognize them.

    Yuan Ming wanted to see what kind of creature Ha Gong was talking about.

    Upon hearing this, Ha Gong took a deep breath, closed his eyes slowly, as if carefully recalling his previous experience, and calming his emotions.

    After a moment, he opened his eyes again and looked at Yuan Ming.

    "The thing that injured me is no more than eight feet tall, covered in white fur, with ck ws. It walks upright like a human, but runs on all fours like a wild beast. The most important thing is that its roar sounds like a human¡¯s wailing, sending chills down one¡¯s spine." Ha Gong described slowly.

    "Is that all?" Yuan Ming asked, puzzled, when he stopped.

    "These are just its peculiarities. When I fought against it, I found that it not only had a strong physique like iron, but also seemed to have no pain sensation at all. It didn¡¯t defend itself during the fight,pletely disregarding its own safety, almost like a suicidal attack. My long knife struck its neck, but it didn¡¯t dodge and resisted it, injuring me severely with just a swipe of its w. If I hadn¡¯t fallen into a waterfall and been washed away by the water, I would have definitely died there." Ha Gong shook his head, speaking with lingering fear.

    After listening, Yuan Ming scratched his chin with one hand and fell into contemtion.

    "If what Ha Gong said is true, then it really is a monster." He carefullypared it in his mind, but was disappointed to find that there was no corresponding fierce beast in the "Illustrated Guide to Common Fierce Beasts".

    "Do you have any clues?" Ha Gong looked at Yuan Ming and asked.

    Yuan Ming shook his head and said, "I was just about to go to the Frog Valley. I will ask Zhao Tong about this strange thing you mentioned. Maybe he knows."

    "Alright." Ha Gong nodded.

    "This is one of my temporary hideouts. It¡¯s not very well hidden, but usually no onees here. You should rest here tonight, I will keep watch." Yuan Ming instructed.

    "Yuan brother, I will definitely repay your great kindness in the future." Ha Gong sped his fists and sincerely said.

    "Forget about that for now, let¡¯s eat something." Yuan Ming smiled and handed him the half deer leg meat in his hand.

    ...

    Late at night, the dim moonlight seeped through the cracks of the tree house.

    Yuan Ming leaned against the wall of the tree house and eventually fell asleep due to fatigue. The moonlight gently covered him like a veil, and the sound of his faint snoring echoed in the tree house.

    Suddenly, a cat¡¯s meow sounded.

    Yuan Ming suddenly woke up, his eyes wide open. Subconsciously trying to get up, he found that he couldn¡¯t move at all. For a moment, he felt as if his soul had left his body, unable to distinguish whether he was in a dream or reality.

    In a daze, a faint female voice intermittently sounded, sometimes whispering in his ear, sometimes as if someone was talking through a closed door,ing and going, unpredictable.

    "Weird..."

    "Soul...what is it..."

    "Interesting..."

    The voice carried an indescribable sense of enchantment. As Yuan Ming listened, he felt his mind bing heavy, his eyelids drooping, and gradually falling asleep.

    But just before hepletely lost consciousness, a small silver shadow suddenly shed at the gap in the door of the tree house.

    It seemed to be a silver cat?

    He slept deeply throughout the night until the next morning when the morning light shone through the cracks in the wooden boards of the tree house, waking him up.

    Rubbing his forehead, Yuan Ming sat up and couldn¡¯t help but recall the dream fromst night, feeling a bit absurd.

    But amidst the absurdity, the strange sense of reality, especially the feeling of being out of control like his soul leaving his body, made him unable to let go for a long time.

    He shook his head and got up to check Ha Gong¡¯s injuries. He found that he had recovered quite a bit and had to wake him up.

    "I need to go out for a while. You stay here alone and be careful." Yuan Ming instructed.

    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be careful on my own. You should also be careful, both the Green Wolf Gang and the Lycan Gang will probably target you next." Ha Gong nodded and said.

    Yuan Ming nodded at him, opened the door of the tree house, and walked out.

    But just as he bent down to walk out of the door, Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but freeze.

    "This is...that silver cat?" an unexpected guest appeared before his eyes.

    On a branch extending from the tree house, a silver cat about half a foot tall sat crouched, staring at him with a pair of golden and amber eyes.

    Its round head, not much bigger than Yuan Ming¡¯s fist, tilted slightly to the side, as if it didn¡¯t understand what Yuan Ming was saying, or it looked like it was looking at a fool.

    "I¡¯m...believing a dream?" Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help butugh at himself.

    As soon as he finished speaking, a sh of inspiration crossed his mind, and his figure suddenly pounced forward like a cheetah, trying to grab the silver cat.

    Just as his hands were about to touch it, the silver cat¡¯s body lightly leaped, narrowly avoiding Yuan Ming¡¯s grasp. It thennded on another branch, like a dragonfly skimming the water, leaping to another branch.

    Yuan Ming missed and hugged the branch, turning his head to look.

    He saw the silver cat proudly walking on the branch, its cat-like steps were somewhat strange, not like other cats with their tails curled up or raised, but with its long tail hanging down,pletely covering its butt.

    "I¡¯ve been despised by a cat?" Yuan Ming raised his eyebrows.

    "Yuan brother, what¡¯s wrong?" Ha Gong¡¯s voice came from inside the tree house.

    "Nothing." Yuan Ming replied.

    When he turned his head to look again, the figure of the silver cat hadpletely disappeared from his sight.

    "Come to think of it, why does this cat look somewhat familiar, as if I¡¯ve seen it somewhere before?" Yuan Ming scratched the back of his head and muttered to himself.

    ...

    In the Toad Valley, in front of a stone house.

    Yuan Ming handed over the resources he had umted recently to Zhao Tong.

    "How is it? Did you get any sword techniques?" Yuan Ming asked with a hint of anticipation in his eyes.

    Zhao Tong looked at him, pursed his lips, and shook his head.

    "Our Bi Luo Cave is not a sword sect. Sword techniques are rare, and they are not easily obtained. I¡¯m not afraid to tell you the truth, the techniques and secrets sold in the valley are actually released by the elders of our sect to exchange for resources for themselves. We disciples are just earning some errand fees. We don¡¯t have the courage to privately pass on techniques. So, what you can buy entirely depends on luck and what the elders are willing to sell." Zhao Tong exined helplessly under Yuan Ming¡¯s questioning gaze.

    "Are there any good items recently?" Yuan Ming had already epted the reality and asked.

    "There actually is..." Zhao Tong said, his eyes lit up as he thought for a moment.

    Saying that, he rummaged through a box behind him and took out a green book, cing it in front of Yuan Ming.

    "You¡¯re lucky. This ¡¯Shadowless Steps¡¯ was just given to me by Elder Lu recently. The resources you¡¯ve umted with me are just enough to exchange for it." Zhao Tong said with a smile.

    "What is the use of this technique?" Yuan Ming furrowed his brows and asked.

    "This is not an attacking technique, but a type of body movement. It will definitely be useful for you." Zhao Tong¡¯s voice lowered, bing somewhat mysterious.

    "Tell me more." Yuan Ming said nomittally.

    "It is a cultivation method that greatly enhances your agility. It cannot improve your cultivation base or directly enhance yourbat power, but it can give you more means of self-preservation in closebat with others." Zhao Tong exined.

    Yuan Ming pondered as he listened.

    Since he learned that the "Fur Transformation Technique" had bacsh, he had been eager to obtain a sword technique to enhance hisbat power, hoping to be able to kill fierce beasts without using the Fur Transformation Technique.

    It was probably difficult to find a sword technique now, so learning this body movement technique might be a good choice.

    "How effective is this Shadowless Steps when used?" Yuan Ming contemted and asked.

    "It is a cultivation method that can greatly enhance your agility, but it cannot improve your cultivation base. It is mainly used for closebat with others to increase your chances of survival." Zhao Tong exined.

    Yuan Ming pondered for a moment and nodded.

    "In that case, I¡¯ll take it."

 Chapter 36: stay away from trouble

    Chapter 36: stay away from trouble

    "I don¡¯t know about that. I haven¡¯t practiced it, and I haven¡¯t seen anyone in the sect practice it either. But judging from Elder Lu¡¯s reluctance to show it, it should have some value." Zhao Tong shook his head, speaking vaguely.

    "Alright, then I¡¯ll exchange it." Yuan Ming pondered for a moment and said.

    "Okay, I¡¯ll clear your ount here. As usual, you can read it for an hour. How much you can remember... well, never mind, you won¡¯t forget." Zhao Tong said halfway through his sentence, but then remembered Yuan Ming¡¯s ability to memorize things.

    Yuan Ming took the book and found a corner to sit cross-legged, carefully flipping through it.

    Zhao Tong just held his own book andy on the recliner, flipping through it absentmindedly.

    "Physical energy, spiritual magic, use the body as a vessel, use the magic as a control..." At the moment Yuan Ming saw the content inside, he couldn¡¯t help but be slightly stunned.

    It was because the recorded cultivation method of the "Shadowless Step" used the Central ins script instead of the Southern Region script. No wonder Zhao Tong spoke so vaguely. He was probably not unwilling to practice it, but rather couldn¡¯t understand it himself.

    In addition to the text, the book also included eighteen portraits of masked women, some walking, some standing, with elegant postures and countless footprints apanying each portrait. The footprints seemed chaotic at first nce, but upon closer inspection, they were astonishingly intricate, with no less than a thousand footprints.

    In less than half an hour, Yuan Ming had already memorized all the content of the book. However, when he closed the book, he felt a bit angry."Zhao Tong, why did you deceive me?" Yuan Ming frowned.

    "When did I deceive you?" Zhao Tong sat up straight, also confused.

    "The ¡¯Shadowless Step¡¯ you gave me is iplete. The content is notplete." Yuan Ming furrowed his brows.

    "Iplete?" Zhao Tong¡¯s expression became slightly embarrassed upon hearing this.

    Obviously, he was unaware of this.

    "If it¡¯s iplete, then it¡¯s iplete. This ¡¯Shadowless Step¡¯ was given by the elder. I can¡¯t understand it either. Don¡¯t me me." However, he quickly shrugged, showing a look of indifference.

    Although Yuan Ming was dissatisfied, he had no choice.

    Compared to other named disciples who acted superior, Zhao Tong was already considered good to him. He couldn¡¯t ask for too much, considering that he hadn¡¯t put in much effort himself.

    Furthermore, although this ¡¯Shadowless Step¡¯ was only the first volume, based on the content described in the overall outline, it was indeed not somemon cultivation method. At least, it was much higher in level than the ¡¯Wood Thorn Technique¡¯.

    In addition, after cultivating this body technique, not only would he have more confidence in facing enemies, but it would also be much more convenient for future stealth tracking, especially when encountering highly vignt ferocious beasts.

    Yuan Ming originally nned to bid farewell and leave. He had already clenched his fist, but suddenly remembered Ha Gong¡¯s encounter with the long-haired monster, and then said:

    "By the way, I have something to ask you."

    Zhao Tong, seeing that Yuan Ming didn¡¯t care about the ipleteness of the ¡¯Shadowless Step¡¯, smiled and said, "What is it? Tell me."

    Yuan Ming immediately recounted Ha Gong¡¯s experience and the description of the long-haired monster.

    After hearing this, Zhao Tong put down the book in his hand and pondered for a moment.

    "I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. I¡¯ll ask my fellow disciples when I have the chance." After a moment, he shook his head and said.

    Yuan Ming could only nod in agreement and bid farewell.

    He didn¡¯t stay in the Toad Valley for long and walked straight towards the exit of the valley. Just as he reached the valley entrance, a short and sturdy man with a scar on his face walked towards him.

    "Brother Yuan, I¡¯ve been looking for you in the Toad Valley several times. I finally found you today. Do you have any healing ointment?" When he saw Yuan Ming, the scar-faced man showed a pleasant surprise and warmly greeted him.

    "Oh, it¡¯s Brother Tule. I¡¯m really sorry, I don¡¯t have any spare stock at the moment." Yuan Ming said helplessly.

    "Don¡¯t give me that. You promised me two jars of ointmentst time. If you don¡¯t give them to me, you won¡¯t be able to leave the Toad Valley today." Tule spread his hands, blocking the way, looking like a ruffian.

    "What¡¯s this... Alright, these were originally meant for my own use, but since you¡¯re in a hurry, I¡¯ll give them to you first." Yuan Ming took out two bamboo jars from his bag and handed them over.

    "Hehe, that¡¯s more like it. This is your reward, don¡¯t say I took your things for nothing." Tule chuckled and threw a small cloth bag at him.

    Yuan Ming opened the cloth bag and took a look, silently putting it away.

    The two chatted for a while before parting ways.

    Yuan Ming left the valley and arrived at a dense forest. He climbed up arge tree and opened the cloth bag.

    Inside was a piece of animal skin covered in tiny words, recording the recent events in the nearby mountain forest.

    Tule was a member of a beast-ve team called the "Earth Bear Society," consisting of only a dozen people, a small group.

    Unlike the Green Wolf Gang, the Earth Bear Society had a much gentler style of doing things. Its members collected blood food based on their own strength and had nevermitted acts of plunder.

    Yuan Ming had met Tule over two months ago and had saved his life. Tule was a loyal and righteous person, eager to repay the favor, but unfortunately, his strength wascking.

    Seeing that Tule was smooth and good at socializing, Yuan Ming asked him to help gather information about the fur-d ves in the mountain forest so that he could stay informed about various situations.

    The two met face to face every now and then, trading while hiding their true intentions.

    Reading the contents of the animal skin, Yuan Ming¡¯s expression became serious. ording to the information collected by Tule, the Green Wolf Gang had already found the bodies of Ba Yin and the others, and based on the cause and effect, deduced that he was the culprit.

    The animal skin also mentioned that the leader of the Green Wolf Gang, Wu Bao, was offering a reward for a semi-magic treasure, seeking Yuan Ming¡¯s whereabouts.

    "If that¡¯s the case, I can¡¯t stay in the Toad Valley for the time being. There are too many people and too many prying eyes. It¡¯s too easy to attract the attention of those with ill intentions." Yuan Ming suddenly thought of something and turned to leave.

    He moved at the fastest speed, circling around the forest, making sure no one was following him before returning to his wooden house.

    Inside the wooden house, Ha Gong was resting.

    Suddenly, he opened his eyes, sat up forcefully, and clenched the Green Wolf animal skin, ready to activate his fur-d technique at any time.

    "It¡¯s me." Yuan Ming¡¯s voice sounded outside the door.

    Seeing this, Ha Gong finally breathed a sigh of relief and sat back down.

    "During the time I was away, did anyonee here?" Yuan Ming pushed open the door and asked.

    "This ce is quite remote, no one hase. I took the time to recover. But what¡¯s with your serious expression? What happened?" Ha Gong asked after giving Yuan Ming a nce.

    "The Green Wolf Gang already knows that I killed Ba Yin. They are offering a reward to find me. I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t stay here anymore. I need to move to a more remote ce toy low." Yuan Ming said slowly.

    "Ba Yin was really killed by you! You¡¯re quite bold. He was at the third level of Qi Refinement, not much weaker than Wu Bao. What means did you use?" Ha Gong was surprised.

    "Just some tricks, nothing worth mentioning. Ha Gong, what are your ns now? The Green Wolf Gang is currently putting all their efforts into finding me. They shouldn¡¯t care much about you. Are you nning to leave with me or act alone?" Yuan Ming changed the subject and asked.

    "Don¡¯t underestimate me, Yuan Gong. I, a member of the Wusun Tribe, value loyalty and righteousness the most. If someone gives me a bowl of rice, I will repay them tenfold. You risked exposing your whereabouts and saved me before. If I leave now, how can I pray to Lord Queshen with my head held high?" Ha Gong snorted, his face showing a hint of anger.

    "I misspoke, please forgive me, Ha Gong." Yuan Ming apologized.

    He had been in the Hundred Thousand Mountains for quite some time and had some understanding of the customs and beliefs of the Southern Region¡¯s indigenous people, whom the Central ins referred to as "wild people." Most of them lived in tribes and had their own customs and beliefs. They were particrly sensitive to others¡¯ offenses.

    "Yuan Gong is from the Central ins and knows nothing about our Wusun Tribe. There¡¯s no need for such words in the future." Ha Gong¡¯s expression softened when he saw Yuan Ming sincerely apologize.

    "I will remember that. Since Ha Gong has made up his mind, let¡¯s go quickly. The longer we stay here, the more dangerous it bes." Yuan Ming said.

    "Alright, but I have difficulty moving right now. I can only rely on you to carry me." Ha Gong spread his hands and said.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t say anything and carried Ha Gong on his back, leaving the wooden house and heading towards the direction of the gorge.

    If they were looking for a safe ce, it would naturally be on the other side of the gorge.

    That ce was remote and had few ferocious beasts, making it unlikely for fur-d ves to go there. It was suitable for recuperation and avoiding the pursuit of the Green Wolf Gang.

    Most importantly, with the mist-filled gorge, even if the entire Green Wolf Gang came looking for him, he could hide in the mist at the bottom of the gorge, and no matter how many people there were, it would be useless.

    With Yuan Ming¡¯s current strength, even with Ha Gong on his back, he quickly arrived at the gorge.

    He didn¡¯t look for another ce and brought Ha Gong directly to the cave where he had previously lived.

    After spending such a long time together, Yuan Ming had already figured out Ha Gong¡¯s character. He was honest and trustworthy, worth befriending. This dwelling was not an important ce, and it wasn¡¯t a big problem to expose it to him.

    "I didn¡¯t expect you, Yuan Gong, to have such a ce to live." Ha Gong praised when he saw the well-equipped cave.

    "I left it here when I first came. The people from the Green Wolf Gang won¡¯t be able to find this ce for a while, and there¡¯s plenty of food and water in the cave. You can rest here with peace of mind." Yuan Ming said.

    Ha Gong nodded and sat cross-legged, cultivating to heal his injuries.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t stay here to cultivate. He got up and walked outside, soon arriving at a secluded grove.

    He brought Ha Gong here not only to avoid the Green Wolf Gang¡¯s search and let Ha Gong rest in peace but also for his own purposes.

    His situation was not good at the moment, and he had to improve his strength as much as possible in order to retreat unscathed in the face of unexpected situations. Cultivating and improving his cultivation level was not an overnight task. The recently obtained Shadowless Step was undoubtedly the most effective choice for immediate results.

    And this technique was mysterious and required time and space to practice. The secluded and quiet grove was perfect for it.

    Yuan Ming stood still in ce, closed his eyes, and carefully recalled the words and images recorded in the Shadowless Step. Then, he took a deep breath, gathered his Qi in his dantian, and took the first step, exhaling his Qi again on the second step...

 Chapter 37: Nurturing

    Chapter 37: Nurturing

    While Yuan Ming was focused on practicing his footwork, the Frog Valley remained bustling with people.

    In a clearing about ten miles away from the Frog Valley, the leader of the Green Wolf Gang, Wu Bao, sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, breathing in and out.

    Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps could be heard, and a figure ran in quickly.

    <em>"Greetings, how did the investigation go?"</em> Wu Bao asked without opening his eyes.

    "Leader, as you expected, Yuan Ming did indeed go to the Frog Valley not long ago. Unfortunately, we were a step behind and he managed to escape," the figure said respectfully.

    <em>"HMPH! even Ba Yin fell victim to him. Do you really think that a few of you could have caught him if you had gone earlier?" </em>Wu Bao opened his eyes abruptly and said coldly.

    "Leader, please calm down. I didn¡¯te back empty-handed. Yuan Ming entered the valley and made a deal with two people. One of them is the named disciple Zhao Tong, who is greedy for money. After giving him some benefits, he only sold Yuan Ming a footwork technique. The other person is Tule, a member of the secretive Tu Xiong Club who specializes in selling information. I suspect that Yuan Ming might have learned about our pursuit from him," the figure said with a forced smile.

    "I see. Find out where Yuan Ming is hiding by any means necessary. I want to meet him personally. Also, I want to emphasize once again to those forces, especially the Leopard Gang, that we must capture Yuan Ming alive. I want him alive," Wu Bao said before closing his eyes again.

    "Understood. I¡¯ll take my leave now," the figure responded and left.<em>"Yuan Ming... You were able to kill Ba Yin with just your own strength. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re already at least at the second level of Qi Refining. You must have some secrets! I want to see what kind of opportunity has allowed you to progress so quickly!"</em> Wu Bao opened his eyes again, his gaze sharp.

    ...

    In the mountains near Yuan Ming¡¯s cave dwelling.

    A strange figure flickered among the trees, sometimes on the left and then instantly on the right. The bushes and grass in the forest had no effect on the figure, and it seemed as if it were not made of flesh and blood.

    The figure suddenly stopped andnded on arge rock, revealing Yuan Ming¡¯s figure. He was panting heavily but had a look of joy in his eyes.

    He had been back here for three days.

    During these three days, Yuan Ming did not practice the Nine Elements Technique. Instead, he focused all his time and energy on practicing the Shadowless Steps.

    Although this ce was hidden, there were no imprable walls in the world. It was hard to say if the Green Wolf Gang¡¯s people woulde looking for him, so he had to improve his strength as much as possible.

    He found that he had a talent for footwork. In just a few days, he had already grasped the basics of the Shadowless Steps.

    The more he practiced, the more he understood the profoundness of the Shadowless Steps. Once executed, his figure would be as fast as the wind, truly living up to its name of "Shadowless."

    Moreover, this footwork technique was good at maneuvering in narrow andplex environments, making it a perfect match with the White Ape Transformation.

    However, using the Shadowless Steps put a great burden on the body and consumed a lot of spiritual energy. With his current cultivation level of the third level of Qi Refining, even if he didn¡¯t activate any other spells, he could only sustain it for a maximum of fifteen minutes. To better utilize this footwork technique, he needed to continue improving his cultivation and refining his physical body.

    <em>"To think that a Beast Tamer ve could obtain such a marvelous footwork technique. I wonder how powerful the disciples of the Bi Luo Cave are in terms of spells and abilities!"</em> Yuan Ming looked towards the direction of the Bi Luo Cave¡¯s mountain gate with a hint of longing.

    Snapping back to reality, Yuan Ming sat down cross-legged and began circting the Nine Elements Technique.

    During these days of cultivation, he found that the Nine Elements Technique not only allowed him to quickly absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and enhance his spiritual power, but also rapidly restored his physical strength.

    His physical and spiritual strength quickly recovered, and he returned to the cave.

    In a corner of the cave, Ha Gong was sitting cross-legged.

    After a few days of recuperation, the wound on Ha Gong¡¯s chest had already scarred over, and his daily movements were no longer hindered. However, it would still take some time for him to fully recover.

    He held his green wolf fur in his hands, muttering something under his breath. It seemed like he was performing a spell, but it wasn¡¯t the Beast Fur Technique. There was a faint glow where his palms touched the wolf fur.

    <em>"What are you doing?"</em> Yuan Ming curiously asked.

    Ha Gong didn¡¯t answer Yuan Ming and continued chanting the spell. It was only after the duration of a meal that he opened his eyes, and the glow on his palms disappeared.

    "Sorry, I was nurturing the beast fur just now. This process cannot be interrupted." Ha Gong said apologetically.

    <em>"It¡¯s alright. But what is nurturing the beast fur? I¡¯ve never heard of it before.</em>"Yuan Ming asked with his eyes open, still in a sitting position.

    "This is a bitplicated. I have to start by exining the process of refining the beast fur." Ha Gong seemed to be choosing his words carefully and remained silent for a while before speaking again.

    <em>"Do you know the process of refining the beast fur? I¡¯m curious to hear the details."</em> Yuan Ming said with a brightened expression.

    "I¡¯ve only heard about it from a disciple of the Bi Luo Cave who set up a stall in the Frog Valley. The Bi Luo Cave throws live beasts into a secret formation. As the formation operates, the flesh, bones, and soul of the beasts will all be transformed into spiritual energy and integrated into the fur. If the process goes smoothly, a piece of beast fur will be created. The beast fur in our hands may seem like just a piece of fur, but it contains all the essence of a fierce beast¡¯s life," Ha Gong exined.

    "Beast soul..." Yuan Ming recalled the scene when he strengthened the fur with the mysterious incense burner.

    He had suspected before that the beast fur contained beast souls, and now it seemed to be true.

    <em>"The transformation of the beast¡¯s flesh and bones into spiritual energy is not that important. The most important thing inside the beast fur is the beast soul! After using the Beast Fur Technique for so long, you should have sensed the presence of the beast soul to some extent, right?"</em> Ha Gong continued.

    "I have some perception," Yuan Ming replied with a nod.

    "These beast furs are already lifeless, and the beast soul within them is gradually weakening. The so-called nurturing of the beast fur is actually using spiritual energy to stabilize the beast soul within it," Ha Gong finally got to the point.

    <em>"The weakening of the beast soul cannot be reversed. So what is the purpose of stabilizing the beast soul?"</em> Yuan Ming nodded first and then asked.

    "Nurturing the beast fur not only slows down the weakening of the beast soul but also allows oneself to better control the Beast Fur Technique transformation. If you¡¯re lucky, it can even awaken one or two abilities hidden within the beast soul. Of course, this is something that cannot be sought after and requires a very long time to achieve," Ha Gong said, his eyes filled with anticipation.

    "Awakening hidden abilities within the beast soul!" Yuan Ming silently repeated and nced at his right arm.

    Based on the performance of strengthening the fur and awakening abilities with the mysterious incense burner, it was also a form of nurturing the beast soul to some extent, and the effect was far superior to what Ha Gong called nurturing secret techniques.

    "Are you interested in the secret technique of nurturing the beast fur? I also obtained it by ident, so I¡¯ll give you a copy," Ha Gong said, thinking that Yuan Ming was interested in the secret technique. He took out a piece of fur covered in small characters and handed it over.

    "Thank you, Ha Gong. I am indeed interested in the secret technique of nurturing," Yuan Ming said sincerely and didn¡¯t refuse.

    "Yuan Ming, you saved my life. This is just a small secret technique. It¡¯s not worth mentioning," Ha Gongughed and then gave Yuan Ming a few pointers on the secret technique of nurturing before closing his eyes and continuing his cultivation.

    Yuan Ming found that the secret technique of nurturing was not tooplicated. The basic principle was to convert one¡¯s own spiritual energy into a kind of energy that could nurture the soul and then inject it into the fur through special means to nurture the beast soul. The strength of the beast fur was closely rted to the strength of the beast soul contained within it.

    After roughlyprehending it, Yuan Ming immediately began circting the Nine Elements Technique, slowly injecting his spiritual energy into the white ape fur, following the method of the secret technique of nurturing. A faint white light appeared where his palm touched the fur, just like when Ha Gong performed the technique.

    Yuan Ming nodded in approval and continued circting his spiritual energy.

    As time passed, half a day had gone by in the blink of an eye. Yuan Ming found that the connection between himself and the fur had indeed strengthened.

    However, the degree of strengthening was limited. To enhance the power of the Beast Fur Technique using this method would require years of arduous cultivation, which not only consumed a considerable amount of spiritual energy but also affected daily cultivation.

    "Previously, when I used the incense burner to strengthen the fur, it depended on whether the fur itself would absorb it. Now that I have this secret technique of nurturing, I wonder if it will be more effective if I use this technique to activate the heat flow in the incense burner and merge it with the white ape fur," a thought suddenly came to Yuan Ming.

    Without hesitation, Yuan Ming quietly went to a secluded ce outside the cave and took out the incense burner, holding it in his hand.

    A heat flow flowed out from the incense burner, and Yuan Ming quickly activated the secret technique of nurturing, trying to guide this heat flow and carefully gather it in his right hand.

    "I hope this technique works," he silently prayed, and with a flick of his finger, he infused the heat flow from the incense burner into the white ape fur.

    The fur seemed to absorb the heat flow like a sponge, and the entire fur automatically adhered to Yuan Ming¡¯s body, transforming into the form of a white ape.

    White lines appeared on the body of the white ape, shimmering with a bright white light, and the phantom of the ape soul reappeared, denser than before.

    In addition, Yuan Ming found that the connection between himself and the fur had deepened slightly. Conservatively estimating, it was equivalent to the result of two months of practicing the secret technique of nurturing.

    He let out a sigh of relief and continued to infuse the heat flow from the incense burner into the fur. The white lines on the fur became brighter.

    After infusing the heat flow more than ten times, even with the support of the secret technique of nurturing, the fur no longer absorbed the heat flow from the incense burner.

    At this moment, the white lines on the fur became thicker, shining brightly. The phantom of the white ape became half-real and half-illusory, emitting excited roars.

    The connection between Yuan Ming and the fur greatly deepened, and he could clearly sense the flow of demonic energy within the fur. He could even perceive that while maintaining the Beast Fur Technique, the demonic energy continuously invaded his meridians, organs, dantian, and even his mind like flowing mercury.

    "So, this is how the Beast Fur Technique erodes oneself." Yuan Ming put away the incense burner and squinted his eyes.

    Knowing the way demonic energy bacshes against oneself, he would naturally have more confidence in resisting it.

 Chapter 38: Surround

    Chapter 38: Surround

    Yuan Ming transformed into a white ape and quickly moved his hands and feet a few times, with a look of confusion on his face.

    He could feel that the connection andpatibility between himself and the animal skin had been strengthened, but the power of transformation had not increased.

    While Yuan Ming was still puzzled, he suddenly felt a heat all over his body. A powerful demonic energy surged out from within the white ape skin, spreading out like a rushing stream and entering his body. Suddenly, a loud "bang" came from inside his body!

    In the next moment, his body rapidly expanded like an inted balloon. His muscles twitched and his bones made cracking sounds.

    The change came quickly and went quickly,sting only about two or three breaths.

    The white ape form had increased by about ten percent, and his muscles had also grownrger. His hands turned into sharper ape ws.

    Yuan Ming took a deep breath, feeling the stronger power that emerged from his whole body. He was quite excited.

    This method he had identally discovered could actually enhance the power of the white ape skin transformation. If he had time, he would definitely study it further, as it was currently his greatest reliance in battle.

    Yuan Ming released the fur technique, returned to the cave, and quickly came out again with a piece of ck animal skin in his hand, which was the skin of the toad he had picked up.Since the nurturing technique was effective for the white ape skin, it might also work for the toad animal skin.

    He immediately transformed into the form of a toad using the fur technique and used the nurturing technique to infuse the heat flow from the incense burner into the toad skin.

    As expected, the toad skin could also absorb the heat flow, but it could only amodate five or six flows before stopping. No matter how hard Yuan Ming tried, there was no further response.

    "It seems that the growth potential of animal skins varies. This toad skin is far inferior to the white ape skin," Yuan Ming thought to himself.

    After a few breaths, a powerful and cold demonic energy emerged from the toad animal skin, giving him a strange feeling all over his body.

    Yuan Ming closed his eyes and carefully sensed it, a smile appearing on his face.

    His current toad form did not increase in size significantly, but the strength of his limbs had improved, and the expansion of his lungs became more powerful and forceful. He could stay underwater for at least twice as long.

    But what excited him was not these changes, but the awakening of a new ability in his toad transformation.

    He crouched down, infused his mana into the ck lump on his back, and the lumps started to wriggle and suddenly doubled in size.

    Plop!

    More than ten ck liquids spurted out from the lump, shooting into a clump of bushes in front of him like arrows.

    Sizzling...

    The lush green leaves visibly rotted at a rapid speed, and the tough bark quickly cracked as if all the moisture had been sucked away by the ck liquid.

    In less than a moment, the lush and thriving bushes witheredpletely, leaving only a few sturdy branches, while the rest turned into rotten ck mud.

    "What a powerful venom. Let¡¯s call it the Toad Poison Arrow," Yuan Ming took a deep breath.

    "On another note, what exactly is this heat flow that emerges from the incense burner? It has such an obvious nourishing effect on the animal souls," Yuan Ming removed his transformation and gently touched the incense burner imprint on his arm, his thoughts spinning again.

    The incense burner had previously allowed him to possess someone¡¯s consciousness and even control their actions. Now it could enhance the animal soul contained in the fur to strengthen its power. It always amazed him and was clearly an extraordinary treasure. When he had the chance to leave this ce, he would definitely study it carefully.

    When Yuan Ming returned to the cave again, Ha Gong had stopped nurturing the animal skin and was lying on the hay bed, resting with the wolf skin ced aside.

    Yuan Ming nced at the wolf skin and sat down.

    It was clear that the incense burner could enhance the animal skin, so it should definitely work on the wolf skin as well. Ha Gong was his friend, and they were currently in the same predicament. Should he help him strengthen this item?

    However, for safety reasons, the secret of the incense burner could not be revealed. Even if he wanted to help Ha Gong, he couldn¡¯t let him discover it.

    Just at that moment, Yuan Ming suddenly stood up and listened intently, his expression quickly turning serious.

    "Ha Gong, get up quickly!"

    "What¡¯s wrong?" Ha Gong, who was not yet fully asleep, sat up in surprise and grabbed the green wolf skin next to him.

    "There are peopleing, and there are quite a few of them!" Yuan Ming said in a deep voice.

    "Are they enemies? Should we leave quickly?" Ha Gong was startled and quickly got up.

    "There¡¯s no time." Yuan Ming shook his head, and his figure appeared at the entrance of the cave. He looked into the distance through a crack in the door.

    More than a dozen figures had appeared in his line of sight, flying quickly and arriving at the entrance in a few breaths, surrounding the outside in a fan shape.

    The neers clearly belonged to two different forces. The two leaders, one was a big man with ck hair, disheveled and with three scars on his face, and the other was a short and fat man with green eyes and blond hair.

    "It¡¯s Wu Bao from the Qing Lang Gang and Jin Kun from the Lie Gou Hall! These two gangs have always been hostile to each other. How can they both appear at the same time?" Ha Gong also arrived at the entrance and was shocked when he saw the people outside.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t say anything, his expression somewhat uncertain.

    He had certainly heard of the Lie Gou Hall, which was as famous as the Qing Lang Gang. If only the Qing Lang Gang hade, he believed he could escape unscathed. But if the Lie Gou Hall was also involved, the situation would be much more difficult, especially with both leaders appearing at the same time.

    "Hehe, Wu Bao, I have to say, in this Hundred Thousand Mountains, there is no one that our Lie Gou Hall cannot find," Jin Kun said with a smile, picking his teeth with a small animal bone.

    Wu Bao looked at the cave in front of him, snorted, and formed hand seals with both hands. There was a sizzling sound in his palms, and a purple thunderball the size of a pigeon¡¯s egg appeared out of thin air.

    "Not good!" Yuan Ming¡¯s pupils contracted, pulling Ha Gong back in a hurry.

    Wu Bao waved his right hand in the air, and the thunderball disappeared in a sh.

    In the next moment, a dazzling purple light shed through the woods, and a purple lightning appeared out of thin air, tearing through the air and striking therge stone at the entrance.

    Boom!

    The stone, more than ten feet high, exploded with a loud noise, turning into countless pieces of rubble that flew in all directions, raising arge cloud of dust.

    "I didn¡¯t expect Wu Bao to actually master the Thunderfall Technique!" Yuan Ming thought, his expression changing.

    The Thunderfall Technique, like the Wood Spike Technique, belonged to the category of spells. There were thousands of spells in the cultivation world, all ultimately falling into the categories of gold, wood, water, fire, and earth, the five elements.

    However, there were always exceptions in the world. Some people or beasts in the cultivation world had extraordinary talents or experienced major changes in their lives, allowing them to cultivate and control powers that did not belong to the five elements.

    In such cases, the cultivation world referred to them as mutated spiritual roots.

    There were many types of mutated spiritual roots, such as Thunder Spiritual Roots, Shadow Spiritual Roots, Poison Spiritual Roots, and so on. The quality of mutated spiritual roots was hard to determine. Positive mutations would make the spiritual roots stronger, while negative mutations could even harm the body.

    Thunder Spiritual Roots belonged to positive mutations, and thunder attributes were known for their powerful destructive power. Moreover, thunder and lightning powers could be born naturally in the world, so Thunder Spiritual Roots were rtivelymonpared to other mutated spiritual roots. They could produce many thunder attribute spells and abilities. The Thunderfall Technique was one of the lower-level ones, but its power was far fromparable to the Wood Spike Technique and other elemental spells.

    Wu Bao flicked his sleeve, and a faint green light flickered at his fingertips. A gust of wind suddenly appeared out of thin air, sweeping away the dust at the entrance.

    The situation inside the cave became clear. Yuan Ming did not hide his presence and stood there confidently, while Ha Gong was nowhere to be seen.

    Wu Bao frowned, as he had clearly seen two people in the cave when he arrived.

    "Be careful, Wu Bao. There may be another person hiding in the dark. Yuan Ming is pretending like this, probably trying to lure us in. If we rashly take action, we¡¯ll probably be attacked," Zan Bai whispered.

    Wu Bao nodded imperceptibly, making a gesture with his left hand behind his back.

    The members of the Qing Lang Gang slowly changed their positions, surrounding the other side of the cave, while the members of the Lie Gou Hall blocked all the exits of the cave, making it impossible for anyone to escape.

    Just at that moment, Zan Bai, who was hiding among the crowd, suddenly pulled out a crossbow with three green arrows on it and aimed it at Yuan Ming, pulling the trigger.

    A piercing sound of breaking through the air rang out, and the arrows turned into three green shadows, heading straight for Yuan Ming¡¯s chest.

 Chapter 39: No one can leave

    Chapter 39: No one can leave

    Yuan Ming disyed the Shadowless Step, and with a slight sway of his body, he easily dodged Zan Bai¡¯s sneak attack.

    Three green arrows struck the wall behind him, almost simultaneously exploding and releasing arge green mist that quickly spread in all directions.

    "It¡¯s poisonous!" Yuan Ming immediately held his breath and waved his hand.

    A dark gray sphere shot out andnded near the entrance of the cave.

    With a muffled sound, arge cloud of smoke suddenly emerged, instantly filling the entire cave and spreading outward, making it impossible to see the situation inside the cave and causing everyone to hesitate.

    "Worthless trick!" Wu Bao snorted, and a green light shed on his finger as he attempted to summon a strong wind to blow away the smoke.

    At this moment, the ground suddenly cracked beneath him, and a sharp wooden spike quickly rose up.

    Wu Bao hurriedly leaped to the side, narrowly avoiding being pierced through his foot, but his attempt to summon the wind was also interrupted.

    Before Wu Bao and Jin Kun could react, another ck sphere shot out from the cave under the cover of the smoke andnded outside on the ground.Arge cloud of mist once again billowed out, intertwining with the smoke in the cave and covering arge area.

    Inside the cave, Yuan Ming covered his nose with his hand and came to a stone wall deep in the cave. He pushed it hard.

    The stone wall slowly moved, revealing a dark passage. This stone wall was actually a cut-out piece of arge rock.

    Yuan Ming entered the passage, pushed therge rock back into ce, and ran towards the back door of the cave.

    He had already anticipated that the Qinng Gang mighte, so he had made preparations in advance. His previous actions were just a diversion. As soon as Wu Bao and the others outside noticed something was wrong, he had already escaped far away.

    Not long after, Ha Gong¡¯s figure appeared in front of him, holding a white luminous stone in his hand, emitting a faint white light, as if waiting for him.

    "Yuan brother, I didn¡¯t expect this cave to have another exit. Impressive," Ha Gong praised.

    "Now is not the time for idle talk, let¡¯s go!" Yuan Ming grabbed Ha Gong and ran forward.

    The two of them twisted and turned in the pitch-ck cave, walking for a quarter of an hour before finally reaching the back door of the cave. Yuan Ming used the Fur Transformation technique, transforming into a white ape form, and punched therge rock blocking the back door, shattering it.

    The two of them flew out and were about to rush towards a distance when the ground suddenly lit up with yellow light, forming arge yellow that covered their bodies.

    Yuan Ming was startled, and he concentrated all his power in his legs. His already muscr legs instantly increased by thirty percent, with muscles bulging and bing as strong as steel. He forcefully kicked the ground.

    Boom!

    The ground exploded, and Yuan Ming soared into the sky, escaping from the closing yellow in an instant.

    However, Ha Gong couldn¡¯t escape and was trapped by the yellow, unable to move.

    "Seal!" Yuan Mingnded about ten meters away, his pupils shrinking. He drew the Qingyu Sword from his waist and shed at the.

    Two golden de-like lights shot out from the side, shing towards his legs.

    Yuan Ming quickly retracted his sword and used the Shadowless Step to move a few feet in the air, narrowly avoiding the shing des.

    Seven or eight figures shot out from the nearby forest, surrounding the area tightly. The leader was a humanoid beast with a pointed head and a fat body, with a pair of small green bean-like eyes and a long golden tail behind him, resembling a giant rat.

    The giant rat¡¯s fur was a dark golden color, with particrly long fur on its back, standing upright like a hedgehog. Its two front paws were also a light golden color, sharp like steel cones.

    "Hehe, do you think I¡¯m easy to deal with? Since I took this job, I have naturally investigated your situation thoroughly. Don¡¯t you want to ask who I am, Yuan brother?" The giant rat sneered, but his voice was actually Jin Kun¡¯s.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t help but skip a beat.

    Although these beast ves in the surrounding area didn¡¯t pose a threat to him individually, they couldn¡¯t be underestimated when gathered together. Coupled with Jin Kun¡¯s presence, it would be very difficult to break free.

    As Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze shifted, he looked at Ha Gong, who was securely bound by the yellow. However, Jin Kun and the others didn¡¯t even look at him. Everyone¡¯s attention was fixed on him.

    Although Yuan Ming and Ha Gong had just met by chance, they had experienced some hardships together and could be considered rare friends in this hundred thousand mountains. If it weren¡¯t for being at a dead end, he didn¡¯t want to abandon Ha Gong.

    "Yuan brother, you don¡¯t have to worry about me, just go!" Ha Gong¡¯s face showed a look of despair as he shouted.

    "Go? None of you can leave today!" Wu Bao¡¯s voice sounded, and seven or eight figures flew over from a distance.

    Wu Bao had also used the Fur Transformation technique and transformed into a tall green wolf.

    This green wolf¡¯s transformation was simr to Ha Gong¡¯s, but its size was significantlyrger, reaching a height of nearly twenty feet. Just standing still gave people a sense of oppression.

    What was even more peculiar was that a light purple horn grew on top of the wolf¡¯s head, with faint lightning patterns on it.

    Seeing this scene, Yuan Ming¡¯s heart sank, and he couldn¡¯t help but break out in a cold sweat.

    Clearly, this time, he had miscalcted.

    Although the situation was extremely unfavorable for him, Yuan Ming had no intention of giving up resistance. Thoughts raced through his mind as he tried to find a way to escape from the current situation.

    "Kid, if you have any means, use them now, otherwise, surrender obediently! I might spare your life," Wu Bao said calmly when he saw that Yuan Ming didn¡¯t move.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s heart jumped at his words. Wu Bao had almost won, but he didn¡¯t rush to kill him. Could it be that he had other ns for him?

    "Jin Kun, go and capture him!" Wu Bao shouted loudly, but Jin Kun retorted, "Why should I listen to you? I¡¯m not your subordinate!"

    Although Jin Kun said this, he still waved his hand, signaling his subordinates to approach Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming slowly retreated a few steps, took a deep breath, and swung his arm.

    Two smoke bombs were thrown,nding on the ground on both sides.

    With a light sound, thick smoke emerged out of nowhere, engulfing the surrounding space within a dozen yards.

    "I thought you had some trump card, turns out it¡¯s just this worthless trick!" Wu Bao sneered. Two ws on his wolf paws emitted a green light, and a strong wind blew again, dispersing the smoke quickly.

    Taking advantage of the situation, Yuan Ming swayed his body and turned into a white shadow, narrowly dodging the remaining green arrows, and rushed into the crowd of beast ves that were pouncing on him.

    Most of the smoke was blown away, and Wu Bao and Jin Kun could see Yuan Ming¡¯s position. They both pounced at him at the same time.

    Yuan Ming became more and more rmed as he fought. He had no chance to escape, and both his magical power and physical strength were rapidly depleting. If this continued, he would be worn down to death.

    He didn¡¯t believe that Wu Bao would spare his life. Even if he had other ns for him, once he achieved his goal, he would still be left with no way out.

    But at this moment, there was a rustling sound from the nearby forest, and a tall white figure rushed out, charging into the encirclement.

    Two beast ves couldn¡¯t dodge in time and were directly knocked away, spitting out blood and falling to the ground, unable to get up.

    "Everyone, be careful, reinforcements have arrived!" Zan Bai shouted, aiming his crossbow at the front. Three green poison arrows shot towards the white figure.

    The people on the scene were all experienced in battles, and three of them were members of the Beast Dog Hall. They were able to easily find and block Yuan Ming¡¯s escape route, thanks to this person¡¯s ability.

    Seeing this, Wu Bao hesitated for a moment before changing his target and pouncing towards the white figure.

    His purple horn on his forehead emitted crackling sounds, and arcs of electricity surged out, wandering all over his body. He turned into a thunder person and fiercely charged at the white figure.

    Golden light surged on Jin Kun¡¯s body, and the long fur on his back stood on end.

    Swoosh!

    Large patches of golden fur shot out, raining down on the white figure like arrows.

    The tall white figure ignored the two of them and continued to rush towards the encirclement, its arms suddenly bing blurry.

    With a loud bang, Wu Bao and Jin Kun were also sted away, flying several yards and crashing heavily to the ground.

    Only Wu Bao¡¯s strength far surpassed the previous beast ves, and the white figure¡¯s footsteps also staggered,ing to a stop for the first time.

    The people present finally saw the true appearance of the white figure. It was a strange creature resembling an old white-haired ape, with a height of two feet and covered in white fur. Its eyes were blood-red, and its hands had long ck ws. When it grinned, it revealed a mouthful of jagged, white-shining fangs.

    "What kind of monster is this?" Everyone was shocked.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s face also showed surprise. His eyes turned and he retreated, shaking his arm.

    With a light sound, another smoke bomb exploded, and dense smoke spread out, engulfing everything nearby.

    "Be careful, stop him!"

    The several people surrounding Yuan Ming hurriedly chased after him, trying to continue entangling him. However, Yuan Ming had already disappeared into the smoke, and no one knew where he had gone.

    "Ao..." The white-haired monster seemed to be angered by Wu Bao and Jin Kun¡¯s obstruction. It raised its head and roared, pouncing towards the two of them.

    "Wu Bao and I will deal with this white-haired monster, the rest of you go after Yuan Ming!" Wu Bao urgently focused his attention on the battle and shouted.

    However, before he finished speaking, several smoke bombs flew out from somewhere,nding in various ces on the battlefield.

    Boom boom boom!

    Large clouds of smoke burst open, enveloping everyone on the scene, making it impossible to see anything clearly.

    The situation on the scene became chaotic for a while.

 Chapter 40: A blessing in disguise

    Chapter 40: A blessing in disguise

    In the center of the encirclement, Ha Gong, trapped by arge yellow, looked around at the continuous changes and widened his eyes, curious about the sudden appearance of a white figure.

    At this moment, a figure rushed out of the smoke, and it was Yuan Ming, who had transformed into a white ape. The blue fish sword in his hand turned into a blue shadow and fiercely struck the yellow.

    The blue fish sword was already sharp, and it became even sharper after injecting mana. The yellow was instantly cut open.

    "Why did youe? Didn¡¯t I tell you to leave first?" Ha Gong saw Yuan Ming and urgently said in a low voice.

    "Shut up!" Yuan Ming swung his sword again, and the third ape w between his chest and abdomen fiercely grabbed the.

    With a "chi" sound, the yellow was finally torn apart, and Ha Gong rolled out from inside.

    "Let¡¯s go!" Without saying a word, Yuan Ming picked up Ha Gong and ran towards the outside.

    The surrounding encirclement was in chaos, with smoke filling the air. Yuan Ming and Ha Gong easily broke through the blockade and were about to escape from the encirclement.

    A figure appeared in front of them, it was Wu Lu."Wu Lu!" Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes narrowed, and the blue fish sword in his hand emitted a cold light as he swung it towards Wu Lu¡¯s head!

    The smoke around quickly dissipated, and they couldn¡¯t waste any time here. They had to finish the battle quickly!

    Wu Lu¡¯s face showed aplicated expression, and he dodged to the side, making way.

    Yuan Ming looked surprised, but he didn¡¯t stay and quickly moved out of the smoke area.

    "Oh no, Yuan Ming escaped!" As soon as they left the encirclement, Yuan Ming and Ha Gong¡¯s figures were clearly seen by a beast ve who was guarding outside.

    Yuan Ming ignored him and ran towards the Misty Gorge in the south.

    With his white ape form, Yuan Ming used the Shadowless Step to the extreme. Even with a person on his back, his speed was still extremely fast, and they disappeared into the dense forest in the blink of an eye.

    A figure suddenly left the battlefield. It was the white-haired monster, chasing after Yuan Ming and Ha Gong.

    Wu Bao, Jin Kun, and others quickly rushed out of the smoke area, their faces not looking good.

    They had carefully nned a nearly foolproof capture n, but it was ruined by a white-haired monster that appeared out of nowhere.

    "Cough! It¡¯s not my fault. I blocked the person for you. Who knows where that thing came from." Jin Kun shrugged his shoulders and spread his hands.

    "If we don¡¯t capture the person, we won¡¯t be able to collect the reward." Wu Bao said with a gloomy expression.

    "You saw the strength of that white-haired monster just now. I¡¯m afraid we can only barely deal with it if we join forces. Although I¡¯m greedy, I won¡¯t risk the lives of my brothers." Jin Kun licked his dry lips and sneered.

    "I have another reward for capturing the person, but I must survive." Wu Bao said in a deep voice.

    "I don¡¯t know why you care so much about that kid. I, Jin Kun, won¡¯t participate for now. See youter. Let¡¯s go!" Jin Kun said, then instructed his men to carry the injured people and left.

    "Where did Yuan Ming escape to?" Wu Bao looked at the retreating figures of the Jin Kun gang, his eyes turning red, clearly on the verge of rage, and asked coldly.

    "I vaguely saw that he went in that direction. The white-haired monster also chased after him just now." Wu Lu pointed to a certain direction in the east.

    "Chase!" Wu Bao gave the order, and they chased after Yuan Ming in the east, with the others following closely behind.

    After the two groups left one after another, the scene fell silent again.

    At this moment, a barely audible "hua" sound came from a thick branch above a nearby big tree, and a silver cat walked out with elegant steps.

    After licking its body, it raised its head again. Its golden and amber eyes blinked and looked towards the south.

    Then it lightly leaped onto another tree nearby and disappeared in the distance after a few more jumps.

    ...

    Yuan Ming, in his white ape form, carried Ha Gong and ran towards the Misty Gorge with all his strength.

    Looking at the gradually thickening white mist ahead, Yuan Ming felt a slight relief.

    As long as they entered the gorge area, they would be rtively safe.

    "Yuan Xiong, be careful!" Ha Gong, who was on his back, suddenly eximed.

    A white figure silently chased after them from behind, even faster than Yuan Ming. In just a few breaths, it caught up to Yuan Ming and struck a punch towards Ha Gong¡¯s head.

    Yuan Ming quickly lowered his body and rolled to the side. However, the white-haired monster was too fast, and he couldn¡¯tpletely dodge. His left shoulder was hit, and his whole body flew out horizontally, throwing Ha Gong off his back.

    Yuan Ming felt a sharp pain in his left shoulder, and half of his body went numb. A surge of blood flowed back up his throat, but he swallowed it back.

    The white-haired monster ignored Yuan Ming and turned into a white shadow, rushing towards Ha Gong.

    "Watch my sword!" Yuan Ming saw that there was no time to rescue Ha Gong, so he activated the "umte Yuan Arm" technique. His right arm instantly became thicker, and he threw the blue fish sword towards the monster.

    Swoosh!

    The blue fish sword drew a cold afterimage, like lightning and wind, and instantly arrived in front of the white-haired monster.

    The monster punched towards the blue fish sword and continued to charge forward.

    With a "ng" sound, the blue fish sword was knocked away, and the monster¡¯s fist had a deep wound visible to the bone.

    Under the impact of the "umte Yuan Arm" power contained in the blue fish sword, the monster¡¯s body swayed slightly.

    Before the monster could stabilize its body, a thick wooden spike suddenly emerged from the ground with a loud "thump". Although it didn¡¯t pierce the monster¡¯s foot, it caused its already unstable body to stagger, almost falling.

    Taking advantage of this, Yuan Ming used the Shadowless Step and appeared next to Ha Gong. He reached out and grabbed his body, then jumped onto a nearby big tree and climbed to the top in a few leaps.

    "Yuan Xiong, thank you for saving my life again." Ha Gong opened his mouth, which was filled with blood, and smiled reluctantly.

    "We can thank each other when we escape with our lives this time." Yuan Ming said and took him away towards a distant ce.

    He didn¡¯t jump into the gorge with Ha Gong. The white-haired monster was too close, and entering the gorge at this moment wouldn¡¯t allow them to shake off the monster. In that t area, they would have no escape route.

    Only in the familiar forest did they have a glimmer of hope.

    The white-haired monster stabilized its body, its eyes filled with greed when it smelled the scent of the blood-colored bead. Its speed increased significantly, once again closing the distance between them, and it was now less than ten zhang away.

    However, Ha Gong was not worried. He waved his arm and threw the blood-colored bead far away.

    The white-haired monster let out a roar and immediately abandoned the two of them, chasing after the blood-colored bead.

    Yuan Ming saw this and was secretly surprised, but he didn¡¯t say anything. He turned around and ran towards the gorge, without any hesitation, leaping into it.

    With a person on his back, Yuan Ming, in his white ape form, climbed the rocks like a flying ape and quickly disappeared into the dense fog, reaching the bottom of the gorge.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t stop and ran towards the depths of the gorge. It wasn¡¯t until they ran for two to three li that he stopped.

    "There is mist all around here, and it would be difficult for Wu Bao and the others to track us. It should be safe for now." He put Ha Gong down, performed a hand seal to release the transformation technique, and sat on the ground, panting.

    After several consecutive battles, his mana had been depleted, and his physical strength was exhausted. He couldn¡¯t run anymore.

    "Thanks to you, Yuan Xiong, I owe you my life again." Ha Gong slowly said.

    "They were after me in the first ce. Forget about owing anything. But what is the background of that white-haired monster? Why did it chase after you? And what is that blood-colored bead?" Yuan Ming asked, panting.

    "This is a long story. The blood-colored bead is called Blood Pill, which only condenses inside the body of a first-level upper-grade fierce beast. It can be said to be the essence of its whole body¡¯s blood." Ha Gong exined.

    "A first-level upper-grade fierce beast! How did you kill it?" Yuan Ming was quite shocked.

    With his current strength, he wouldn¡¯t dare to touch a first-level upper-grade fierce beast.

    "I don¡¯t have that ability. I encountered a severely injured and dying upper-grade fierce beast before. I luckily obtained the Blood Pill from its corpse, and then I was targeted by the white-haired monster." Ha Gong smiled bitterly.

    "That white-haired monster is powerful. How did you escape from it?" Yuan Ming still didn¡¯t quite believe it and continued to ask.

    "The monster was injured at the time, and I had a restraining talisman on me. That¡¯s how I managed to escape. But I didn¡¯t expect it to chase after us even after so long." Ha Gong sighed.

    "So that¡¯s the story. But we also benefited from this incident. If it weren¡¯t for that monster causing trouble, we would have probably fallen into the hands of Wu Bao and his gang. Although you threw away the Blood Pill, there¡¯s no guarantee that the monster won¡¯te after us again. Rest up quickly." Yuan Ming nodded and went to a corner, sat down cross-legged, and began to recover.

    Ha Gong, who was hit by the white-haired monster, was in pain all over his body. He also sat down cross-legged and began to heal his injuries.

    Half an hourter, Yuan Ming opened his eyes first.

    With the help of the Nine Elements Technique, his mana hadpletely recovered, and his physical strength was almost full.

    The surroundings were quiet, and there were no abnormal situations. It seemed that the white-haired monster had retreated after obtaining the Blood Pill and didn¡¯t chase after them again.

 Chapter 41: Strange things

    Chapter 41: Strange things

    Yuan Ming nced at Ha Gong, who was still meditating with closed eyes, and didn¡¯t disturb him. He looked up at the top of the canyon.

    He wasn¡¯t worried that Wu Bao and the others would chase after them. The canyon was vast, and even if the Qing Lang Gang and Lie Gou Hall had a few dozen people, it would be like finding a needle in a haystack to locate them.

    Yuan Ming was thinking about his Qing Yu Sword. During the battle with the white-haired monster, he had left the sword behind.

    This sword was a semi-magic weapon, extremely sharp, and it would be a pity to lose it.

    But now, going up to search for it would increase the risk of exposure.

    "Forget it, it¡¯s just a treasure sword." After considering it for a while, Yuan Ming dismissed the idea of taking the risk to retrieve the Qing Yu Sword and sat down cross-legged.

    His White Ape Transformation was originally ordinary in the Beast Transformation Art, but after several evolutions, the beast skin was no less inferior to any other beast skin, and he was not inferior to Wu Bao and Jin Kun.

    Inparison, his cultivation level was still lower.

    If his cultivation level could advance further and reach the fourth level of Qi Refining, he wouldn¡¯t be as embarrassed as he was today when facing Wu Bao and the others.Yuan Ming calmed his mind and began to meditate with his eyes closed, gradually forgetting himself and the world.

    ...

    While Yuan Ming and Ha Gong were peacefully cultivating in the canyon, Wu Bao and the others from the Qing Lang Gang were frantically searching for them, but they couldn¡¯t find any trace of them.

    Wu Bao spected that Yuan Ming might have hidden in the Misty Canyon and sent people to search for him, but the area of the Misty Canyon was vast, filled with fog, and after searching for several days, they found no clues.

    As time passed, Yuan Ming seemed to have evaporated from the world and didn¡¯t appear again. Some people in the Qing Lang Gang began toin, especially since they still had to provide blood sacrifices every month.

    Wu Bao was concerned about the secrets Yuan Ming might have on him, but he had no choice but to give up reluctantly.

    However, the fact that Yuan Ming was able to escape unscathed when surrounded by the Qing Lang Gang and Lie Gou Hall before had spread like wildfire. Combined with his disappearance, Yuan Ming¡¯s name echoed throughout the area and was passed on by the Beast ve.

    Time flew by, and half a year passed in the blink of an eye.

    In a hidden cave at the bottom of the canyon, Yuan Ming sat cross-legged, with a faint glow on his face.

    There was no sign of Ha Gong inside or outside the cave.

    Suddenly, the white mist outside the cave surged violently, like boiling water, and the surrounding spiritual energy was also stirred up and converged towards the cave.

    The gathering of spiritual energysted for a quarter of an hour before it stopped.

    Inside the cave, Yuan Ming was enveloped in ayer of glowing light, looking refreshed.

    He circted the Nine Elements Technique, and a powerful wave of spiritual power emanated from him, much stronger than before.

    Yuan Ming opened his eyes, filled with joy.

    The thirteenth level of Qi Refining was just the foundation from the first to the third level. Only when one reached the fourth level of Qi Refining could they be considered to have made some progress.

    It took him longer to advance from the third level to the fourth levelpared to before, but Yuan Ming was not dissatisfied. As his cultivation deepened, the time required for breakthroughs increased significantly. After reaching the third level of Qi Refining, each level required years to calcte.

    He had only taken half a year to break through to the fourth level of Qi Refining, thanks to the exquisite Nine Elements Technique. Although it wasn¡¯t continuous, he still needed to secretly leave the valley every month to exchange for the antidote.

    Yuan Ming stabilized his cultivation level with the Nine Elements Technique and couldn¡¯t wait to transform into his White Ape form using the Beast Transformation Art.

    The White Ape didn¡¯t look much different from before, but Yuan Ming could clearly sense that his physical strength had greatly increased again, and every movement he made carried a powerful force.

    He picked up a piece of green stone from the ground and gently squeezed it.

    Crack!

    The hard green stone shattered and turned into a pile of powder, slowly falling from his fingertips.

    A trace of surprise shed in Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes. He originally thought that as his cultivation level increased, the enhancement of the Beast Transformation Art on his physical strength would gradually weaken, but it seemed that the White Ape¡¯s skin was not like that. The increase in strength did not decrease but instead increased.

    He returned to the cave and took out his bag, in which a long sword wrapped in cloth was nted. It was the Qing Yu Sword.

    He had a special connection with this sword. During the battle with the white-haired monster, the Qing Yu Sword was left behind in the mountains. He was worried that Wu Bao and the others would notice his tracks and didn¡¯t retrieve it in time, thinking that the sword must have been lost.

    But he happened to pass by that area while gathering food and found that the Qing Yu Sword was still lying quietly in the mountains.

    Yuan Ming climbed up to the top and quickly reached a nearby big tree. He reached into a gap between the roots and took out a bamboo tube containing a piece of animal skin.

    Yuan Ming opened the animal skin, which was filled with small words, recording the recent situation in the Ten Thousand Mountains, left by Ha Gong.

    Ha Gong had left shortly after entering the valley, and in order to keep up with the situation in the Ten Thousand Mountains, Yuan Ming used the same method as before, having Ha Gong leave the information here every month.

    Looking at the information on the animal skin, Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes became cold.

    Although the Qing Lang Gang no longer offered a reward for capturing him openly, Wu Bao hadn¡¯t given up and had secretly increased the reward. But now, he was no longer the same as before. With his cultivation levelparable to Wu Bao¡¯s, he naturally had no fear.

    In addition, the Ten Thousand Mountains remained rtively calm, with nothing special happening.

    Yuan Ming put away the animal skin and took out a headscarf to cover his face. He headed towards the Toad Valley.

    He had asked Ha Gong to purchase something from Zhao Tong before. It had been almost two months, and Zhao Tong should have prepared the item.

    As Yuan Ming hurried on his way, he instinctively activated the Shadowless Step.

    With the improvement of his cultivation level and spiritual power, he was now more proficient in using it.

    Halfway through, there was a rustling sound in the nearby jungle, and a fat gray rabbit dashed out and fled into the distance in panic.

    Yuan Ming, who had been in seclusion for three days and nights without eating or drinking, felt a bit hungry in his stomach. He used a technique to point at the running rabbit.

    A green light shed under the running rabbit, and a sharp wooden thorn appeared out of thin air, urately piercing through the rabbit¡¯s body anding out from its back.

    The gray rabbit squealed in pain, struggled for a few moments, and soon stopped moving.

    Yuan Ming picked up the rabbit¡¯s body and was about to clean it when he suddenly stopped, his gaze falling on the rabbit¡¯s chin and front legs.

    They were stained with a lot of blood, presenting a ck-red color that was not the rabbit¡¯s own blood.

    Yuan Ming picked up a fiery red strand of soft hair from the congealed bloodstain, clearly human hair.

    His expression became serious, and he walked towards the jungle where the rabbit had fled.

    At first, he didn¡¯t find anything, but after walking a short distance, a strong smell of blood came from the front.

    Yuan Ming followed the scent and soon arrived at a valley. He pushed aside the lush vegetation at the valley entrance, and his face suddenly changed.

    There were several bodies lying haphazardly in the valley, all of them Beast ves. Each person¡¯s body was broken into several pieces, and the scene was gruesome.

    Their beast skins were also torn into pieces andpletely destroyed.

    Yuan Ming furrowed his brows!

    Since entering the Ten Thousand Mountains, he had witnessed bloody battles, but this was the first time he had seen such a brutal dismemberment. It was unlikely that the Beast ves would do such a thing, and it didn¡¯t seem like the work of ferocious beasts either.

    He endured the nausea and carefully examined the bodies, but unfortunately, he found nothing.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t stay here any longer and quickly left.

    At this moment, he had lost his appetite and continued on his way. He soon arrived at the Toad Valley.

    However, the usually bustling Toad Valley was now quiet and seemed somewhat eerie.

    Yuan Ming looked around as he walked, and he noticed that the stone houses that were previously used by disciples of the Bi Luo Cave for business were all closed. There was not a single person in the entire valley.

    He quickly arrived in front of Zhao Tong¡¯s stone house, but it was also empty.

    "Could something have happened?" Yuan Ming rubbed his chin and muttered to himself.

    ording to the information Ha Gong gave him, there were no other abnormalities in the Ten Thousand Mountains. It seemed that the sudden change in the Toad Valley was a recent event.

    Yuan Ming stood silently for a moment, about to turn around and leave, when he suddenly remembered something. He went to the back of the stone house and reached into a gap between tworge stones.

    He quickly withdrew his hand, and there was an additional piece of animal skin in his palm.

    Yuan Ming had traded with Zhao Tong multiple times and was quite familiar with each other. This was the ce where they left messages for each other, using written letters tomunicate with Tu Le and Ha Gong, which he learned from Zhao Tong.

    Yuan Ming unfolded the animal skin, and there wasn¡¯t much content on it. He quickly read it.

    ording to the message left by Zhao Tong, the closure of the Toad Valley was a requirement from the Bi Luo Cave. As for the reason, it seemed that something had happened in the Ten Thousand Mountains, and Zhao Tong warned Yuan Ming to be careful.

    He put away the animal skin, and in his mind, he couldn¡¯t help but recall the scene of the dismembered bodies he had seen not long ago. He wondered if it had any connection with the current situation.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t linger in the Toad Valley and quickly left. He returned directly to his residence in the Misty Canyon, intending to consolidate his cultivation level.

    Although his cultivation level had improved, he didn¡¯t dare to be blindly arrogant. The changes in the Ten Thousand Mountains had attracted the attention of the Bi Luo Cave, so he naturally couldn¡¯t take it lightly.

    Five dayster, Yuan Ming walked out of his cave and climbed up the canyon, heading towards the boundary monument.

    He wasn¡¯t going out to hunt beasts today; it was the day to submit refined blood.

    Yuan Ming quickly arrived at the giant stone boundary monument and found that Wu Lu was already there.

    "Wu Lu, it¡¯s been a while." Yuan Ming greeted.

    "I¡¯m fine. How have you been, Brother Yuan Ming?" Wu Lu asked with a smile.

    "I¡¯m doing alright." Yuan Ming smiled slightly, his attitude friendlier than before.

    Although the Qing Lang Gang had withdrawn their manpower and no longer ambushed him near the boundary monument, the conflict between them had not been resolved. Now, several months had passed, and the Qing Lang Gang hadn¡¯t ambushed him near the boundary monument, but he had some connection with Wu Lu.

    "Wu Lu, a few days ago, I went to the Toad Valley. It was empty, and after inquiring from various sources, I heard that something happened in the Ten Thousand Mountains. The Qing Lang Gang is well-informed. I wonder if it¡¯s true?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "We don¡¯t know what will happen in the Ten Thousand Mountains next." Wu Lu sighed thoughtfully, shaking his head.

    As the two of them chatted aimlessly, Elder Hu Huo arrived on a giant eagle from a distance andnded near the boundary monument.

    "Greetings, Elder Hu Huo!" Yuan Ming and Wu Lu quickly stood up and saluted.

    "You two are here, good. There¡¯s something I need to tell you." Elder Hu Huo jumped off the giant eagle and said.

    "Please tell us, Elder Hu Huo." Yuan Ming and Wu Lu respectfully replied.

 Chapter 42: Mortal enemies

    Chapter 42: Mortal enemies

    "After three days, a group of disciples from the sect wille to the Ten Thousand Mountains for a trial. You beast ves must cooperate fully," Elder Hu Huo said expressionlessly.

    Yuan Ming and Wu Lu exchanged nces and looked at each other in confusion.

    "Do you know the specific content of this trial?" Wu Lu asked after a pause.

    "You don¡¯t need to know now. Just remember to gather here in three days. Understood?" Elder Hu Huomanded with an irresistible tone.

    "Yes," Wu Lu nodded, while Yuan Ming nodded reluctantly.

    "I know what you¡¯re worried about. This kind of trial ismon in the sect, but not every time will you have the opportunity to perform. Listen carefully, after this trial, depending on your individual performance, you can umte blood food shares ranging from one hundred to three hundred. If someone achieves great merit, they may even be directly epted into the sect as named disciples," Elder Hu Huo looked at the two of them and continued.

    Upon hearing this, Wu Lu¡¯s breathing became heavier, and Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes lit up.

    "That¡¯s all I have to say. Don¡¯t miss this opportunity," Elder Hu Huo said calmly.

    "Yes," the two of them replied in unison, their voices immediately bing louder.Afterwards, Elder Hu Huo took away the beast blood from the two of them, gave them the antidote for the month, and hurriedly jumped onto a giant eagle, pping its wings and flying away, leaving Yuan Ming, who had intended to report the matter of the corpses in the valley to him, speechless.

    Shortly after, Wu Lu bid farewell to Yuan Ming and left in a hurry, quickly disappearing into the distance.

    Yuan Ming did not stay for long and headed towards the direction of the gorge. However, he couldn¡¯t help but ponder over the disciple trial that Elder Hu Huo mentioned, and his expression gradually became serious.

    At first nce, this trial seemed like a good opportunity for the beast ves scattered throughout the Ten Thousand Mountains, but upon closer inspection, something seemed off.

    The so-called disciples mentioned by Elder Hu Huo must be named disciples, and in terms of talent and cultivation, they were all stronger than them, the beast ves at the edge of the sect. The only value the beast ves had to offer was their familiarity with the Ten Thousand Mountains, which could help with navigation.

    He didn¡¯t believe that the sect would only let them, the beast ves, guide and assist, and reward them with a small amount of blood food.

    Things couldn¡¯t be that simple.

    "I better be careful," he reminded himself silently.

    ...

    Three dayster, next to the boundary monument.

    In the early morning, figures gathered from all directions. Before the sun had fully risen, more than thirty people had already gathered here.

    Some of them were excited and eager to try, while others looked confused, seemingly unaware of why they were asked to gather.

    After Yuan Ming arrived, Ha Gong approached him.

    "Have you heard? It seems that the sect has sent a group of named disciples here for training," Ha Gong whispered.

    "They cane for training, but what do they need us to cooperate with?" Yuan Ming asked in confusion.

    "Don¡¯t you understand? Those who usually livefortably in the sect have no idea about the dangers of the Ten Thousand Mountains. They must want us to apany and assist them," Ha Gong rolled his eyes and said.

    "Like attendants for nobles going out hunting?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "Calling them attendants is too polite. They¡¯re more like hunting dogs and hounds," Ha Gong shook his head and said.

    While they were talking, a team of about ten people arrived, apanied by a tall and fierce-looking man with disheveled ck hair, Wu Bao from the Qing Lang Gang.

    After they arrived, their gazes all turned towards Yuan Ming and Ha Gong, filled with anger.

    Yuan Ming remained calm, meeting their gaze without any fear.

    "They can¡¯t avoiding," Ha Gong smirked, saying.

    As soon as he finished speaking, another group of about ten people rushed over, led by Jin Kun from the Lie Gou Hall.

    When their gazes met, Jin Kun¡¯s expression didn¡¯t look good either. Previously, when they cooperated with the Qing Lang Gang to target Yuan Ming and Ha Gong, not only did the two escape, but some of their men were also seriously injured.

    They hadn¡¯t given up on Yuan Ming, especially Wu Bao. They just hadn¡¯t found the right opportunity yet. Once they had the chance, they would not hesitate to make a move.

    Jin Kun¡¯s green eyes kept scanning Yuan Ming and Ha Gong, and he said to Wu Bao, "Since you still have ideas, why not take advantage of Elder Hu Huo not being here yet and our manpower beingplete? Isn¡¯t this a good opportunity?"

    "I have my own arrangements. Don¡¯tplicate things," Wu Bao licked his lips and sneered.

    "Alright, alright," Jin Kun nodded and smiled.

    Ha Gong looked at the two of them conspiring and frowned, while Yuan Ming seemed indifferent.

    At that moment, a loud whistle suddenly came from the sky.

    A huge shadow covered the area and descended towards them.

    Everyone looked up and saw Elder Hu Huo riding a falcon-like mount flying over, followed by four unfamiliar figures.

    After the falconnded, Elder Hu Huo jumped down first, followed by the other four.

    The appearance of these people immediately attracted the attention of all the beast ves.

    The first person to jump down from the falcon was a rugged-looking man with a short beard. He had a burly figure and was dressed in a ck robe that was bulging, with a ck giant axe tied to his back. It was clear that he was not someone to be trifled with.

    Following closely behind him was a plump woman with an ordinary appearance. Her attire was almost identical to the short-bearded man¡¯s, even the animal head pattern on her chest was exactly the same.

    Yuan Ming carefully looked and found that there were small characters written under the animal head pattern, saying "Beast Taming Hall".

    Although the woman had an ordinary appearance, her figure was alluring. When she jumped down from the falcon¡¯s back, her chest seemed to be carrying two snow-white jade rabbits, bouncing non-stop, causing the group of beast ves who hadn¡¯t seen a woman in a long time to stare wide-eyed.

    The woman seemedpletely indifferent to their bold gazes. She straightened her chest and struck a seductive pose, standing beside the short-bearded man.

    After her, a slim young man in a blue robe, with a shy smile on his face, kept his gaze fixed on the ground in front of his feet.

    Although the color of his robe was different from the previous two, the style was the same. There was a furnace-shaped pattern on his chest, and below it was the words "Refining Hall" written in the Southern Region¡¯s script.

    Lastly, there was a person wearing a fiery red short skirt, whose style was different from the previous three. Under the pattern on her chest, the words "Fire Refining Hall" were written.

    This woman had beautiful features and a perfect appearance. Especially her almond-shaped eyes, which were full of vitality. With her short shirt, her exquisite figure was outlined perfectly, appearing both agile and beautiful, as well as sharp and capable.

    As soon as she appeared, most of the gazes that were focused on the seductive woman shifted to her, making the seductive woman slightly displeased. She pressed her hand against the vine whip hanging from her waist and red at everyone.

    The beast ves lowered their heads under her sharp gaze.

    Yuan Ming, on the other hand, stared at the three words "Fire Refining Hall" on her chest, slightly lost in thought. He remembered that Zhao Tong had mentioned that the Fire Refining Hall was responsible for refining artifacts in the sect.

    That guy had previously said that he would ask around to see if there were any senior brothers from the Fire Refining Hall who could help engrave formations on the Green Fish Sword. However, there was no news from him.

    "Crack!"

    Just then, a sound of breaking through the air suddenly came.

    Yuan Ming instinctively dodged, only to see a whip shadow sh by his side and then retract.

    He was puzzled, not understanding why the woman suddenly attacked him.

    Seeing that Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze had moved away from her chest, the woman no longer cared. She coiled up her whip and hung it at her waist.

    "What an arrogant attitude," Yuan Ming sneered, cursing inwardly.

    Elder Hu Huo ignored this and, seeing that the woman was no longer paying attention, spoke up:

    "Everyone, the beast ves I have are all here. You can choose freely, even if you want to take them all."

    The beast ves were confused, as he didn¡¯t even exin to them.

    "Elder Hu Huo, we only need a few people to guide us. There¡¯s no need for so many," the woman named Chen Wan spoke first.

    "Chen Wan, why not take a few more? If we encounter danger, having more people can provide a buffer," the slim young man in the blue robe, who was called Lian Tu, suggested to Chen Wan.

    What does he mean by buffer? Isn¡¯t it just a scapegoat?

    Yuan Ming felt dissatisfied upon hearing this, and most of the other beast ves also showed displeasure, but they didn¡¯t dare to act out.

    "Bada, with us here, what are you worried about? This mission, whether we bring one or two or ten or eight beast ves, what¡¯s the difference?" the short-bearded man grinned and disdainfully said.

    "That¡¯s right, with us here, having more people will only be a burden," the seductive woman also spoke, her voice soft and charming. Although her words were full of disdain, the beast ves trembled upon hearing them, wishing they could all follow her.

    "Kun Tu, Yang Chan, this training is not child¡¯s y. Think carefully for yourselves," Elder Hu Huo reminded.

    "Elder, don¡¯t worry. This is what we have been waiting for. How can we rely solely on the beast ves to navigate?" Kun Tu, the short-bearded man, waved his hand, appearing unconcerned.

    Then, seemingly casually, he pointed at the crowd, "You, and you, the two of youe with us."

    He pointed seemingly randomly, and everyone¡¯s gaze focused on the two "lucky ones" who were chosen.

    Wu Bao grinned and looked at Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming furrowed his brows, unable to hide his dissatisfaction.

    "Yuan Xiong, I don¡¯t think this is a good job," Ha Gong expressed his concern.

    The two people chosen by Kun Tu were none other than Wu Bao and Yuan Ming.

 Chapter 43: A monster

    Chapter 43: A monster

    "Yuan Ming, Wu Bao, step forward." Elder Hu Huo didn¡¯t waste any words and immediately shouted.

    Wu Bao took the lead and stepped out with a proud expression.

    Yuan Ming, on the other hand, frowned and took a step slower, showing a clear difference in attitude between the two.

    The other beast ve servants sighed with envy at the sight, feeling quite jealous.

    "Choose well and set off immediately." Elder Hu Huo said.

    "Thank you." Chen Wan, the woman in the red dress, thanked with a fist.

    The other three also bid farewell and set off towards the direction of the Hundred Thousand Mountains with Yuan Ming and Wu Bao.

    "During this time, you must continue hunting. Once you encounter named disciples, if you are summoned, you must not resist. Those who vite the order... I believe you won¡¯t vite it." Elder Hu Huo said thest sentence and then dismissed everyone.

    ...The named disciples walked ahead at a fast pace, while Yuan Ming and Wu Bao hurriedly followed, more like followers than guides.

    However, when they crossed the canyon and officially entered the area where fierce beasts were active, the others stopped.

    Chen Wan took out a piece of beast skin map from her pocket and spread it out on a rock. She called Yuan Ming and Wu Bao over and asked, "Have either of you been here before?"

    Her slender, fair fingers pointed to a basin deep in the Hundred Thousand Mountains.

    Wu Bao looked at it carefully for a moment, but his eyes showed confusion.

    These beast ve servants always went wherever they wanted, at most remembering the way back. They couldn¡¯t understand things like maps even if you showed it to them.

    Yuan Ming, on the other hand, frowned and looked very carefully, showing a pensive expression.

    "Do you understand?" Chen Wan asked.

    Wu Bao looked hesitant and could only shake his head. But seeing Yuan Ming¡¯s appearance, he couldn¡¯t help but curse inwardly, "What¡¯s he pretending for?"

    "Junior Sister Chen Wan, I brought them along just to handle some tasks. You really expect them to be of any help?" Jin Kun smiled and shook his head, saying.

    "We are currently at the entrance of the canyon, right here. The farthest I¡¯ve been is the Purple Bamboo Forest, which is at least a two-day journey from the ce you¡¯re asking about." Just as he finished speaking, Yuan Ming¡¯s voice rang out.

    Upon hearing this, Chen Wan, who had already given up hope, brightened up and continued, "The distance ahead is the Purple Bamboo Forest you mentioned. How long will it take to get there?"

    "If we avoid most of the fierce beasts and try not to engage in battles, we can arrive in five days." Yuan Ming said.

    As he spoke, he looked up and his gaze shifted, only to see Ba Da, a disciple of the Refining Pavilion, with his lowered eyes seemingly falling on Chen Wan¡¯s slender legs.

    This guy doesn¡¯t seem like an honest person either.

    Although Yuan Ming despised him in his heart, he didn¡¯t bother to expose him.

    "If we ride spirit beasts, it won¡¯t take five days." Jin Kun spoke up.

    After speaking, he patted the spirit beast pouch at his waist, and a green light flew out,nding not far away, revealing a two-zhang-long green giant wolf.

    This wolf was muscr all over, with a faint reddish hue in its eyes. In the center of its forehead, there was a clump of white fur. Its mouth protruded, and two sharp and long teeth were exposed, making it both fierce and powerful.

    "Junior Sister Chen Wan, my Green Wolf is a Grade One Upper Tier fierce beast. Not only is it extremely fast, but it also runs veryfortably. Why don¡¯t you ride with me?" Jin Kun smiled and invited.

    Upon hearing this, before Chen Wan could speak, Yang Chan, who was also from the same Beast Taming Hall as Jin Kun, immediately frowned, showing obvious dissatisfaction with Senior Brother Jin Kun¡¯s gesture.

    "Thank you, Senior Brother, but I don¡¯t need it. I have my own spirit beast." Chen Wan said calmly, refusing.

    After speaking, she patted the spirit beast pouch at her waist, and a green light flew out, transforming into a two-zhang-long green-skinned rhinoceros.

    Compared to Jin Kun¡¯s Green Wolf, this green-skinned rhinoceros was smaller in size, but it had ayer of metal armor on its head and neck, and a saddle-like leather seat on its back, making it veryfortable to ride.

    "It turns out Junior Sister¡¯s spirit beast is so well-equipped. I was too presumptuous." Jin Kun saw this and seemedpletely unconcerned, but he apologized first.

    Immediately after, Yang Chan also patted her spirit beast pouch and summoned a seven-zhang-long fire-red python. With a leap, she jumped onto the python and reclined on it.

    The fire-red python immediately raised its body and caught her graceful figure.

    Ba Da also immediately summoned his own spirit beast, arge ck-haired wild boar. Its size and appearance were not as good as the previous three, but its two snow-white teeth, which were like long spears, indicated that it was not an ordinary fierce beast.

    "Senior Brother Jin Kun, the two of us women can¡¯t bring them along, so how about you and Junior Brother Ba Da each take one person?" Chen Wan looked at Yuan Ming and Wu Bao and said.

    Jin Kun frowned upon hearing this, and Ba Da also looked up and nced at them, showing resistance in their eyes.

    "Junior Sister, they are just lowly beast ve servants. How can they ride my Senior Brother¡¯s spirit beast?" Yang Chan, however, was particrly angry and immediately scolded.

    "We need them to guide us. If we rely on spirit beasts to lead the way, our speed will be much slower, which is not worth it." Chen Wan said calmly.

    "The adults are right. We are not worthy of riding spirit beasts like these." Wu Bao quickly spoke with a fearful expression, but seeing Yuan Ming¡¯s appearance, he couldn¡¯t help but curse inwardly, "What is he pretending for?"

    "Junior Sister Chen Wan, they are just lowly beast ve servants who have used the Beast ve Technique. Their running speed should not be much different from that of spirit beasts. There¡¯s no need to worry too much." Ba Da said.

    Hearing this, Chen Wan had no choice but to give up and turned to look at Yuan Ming, asking, "Can you keep up?"

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t want to dy here and nodded.

    Although he was somewhat envious of the spirit beasts of these named disciples, what he cared more about was how toplete the mission and obtain as much blood food reward as possible.

    "Alright then, let¡¯s not waste any more time. Let¡¯s set off immediately." Chen Wan said.

    As the guide, Yuan Ming immediately used the Beast ve Technique and transformed into a white ape, leaping towards the depths of the mountains.

    "I¡¯ll stay behind to cover our retreat in case of any unexpected situations." Jin Kun nced at the others and said.

    Chen Wan didn¡¯t hesitate and immediately urged the green-skinned rhinoceros to catch up. Ba Da followed closely behind, and Yang Chan also quickly followed.

    After the group ran out of sight, Jin Kun rode the Green Wolf and scanned Wu Bao with his gaze.

    "This Yuan Ming doesn¡¯t seem like a useless person. Can I recruit him?" Jin Kun spoke up.

    Wu Bao¡¯s heart trembled slightly upon hearing this and quickly said, "Master, this guy is very rebellious. He¡¯s not someone who can be subordinate to others. I¡¯ve tried to recruit him before, but not only did he refuse, he also killed quite a few of us."

    "Forget it, he¡¯s just a lowly beast ve servant. If you want one, there are plenty of them. But this time, I¡¯ll help you get rid of him. However, you¡¯ll have to increase the monthly offerings from you all by ten percent." Jin Kun frowned and said.

    "Thank you, Master." Wu Bao immediately said.

    "I¡¯m cultivating you, the Green Wolf Gang, and the Warhound Hall to do things for me, not to cause trouble for me. This kind of thing should not happen again. If it happens again in the future, your position and Jin Kun¡¯s position will be given to someone else." Jin Kun finished speaking and rode the Green Wolf, galloping away.

    Wu Bao nodded repeatedly, his back already covered in cold sweat. He quickly used the Beast ve Technique and transformed into a green-haired werewolf, chasing after him.

    ...

    It waste autumn, at night.

    A zing bonfire was burning in the mountains, and Jin Kun and the others sat around the fire, eating freshly roasted meat.

    The four spirit beasts were lying behind their owners, forming a special encirclement, protecting them in the center.

    Yuan Ming and Wu Bao, the two beast ve servants, naturally didn¡¯t have the qualifications to be with them and were arranged to be on the outer perimeter for guard duty.

    The night wind blew, and Yuan Ming sat alone on an old tree, closing his eyes and meditating.

    He was very familiar with this area. Originally, a green-scaled lizard lived here, but he killed itst month, so there wouldn¡¯t be any other fierce beasts settling here in the short term.

    Moreover, with the four spirit beasts guarding, they didn¡¯t need him to scout.

    Just then, Yuan Ming¡¯s ears twitched, and he immediately opened his eyes and looked towards the dark forest. He then saw a figure quickly darting out of the bushes.

    He immediately leaped down and chased after the figure.

    However, before he could take a few steps, the figure in front suddenly stopped and turned to look at him.

    Yuan Ming was startled and immediately stopped, facing off against the figure.

    He saw that the creature was nearly eight feet tall, with a human-like body covered in fur, even on its face. It looked like an upright white-haired old ape.

    But its eyes were blood-red, reflecting a bloodthirsty light in the dark night, making Yuan Ming¡¯s back feel cold.

    Just then, there was amotion behind Yuan Ming.

    "Oh no, we¡¯re being ambushed." Yuan Ming¡¯s heart sank, realizing that the situation was not good.

    "It¡¯s over there." Just then, a woman¡¯s voice came.

    Immediately after, several figures rushed out from behind and came to Yuan Ming¡¯s side. It was Chen Wan and the others.

    Yuan Ming breathed a sigh of relief and turned to look at the creature again, but found that it had disappeared from sight.

    "Why are you here?" Chen Wan immediately asked when she saw Yuan Ming.

    "I was on night watch outside and found a hairy humanoid monster, so I chased after it." Yuan Ming honestly replied.

    "Where is the monster?" Jin Kun, not afraid but rather excited, asked eagerly.

    Yang Chan and Chen Wan also brightened up, their gazes focused on Yuan Ming, showing some surprise.

    "It ran away. It was just in front, but when you guys chased after me, it disappeared." Yuan Ming blinked and said.

    "Where did it go?" Jin Kun immediately asked.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t pay attention to where the monster had gone in the end and casually pointed in a direction, saying, "It seemed to have gone that way."

    Without saying a word, Jin Kun immediately chased after it.

    His spirit beast, the Green Wolf, leaped over everyone¡¯s heads and chased after it in that direction.

    Yang Chan also immediately followed.

    "Don¡¯t use the Beast ve Technique and recklessly chase after a monster. Are you looking for death?" Chen Wan scolded Yuan Ming and also chased after them.

    Ba Da, riding on a ck-haired wild boar, sneered at Yuan Ming and followed behind.

    "A monster? What is it?"

    Yuan Ming ignored Chen Wan¡¯s scolding and was only interested in the monster she mentioned.

 Chapter 44: Keep watch at night

    Chapter 44: Keep watch at night

    "It seems that the sect¡¯s experience is rted to this person called Ren Xiao..." Yuan Ming pondered for a moment and followed along.

    The group searched all night but found nothing.

    "Hey, you beast ve, did you really see Ren Xiao?" Dongfang Yudubai asked, annoyed, looking at Yuan Ming.

    "What Ren Xiao?" Yuan Ming pretended to be confused.

    "The monster you describedst night!" Kun Tu said angrily.

    "If I didn¡¯t see that monster, how could I describe it?" Yuan Ming retorted.

    Kun Tu was speechless with Yuan Ming¡¯s response, unable to find a reason to get angry.

    "ording to the information provided by the sect, Ren Xiao should not be active in this area." Ba Da spoke up.

    "Perhaps the situation has changed. The information from the investigation by the Execution Hall may not be urate." Chen Wan said.Yuan Ming hesitated for a moment before speaking, "If the Ren Xiao you mentioned is the monster I sawst night, then someone encountered itst year."

    "What? Where did they encounter it?" Chen Wan asked eagerly, and the others looked at Yuan Ming with different expressions.

    Yuan Ming then recounted the incident of Ha Gong being attacked.

    "How is that possible?" Yang Chan said in disbelief.

    Kun Tu turned to Wu Bao, who nodded subtly, confirming Yuan Ming¡¯s words.

    "If that¡¯s the case, then Ren Xiao has been active earlier and in a wider range than what the sect told us. This is not good news." Chen Wan¡¯s expression became serious.

    "Should we report this to the sect?" Ba Da tentatively asked.

    "Why should we report it? Only we know this information. Isn¡¯t it better that way?" Kun Tu retorted.

    "If we don¡¯t report it, other disciples may be unexpectedly attacked." Chen Wan said.

    "Junior Sister Chen Wan, don¡¯t forget, this trial is rted to whether we can be inner disciples. If we go back to report, dying our journey and letting others get ahead..." Kun Tu pondered.

    He didn¡¯t directly refute Chen Wan, but his words caused a change in her expression.

    Seeing Chen Wan¡¯s silence, Kun Tu¡¯s mouth twitched, revealing a disdainful smile.

    Afterwards, the speed of the group slowed down, searching for Ren Xiao while continuing their journey.

    However, it took them two extra days than expected, and they still didn¡¯t encounter Ren Xiao again.

    ...

    "Boom!"

    A thunderous sound echoed, and a bright white lightning shed in the sky, briefly tearing open the dark sky.

    Drizzling raindrops fell, covering the once quiet mountain forest with the sound of rain, filling the air with the scent of dust and grass.

    Kun Tu looked up at the dark clouds that almost touched the treetops, riding on a green wolf to Chen Wan¡¯s side.

    "Sister, this rain seems to be big. It¡¯s alreadyte. Why don¡¯t we find a ce to take shelter and rest until the rain stops?" he asked.

    "Yuan Ming, is there a suitable ce nearby to take shelter from the rain?" Chen Wan looked at Yuan Ming and asked.

    Throughout their journey, she hade to trust Yuan Ming¡¯s ability to lead.

    Yuan Ming replied, "I haven¡¯t been to this area before, so we can only explore and see."

    Chen Wan nodded without disappointment and continued on their way.

    After about an hour, the thunder became more frequent, and the rain grew heavier.

    The forest was already dark, covered in mist, and the temperature dropped.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming saw arge ck shadow in the distance. He wiped the rain off his face and carefully looked at it. A sh of lightning illuminated the area.

    "There seems to be a house over there." Yuan Ming pointed to the ck shadow and shouted.

    He led the group to hurry towards it.

    As they approached, they realized that it was a dpidated building.

    The lower half of the walls were made of rocks, while the upper half was made of mud bricks. The walls were heavily damaged, full of pits and holes of various sizes.

    "This style of the house looks like a temple worshipped by savages," Wu Bao, who had been inconspicuous in the group, suddenly spoke up.

    The temple had no door, only an empty doorway that led to darkness, making it impossible to see anything inside.

    Yuan Ming reached into his pocket, intending to take out a match to light up the ce, when suddenly, a fist-sized fireball flew into the temple.

    "Fireball spell?" Yuan Ming turned his head and saw that it was Chen Wan who cast the spell.

    Soon after, several more fireballs flew into the temple, illuminating the inside.

    Yuan Ming entered the temple and found it empty, with almost no furnishings. The floor and walls were covered in thick dust, giving it a deste and dpidated appearance.

    Turning around, he saw a three-foot-high altar with a y statue on it.

    The statue waspletely different from ordinary ones. It had a fierce appearance with a tiger-like back, a wolf-like waist, and four arms. Itcked the solemnity of a typical statue and instead looked eerie and sinister.

    Upon closer inspection, Yuan Ming saw that the two heads on its shoulders did not resemble humans. One was a fox head, and the other was a wolf head.

    The statue was heavily damaged, with exposed wooden frames and straw visible all over. It seemed to have been abandoned for a long time.

    "Fortunately, the roof is intact. Let¡¯s rest here for the night." Ba Da looked around and seemed satisfied with the ce.

    "Wu Bao, go out and get some meat. Yuan Ming, gather firewood and start a fire." Kun Tu ordered.

    Wu Bao quickly ran out, and Yuan Ming obediently went out to gather firewood.

    After a while, two bonfires were set up in the temple. Kun Tu and a few named disciples sat around one, while Yuan Ming and Wu Bao sat around the other.

    Wu Bao took care of the roasted wild boar on the fire, while Yuan Ming closed his eyes and rested without saying a word.

    At this moment, Kun Tu suddenly looked towards Yuan Ming and ordered, "Yuan Ming, you keep watch for the first half of the night. Stand outside."

    Yuan Ming opened his eyes, got up, and walked outside.

    The rain was still drizzling, and the heavy thunder asionally illuminated the night.

    Yuan Ming stood outside the doorway, leaning against the wall. The shallow eaves above his head couldn¡¯t shield him from the rain, and soon his clothes were soaked.

    The cold mountain wind passed through, and even Yuan Ming felt a bone-chilling cold. The drowsiness he felt earlier hadpletely disappeared, and he could only stare into the dark forest.

    Voices from Chen Wan and the others could be heard from inside the temple, and Yuan Ming listened attentively, quickly catching the gist of their conversation.

    It turned out that there were more than just Chen Wan and her group of named disciples who entered the Ten Thousand Mountains this time. The entire sect had at least over a hundred named disciples participating in the trial.

    Their goal in the trial was to hunt down Ren Xiao.

    ording to what Kun Tu said, their performance in this trial seemed to determine whether they would be recognized by the elders of the sect and be their direct disciples, also known as inner disciples.

    Although Yuan Ming wasn¡¯t entirely clear, he could guess that it must be a great honor, otherwise these disciples wouldn¡¯t risk entering the Ten Thousand Mountains.

    In the dark rainy night, unable to see the moon and unable to discern the time.

    Yuan Ming suddenly smelled a strong meat fragranceing from inside the temple. He wrinkled his nose and looked inside.

    He saw Kun Tu and the others sitting together, still chatting, while the wild boar on the fire in front of Wu Bao had turned golden and was sizzling with oil, making one¡¯s mouth water.

    "I didn¡¯t expect this guy to be quite skilled." Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but praise.

    But at this moment, he noticed that Wu Bao¡¯s forehead was sweating, and his face looked somewhat nervous. His gaze kept drifting towards Kun Tu and the others.

    While Yuan Ming was surprised by his suspicious behavior, Wu Bao suddenly turned his head and looked in Yuan Ming¡¯s direction.

    Yuan Ming immediately turned around, facing the temple door, pretending to be diligently keeping watch.

    After a pause of two breaths, Yuan Ming suddenly turned his head and saw Wu Bao trembling as he took out a small bottle from his pocket. He removed the stopper and sprinkled the liquid inside onto the roasted wild boar.

    "What is he doing?" Yuan Ming wondered.

    He sniffed carefully but didn¡¯t smell anything unusual. Combined with Wu Bao¡¯s guilty appearance, he knew that the substance he put on the boar was definitely not seasoning, which made him even more puzzled.

    "Could he be poisoning it?" Yuan Ming frowned.

    He thought to himself, "Wu Bao wouldn¡¯t dare to poison these named disciples for no reason, unless he doesn¡¯t want to live anymore." His mind raced.

    But obviously, someone who could gather a group and be their leader wouldn¡¯t willingly seek death.

    Yuan Ming furrowed his brow, about to turn around and report this, when suddenly, a warning bell rang in his mind.

    "Yes, Wu Bao wouldn¡¯t want to die. If he dares to do this, there must be someone behind him instructing him. And that person..."

    Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze wandered, finallynding on Kun Tu.

 Chapter 45: Save others, save oneself

    Chapter 45: Save others, save oneself

    <em>"Is this going to cause internal strife?"</em> Yuan Ming wondered.

    They must have put so much effort into poisoning, it must not be aimed at themselves. Ba Da and Yang Chan also looked like followers, so it wasn¡¯t difficult to guess who Kun Tu wanted to deal with.

    Before Yuan Ming could figure it out, Wu Bao¡¯s voice rang out, "Reporting to the adults, the wild boar meat is ready, please taste it."

    <em>"Are they going to take action?"</em> After a slight hesitation, Yuan Ming decided not to intervene for now.

    "Bring it over." Kun Tu ordered.

    Wu Bao immediately brought the whole roasted wild boar meat to Kun Tu and the others.

    Kun Tu took out a short knife and lightly cut the meat a few times, splitting the whole piece of wild boar meat into seven or eight pieces.

    "Junior Sister Chen Wan, this meat looks good, you should have some too." He took out a piece of meat from the back and handed it to Chen Wan.

    Chen Wan couldn¡¯t refuse, so she took it.The others also picked up their meat and started eating.

    At this moment, Kun Tu suddenly thought of something and said to Wu Bao, "Go and bring a piece for Yuan Ming too."

    "Master... the adult rewards you." Wu Bao didn¡¯t hesitate and immediately brought arge piece of pork leg to Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming took it expressionlessly, thanked him perfunctorily. If he didn¡¯t know that the meat was poisoned, he might have been moved by Wu Bao and Kun Tu¡¯s sudden kindness.

    "Give it a try." Wu Bao looked at him with a fake smile and said.

    Yuan Ming took a bite, chewed it, and mumbled, "Tastes good."

    Seeing this, Wu Bao turned and returned to the temple. Yuan Ming immediately spat out the wild boar meat in his mouth and took a mouthful of rainwater to rinse his mouth before stopping.

    Praises asionally came from the temple, and even Chen Wan thought Wu Bao¡¯s cooking was good.

    However, not long after, Yuan Ming heard a sound from inside, as if someone had fallen.

    Immediately after, Kun Tu asked insincerely, "Junior Sister Chen Wan, what¡¯s wrong with you?"

    <em>Listening to the movement inside, Yuan Ming sneered inwardly. Taking advantage of a thunderp, he shaved off the piece of meat in his hand and threw it away, only holding the remaining meat and bones in his hand, lying against the wall, pretending to be poisoned.</em>

    Inside the temple, Kun Tu kept calling Chen Wan¡¯s name, but her eyes were closed, her eyshes trembling, and she had fainted.

    "Alright, stop calling, she has fainted." Yang Chan crossed her arms and supported her chest, ncing at Chen Wan impatiently.

    "Haha, this little girl, usually relying on the protection of the Fire Refining Hall¡¯s old hen, never looks at me properly. Now that she has fallen into my hands, I will make sure she knows what heavenly bliss is." Kun Tu said with a smug look.

    "Senior Brother Kun Tu, um... this medicine is too strong, I didn¡¯t dare to use too much. You should hurry up, it would be troublesome if she wakes up halfway." Ba Da approached and nced at Chen Wan on the ground while speaking.

    "Alright, I know your little tricks. Don¡¯t worry, after I enjoy it, I won¡¯t forget to give you a share, haha..." Kun Tuughed.

    Yang Chan nced at the two of them and cursed disdainfully, "None of you men are good."

    Kun Tu nced at her displeasedly when he heard this.

    Yang Chan immediately changed her tone and said with a smile, "Men are not bad, women don¡¯t love them. It¡¯s just that Chen Wan, this little girl, doesn¡¯t understand romance. It¡¯s because she hasn¡¯t experienced anything yet. Once she does, even this beast ve, I¡¯m afraid she will throw herself at him."

    Wu Bao quickly lowered his head when Yang Chan mentioned him, afraid to look at Chen Wan again.

    "Wu Bao, we are almost at our destination, Yuan Ming is no longer useful, so go and kill him now to avoid troubleter." Kun Tu leaned down and reached out to touch Chen Wan¡¯s face, suddenly remembered something and instructed.

    "Yes, master." Wu Bao immediately rushed towards the temple gate.

    "Take him further away, don¡¯t let the smell of blood float in, it will ruin my mood." Kun Tu reminded again.

    "Yes."

    Wu Bao looked at the copsed Yuan Ming on the ground, grinned, and then grabbed his arms, dragging him into the rain, moving towards the deep dark forest.

    Kun Tu caressed Chen Wan¡¯s cheek, pinched it affectionately, and smiled, "Such a beautiful face, tsk tsk, I didn¡¯t want to do this, me yourself for not knowing how to appreciate it."

    Saying that, he grabbed Chen Wan¡¯s cor and pulled it down, the red dress opened up, revealing the inner lining and arge area of plump and fair skin.

    Kun Tu was fascinated by the sight, but suddenly heard a slight sound of "gulu" behind him. It was Ba Da, who couldn¡¯t help but swallow his saliva.

    Yang Chan nced at him with even more disdain.

    Kun Tu also felt ufortable being watched by the two of them.

    He immediately touched a green cloth bag around his waist, embroidered with a peculiar rune, and it emitted a faint light.

    In the next moment, a carved tooth bed with a canopy appeared out of thin air in the temple.

    "Senior Brother Kun Tu, you have a storage bag?" Yang Chan was stunned at first, then reacted and stared at the green cloth bag hanging around his waist in surprise, eximing.

    "Elder Meng Shan rewarded it to me before I came out this time." Kun Tu said proudly.

    "To be so highly regarded by Elder Meng Shan, it¡¯s almost certain that you will be an inner disciple when you go back this time." Yang Chan said with envy.

    Kun Tu grinned but didn¡¯t say anything. In his heart, he secretlyined, "That old guy has taken so many benefits from me over the years, he should have made me an inner disciple long ago."

    "Senior Brother Kun Tu, don¡¯t say so much, hurry up." Ba Da urged anxiously.

    Kun Tu sneered, bent down to pick up Chen Wan, and threw her into the canopy of the tooth bed.

    Yang Chan¡¯s eyes shed with resentment, twisted her waist, and went to the temple gate, while Ba Da reluctantly sat down by the bonfire.

    Outside the temple, the wind howled, rain poured, and thunder and lightning shed.

    In the forest a hundred feet away from the temple, Wu Bao was soaked, dragging Yuan Ming to a pit, and casually threw him in. Then he took out a short knife from his pocket.

    Looking at the person who had been holding a grudge against him for a long time, now lying limp like mud, a smile appeared on Wu Bao¡¯s face. He bent down, grabbed Yuan Ming¡¯s arms, and dragged him into the rain, moving towards the deep dark forest.

    Yuan Ming suddenly held a long sword behind his waist, which Wu Bao didn¡¯t notice, and quietly held it in his hand.

    <em>Crack</em>

    A bright white electric light shed, reflecting a bright light on Wu Bao¡¯s face. He was horrified to find that Yuan Ming, under the bright knife light, had opened his eyes and smiled at him.

    Before he could react, he suddenly felt a severe pain in his feet. A wooden thorn suddenly rose from the ground and pierced through his entire foot, with the tip sticking into his lower abdomen as he crouched down.

    Wu Bao endured the intense pain and immediately pressed down the short knife, trying to kill Yuan Ming in one blow.

    However, Yuan Ming, who was prepared long ago, would never give him a chance. He reached out with one hand and firmly grabbed his wrist, while the other hand held the sword and swung it.

    A green light reflected off the sword, and in an instant, it shed across Wu Bao¡¯s neck.

    Blood gushed out in an instant, and a round head flew up and fell to the side.

    "Ah, now it¡¯s impossible to stay out of it." Yuan Ming took a step back, sat on the wet and cold mud, wiped the blood and rainwater off his face with his hand.

    Through the rain and dense tree shadows, he saw the faint firelight from the temple, stood up slowly after shaking off the bloodstains on the sword, and walked towards it.

    After returning to the temple, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t rush in recklessly, but carefully climbed onto the roof.

    Through the broken tiles on the roof, Yuan Ming saw the exquisite tooth bed that was out of ce with its surroundings, and saw Yang Chan sitting at the door in a huff, and Ba Da sitting by the bonfire with a lewd expression.

    Inside the tooth bed, Chen Wan¡¯s outer clothes had beenpletely stripped off, and the inner lining couldn¡¯t cover her snow-white body, which had a faint glow, creating a beautiful scene.

    A gust of wind blew, lifting a piece of gauze, and Yuan Ming saw Kun Tu sitting on Chen Wan¡¯s slender legs, holding her red skirt and burying his head in it, greedily sniffing the scent.

    <em>"This guy is so lewd..."</em> Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but shudder.

    At this moment, he hesitated.

    Through these few days of observation, he found that Kun Tu and the others were not weak in their cultivation. At least they were all above the fourth level of Qi Refining. Even if he faced one of them, he didn¡¯t have the confidence to win, let alone facing all three at once.

    But if he let it go, regardless of whether his conscience could bear it, just by killing Wu Bao, Kun Tu and the others would not let him go. Not because of one life, but because he witnessed what was happening now.

    Therefore, Yuan Ming could only save Chen Wan in order to have a chance to save himself.

    "It can only be done this way." His eyes shed with determination.

    Just as Kun Tu reached out towards Chen Wan¡¯s delicate body, suddenly, two green spikes emerged from the ground under the fire pits in the temple, flipping the fire over.

    Burning pieces of firewood scattered and sparks flew, startling Ba Da by the bonfire.

    The flying sparksnded on the bed, instantly igniting the gauze curtain, and a zing fire rose up, immediately engulfing the entire tooth bed.

    In the mes, Kun Tu let out a furious roar.

    In the next moment, a circle of white wind des suddenly expanded from the center of the tooth bed, sweeping in all directions.

    A series of banging sounds, the mes covering the tooth bed were blown away by the strong wind, and the canopy and four pirs were cut off by the wind des, shooting in all directions.

    As the wind des swept through, the sparks remaining on the ground were also scattered, and the entire temple became dim, enveloped in darkness.

    "Hey, Ba Da, what are you doing?" Kun Tu, naked from the waist up, shouted angrily.

    Even with such a big movement, Chen Wan still didn¡¯t wake up.

    "Senior Brother Kun Tu, I didn¡¯t do anything." Ba Da quickly defended himself.

    Before Yang Chan could ask, she immediately distanced herself and shouted, "It wasn¡¯t me either, I didn¡¯t do anything."

    Just then, a thunderp sounded!

    The already dpidated roof of the temple dropped countless tiles, copsing into arge hole.

    A tall and burly white figure fell from the hole, directly pressing down on Kun Tu on the bed with a force like Mount Tai.

 Chapter 46: Drilling hole

    Chapter 46: Drilling hole

    Kun Tu was uncertain about the situation, so he didn¡¯t dare to confront it head-on and could only jump away,nding beside Yang Chan.

    The white figure crashed onto the bed, directly copsing it. It turned its head and let out a violent roar towards Ba Da, who was closest to it.

    "Roar..."

    Ba Da¡¯s pupils instantly dted as he saw the figure¡¯s rough appearance, covered in white fur, with indistinct facial features.

    "A human demon, it¡¯s a human demon..." he immediately let out a terrified scream.

    Before he could finish speaking, he hurriedly ran away from Kun Tu and Yang Chan.

    Yang Chan hadn¡¯t felt too scared at first, but when he fled like that, she also had the intention to retreat. However, before she could leave, Kun Tu grabbed her arm.

    "What are you afraid of? Don¡¯t forget why we came here!" Kun Tu roared at her.

    Only then did Yang Chan react. They hade to find the human demon and kill it."Hmph, it¡¯s all because of that coward Ba Da, scaring me as well." Yang Chan cursed, steadying herself.

    Yuan Ming, who had transformed into a white ape using the Fur Transformation Technique, sighed inwardly when he saw that they weren¡¯t scared away. However, he didn¡¯t back down at all. He leaped up again and smashed his fists onto the ground.

    Boom!

    The ground of the temple shook violently, and the ground beneath Kun Tu and Yang Chan cracked, sending countless fragments flying.

    A damaged stone pir near them cracked and shattered, causing half of the roof to copse, with arge amount of tiles and dust falling down.

    Yang Chan and the others quickly dodged and retreated, eventually leaving the temple.

    In the smoke and dust, Yuan Ming picked up Chen Wan¡¯s body and roughly straightened her clothes. He then leaped up towards the roof.

    The punch he just threw wasn¡¯t a disy of his immense strength, but rather the use of the Wood Spike Technique,bined with the impact on the decayed stone pir, creating this intimidating scene.

    Seeing an opportunity to escape, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t dare to dy.

    Just as he broke through the roof, feeling the touch of rain on his body, he suddenly noticed a shadow above him, blocking the falling rain.

    Yuan Ming looked up and saw a pair of eerie green nterns" glowing in the night, surrounded by dark red diamond-shaped scales.

    Before he could see clearly, a hissing sound came, and the shadow quickly descended, revealing a huge snake head with a bloodthirsty mouth, biting towards Yuan Ming.

    "Yang Chan¡¯s spirit beast." Yuan Ming¡¯s figure paused, and he threw a punch upwards.

    With a muffled sound, the fiery red python was hit and its head shrank back. Yuan Ming¡¯s figure also fell from the sky.

    As soon as theynded, Ba Da¡¯s shout came from outside the rain curtain, "Captain Kun Tu, Wu Bao is dead, and that beast ve named Yuan Ming is gone!"

    Kun Tu immediately realized what had happened.

    "We¡¯ve been tricked. It¡¯s not a human demon inside, it¡¯s that beast ve." He roared angrily and pped his spirit beast bag.

    A green light flew out, revealing a two-zhang-long tall green wolf.

    Without needing Kun Tu¡¯smand, the green wolf¡¯s mane on its neck stood up, its muscles contracted, and its dark red eyes shed with a faint light as it roared towards the dpidated temple, shaking the heavens.

    Roar...

    With the roar, a violent wind surged from the wolf¡¯s mouth, countless green wind des filled with energy tore through the rain curtain, forming visible whirlwinds that crashed into the temple.

    In the rumbling sound, rubble and tiles flew in all directions, crashing into the temple.

    Feeling the violent power, Yuan Ming could only dodge quickly and avoid the strange statue.

    The violent wind des passed by, directly hitting the crumbling wall behind him, causing a huge gap.

    As Yuan Ming looked at the gap in the wall behind him, he was about to escape when he saw two green lights rushing towards him from the darkness outside.

    Knowing that it wasn¡¯t a human demon inside, but just a beast ve, Ba Da immediately lost his fear and summoned his own spirit beast.

    The ck-haired wild boar, with ayer of ck light covering its body, charged towards Yuan Ming, its sharp teeth seemingly coated with poison.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming pressed his hand on the ground, channeling his mana into the earth.

    The Wood Spike Technique was immediately activated.

    Outside of Yuan Ming¡¯s reach, the ground cracked open, and three thick green spikes emerged from the ground, like anti-cavalry stakes, skewering towards the charging ck-haired wild boar.

    With a loud bang, the ck-haired wild boar crashed into the sturdy green spikes. As blood sttered, the spikes shatteredpletely.

    However, its speed only slightly slowed down, and it continued to charge.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s heart sank, and he quickly rolled to the side to avoid it.

    These named disciples¡¯ spirit beasts seemed simr to the fierce beasts he usually hunted, but their actualbat power waspletely different, far beyond what he could easily deal with.

    Not to mention their owners, each of them was a genuine disciple of the Bi Luo Cave, capable of learning various sect techniques and secret arts.

    Yuan Ming felt a bit regretful. He shouldn¡¯t have acted impulsively and put himself in such a dangerous situation. He should have waited for a more suitable opportunity.

    With a loud bang, the charging ck-haired wild boar crashed into the peculiar statue of the fierce god, instantly shattering the y statue and even sending its base flying.

    The intense impact made the ck-haired wild boar dizzy. It shook its head, identified the direction, and immediately charged towards Yuan Ming again.

    The red fire python above also opened its bloody mouth and swooped down towards him.

    Trapped in the encirclement, Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze shifted anxiously, trying to find an escape route. Suddenly, he noticed a dark hole beneath the copsed statue.

    His mind quickly made a decision.

    He removed the Fur Transformation Technique, held Chen Wan in his arms, and rushed forward, avoiding the python¡¯s attack, heading straight for the ck-haired wild boar.

    Just as he was about to be hit, his figure suddenly lowered, taking advantage of his size, he slid under the ck-haired wild boar, directly entering the hole beside the copsed statue.

    Yuan Ming peeked into the dark hole and saw that it was pitch ck inside, with a cold wind blowing out, making it impossible to see how deep it was.

    "Dog servant, surrender now!" Kun Tu¡¯s voice came.

    He brought his own green wolf spirit beast and had also rushed in.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t have time to think and immediately carried Chen Wan, jumping into the hole.

    After falling for about three or four zhang, hended on a slope and began to slide rapidly downwards.

    Kun Tu immediately caught up and checked the size of the hole. He immediately shouted to Yang Chan, "Quick! Let your fire python go in. We must kill them today, or we¡¯ll be in trouble when we return to the sect."

    Yang Chan¡¯s face tensed, and without hesitation, shemanded the fire python to enter the cave.

    Unless they personally took the risk to chase after them, the only spirit beast that could enter the cave was the fire python.

    The fire python plunged into the cave, immediately spitting out snake letters and wriggling its body, chasing after them.

    The cave was not smooth, with rocks protruding everywhere. Yuan Ming collided with them as he moved around inside, his body covered in wounds, but he couldn¡¯t afford to slow down.

    At this moment, he suddenly heard a sound behind him and immediately felt something was wrong.

    Then, a roar came from behind, and the fire python had caught up. Its bloodthirsty mouth opened wide, and a line of fire burst out, filling the entire cave.

    Yuan Ming felt the temperature rise sharply around him, and his heart sank. He immediately activated the Wood Spike Technique, causing three thick spikes to rise from the ground behind him, trying to block the mes.

    The raging mes passed through the gaps in the spikes and continued to spew out, burning Yuan Ming¡¯s back. The intense burning sensation almost made him stop breathing.

    With a bang, the sound of the spikes being broken came from behind. The fire python continued to chase after him without stopping. In an instant, its bloodthirsty mouth was just inches away.

    Feeling the scorching heat from behind, Yuan Ming tightly gripped his long sword, preparing for a final resistance.

    At this moment, he suddenly felt the body in his arms move. Chen Wan seemed to have awakened.

    "Hey! If you don¡¯t want to die, think of a solution quickly!" Yuan Ming shouted loudly.

    At this moment, Chen Wan¡¯s mind was hazy, her eyes vacant and confused. When she saw what was happening behind her, her pupils slightly contracted. Subconsciously, she reached into her sleeve and threw something into the bloodthirsty mouth.

    Swoosh!

    A walnut-sized metal ball flew out, and the hollow me pattern engraved on it faintly lit up. There seemed to be flickering sparks inside, and it flew into the python¡¯s mouth in a sh.

    In the next moment, Chen Wan curled up in Yuan Ming¡¯s arms.

    Before Yuan Ming could react, there was a loud explosion behind him.

    A ball of fierce mes suddenly burst open behind him, shattering the python¡¯s head into pieces. The scorching wave of fire pushed him downwards as if he were flying.

    The explosion of mes surged up and down the cave, the powerful impact resonating in the enclosed space, exerting the strongest resonance and shock. The moment the force collided with Yuan Ming, his sea of consciousness trembled, his vision went ck, and he fainted.

    Chen Wan in his arms didn¡¯t fare any better. In the shock and impact, she also fell into aa...

 Chapter 47: Healing

    Chapter 47: Healing

    I don¡¯t know how long has passed.

    In the dim cave, Yuan Ming struggled to open his eyes. His eyes felt sore and painful, and he subconsciously wanted to rub them, but suddenly felt a cold sensation on his neck.

    "If you don¡¯t want to die, don¡¯t move." At this moment, a cold yet crisp female voice sounded.

    "Chen Wan... Senior Sister?" Yuan Ming hesitated and called out.

    "I¡¯ll give you a chance to exin. What exactly happened?" Chen Wan asked.

    She remembered talking and eating roasted meat with Kun Tu and others in the temple. She remembered feeling tired and falling asleep.

    In her drowsiness, she seemed to have a dream of fighting a fierce beast.

    When she woke up, she found herself lying in the arms of this beast ve, sleeping in this dark and deep cave.

    Yuan Ming blinked hard, but his vision remained blurry and his mind was foggy."They conspired against you, drugged the meat they gave you, and tried to take advantage of you while you were asleep. I saved you," Yuan Ming organized his words and said.

    "We have no rtion, why would you save me?" Chen Wan clearly didn¡¯t believe it and extended the coldness in her hand forward.

    "They wanted to kill me to silence me. I had no choice," Yuan Ming said.

    Upon hearing this, Chen Wan frowned slightly.

    She had always known that Kun Tu coveted her, and she was already reluctant to be in the same team as him this time. But she never thought that he would use such despicable means against her.

    "You¡¯re lying. If Kun Tu wanted to silence you, could he also silence Ba Da and Yang Chan?" Chen Wan¡¯s face remained cold, but her tone softened slightly.

    "Even an outsider like me can see that Yang Chan is jealous of you, and Ba Da desires you. They conspired together to deal with you. Otherwise, where do you think the drug that made you unconscious came from?" Yuan Ming sneered and said.

    Upon hearing this, Chen Wan¡¯s heart sank.

    "And the fire python that chased us in the caveter, do you think it came to save you? It came to silence us," Yuan Ming added.

    Upon hearing this, Chen Wan quickly touched her sleeve and realized that she was indeed missing a red fire thunder. She suddenly realized that it wasn¡¯t a dream, but a real experience.

    She still had some doubts about what Yuan Ming said, but she still retracted the dagger held against Yuan Ming¡¯s neck.

    Rubbing her slightly sore forehead, Chen Wan waved her hand, and a ball of fire appeared in front of her.

    The condensed fireball floated in mid-air, illuminating the darkness around them. Yuan Ming finally saw clearly that they were currently in a huge underground cave.

    The surroundings were cold and damp, with stctites hanging upside down from the ceiling, dripping water "tick-tock."

    In front of him, Chen Wan, dressed in a red dress, had messy hair and dirt on her face. Her clothes were also disheveled, making her look somewhat disheveled and pitiful, evoking a sense of pity.

    He only nced at her and quickly averted his gaze.

    Chen Wan instinctively tightened her clothes, but the torn outer garment that Kun Tu had damaged couldn¡¯t be restored no matter what.

    Her gaze fell on Yuan Ming, who was opposite her. Her eyebrows slightly furrowed.

    She saw that his body was covered in scratches and bruises, although they had stopped bleeding and scabbed over, they still looked quite shocking.

    "You¡¯re injured," Chen Wan said.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming looked at himself and saw that his sleeves and pants were torn, and then turned his head to look at his shoulders.

    As soon as he moved, the intense pain made him grimace.

    A burning pain came from his back, seemingly more severe than the other injuries on his body.

    "Turn around, let me see," Chen Wan said when she saw the situation.

    Yuan Ming hesitated for a moment but still turned around, enduring the pain.

    At the sight of Yuan Ming¡¯s back, Chen Wan¡¯s eyes widened instantly, and she couldn¡¯t help but cover her mouth.

    His back waspletely charred, almost the entire skin on his back was burnt ck, and his shoulder des were exposed, indicating that the injury was severe.

    "How could he endure such a serious injury?" Chen Wan couldn¡¯t help but wonder.

    When she looked at herself, besides the slightly messy clothes and insignificant scratches on her hands and feet, she had no other wounds. She couldn¡¯t help but think, "Did he get injured so severely to protect me?"

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t know what she was thinking, and asked with doubt in his heart, "Is it alright?"

    "Your back is severely burned, it will take some time for it to heal with your own blood. Don¡¯t move, let me... let me apply some medicine for you..." Chen Wan suddenly came to her senses, paused slightly, and said.

    "No need, I..." Yuan Ming instinctively wanted to refuse.

    He just wanted to turn around, but the person behind him sternly said, "Don¡¯t move."

    Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but pause and stopped moving.

    Then, he heard the sound of a bottle being opened behind him, followed by a burning pain on his back, causing him to let out a low growl.

    "Uh..."

    Yuan Ming forcibly suppressed the low growl, and the burning pain on his backsted for only three or four breaths before quickly turning into a cool and peculiar sensation, followed by a slight itchiness.

    He could feel that the woman behind him was being very careful, applying medicine powder to every wound on his back.

    At this moment, the fireball floating in mid-air suddenly extinguished, and Chen Wan¡¯s movements also stopped.

    "The medicine effect of the Jade Screen Powder is quick. In half a day, your wounds will scab overpletely, but it will take three days to fully recover." Chen Wan¡¯s voice came from the darkness.

    "Thank you," Yuan Ming thanked her.

    He moved his body slightly and found that the pain on his back had eased a lot. He immediately pulled up the white ape beast skin tied around his waist and draped it over himself.

    In the darkness, the two of them didn¡¯t speak anymore and fell into silence.

    After a while, Yuan Ming broke the silence and said, "We can¡¯t stay here for long. We need to find a way out."

    As soon as he finished speaking, a fireball lit up again, flew up into the air with a "whoosh," and crashed into the dome of the underground cave, sshing sparks.

    "Before you woke up, I checked. We fell from the vertical hole above, but the bend in the vertical hole has copsed. It¡¯s impossible to return the same way," Chen Wan said.

    Yuan Ming looked up and struggled to stand up, staggering for a moment, and said, "Then let¡¯s find another way."

    Saying that, he looked around left and right.

    "This is a cavern eroded by an underground river. It should bepletely submerged during the flood season. I¡¯ve checked, and there are no exits on either side," Chen Wan sighed and said.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming walked a dozen steps forward and indeed saw an underground river stretching ahead. The water flow was gentle, and he couldn¡¯t tell how deep it was.

    He reached out and touched it, feeling the bone-chilling coldness.

    At this moment, Chen Wan also walked over, but after just one nce, she suddenly frowned and said, "The water level has risen. When I checked earlier, the waterline hadn¡¯t reached this side. How did it rise so much in such a short time?"

    "Although it¡¯s not the flood season now, it rained heavily yesterday, so it¡¯s not surprising that the water level of the underground river rose. I just don¡¯t know how much it will rise," Yuan Ming pondered.

    As he spoke, he walked back to the other side of the rock wall and looked up and down. His brows furrowed.

    "What¡¯s wrong?" Chen Wan noticed something and asked.

    "Look, there¡¯s an obvious waterline mark on the rock wall. It¡¯s slightly dry and covered in moss above, but it¡¯s more damp and smooth below. It seems that this ce has been frequently flooded recently," Yuan Ming said.

    Chen Wan looked at the waterline that was more than a zhang high and her face couldn¡¯t help but change slightly.

    "If the water continues to rise, it will eventually flood this ce. We can¡¯t just sit and wait for death. We need to find a way to escape," Yuan Ming continued.

    "How do we escape? There¡¯s no way out here," Chen Wan said.

    "There¡¯s no way out onnd, but we can go underwater. There must be an exit in the underground river," Yuan Ming looked at Chen Wan and said.

    Chen Wan looked hesitant and said, "I... I can¡¯t swim."

    "Then... I¡¯ll go underwater first to explore the way. You wait here for a moment," Yuan Ming hesitated for a moment after hearing her words and said.

    After saying that, he took off the bronze longsword hanging from his waist, took off the white ape beast skin on his body, and took out a ck-skinned beast skin from his tattered clothes. He draped it over himself.

    He walked to the riverbank, activated his mana, and used the Beast Skin Transformation technique.

    Immediately, the ck beast skin wrapped around his body like a living creature, quickly covering every part of his body,pleting the transformation.

    His whole body was covered in ck beast skin, with ck bumps growing all over his back, looking very sturdy. Membranes grew between his fingers and toes, and his eyes bulged out a lot.

    In that appearance, he looked like a humanoid toad.

    Chen Wan was startled by his sudden transformation and couldn¡¯t help but take a step back, creating some distance between them.

    Yuan Ming moved his body, opened his mouth, and suddenly sucked in. He felt a faint airflow surging in his chest, and his abdominal cavity seemed to have be muchrger. He kicked the ground with his legs, leaped up, and plunged into the water in a frog-like swimming posture, swimming along the direction of the river, shuttling through it.

    A bone-chilling coldness came as soon as he entered the water, making Yuan Ming shiver uncontrobly. He kicked his legs, and with a frog-like swimming motion, he dived into the water, disappearing from sight.

    Chen Wan stood on the bank, waiting silently.

    However, a long time passed, and there was still no movement underwater. Yuan Ming had not returned.

    Just then, the cave suddenly resounded with muffled thunder-like sounds, "boom, boom," causing Chen Wan¡¯s heart to race.

    After the Fireball spell was extinguished, she immediately cast it again to illuminate the surroundings.

    At this moment, she suddenly felt a chill at her feet. She looked down and found that the water level of the underground river had risen again, and it seemed to be rising faster than before.

    Chen Wan quickly retreated, feeling anxious and worried.

    But the more anxious she became, the more urgent the rumbling sound in the cave became, and the underground river became turbulent.

    Looking at the surging waves and the visibly faster flow of the underground river, Chen Wan realized that something was wrong. She knew that this was a sign of a sh flood, and the entire cave would soon be submerged.

    But Yuan Ming was still nowhere to be seen.

 Chapter 48: Tyrant Salamander

    Chapter 48: Tyrant Smander

    After about the time it takes to brew a pot of tea, Chen Wan was forced to continuously retreat as the water level rose rapidly. She held Yuan Ming¡¯s white ape beast skin and bronze longsword in her arms, her whole body pressed against the stone wall.

    At this moment, the river water had already filled the entire cave, and the water level had reached Chen Wan¡¯s waist.

    Her anxiety had turned into despair, and an inevitable thought emerged: "Why am I so foolish? He won¡¯te back..."

    After all, that guy was just a beast ve. Even if he didn¡¯t have any idents and really found a way out, he wouldn¡¯t risking back to save her. After all, they were strangers who had met by chance.

    But it was ridiculous that when she saw him leave, leaving behind the beast skin and longsword, she felt an indescribable sense of relief.

    Just as Chen Wan was ming herself, the water surface in front of her suddenly churned, and a dark figure emerged, gasping for breath.

    She almost couldn¡¯t help but cast a fireball spell at the person.

    When she saw that it was an extremely ugly humanoid toad, she suddenly became excited, her eyes bing moist.

    Yuan Ming, who had rushed back, also felt surprised by the changes here, and said in a deep voice, "It seems that there was a sh flood. I almost couldn¡¯t find your location.""How is it? Did you find the exit?" Chen Wan hurriedly asked.

    "The underground river is much longer than I thought. I swam for a long time but couldn¡¯t reach the exit." Yuan Ming shook his head and gasped for breath.

    Chen Wan¡¯s face immediately stiffened, her heart turning to ashes.

    "But I found a cavity ahead, which is muchrger than here. It won¡¯t be submerged for the time being. We can rest there for a while, catch our breath, and then continue to search for a way out downstream." Yuan Ming took a deep breath and changed the subject.

    "We can only give it a try." Chen Wan was speechless about Yuan Ming¡¯s heavy breathing while speaking.

    Seeing the water level gradually rising to chest level, she didn¡¯t want to stay any longer.

    "How long can you hold your breath?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "I haven¡¯t practiced water techniques, so I can only hold my breath for about half an hour." Chen Wan thought for a moment and said.

    At this moment, she deeply regretted discriminating against water techniques just because she was a disciple of the Fire Refining Hall. Fortunately, disciples of the Fire Refining Hall had requirements for their breath because they had to forge embryos for a long time, so her breath was not weak.

    "Half an hour should be enough. Later, lie on my back, and I¡¯ll take you underwater." After a brief thought, Yuan Ming said.

    Chen Wan hesitated as she looked at Yuan Ming¡¯s back covered in ck bumps.

    "With your speed, without me, you definitely won¡¯t be able to swim that far in half an hour." Yuan Ming nced at her and said indifferently.

    Chen Wan took a deep breath and nodded.

    With one hand holding Yuan Ming¡¯s white ape beast skin and bronze longsword, and the other enduring difort, she ced it on Yuan Ming¡¯s shoulder.

    "Take a deep breath." Yuan Ming reminded her.

    Chen Wan immediately followed his instructions.

    In the next instant, Yuan Ming¡¯s body suddenly sank, taking Chen Wan¡¯s body with him into the water.

    Yuan Ming kicked his legs outward, then forcefully closed them, and his body shot out in the direction of the water flow, swimming a distance of seven or eight zhang in an instant.

    Arriving at the edge of the cave, the river water converged and flowed into a tunnel.

    Without any hesitation, Yuan Ming took Chen Wan into it and swam downstream with all his strength.

    Inside the cave, it was pitch ck.

    Chen Wan closed her eyes tightly, with only the muffled sound of water flowing in her ears. Her heart couldn¡¯t help but speed up, and the hand grabbing onto Yuan Ming¡¯s shoulder involuntarily tightened, her body instinctively pressing against Yuan Ming¡¯s back.

    Yuan Ming felt Chen Wan¡¯s tension behind him and could only use both his hands and feet to swim downstream quickly.

    After about the time it takes to brew a pot of tea, Chen Wan gradually adapted to the cold feeling underwater and couldn¡¯t help but open her eyes.

    However, she couldn¡¯t see anything in the pitch-ck water, only vaguely feeling the surrounding stone walls, which gave her a sense of ustrophobic fear.

    After looking for a while, she closed her eyes again, feeling slightly better this way.

    But at this moment, she suddenly felt something touch the back of her heel.

    However, she didn¡¯t move at all, nor did she make any kicking movements. It was impossible for her to touch anything other than water.

    In that case, there must be something chasing and touching her.

    "Are there fish in this underground river?" Chen Wan wondered.

    Before she could figure it out, that touch came again, and it was much stronger than before.

    Realizing that something was wrong, Chen Wan immediately opened her eyes and turned her head to look behind her.

    With just one look, she was startled, almost unable to hold back her scream, and she grabbed Yuan Ming¡¯s hand tightly.

    In the dark river water behind her, a huge ck shadow appeared, definitely not a fish.

    Suppressing her fear, Chen Wan tightly held the beast skin and bronze longsword, and vigorously patted Yuan Ming¡¯s back.

    Yuan Ming immediately realized that something was wrong and turned his head to see what the problem was. As a result, he heard a crying sounding from behind.

    The sound was somewhat childish, but it was clear and distinct in the flowing water, entering his ears.Had it not been for the toad beast skin he was wearing, Yuan Ming would have been covered in goosebumps at this moment.

    Just then, Chen Wan pressed the white ape beast skin and the bronze longsword under her body, and her internal mana began to circte. She raised her palm and waved it behind her.

    A hazy red light immediately lit up in her palm, illuminating the water behind her.

    In the dim light, she saw a huge but ttened white face, with a wide-open mouth upying a third of the face. The two bean-sized ck eyeballs, on the other hand, were very small and located on the sides of the cheeks.

    She was so frightened that she let out a cry, choking on water, and her breath was instantly disrupted.

    The pale white face seemed to be frightened as well, and its crying became more urgent. Red and ck patterns suddenly appeared on its white cheeks, and it opened its bloody mouth, biting towards Yuan Ming and Chen Wan.

    Yuan Ming also saw the appearance of the creature in the moment he turned his head and thought to himself, "Is that a Tyrant Smander?"

    He immediately kicked his legs and swam forward with great force, increasing his speed and distancing himself from the ghostly creature.

    However, the sound of "woo woo" behind them grew louder, and the ferocious beast resembling a Tyrant Smander didn¡¯t seem to want to let them go, chasing after them fiercely.

    Chen Wan was so frightened that she lost herposure, her fingers tightly gripping Yuan Ming¡¯s back, her nails digging deep into his skin. She had already choked on several mouthfuls of icy river water.

    At this moment, she suddenly felt a burning pain in her ankle. When she looked back, she found that the humanoid monster¡¯s mouth could actually spray a red,va-like sticky liquid.

    The sticky liquid stuck to her ankle, corroding arge hole in her clothes and even scalding her skin.

    However, it was this intense pain that ignited Chen Wan¡¯s fighting spirit, waking her from her panic. She reached into her sleeve and pulled out another Fire Thunder talisman.

    But just as she was about to throw it, she remembered the scene when they were chased by the fire python in the cave earlier. If she threw the Fire Thunder here, whether it could kill the ferocious beast or not, the impact of the water waves alone might stun both of them.

    If the cave copsed again, they wouldn¡¯t even need to leave their bodies behind, as they would be buried here together.

    Chen Wan was extremely frustrated. It was precisely because they were in the water that her fire techniques were greatly restricted, and she couldn¡¯t even cast a fireball.

    As she hesitated, she suddenly saw Yuan Ming slow down below her, cing a hand on the stone wall.

    "What is he trying to do?"

    In the next instant, two green halos lit up on both sides of the stone wall behind them, and two sharp wooden spikes, each about two feet long, suddenly shot out.

    "Wood Spike Technique." Chen Wan was surprised, not expecting this beast ve to know such a technique.

    The pursuing Tyrant Smander was pierced by the wooden spikes, cutting a long gash in its body, and red blood flowed out.

    In pain, the creature became even more ferocious, opening its mouth and spraying out arge mass of red sticky liquid, covering Chen Wan¡¯s body.

    If she were hit, half of her back would probably be corroded.

    At the critical moment, the hand Chen Wan had on Yuan Ming¡¯s shoulder was suddenly grabbed and pulled forward, flinging her off his shoulder.

    The red sticky liquid immediately fell on Yuan Ming¡¯s back, making a "hissing" sound.

    Yuan Ming endured the severe pain, swam to Chen Wan¡¯s side, took the bronze longsword from her hand, and pushed her round and curved buttocks, sending her away.

    Immediately after, Yuan Ming turned around and poured his mana into the bronze sword, shing at the approaching Tyrant Smander.

    "Swish"

    The sword¡¯s light shone brightly, and its powerful force split the water flow, striking the Tyrant Smander¡¯s face directly.

    The creature let out a miserable howl, and as a bloody gash opened on its face, it sprayed out anotherrge amount of poisonous liquid, shooting towards Yuan Ming.

    As Yuan Ming turned to escape, the ck bumps on his back suddenly sprayed out a stream of ck poisonous liquid. After dispersing into the water, it formed a connected area, surging towards the Tyrant Smander.

    The two types of poisonous liquids mixed together, slightly offsetting the corrosive poison of the smander.

    Yuan Ming took the opportunity to swim forward with all his strength, catching up with Chen Wan. He embraced her in his arms, kicked his legs vigorously, and swam forward like mad.

    Behind them, the Tyrant Smander rushed into the area where the two poisonous liquids mixed, and the water there suddenly began to boil.

    The poison formed by the mixture of the two liquids was something even it couldn¡¯t resist.

    The Tyrant Smander immediately let out continuous miserable howls, no longer having the strength to chase the two.

    After this ordeal, Yuan Ming and Chen Wan¡¯s physical strength was greatly depleted, and their breath was disrupted. Whether they could make it to the cave became uncertain.

 Chapter 49: King

    Chapter 49: King

    Yuan Ming had no time to think, he could only swim with all his strength, trying to reach the next ce where he could breathe before Chen Wan¡¯s breath ran out.

    Chen Wan also waved her arms to help them move forward quickly.

    She joined this trial adventure in order to be an inner disciple and didn¡¯t want to die here.

    Time passed bit by bit, and the breath she had left in her chest and lungs was almost depleted. The suffocating feeling in her chest had turned into a painful sensation as if it was about to burst.

    She was reaching her limit and couldn¡¯t hold on any longer.

    Just as Chen Wan¡¯s body was about to convulse uncontrobly, she suddenly found Yuan Ming quickly swimming upwards with her and they burst out of the water.

    "Phew..."

    In the instant Chen Wan resurfaced, she exhaled the stale air in her chest and immediately felt a needle-like pain in her lungs, causing her to let out a soft exhale.

    But then, she greedily took in deep breaths of fresh air.After finally recovering a bit, she looked around and saw that they were still inside the cave. Not far above their heads was a pitch-ck dome.

    "How much further is the cavity you mentioned?" Chen Wan took a deep breath and asked.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze became serious as he answered, "We¡¯re already there."

    "We¡¯re already there?" Chen Wan was thunderstruck upon hearing this.

    <em>"The underground river is rising too fast, and this ce is about to bepletely submerged."</em> Yuan Ming sighed and said.

    In the darkness, his gaze fell on Chen Wan. Her clothes clung tightly to her slender body, and her wet hair stuck to her snow-white cheeks. She looked a bit disheveled but still beautiful, which evoked a sense of pity.

    But at this moment, Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t afford to feel pity. He was only thinking about his own life and whether he should abandon her.

    After all, if it was just him, he would definitely be able to swim faster and hold his breath longer, perhaps evensting until they found the exit of the underground river.

    Just as Yuan Ming was considering this, Chen Wan suddenly raised her hand high, and a ball of fire suddenly lit up in her palm and shot towards the dome of the cave.

    Yuan Ming was about to question her when he saw the fireball rise higher and higher, eventually disappearing into the dome.

    In the next moment, his eyes shed with excitement.

    "There¡¯s a vertical hole in the dome." Chen Wan eximed with joy.

    By now, the fireball had flown up to a height of seven or eight zhang before violently burning for a while and then extinguishing.

    <em>"Could it be a dead end?"</em> Yuan Ming and Chen Wan¡¯s hearts sank when they saw this.

    "I¡¯ll go up and take a look." Yuan Ming said.

    After speaking, he used his frog legs to forcefully push out a stream of water from between his legs, and the upward force lifted his body, propelling him out of the water and crashing into the dome above.

    As he entered the vertical hole, Yuan Ming used his hands to support himself on the walls. Then, using both his hands and feet, he quickly climbed to the end of the hole, where the residual heat of the fireball technique still lingered.

    "How is it?" Chen Wan anxiously asked from below.

    After a long silence in the darkness, Yuan Ming¡¯s voice sounded somewhat muffled, "There¡¯s a nted hole connecting somewhere, but I don¡¯t know where it leads."

    "Pull me up first. The water level is rising too fast, and the current is getting stronger." Chen Wan urgently said.

    The water level had already risen too much, and she was only three feet away from the dome.

    After waiting for a moment, a hand reached out from the vertical hole above and pulled her into the hole.

    Yuan Ming crawled cautiously in front, and when he reached the end, he turned into the nted hole. Chen Wan silently followed behind him, feeling a thousand emotions in her heart.

    She never expected to experience such an ordeal with a beast ve she had just met not long ago.

    They crawled on all fours in the dark and cramped cave for who knows how long until Yuan Ming suddenly stopped.

    <em>"What¡¯s wrong?"</em> Chen Wan¡¯s heart tightened, and she quickly asked.

    She was afraid of receiving an answer that it was a dead end.

    "It seems like there¡¯s a sound up ahead." Yuan Ming lowered his voice and said.

    "A sound... does that mean we¡¯re almost out?" Chen Wan¡¯s heart immediately filled with joy, but she quickly noticed that Yuan Ming¡¯s body was tense, and she immediately realized that something was wrong.

    Could it be that they encountered another danger?

    <em>"What... what¡¯s wrong?"</em> Chen Wan couldn¡¯t help but lower her voice.

    "That sound doesn¡¯t seem to be made by humans. Something feels off. I¡¯ll go ahead and take a look. Don¡¯t follow me in a hurry." Yuan Ming said, retracting the frog beast skin and putting on the white ape beast skin again.

    He didn¡¯t use the beast skin transformation technique, but instead crouched down and crawled forward.

    After a while, a faint light finally appeared in the darkness ahead, and they reached the entrance of the cave.

    Yuan Ming reached the entrance but didn¡¯t rush out.

    After carefully observing for a while, he found that this exit was actually on the wall of another underground cave, and there happened to be a hanging stctite that covered the entrance, making their position very concealed.

    Yuan Ming quietly stuck his head out, bypassed the hanging stctite, and looked into the distance.

    When he saw what was inside the cave, his eyes widened in an instant.

    In a corner of the cave, a beam of light shone down from a hole above, illuminating a rtively bright area.

    In that area, there were arge group of creatures covered in white fur, with thin arms, ck ws, and a strange appearance.

    <em>"Humanoid demons!"</em> Yuan Ming almost instantly thought of these two words.

    He silently counted and found that there were as many as seventeen of these humanoid demons.

    However, what puzzled him was that all these humanoid demons were gathered together, standing with their hands hanging down, their bodies swaying slightly, like a group of drunken men, looking very strange.

    He knew very little about these creatures, so he didn¡¯t dare to act rashly and could only retreat and call Chen Wan over.

    The two of them squeezed at the entrance of the cave and looked outside.Upon witnessing this scene, a look of shock shed across Chen Wan¡¯s face, followed by a profound sense of bewilderment.

    "This can¡¯t be, it¡¯s impossible..." she murmured softly.

    <em>"What¡¯s impossible?"</em> Yuan Ming immediately asked.

    "Judging from their appearance, these creatures are definitely human ghouls, but... but human ghouls are mindless, painless creatures that only know how to fight and devour. They even treat their own kind the same way. It¡¯s impossible for them to gather together peacefully like this." Chen Wan couldn¡¯t make sense of it.

    <em>"They¡¯re all gathered here, how are we supposed to get out?"</em> Yuan Ming was more concerned about this.

    At this moment, Chen Wan¡¯s expression changed again, as if she had thought of something terrifying, her mouth slightly agape.

    "What¡¯s wrong?" Yuan Ming frowned.

    "There¡¯s only one reason that could make the human ghouls gather without fighting..." Chen Wan said with a trembling voice.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes narrowed, guessing an answer, <em>"They¡¯re being controlled by something?"</em>

    "It¡¯s a king. A king has been born among the gathered human ghouls. Only a ghoul king can control these creatures." Chen Wan exined.

    "A ghoul king..." Yuan Ming mused.

    "This is bad, I need to report back to the sect immediately." Chen Wan said, her face filled with urgency.

    As she spoke, she was about to rush out of the cave.

    Yuan Ming quickly stopped her, scolding in a low voice, <em>"If you want to die, I won¡¯t stop you, but don¡¯t drag me into it. Rushing out like this, do you want to feed those creatures?"</em>

    <em>"You don¡¯t understand, if a king has been born among the human ghouls, then this trial has gone wrong. Many people might die."</em> Chen Wan said, her face pale, struggling to speak.

    <em>"Exin clearly, what¡¯s going on?"</em> Yuan Ming grabbed her shoulder, demanding.

    The novice disciple of the Bi Luo Cave in front of him was obviously inexperienced in facing danger. Her panicked behavior clearly showed herck of experience, which made Yuan Ming look down on her.

    "This trial is an entrance examination for us novice disciples. The task is to investigate and kill human ghouls. The disciples who perform well might be chosen by the elders of each hall to be inner disciples." Chen Wan exined, finally calming down after Yuan Ming¡¯s grip.

    <em>"What do you mean by ¡¯if there¡¯s a ghoul king, there will be problems¡¯?"</em> Yuan Ming pressed.

    "A ghoul king has a soul bead in its body, so it can control the human ghouls to act together. Its strength is far beyond that of ordinary human ghouls. All the novice disciples participating in the trial, at most, are only at the sixth or seventh level of Qi refining, and most of them act separately. If they encounter a ghoul king leading arge group of human ghouls, they¡¯re doomed." Chen Wan spoke hurriedly, with an uncontroble tremble in her voice.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming also frowned.

    No wonder Chen Wan was so panicked. Their novice disciples¡¯ trial might result in massive casualties due to the appearance of the ghoul king.

    "If only a few individual human ghouls appear, the sect won¡¯t care as long as they don¡¯t exceed their activity range. If multiple human ghouls exceed their activity range, the sect will intervene and organize trials like this. But if a ghoul king appears, the level of danger increases exponentially, which is beyond the risk of a normal trial. If we don¡¯t let everyone know in time, the consequences are unimaginable. The best way to handle this is to let the sect send an elder to deal with it." Chen Wan continued to speak quickly.

    Just as Yuan Ming was about to speak, he suddenly heard a <em>"whoosh"</em> sound.

    He quickly gestured for Chen Wan to be quiet, then quietly looked towards the human ghouls. He saw a tall, white-haired human ghoul jumping down from the ce where the daylight was leaking from the top of the cave.

    Its appearance was not much different from the other human ghouls, but the hair on its face was sparser and shorter, and the contours of its facial features could be vaguely seen, which were surprisingly simr to ordinary humans.

    The difference was that there was a white bony protrusion on each side of its forehead, less than half an inch long, looking like two protruding horns.

    Although its appearance was ugly, its body was upright, exuding an inexplicable aura of a heroic overlord.

    In its hand, it was holding a young man in a red short robe.

    The man¡¯s robe was embroidered with a me pattern on the chest, which seemed to indicate that he, like Chen Wan, was from the Fire Refining Hall.

 Chapter 50: Donâ€™t

    Chapter 50: Don¡¯t

    "Yu Shi..." Chen Wan looked at the young man being held by the Xiao King, her beautiful eyes widened. Before she could even call out, Yuan Ming covered her mouth.

    Her voice abruptly stopped, fortunately the Xiao King didn¡¯t notice.

    After hended steadily, the other Xiao creatures all lowered their heads stiffly, showing a submissive posture.

    As for the senior brother from the Fire Refining Hall, he was being held by the Xiao King with one arm, raised in front of him.

    The senior brother¡¯s cheek twitched, his expression filled with pain. His eyes were tightly shut, clearly not unconscious, but he didn¡¯t even have the courage to open them. His muscles were tense, his body trembling uncontrobly, obviously terrified to the extreme.

    Chen Wan stared fixedly at the fellow disciple, her mind in chaos, but ultimately she didn¡¯t have the courage to risk saving him.

    At this moment, she suddenly saw the Xiao King pointing a finger at the unfortunate senior brother¡¯s forehead.

    "Pu!" His skull was pierced as easily as tofu, leaving a bloody hole.

    A scream of agony rang out, echoing in the cave.The Xiao King¡¯s gaze was cold as he held the struggling senior brother in pain, bringing him to his mouth.

    His mouth opened, revealing a mouthful of sharp fangs. As he bit down on the senior brother¡¯s forehead, he also sucked at the bloody hole.

    In the next instant, a blood-red glow surged out from the hole in his forehead,pletely drained by the Xiao King.

    The senior brother¡¯s screams abruptly stopped, his body withered, slowly slipping from the Xiao King¡¯s hand and falling to the ground.

    At the same time, the Xiao King opened his hands, tilted his head slightly back, as if he was enjoying a sumptuous feast, immersed in a wonderful feeling.

    At the same time, a green light radiated from his body, with specks of light dust flying within.

    The other Xiao creatures bathed in this green light, all raising their heads as if they had obtained some kind of sublimation.

    Yuan Ming was shocked by the scene before him, stunned for a while. Chen Wan beside him also became unusually silent, her pretty face pale.

    Not to mention the other Xiao creatures, if they fell into the hands of this Xiao King, they would definitely have no chance of survival. They would only be the other party¡¯s food, with a fate worse than that of the senior brother.

    "Boom!"

    Just then, a wave of energy suddenly rushed down from the opening above the cave, carrying a scorching aura along with arge amount of sand and leaves.

    The entire underground cave also shook violently, as if someone was attacking.

    The Xiao King looked up at the sky, suddenly let out a roar of anger, and leaped towards the exit above.

    The other Xiao creatures immediately moved, like a swarm of bees following their queen. One by one, they climbed along the steep cave walls and rushed out.

    "We can leave now..." Yuan Ming saw this scene and was instantly delighted.

    He turned his head and nced at Chen Wan, telling her to be prepared. When all the Xiao creatures had left, he would take her and escape from here.

    However, after waiting for a while, one Xiao creature after another crawled out of the underground cave, but there was one in the corner that remained motionless, not following the others.

    "What¡¯s wrong with this guy? Why isn¡¯t he moving?" Yuan Ming felt anxious.

    Chen Wan also looked nervous. If the other Xiao creatures returned to the cave, they would have no chance to escape.

    She patted Yuan Ming¡¯s shoulder and when he turned to look, she made a motion of slitting her throat. Only by killing this Xiao creature as soon as possible could they escape safely.

    Yuan Ming hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

    He turned his head, intending to go down from this side of the cave entrance, but suddenly saw the Xiao creature move.

    He saw it shake its head left and right, as if observing the surroundings. After seeing that there was no one around, its body suddenly turned and went to the left, disappearing from Yuan Ming and Chen Wan¡¯s sight.

    Yuan Ming was stunned when he saw this scene.

    "That Xiao creature seems a bit unusual. It seems to have some intelligence," he whispered to Chen Wan.

    Chen Wan heard his words and peeked out again, only to find that the Xiao creature had indeed disappeared.

    "This...this can¡¯t be possible. Even if a king is born among the Xiao creatures, there can only be one. It¡¯s absolutely impossible for two kings to appear at the same time. Otherwise, they would definitely erupt in a life-and-death battle, and there¡¯s no way they could coexist peacefully," Chen Wan was also a little confused for a while.

    "Never mind, let¡¯s escape first and then figure it out," Yuan Ming said.

    After speaking, he immediately leaned out, his hands gripping the cave wall, and quickly climbed up towards the cave entrance.

    But just as he had climbed halfway up, there suddenly came a roar from outside the cave.

    Immediately after, a figure fell from the cave entrance, narrowly missing Yuan Ming and falling to the ground.Yuan Ming quickly dodged, pressing his body against the wall. Looking down, he noticed an additional half-body corpse at Chen Wan¡¯s feet.

    The corpse was soaked in blood, its face obscured by coagted blood. From the clothing, it seemed to be a disciple of the Beast Taming Hall.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s heart tightened as the sounds of battle from above grew closer, causing his face to change.

    He quickly rolled down and said to Chen Wan, "There¡¯s a fight going on above, the situation is unclear."

    Before he could finish speaking, the light from the hole above was suddenly blocked by a shadow.

    Yuan Ming and Chen Wan simultaneously looked up, only to see the back of the Human Ghost King.

    Instinctively, they dodged to the side. Seeing the Human Ghost about to return, it was toote to climb back to the original hole.

    "Go this way."

    Chen Wan called out and ran into a hidden hole on the left.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming had no choice but to follow.

    They ran for a while, the cave tunnel winding and bing narrower.

    Before long, they reached a dead end.

    "How can there be no way out?" Chen Wan asked in confusion.

    They had not found any forks in the road, nor had they seen the Human Ghost return. They had walked to the end of the dead end without seeing the strange Human Ghost.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming stepped forward to investigate and found a crevice near the ground, just wide enough for a person to pass through.

    "Maybe it went through here," Yuan Ming said.

    "That Human Ghost knows how to bend down and crawl through holes. It¡¯s not as simple as it seems. How did it manage to coexist peacefully with the Human Ghost King?" Chen Wan bent down to take a look, her confusion deepening.

    "Let¡¯s not worry about that for now. We need to get out of here quickly. Those Human Ghosts might be here soon," Yuan Ming urged.

    Hearing this, Chen Wan didn¡¯t hesitate and crawled through the crevice first.

    Yuan Ming followed closely behind.

    Behind the crevice was another narrow winding tunnel. Yuan Ming and Chen Wan carefully walked through it for about a quarter of an hour before finally exiting the narrow tunnel.

    The exit of the tunnel was also a narrow crevice, leading to a cave the size of two rooms.

    The light in the cave was dim, but not pitch ck. The stone walls were covered with a faintly glowing powder, providing a weak light.

    As Yuan Ming and Chen Wan entered the cave, they saw a six-foot-tall ancient stone tablet.

    Below the rectangr tablet was a stone base shaped like a fierce tiger. The carving was not particrly exquisite, but it had an indescribable spirit, giving a sense of oppression.

    Yuan Ming took a closer look and found that one side of the tablet was carved withplex runes, while the other side was engraved with the characters "Hu Ao" in Southern Border script.

    "What is this?" Yuan Ming asked.

    Chen Wan was also observing closely. After a moment of thought, she shook her head and said, "I¡¯m not sure. It looks like some kind of suppressive object or boundary marker."

    Hearing this, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t ask further and began to carefully inspect the rest of the cave.

    However, to his surprise, apart from the crevice they had entered through, there were no other exits.

    "We¡¯ve really reached the end this time. There are no other exits," Yuan Ming said with a frown.

    "That¡¯s strange. Not only did we not find an exit, but we also didn¡¯t see that Human Ghost," Chen Wan said, her face full of confusion.

    "Let¡¯s search carefully again. This doesn¡¯t make sense," Yuan Ming sighed.

    Hearing this, Chen Wan turned her wrist and released three fireball spells, illuminating the entire cave.

    With the help of the light, they searched the cave again, but still found nothing.

    "Could there have been a fork in the road that we didn¡¯t notice?" Chen Wan wondered.

    "Let¡¯s go back the way we came and look again. Even if we don¡¯t find a fork, maybe those Human Ghosts have left and we can get out," Yuan Ming suggested.

    "Alright."

    After discussing, they retraced their steps and hurried back through the narrow tunnel.

    By the time they finally returned to the cave, they heard voicesing from inside before they had a chance to leave.

    "Anyway, we need to see the body if he¡¯s dead," a man¡¯s voice came.

    "He must be dead. There¡¯s no way he could have survived in that situation..." a woman¡¯s voice sounded with certainty.

    ...

    The voices sounded familiar, and Yuan Ming was taken aback.

    "Could something have gone wrong?" At this moment, a somewhat timid voice sounded.

    Hearing this voice, Yuan Ming suddenly realized what was happening. Just as he was about to stop Chen Wan, she had already rushed out.

    "Are you fellow disciples from Bi Luo Cave?" Chen Wan called out anxiously.

    "Don¡¯t..."

    Before Yuan Ming could finish saying "don¡¯t", the three people on the other side of the cave had already run over upon hearing the sound.

    It was indeed Kun Tu, Yang Chan, and Ba Da.

 Chapter 51: A lie repeated a thousand times becomes the truth

    Chapter 51: A lie repeated a thousand times bes the truth

    As soon as they saw Chen Wan, Kun Tu and the other two froze in ce, their figures like sculptures.

    Chen Wan was also stunned, caught off guard.

    Seeing Chen Wan¡¯s reaction of surprise rather than anger, Kun Tu¡¯s expression changed and he pretended to be pleasantly surprised, calling out, "Junior Sister Chen Wan, we finally found you!"

    "You¡¯re looking for me?" Chen Wan took a step back instinctively as he approached, suspiciously asking.

    As soon as she spoke, Yuan Ming also rushed out and quickly said, "Be careful, don¡¯t get close."

    "You despicable beast ve, daring to secretly harm and plunder the disciples of my Bi Luo Cave, you are truly audacious. Do you know your crimes?" Kun Tu¡¯s eyes burst with killing intent as soon as he saw Yuan Ming, immediately rebuking.

    When he said these words, everyone, including Chen Wan, Yuan Ming, Ba Da, and Yang Chan, was stunned. It seemed that no one had expected Kun Tu to say such things.

    Yang Chan immediately reacted and said, "Junior Sister Chen Wan, are you okay? Did that despicable ve harm you?"

    Upon hearing this, Chen Wan frowned and a hint of doubt shed in her eyes."Don¡¯t believe their nonsense, don¡¯t forget how you were poisoned," Yuan Ming quickly reminded.

    "Junior Sister Chen Wan, this scoundrel and another beast ve conspired to extract poison from the fierce beasts to plot against us. Fortunately, Junior Brother Ba Da discovered it, so we didn¡¯t all get poisoned." Kun Tu immediately said.

    Yang Chan quickly added, "Yes, we killed the other beast ve, but this scoundrel took advantage of your unconsciousness and escaped. I sent the Fire Python to rescue you, but..."

    Before she could finish her sentence, she looked at Ba Da, indicating that he should say something too.

    "Junior Sister Chen Wan, after you were abducted, we never gave up and have been looking for you. Fortunately, you¡¯re safe." Ba Da reacted a bit slower but quickly nodded.

    After these three people finished speaking, Chen Wan also became somewhat dazed.

    When she woke up, she was already in the escape passage. Besides being pursued by the Fire Python, she didn¡¯t see anything else. Now hearing them say this, she suddenly didn¡¯t know who to believe.

    "Junior Sister Chen Wan, don¡¯t be fooled by this guy. How can a despicable beast ve like him speak the truth?" Kun Tu continued to persuade.

    "Sister,e with us quickly. There are many people from the Yan Xiu Sect this time, and there is even a king among them. If we split up again, it¡¯s inevitable that there will be heavy casualties. If it weren¡¯t for finding you, we would have already rushed back to meet the others." Ba Da quickly said.

    Although he reacted the slowest, he knew best how to deceive.

    His honest appearance and concerned expression once again deceived Chen Wan.

    "What they said, is it true?" Chen Wan turned around and looked at Yuan Ming, asking coldly, but there was still a hint of hesitation in her eyes.

    Yuan Ming sighed, knowing that the saying "a lie repeated a thousand times bes the truth" had already made Chen Wan suspicious, and now she wouldn¡¯t believe him anymore.

    "Why waste time talking to this scoundrel? Kill him." Kun Tu roared angrily.

    After speaking, his figure suddenly shed, taking a step towards Yuan Ming and raising his palm to strike at his head.

    His palm swelled like an inted balloon, covered in ayer of yellow light, resembling a rock. When it smashed down, it even carried a whistling sound.

    Obviously, he was using a lethal strike, one that he believed was foolproof.

    Yuan Ming had long been prepared for this and had already activated his Beast Transformation Technique, transforming into a white ape. He swung his fist and smashed it towards the yellow giant palm.

    The collision of fist and palm resounded loudly, and a powerful pressure forced its way over.

    Yuan Ming felt his arm tremble, and his joints made a cracking sound. His body involuntarily retreated several steps.

    "You despicable ve, you dare to take my Splitting Stone Palm head-on. No wonder you dared to make a move against Junior Sister Chen Wan." Kun Tu saw this and didn¡¯t forget to pour more dirty water on Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming stepped back several steps, stabilizing his body. The power on his arm gradually dissipated, but his knuckles felt a burst of pain, as if his bones had cracked.

    "Such formidable strength, this person¡¯s cultivation is probably not lower than the fifth level of Qi Refining!" Yuan Ming estimated in his heart.

    While he was on guard, a red light suddenly lit up behind him. With a sh of sharpness, it swept towards Yuan Ming.

    He dodged to the side just in time, only to find that Yang Chan¡¯s figure had suddenly approached, holding a blood-red dagger in her hand and sweeping it towards him.

    Seeing that the sweep missed, Yang Chan twisted her wrist and stabbed downward with the dagger, aiming for Yuan Ming¡¯s chest.

    Yuan Ming immediately crossed his hands to block, hisrge wrist propping up Yang Chan¡¯s arm. With a powerful force, he pushed her back.

    She stumbled backward, her chest trembling, but a smile appeared on her face.

    Yuan Ming immediately sensed something was wrong. He suddenly saw a yellow light halo under his feet, and three sharp stone spikes rose up and stabbed towards him.

    It was Ba Da who made a move not far away.

    Because he timed his attack perfectly, Yuan Ming had no time to defend himself. His left foot was pierced by the suddenly rising stone spike, and as blood sttered, he involuntarily fell backwards.

    How could Kun Tu let go of such a perfect opportunity? His eyes gleamed with excitement as he rushed forward,unching a surprise attack from behind Yuan Ming. In his hand, he held a blue spiral cone, stabbing towards Yuan Ming¡¯s back.

    "Be careful..." Chen Wan herself didn¡¯t realize it, but she suddenly spoke up to remind him.

    Yuan Ming watched as he was about to collide with the cone, at the moment of his demise, his shadow suddenly shifted to the side, as if trying to escape from his own body.

    Then, a surprising scene unfolded.

    As the shadow shifted to the side, Yuan Ming¡¯s body also mysteriously moved sideways, just avoiding the cone¡¯s attack. His arm brushed against the tip of the cone, causing a spray of blood.

    His sudden change in footwork surprised everyone present.

    "Shadowless Step?" Kun Tu eximed in surprise.

    "How is this possible? A beast ve actually learned the Shadowless Step?" Yang Chan was also extremely surprised.

    Ignoring them, Yuan Ming avoided their attacks and distanced himself from the three of them.

    "Don¡¯t you understand until now? They want to kill us to keep us quiet." Yuan Ming looked at Chen Wan and shouted, feeling sorry for her and angry at the same time.Chen Wan looked hesitant, recalling how Yuan Ming had taken care of her along the way, she finally stood between the group.

    "Brother Kun Tu, I think there¡¯s something strange about this situation. Besides, it¡¯s not the time to deal with it now. We should go back and meet up with the other brothers as soon as possible to discuss how to deal with the Human Demon King," Chen Wan said quickly.

    Upon hearing this, Kun Tu¡¯s expression slightly changed. He looked at Yang Chan and Ba Da, and the three of them exchanged nces.

    Yuan Ming immediately sensed something was wrong, and Chen Wan also noticed the strange atmosphere and became alert.

    "Since Sister Chen Wan has said so, we won¡¯t insist. But this beast ve is indeed not simple, sister, you must not be careless and fall into his trap," Kun Tu put away his aggressive stance and reminded her.

    "Brother, don¡¯t worry, I have my own n," Chen Wan said, her expression slightly rxed, and she nodded.

    Just then, Yang Chan, who was standing by, suddenly moved.

    Yuan Ming was about to warn Chen Wan to be careful when amotion suddenly came from the entrance of the cave above. One after another, figures jumped down from above.

    He saw that the five people who had jumped down were all wearing the attire of Bi Luo Cave disciples, but they all looked wilted and exhausted.

    Seeing people falling down like dumplings, Kun Tu and the others were also stunned. At this time, Yang Chan had quietlye behind Chen Wan and had to hide the blood-red dagger behind her.

    "Get ready, they¡¯reing!" Before Kun Tu and the others could ask, someone suddenly shouted.

    As soon as the voice fell, one after another, twelve human demons fell from above like dumplings, two more than the Bi Luo Cave cultivators present.

    Suddenly, the already cramped cave became even more crowded.

    Without anyone shouting to start, the human demons and the disciples of Bi Luo Cave began to fight. Various spells flew around, light and shadow overflowed, and the sound of collisions echoed continuously, plunging the entire cave into chaos.

    Seeing that the Human Demon King did note back, Yuan Ming was overjoyed and quickly moved towards the cave entrance in the chaos.

    "What are you waiting for, why don¡¯t you leave quickly?" As he passed by Chen Wan, he couldn¡¯t help but remind her.

    However, after giving him aplex look, Chen Wan did not move, but instead ran towards the area where the Bi Luo Cave disciples were concentrated.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming was not disappointed, but he was a little lost.

    "Suit yourself."

    He muttered to himself, turned around and jumped onto the cave wall, using his hands and feet to climb up towards the cave exit.

    However, just as he was about to reach the entrance, his arm suddenly felt weak, as if it had lost all its strength. He failed to hook onto the protruding rock and fell down.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s body fell right onto a human demon.

    The creature was as hard as iron, making him feel as if he had hit an anvil, and he fell down.

    Seeing this, Kun Tu immediately rushed towards Yuan Ming. Even at this time, he did not forget his intention to kill Yuan Ming.

    However, before he could get close, he was blocked by a human demon.

    Yuan Ming quickly withdrew his fur technique and moved towards the corner while crouching low.

    At this moment, he saw Ba Da curled up into a ball, hiding in a corner, his small eyes scanning back and forth, both alert and timid, just like a mouse.

    Yuan Ming had just taken a few steps when the feeling of weakness and dizziness hit him again.

    He quickly turned his head to look at his shoulder, only to see that the ce where Kun Tu¡¯s spike had scratched him was ck and obviously poisoned.

    Cursing inwardly, Yuan Ming gritted his teeth and ran towards the other passage.

    As soon as he moved, a human demon knocked a Bi Luo Cave disciple to the ground and pounced at him.

    Yuan Ming ducked, then used the Shadowless Step again. His shadow twisted strangely, and his body tilted at an angle beyond normalprehension to dodge. He then slipped through the fighting pair.

    He had just left the battle zone when his vision suddenly darkened, and he was sweating profusely, finding it hard to hold on.

    "What a strong poison."

    Yuan Ming¡¯s vision was blurred, and everything became somewhat unreal.

    But at this moment, a slender and exquisite silver figure suddenly appeared in his ovepping vision. It was the silver cat that had appeared in front of him several times before.

 Chapter 52: Stupid guy

    Chapter 52: Stupid guy

    "Is it? How did it end up here?" Yuan Ming looked at the agile and delicate figure of the silver cat, his mind in a mess.

    In a daze, Yuan Ming saw the silver cat stop in front of him, turn around, and nce at him.

    In the midst of the hallucination, Yuan Ming clearly saw the silver cat¡¯s two different-colored pupils. His confused mind suddenly cleared up a bit.

    For some reason, he felt that the silver cat seemed to be waiting for him.

    Subconsciously, Yuan Ming took a step towards the direction where the silver cat was, but his steps were still unsteady.

    Just as he approached, the silver cat ran forward and disappeared after circling around a ck protruding stone.

    Yuan Ming stumbled and chased after it, running to the back of the ck stone. He only saw a pitch-ck hole the size of a water bucket on the wall, but he didn¡¯t find the figure of the silver cat.

    He looked around but couldn¡¯t find any trace left by the silver cat.

    At this moment, the sound of amotion came from behind him, as if someone was fighting and approaching.Yuan Ming¡¯s figure swayed, and he plunged into the ck hole, leaning down after his upper body entered, and fell down.

    After his figure fell into it, ayer of hazy yellow light suddenly appeared on the ck hole, covering it up.

    When the light dissipated, the hole also disappeared.

    ...

    After an unknown amount of time, Yuan Ming gradually woke up, but still felt dizzy and headache.

    The burning pain from his shoulder made him open his mouth and let out a few "hiss" sounds.

    Subconsciously, Yuan Ming reached out his hand and touched under him, feeling a sticky sensation in his palm.

    At the same time, a mixture of bloody and putrid smell rushed into his nostrils, making him unable to help but feel nauseous.

    He tried to open his eyes wide to see the surrounding environment, but the darkness around him was as thick as ink. No matter how hard he tried, he still couldn¡¯t see anything.

    As time passed, the dizziness in his head gradually subsided. He groped to try to stand up, but his palms and knees collided with the things around him, indicating that the surroundings were extremely uneven.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t move recklessly, but explored and felt around him. What he touched were all severed limbs and arms, unable to distinguish whether they belonged to humans or animals.

    Some of them had already decayed into bare bones, some had rotted into mud, and some seemed to have just died recently, with bloodstains still not dried up.

    Among the corpses, Yuan Ming touched the fur draped over the flesh and the clothes made of silk fabric. With a slight guess, he knew that these were the bodies of beast ve and Biluo Cave disciples.

    "It seems to be a mass grave here?" Yuan Ming spected in his mind, unable to help but shiver.

    It wasn¡¯t that he was afraid, but the temperature around him was indeed very low, with heavy Yin energy. Coupled with theplex and unpleasant smell, it made it difficult to breathe.

    Yuan Ming gently touched his shoulder and found that the wound was still swollen, but the pain had decreased a lot. His mind was also not as confused and muddled as before, giving him some peace of mind.

    He knew that this ce was not safe, and was about to get up when he suddenly heard a voice, as if it wasing from his mind:

    "I..."

    The moment he heard the voice, Yuan Ming froze, immediately held his breath, and listened carefully.

    "I... am you, don¡¯t... don¡¯t move."

    "I am you, don¡¯t move, what does that mean?" The voice intermittently sounded, leaving Yuan Ming confused.

    Just as he subconsciously wanted to ask, "Who is speaking?" the voice suddenly sounded again in his mind, this time more coherent.

    "I... am you... if... you move, you will die."

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming became even more suspicious.

    His rationality restrained him from speaking out, and also stopped him from immediately getting up.

    Yuan Ming slightly raised his head, looking slightly higher than the rotten bones beside him, secretly looking towards a farther ce, but it was still pitch ck and he couldn¡¯t see anything.

    But just at this moment, a faint red light suddenly lit up, illuminating an area of several zhang in radius, making it blood-red and dim, like a ghost cave.

    Taking advantage of this faint light, Yuan Ming cautiously looked around, trying to find out who had reminded him earlier, but he couldn¡¯t see anything.

    And when his gaze focused on the ce where the light was shining, he couldn¡¯t help but tremble.

    "Human Demon King..."

    He saw a six-foot-square blood pool right below the uneven stone wall. The blood inside was churning, emitting a red light that dyed the wall behind it blood-red.

    Inside the blood pool, the Human Demon King with two horns on his head was sitting, his eyes closed slightly, tilting his head back, and his mouth wide open.

    Three inches above his mouth, in the empty space, there was a round ck bead the size of a lychee, suspended in the air. It was covered with strands of dark red mist, gently churning, like morning clouds and mist.

    At this moment, vague human-shaped phantoms began to float out of the blood pool, being pulled and absorbed into the ck bead by an invisible force.

    Yuan Ming held his breath, his gaze fixed on the Human Demon King, his heart beating rapidly.

    After waiting for a long time, just as his neck was starting to ache, the eyes of the Human Demon King suddenly opened. There was no trace of pupils, only blood condensed inside.

    He opened his mouth and sucked, and the ck bead sank down and fell into his mouth.

    Yuan Ming focused his gaze and found that the bead did not sink into the Human Demon King¡¯s abdomen, but was suspended between his throat, neither up nor down, looking like his Adam¡¯s apple.

    As the ck bead was swallowed, ayer of ck mist immediately condensed on his face, and then flowed into his eyes, being absorbedpletely.

    The blood color in the Human Demon King¡¯s eyes slightly receded, and his pupils turned ck. His aura suddenly surged, transforming from a living corpse into a demonic being.He saw Yuan Ming curl his fingers into a w, reaching down into the void above the blood pool.

    Suddenly, bubbles began to gurgle up from the churning blood pool. The blood seemed to boil and surge, lifting a rough-hewn long knife that looked as if it had been hewn from stone. The rising blood carried the knife into the hands of the Human Demon King.

    The Human Demon King gripped the long knife, leapt out of the blood pool, and charged straight into a cave tunnel on the side. In an instant, he disappeared without a trace.

    As he left, the surface of the blood pool gradually calmed down, but about a dozen vague shadows began to float out from within, all converging towards the corpse pit where Yuan Ming was.

    Before he could get a clear look, the light in the blood pool went out, and darkness fell again.

    Yuan Ming, who had just slightly rxed his mind, suddenly tensed up again, his breathing became rapid, and he struggled to get up.

    However, when he tried to prop himself up, he found that his arms had be stiff and numb at some point, and he couldn¡¯t even feel their existence.

    Upon closer inspection, he was horrified to find that not only his arms, but also his legs hadpletely lost sensation. Although he could still feel his upper body, he was unable to move.

    "Damn, the poison is taking effect." Yuan Ming¡¯s heart sank.

    He had been identally poisoned during his previous fight with Kun Tu and the others, and now it seemed that the poison was about to fully take effect.

    Yuan Ming was extremely anxious, but he couldn¡¯t even move, let alone save himself.

    Although he couldn¡¯t see those ghost-like shadows at the moment, he could feel the temperature around him dropping again. His hairs stood on end, and that thing wasing...

    Before Yuan Ming could react, he suddenly felt a chill at the back of his neck, as if something had attached itself there.

    Then, the chill spread throughout his body, causing him to stiffen involuntarily.

    "Is it a ghost or a spirit?" Yuan Ming wondered in his heart.

    At this moment, the chill at his neck intensified, and those ghosts seemed to be burrowing into his body.

    Just as Yuan Ming felt as if he was falling into an ice cer, getting colder and colder, a warmth suddenly surged from his right arm and spread to his back in an instant.

    The moment this warmth flowed through, it actually dispelled the chill that was like a ghost possessing his body.

    Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t see it, but he could feel that the temperature around him had risen slightly, returning to its original state. However, he was still unable to move.

    Even though the ghosts were no longer bothering him, if he couldn¡¯t escape, being trapped here was not a solution. Even if he didn¡¯t die from the poison, he would most likely die when the Human Demon King returned.

    After thinking carefully in his mind, Yuan Ming realized that there was no solution.

    The Fur Coat Technique was useless in this situation, and forcibly running the Nine Yuan Secret would not only fail to resist the poison, but might also elerate the poison¡¯s rush into his brain due to the operation of the technique, causing him to die faster.

    As for the incense burner on his arm, it had previously helped him block soul damage, but it had never shown any detoxification ability. Would it be useful?

    But now that he had no other options, Yuan Ming could only hold onto the idea of trying to save a dying horse, and began to try tomunicate with the incense burner.

    As a bit of mana was channeled towards the incense burner on his arm, a faint light began to shine there, and an incense burner mark emerged. It gradually solidified, and one of the legs of the burner had already materialized.

    At this moment, a strong sense of numbness suddenly doubled, forcing Yuan Ming¡¯s mana to be interrupted, and the incense burner on his arm disappeared again.

    Hisst hope was also gone.

    Yuan Ming cursed inwardly, but a sh of inspiration suddenly struck his mind.

    "Thank you for your reminder just now. Could you please lend me a hand again?" Yuan Ming wasn¡¯t sure if anyone would hear him, but he still called out.

    As soon as his words fell, there was silence all around, and no one responded.

    "Since you reminded me, you must not want me to die like this, right? Please... help me escape." Yuan Ming continued to call out.

    The surroundings were still silent, with no response at all.

    "Wha... do I do if I can¡¯t move, and there¡¯s no one to help?" The poison spread further, and Yuan Ming¡¯s throat began to numb. His pronunciation became distorted, and his words became unclear.

    Just when Yuan Ming was about to fall into despair, that voice finally came again, still sounding directly in his mind:

    "Foolish... fellow."

 Chapter 53: Soul power

    Chapter 53: Soul power

    "Qiuwo..." Yuan Ming¡¯s heart was filled with joy, but the sound he made waspletely distorted.

    There was another long silence, and the voice echoed in Yuan Ming¡¯s mind again.

    "You were poisoned before... and now the toxins have paralyzed your body. The two types of poison are conflicting, making it difficult for you to survive."

    The voice still echoed in his mind, and it was not until now that Yuan Ming noticed that the voice belonged to a woman. Her voice was ethereal and pleasant to the ear.

    Yuan Ming wanted to speak, but he couldn¡¯t make a sound.

    "I can... save you, but... afterwards, you help me with something." The voice sounded again, and it seemed more coherent than before.

    It felt as if the other person was trying hard to learn how to speak and gradually bing familiar with it.

    "Uh... uh..." Yuan Ming mumbled in agreement while nodding.

    "Now, do as I... say. Focus your thoughts... and sink them into your sea of consciousness... try tomunicate with your own... soul power."Listening to the voice, Yuan Ming felt a surge of magic power. He followed the instructions and sank his thoughts into his sea of consciousness, gradually calming down in the chaos.

    "Soul power,municate with the body... stimte... mana, starting from the lower body... first the waist, then the thighs... calves, until it concentrates on the thumbs..."

    Yuan Ming followed the instructions and surprisingly seeded. As the toxins moved downward, his upper body quickly regained mobility, and the numbness in his lower body began to fade.

    Apanying this, his right foot began to swell rapidly, more than doubling in size. An indescribable pain surged, almost causing Yuan Ming¡¯s thoughts to copse.

    "Be mindful of your thoughts... the toxins are counterattacking... your efforts may be in vain..." The pleasant voice timely reminded Yuan Ming, forcing him to regain his consciousness.

    "And then?" Yuan Ming was able to speak again.

    His forehead was covered inrge beads of sweat, rolling incessantly. The intense pain almost made him faint.

    "Sharp objects, pierce the Yongquan acupoint on the sole of your foot... force the poisonous blood out..."

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming immediately used the tip of his Qingyu Sword to pierce the Yongquan acupoint on his right foot. In the next moment, blood gushed out from the sole of his foot, and the foul smell almost overwhelmed the stench of the corpse pit.

    But as arge amount of poisonous blood flowed out, the difort quickly diminished.

    Until all the poisonous blood had drained, Yuan Ming¡¯s foot returned to its original size, but the wound did not heal, and the pain was like being pricked by needles, constantly stimting him.

    Yuan Ming struggled to get out of the corpse pit and quickly thanked, "Thank you for saving my life."

    "Come to the blood pool... this way." The voice sounded again.

    Following the direction in his memory, Yuan Ming limped and groped his way towards the blood pool.

    "Stop."

    Suddenly, the voice reminded him.

    Yuan Ming immediately stopped and bent down to feel the ground. He realized that he had reached the edge of the blood pool and would fall in if he took another step forward.

    "There are things on the ground... pick them up."

    Although Yuan Ming was puzzled, he still squatted down and reached out to feel around.

    As he touched them, Yuan Ming felt a slight chill. After picking them up, he found that they were thin triangr metal pieces with intricate engravings.

    "Take all eight... bury them around the edge of the blood pool... in the loose soil." The voice continued tomand.

    Without hesitation, Yuan Ming buried all the triangr metal pieces as instructed.

    "Alright."

    "You can go... leave this ce." The ethereal voice said.

    "Thank you." Yuan Ming thanked and began to grope around, searching for a way out.

    However, the cave was pitch ck, and he had no lighting tools on him. He couldn¡¯t use any spells like Fireball to illuminate the surroundings. He searched inside for a while but couldn¡¯t find the exit.

    The mysterious person hidden somewhere seemed to be a little impatient and finally reminded him again, "Your soul power is not weak... redirect your soul power and focus it on your eyes."

    "Can it be done like this?" Yuan Ming eximed in surprise.

    "Having soul power but not using it at all... is truly... foolish." The voice sighed.

    Following its prompt, Yuan Ming concentrated his soul power, focusing on his eyes and widening them to look around.

    "Concentrate your soul power, and then... widen your eyes for what?" The ethereal voice scolded.

    Yuan Ming blinked awkwardly, returning to his normal appearance, and carefully felt the sensation of his soul power concentrated in his eyes.

    After a while, he felt a slight coolness in his eyes, and then, in the pitch-ck vision, it seemed as if thick ink was gradually dispersing. The vague lines of the cave walls, blood pool, stones... various things began to appear.

    Although it was still extremely dim and the vision was still blurry, it was no longer pitch ck.

    Yuan Ming looked around, trying to find the figure that had been reminding him and also wanting to verify a certain guess in his mind, but he couldn¡¯t see anything at all.

    "Hurry, don¡¯t wait to think... you won¡¯t be able to leave." The ethereal voice sounded in his mind, reminding him with a clear warning.

    "Thank you."

    Yuan Ming thanked and immediately felt along one side of the cave wall, finding a hidden exit and running out.

    As he left the cave, the smell of blood and decay in the air immediately diminished. Yuan Ming took a deep breath and limped along the passage, trying to escape.

    But before he had gone far, his vision suddenly went ck, followed by a strong dizziness. A sharp, needle-like pain came from his forehead.

    His vision was once again obscured by darkness, and it wasn¡¯t until his soul power, which had been concentrated in his eyes, could no longer be maintained and dissipated on its own that the pain gradually subsided.

    "This soul power is useful, but unfortunately, it can¡¯t be used at will." Yuan Ming gritted his teeth and couldn¡¯t help but rub his sore forehead, leaning against the wall and walking towards the other end of the passage.

    After walking for a long time, a flickering light suddenly appeared in the darkness ahead, apanied by faint voices.Yuan Ming guessed that they were disciples from the Bi Luo Cave. He didn¡¯t want to meet these people, but there was only one passage, and he couldn¡¯t go back to the cave of the Human Demon King, so he had to brace himself and head towards them.

    "Who¡¯s there? Who¡¯s there?" Suddenly, a stern shout came from ahead.

    The noisy voices over there abruptly stopped.

    "I, I am..." Yuan Ming¡¯s words halted on his lips.

    But after hesitating, he still spoke, "I am a beast ve under Elder Hu Huo."

    As soon as his words fell, a howling sound suddenly rose from the front, and a bright fireball rushed towards him, almost upying half of the cave.

    Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t dodge, so he had to draw his Green Fish Sword, take a step forward, and sh down.

    The fireball split into two at the sound, scattering to both sides.

    After the firelight, a green-lit arrow shot towards him.

    Yuan Ming stumbled, barely managing to dodge with the Shadowless Step. He narrowly avoided the arrow attack, but lost his bnce and fell to the side.

    Laughter came from the front.

    "Brother Kun Tu, he¡¯s just a beast ve, there¡¯s no need to be so cautious," someoneughed.

    "What are you talking about? We¡¯re in such a dangerous ce, it¡¯s better to be cautious. Better to kill wrongly than to let go," Kun Tu¡¯s voice followed.

    Hearing this, Yuan Ming suppressed his anger and didn¡¯t get up immediately, fearing another attack from the other party.

    At this moment, the firelight and footsteps gradually approached. He saw two tall figures walking in front, holding torches, and many more people following behind.

    The one in the lead held a torch to Yuan Ming¡¯s face, illuminating his somewhat pale face.

    "Yuan Ming?" A puzzled voice sounded.

    Chen Wan squeezed out from behind the two.

    Hearing this, Kun Tu also squeezed out from behind. The moment he saw Yuan Ming, his face darkened.

    "How are you still alive?" Kun Tu asked rudely.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t respond. Given the current situation, Kun Tu couldn¡¯t attack him, and he didn¡¯t want to provoke the other party either.

    "You... how did you end up here?" Chen Wan asked.

    Yuan Ming hesitated slightly before saying, "I identally fell from above earlier andnded in their of the Human Demon King. I barely managed to escape and ran into you guys here."

    "You escaped from their of the Human Demon King?" someone eximed.

    "We¡¯ve been wandering around in these intertwined caves for a long time and haven¡¯t found it. You¡¯re just lucky to have fallen in," someoneughed.

    The rest of the crowd echoed, showing no fear at all.

    "If you go looking for the Human Demon King, you¡¯ll die," Yuan Ming said, turning his gaze to Chen Wan.

    Chen Wan¡¯s face showed hesitation upon hearing this.

    "A mere beast ve dares to spread rmist talk here and confuse people¡¯s hearts?" Kun Tu scolded angrily.

    "Look at him, he must have been scared out of his wits, right? With so many of us, are we still afraid of a Human Demon King?" A tall, thin man dressed in Beast Tamer Hall disciple¡¯s clothesughed.

    "Heh, what can you expect from a mere beast ve? How much courage can he have?" another person mocked.

    "Yuan Ming, do you remember how to find their of the Human Demon King?" Chen Wan asked.

    Yuan Ming thought for a moment, then shook his head.

    "This kid must have been scared out of his wits without even seeing it, haha..." The crowdughed again.

    "If he had seen the Human Demon King, how could he still be alive? What are you thinking!" another person said.

    "Hey, kid, don¡¯t be scared. We¡¯ve already cleaned up those human demons. Once we strike at the heart and behead the Human Demon King, you¡¯ll also benefit," a tall, burly young man said.

    "Stop wasting your breath on him. He¡¯s confusing the troops. Kill him," Kun Tu suggested at the right time.

    "Yes, yes, yes, this guy is useless. Just kill him," Yang Chan followed.

    Ba Da, who had been hiding behind the others, didn¡¯t say anything, but his squinted eyes were fixed on Yuan Ming, a fierce light shing in them.

 Chapter 54: Disperse

    Chapter 54: Disperse

    "Kun Tu, he is not a human demon. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too much to keep shouting and killing?" Chen Wan frowned and couldn¡¯t help but speak up.

    "He¡¯s just a beast ve. It¡¯s his own fault for being outspoken and seeking death." Kun Tu red at Yuan Ming and said.

    "Enough, don¡¯t waste time here. Let him lead the way, let¡¯s hurry up and find the Demon King. As long as we can kill it, we will havepleted the mission beyond expectations. We might even have a chance to be promoted to the inner sect." The tall young manughed.

    "This passage has no forks, just keep going straight and you won¡¯t get lost." Yuan Ming immediately said.

    The tall young man¡¯s smile faded, and he grinned, "If you don¡¯t lead the way, you¡¯re useless even if we kill you."

    Yuan Ming had no choice but to agree.

    He took the torch from someone¡¯s hand and walked at the front of the team, leading everyone back.

    After walking for a while, when they were near the cave, everyone gradually smelled the bloody and foul smell in the air. They involuntarily became quiet.

    This team, apart from Yuan Ming, had seventeen or eighteen people. They all seemed to be outstanding disciples and could be considered arge group. Although they were a bit arrogant, they were not stupid.When they reached the entrance of the cave, they all unconsciously stopped and instructed Yuan Ming to go in first.

    Helpless, Yuan Ming could only go in first.

    Fortunately, the cave was empty, and the Demon King had not returned.

    He held the torch and circled inside, looking at the corners that he couldn¡¯t see clearly before. He couldn¡¯t find the presence that had transmitted the message to him earlier, but he found that there were more rune marks on the ground of the blood pool, faintly surrounding the entire blood pool.

    Yuan Ming was sure that these rune marks were not there when he buried the triangr iron earlier. Obviously, they were carved after he left.

    "The Demon King is not here, there is no danger for now." Yuan Ming shouted outside.

    After half an hour, someone finally entered the cave.

    After that, everyone entered one after another. Seeing that there was no danger inside, their courage grew and they began to search around.

    "Where is the Demon King? Did it escape?"

    "Keep looking, are there any other caves?" The tall young man shouted, looking like a leader.

    Kun Tu intentionally or unintentionally approached Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming was on guard, his steps hesitant, always keeping a distance from him.

    Just then, a scream suddenly came from the other side of the cave.

    Before everyone could react, they saw a huge head rolling to their feet.

    Immediately after, a bloody figure suddenly flew past in the dim cave.

    The skinny tall man who had mocked Yuan Ming only had time to let out a short scream before his body was cut in half and flew up, sttering blood everywhere.

    "The Demon King, it¡¯s the Demon King..." someone shouted.

    Lights of various colors lit up in various parts of the cave. These named disciples all activated their protective magic tools and retreated to the other side.

    Yuan Ming threw the torch towards Kun Tu and turned to hide in the darkness, taking advantage of his better understanding of the terrain to quickly conceal his figure.

    Attracted by the torch, the figure of the Demon King shed and pounced on Kun Tu.

    "Yuan Ming!"

    Kun Tu was burning with anger and quickly activated his mana. A green jade pendant hanging on his body emitted a soft light, enveloping him.

    At the same time, he dodged to the side, avoiding the Demon King¡¯s frontal attack.

    However, just as the two passed by each other, the Demon King suddenly swept his arm, his withered and hairy arm hit him solidly.

    A green light shed around Kun Tu, then "crack" sound, his body tumbled and flew out.

    In just one encounter, several people were already injured or killed before they could even see the appearance of the Demon King. This made those originally high-spirited named disciples lose theirposure.

    "We can¡¯t stop it, our protective magic tools can¡¯t even block a single attack."

    "It¡¯s too strong, it¡¯s too strong..."

    While shouting in fear, everyone retreated backward and unintentionally crowded together.

    "Fools, spread out, don¡¯t crowd together." The tall young man shouted angrily.

    As soon as his voice fell, the Demon King had already rushed towards them.

    "Everyone take your positions, quickly set up the me Fire Formation ording to our previous n." The tall young man shouted loudly.

    At this moment, everyone finally stabilized their minds and quickly dispersed.

    The tall young man sped his hands together, holding a green talisman paper between his palms. The runes on it seemed to be written and painted, depicting a copper bell-shaped rune.

    The green talisman paper ignited in his palms, emitting a wisp of green smoke. Then, translucent golden light radiated from it, condensing into a dazzling illusory bronze bell, enveloping his body.The young man took the initiative to step forward and stopped the Demon King, buying time for the others.

    Encouraged by this, the rest of the people dispersed to the sides and surrounded the Demon King from both sides.

    Among the crowd, Ba Da¡¯s figure was retreating, all the way back to the passage he came from, and he escaped without looking back.

    The Demon King collided with the tall young man and raised his hand to p him.

    <em>"BOOM!"</em>

    A heavy bell rang, and the young man¡¯s body was surrounded by golden light. The illusion of a golden bell shook but did not immediately shatter.

    The tall young man inside the illusion groaned, blood flowing from his ears, instantly deafening him.

    However, he saw through the reflection of the golden light that there was a huge hole in the Demon King¡¯s chest, piercing through it, indicating that it was seriously injured.

    <em>"Quick, it¡¯s heavily injured. Activate the formation and release the mes to burn it to death."</em> The tall young man shouted loudly, blood staining his mouth.

    After speaking, he immediately retreated outside the encirclement.

    The people surrounding them finally took their positions. Eight of them each took out a triangr red g from their pockets and infused their mana into it.

    The red gs lit up, and a scorching aura spread from them.

    In the next moment, the mes on the eight gs ignited simultaneously, turning into thick fire pythons rushing towards the Demon King.

    The Demon King¡¯s body was engulfed in mes, immediately catching fire.

    The zing mes burned fiercely, heating up the entire cave. The stone walls, which had not seen daylight for a long time, cracked.

    The screams of the Demon King echoed in the cave, making people¡¯s scalps tingle.

    After about ten breaths, the spiritual power on the triangr gs was exhausted, and the mes of the fire formation gradually shrank until they disappeared.

    The light in the cave quickly dimmed, and Yuan Ming frowned as he looked at the Demon King.

    He saw the Demon King hunched over, arms crossed, with all his fur burnt, looking like a piece of charred coal. There were still sporadic sparks flickering on his body, emitting strands of smoke.

    <em>"Is it dead?"</em> Yuan Ming was somewhat surprised.

    <em>"Haha, it¡¯s dead. We killed the Demon King."</em> A thin young man eximed happily.

    <em>"It¡¯s not as powerful as we imagined..." </em>Another personughed,pletely forgetting how scared he was before.

    <em>"This time, thanks to Senior Qingchuan. If it weren¡¯t for him buying us time, we wouldn¡¯t have been able to activate the fire formation."</em> Finally, someone spoke fairly.

    At this moment, everyone followed suit and praised the tall young man.

    While wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, the tall young man waved his hand at the crowd, unwilling to take credit.

    <em>"This time, it was everyone working together, I..."</em>

    <em>Before he could finish his words, a round head suddenly flew up, and arge amount of blood gushed out like a fountain, sshing on the faces of the surrounding disciples.</em>

    Feeling the warm touch of blood, the others hadn¡¯t reacted yet, but Chen Wan shouted loudly, <em>"GOD DAMN! The Demon King is not dead. Everyone, run!"</em>

    After speaking, she took the lead and rushed into the passage.

    Kun Tu, who had been knocked down earlier, quietly ignited a yellow talisman and disappeared into the ground.

    The panic of the others was greatly amplified at this moment, and everyone rushed towards the entrance of the passage.

    The torches were thrown on the ground, a figure shed by, and the mes were extinguished. The entire cave fell back into darkness.

    The sound of extremely miserable screams continued for a long time.

    ***

    After a long time, the entire cave finally quieted down.

    Yuan Ming remained hidden in ce, covering his mouth with his hands, not daring to make a sound.

    In the darkness, there suddenly came a rustling sound.

    He forcibly stabilized his mind and focused his gaze, looking into the cave.

    He saw that the already narrow cave was now in a mess, with broken limbs scattered all over the ground, and the walls and ceiling were covered in chaotic bloodstains.

    The strong smell of bloodpletely overwhelmed the foul stench of decay.

    The Demon King, ckened and covered in bloodstains, was dragging two broken bodies towards a pit.

    Every step was apanied by the sound of the bodies rubbing against the ground, constantly stimting Yuan Ming¡¯s nerves.

    In order to avoid another bout of dizziness and headache, Yuan Ming looked for a moment and closed his eyes, quietly recovering.

    After a while, the sound of dragging bodies stopped.

    Yuan Ming immediately focused his vision again, searching for the Demon King¡¯s whereabouts.

    After looking around, he found that the Demon King was kneeling beside the pit, bowing his head and looking at something.

    Then, he opened his mouth and spat out a ck bead, which emitted a brilliant ck light. Immediately, a strong suction force emerged from it.In an instant,yers of ck mist rose from the corpse pit, and vague shadows of residual souls slowly flew out from it. Each of them wore a look of fear and struggle, clearly having been forcibly pulled out.

    Regardless of how these shadows struggled, they were ultimately unable to resist the attraction of the ck orb. They were all torn into fragments and gradually merged into the ck orb.

    The Human Ghost King opened his mouth and sucked the ck orb back into his throat. A bright crimson light immediately lit up in his eyes, but then, the light receded, returning to its original state.

    At this moment, the Human Ghost King suddenly made a move that somewhat surprised Yuan Ming.

    He saw the king clutch his head with both hands, shaking violently, as if venting some kind of frustration.

 Chapter 55: Strike

    Chapter 55: Strike

    After a while, the blood-red light in the eyes of the King of the Shaoxiu disappeared, and he stopped moving, returning to his original state.

    "What¡¯s going on? There seems to be something wrong with the intelligence of this King of the Shaoxiu," he wondered.

    At this moment, the King of the Shaoxiu had already stood up and walked towards the blood pool.

    Yuan Ming raised his eyebrows and looked at the runes surrounding the blood pool. He vaguely felt that something would happen when the King of the Shaoxiu stepped into it.

    But just as the King of the Shaoxiu was about to step over the buried iron runes on the ground, it suddenly stopped.

    "He found out?" Yuan Ming was surprised.

    But soon, Yuan Ming realized that he was overthinking.

    The reason why the King of the Shaoxiu paused seemed to be because the blood color in his eyes converged again, as if his intelligence had once again encountered a problem, causing him to stop.

    After just a moment, he stepped over the rune marks and entered the blood pool.For some reason, the rune marks had no reaction to the King of the Shaoxiu¡¯s entry. It was unclear whether the triggering conditions had not been met or if it was not targeted at the King of the Shaoxiu.

    Regardless of which possibility it was, Yuan Ming had no intention of getting involved and just wanted to silently hide and wait for the crisis to pass.

    At this moment, he noticed that the blood in the blood pool was churning and turbulent, much more intense than before. Countless blood bubbles rose up,pletely covering the upper body of the King of the Shaoxiu, submerging him up to his neck.

    Smoke rose from the wound on his chest, emitting a smell of decaying flesh in the air.

    A red halo lit up from the entire blood pool, enveloping itpletely.

    "Could it be that he is healing?" Yuan Ming didn¡¯t understand, but he could guess a thing or two.

    After waiting for a while, the water level in the blood pool significantly decreased, revealing the chest of the King of the Shaoxiu. The horrifying wound had already been repaired and filled with flesh.

    Even the burnt flesh on his body had been restored, and his skin became dry and waxen yellow, resembling a mummified corpse that had been dried for many years.

    "Such strong recovery ability!" Yuan Ming¡¯s heart sank as he watched his injuries heal, his worries growing.

    At the moment, he only hoped that after the King of the Shaoxiu recovered from his injuries, he would be able to leave again.

    The King of the Shaoxiu¡¯s hair did not grow out, but his muscles gradually filled up, and his cheeks regained their original contours. He now looked like a young man with a high and sharp nose, with a handsome and angr face.

    If it weren¡¯t for his overly protruding eyeballs, distorting his expression, this face would exude a hint of heroic and handsome aura.

    Yuan Ming was inexplicably shocked, as he was certain that he saw a human face, the face of a young man.

    "How could this be? Could it be that the King of the Shaoxiu is disguised as a human? Or... has he transformed from a human?" These thoughts emerged in his mind.

    Just as he was thinking this, he suddenly heard a mournful roar from the King of the Shaoxiu in the blood pool. His body suddenly stood up, raising his ws and grabbing at his own chest.

    Yuan Ming quickly looked over and saw that the freshly healed flesh on the King of the Shaoxiu¡¯s chest was rapidly decaying, turning purple and ck. The rotten flesh fell off from the chest, revealing the horrifying blood hole once again.

    Not only that, the flesh around the blood hole was also infected, gradually decaying and falling off from his chest.

    The King of the Shaoxiu went crazy, wing at his own chest, tearing off all the rotten flesh, struggling to escape from the blood pool.

    But at this moment, the runes surrounding the blood pool suddenly lit up.

    Underground, red light rose one after another, and the engraved runes on the ground connected, forming a strange formation that emitted a red glow.

    Through the ground, Yuan Ming saw blurry and ancient characters.

    To his surprise, these characters were not from the Southern Region, but rather resembled characters from the Central ins.

    However, the form of each character was different from the characters in Yuan Ming¡¯s impression. They were all distorted and deformed, appearing to be a mix of characters and drawings,plex and mysterious.

    As the runes lit up, dark red light emanated from the formation, winding and entwining around the King of the Shaoxiu in the center, like chains wrapping around his neck.

    The moment the blood-colored chains entangled him, an extremely painful expression appeared on the face of the King of the Shaoxiu. He let out furious roars, constantly tearing at the blood chains entwined around his neck.

    However, as soon as his ws touched the chains, it was as if he had touched a burning hot iron, and he immediately recoiled.

    "Wu wu..."

    The King of the Shaoxiu let out mournful cries, and the blood-red light in his eyes flickered incessantly.

    Yuan Ming saw that he was trapped and knew that the time hade. He immediately turned around to escape.

    But at this moment, the mysterious voice in his mind suddenly sounded again: "Go quickly... Cut off its... head."Yuan Ming did not immediately move upon hearing this, but looked around again, still unable to see the figure of the mysterious person.

    "If you don¡¯t make a move... the formation... won¡¯t be able to trap him... you¡¯ll escape the cave... but won¡¯t make it to the surface... you¡¯ll still die." The voice became more urgent.

    Yuan Ming frowned and hesitated for a moment, then clenched his fist and punched the wall before rushing out with his sword.

    His footsteps immediately caught the attention of the Demon King, and the body in the blood pool struggled violently. The dark red chains wrapped around its neck shook violently.

    The symbol iron buried in the ground suddenly had a tendency to be pulled out.

    The entire dark red formation shook violently, on the verge of copse.

    "It¡¯s toote..." Yuan Ming sighed.

    He had just arrived by the Demon King¡¯s side, but before he could swing his long sword, there was a loud "bang" from the ground.

    A symbol iron was pulled out like an anchor, and the Demon King¡¯s body tilted and pounced towards him.

    Although it hadn¡¯tpletely freed itself, this slight distance was enough for its sharp ws to sh Yuan Ming¡¯s throat.

    At the critical moment, a silver shadow suddenly shed andnded on Yuan Ming¡¯s shoulder.

    Yuan Ming vaguely felt that it was a silver cat, but he dared not distract himself to look.

    "Strike!"

    Themanding voice sounded in his mind, with an unquestionable tone.

    Yuan Ming felt his head buzz, as if he had been hit by a bell, and a sense of irresistible obedience rose in his heart.

    As if there was a voice in the depths of his mind, telling him to obey, to obey unconditionally.

    At the same time, the Demon King¡¯s ws also swung towards him.

    At this moment, the silver cat crouching on Yuan Ming¡¯s shoulder elegantly faced the Demon King, and in its mismatched pupils, stars seemed to light up, releasing a faint brilliance.

    In the instant the light scattered, the struggling body of the Demon King froze, and its ws, which had been swung out, stopped just inches away from Yuan Ming¡¯s throat.

    Just as Yuan Ming was about to be unable to resist and wanted to submit to that voice from the bottom of his heart, a warm sensation suddenly flowed out from his right arm.

    The green mark formed by the incense burner appeared, and a tide-like power surged into his mind, instantly making him sober.

    The feeling of wanting to submit just now disappeared without a trace.

    Seeing this, a look of surprise shed in the silver cat¡¯s mismatched pupils, but it quickly turned into confusion.

    "If you don¡¯t make a move soon... even if you don¡¯t die here... you¡¯ll die when you leave... just like Elder Biluo from the Biro Cave." A stern warning sounded in Yuan Ming¡¯s mind once again.

    "It really is it..." Yuan Ming confirmed his guess. The silver cat that had been talking to him in his mind was the same silver cat that had appeared by his side a long time ago.

    What was the origin of this silver cat? Why was it able to save him before, and now it had such great power to contend with the Demon King?

    Numerous thoughts surged in his mind, but he no longer hesitated. Adjusting his strength with the Yuan Qi Arm, he swung his sword with all his might towards the Demon King¡¯s neck.

    A sharp ng sounded.

    Sparks flew from the Demon King¡¯s neck, and a sound of metal hitting stone came from beneath its dry skin.

    Yuan Ming felt a tremor in his arm. It didn¡¯t feel like he was cutting into flesh, but rather like he was hitting a piece of steel covered in cowhide.

    The powerful force pushed him back.

    And the Demon King, as if it had been provoked, let out an angry roar. Its whole body emitted a bloody red light, and under the agitation, it broke all the dark red chains wrapped around its neck.

    The symbol iron on the ground also flew out, and the formation that Yuan Ming had set up under the guidance of the silver catpletely failed.

    "Roar..."

    The Demon King let out a furious roar and leaped out of the blood pool, directly pouncing towards Yuan Ming.

    The silver cat, with its petite figure and agile movements, leaped from Yuan Ming¡¯s shoulder, but instead of avoiding, it went towards the Demon King. With a nimble step on its head, it jumped several zhang away.

    Its graceful posture and agile movements didn¡¯t look like evasion, but rather like a dance, swift and elegant.

    Taking advantage of this, Yuan Ming also leaped backwards and retreated.

    As soon as the silver catnded, its mismatched pupils suddenly lit up with a strange ck light, and a wave of inexplicable magical power emanated from its body.

    With the rise of this power, there was suddenly amotion in the nearby corpse pit where the dead had been lying for who knows how long.

    Then, one after another, the corpses that had been dead for a long time suddenly came "alive."Yuan Ming was startled by this sudden scene, watching wide-eyed as the broken, rotten, and stinking corpses twisted their bodies and stood up from the pit.

    Most of them were missing arms or legs, some evencked heads, walking in a crooked and unnatural manner. Some were even crawling on the ground with their arms, all rushing towards the frenzied Human Ghost King.

    The Human Ghost King swung a w at an oing living corpse. The pitch-ck w instantly tore the living corpse¡¯s body into two. However, the severed body still stubbornly rushed forward, throwing itself onto him.

    Then, the second, the third... more and more living corpses surrounded him,pletely overwhelming the Human Ghost King, all climbing onto his body.

 Chapter 56: Dispatch

    Chapter 56: Dispatch

    Yuan Ming was stunned in ce as he watched the Demon King Xiao being engulfed by corpses.

    He stiffly turned his head to search for the Silver Cat¡¯s trace and saw it squatting on a nearby rock, still maintaining its elegant posture, but its eyes were fixed on the Demon King Xiao who was submerged by the group of corpses.

    "How is it controlling those corpses?" Yuan Ming wondered as he looked through its eyes and saw two clusters of ck mist swirling, filling him with doubt.

    Just then, the Demon King Xiao suddenly went berserk again, his figure soaring as he swung his ws.

    Sharp w marks shot out like sword edges, instantly severing all the living corpses that were pressing down on him. The powerful impact even shattered the dismembered corpses.

    However, immediately after, about ten more corpses rose from the pit, including seven or eight that had already turned into white bones. They staggered towards the Demon King Xiao.

    With a step forward, the Demon King Xiao swung his ws, tearing these living corpses apart once again.

    "Don¡¯t just stand there...block him...I need to focus on gathering power...kill him," the Silver Cat¡¯s voice rang out again, stillmanding and cold, but more coherent than before.

    Although Yuan Ming was unhappy, he followed themand and went forward.He used the Fur Transformation Technique to transform into a white ape and took advantage of the Demon King Xiao being entangled by two living corpses. He charged from the side and rammed into the Demon King Xiao¡¯s side with his right shoulder.

    With a dull impact, Yuan Ming felt his shoulder bone about to break, but he still managed to knock the Demon King Xiao off bnce with brute force.

    Immediately after, he pped the ground with one hand, and a green light shone on the ground. Three green wooden spikes suddenly pierced out, tripping the Demon King Xiao from behind, causing him to stumble and fall.

    "Well done!" The Silver Cat¡¯s voice finally had a hint of satisfaction in the transmission.

    Ignoring it, Yuan Ming took advantage of the situation and jumped up. He infused his mana into the Qingyu Sword in his hand, causing a blue light to shine and giving the illusion of fish swimming on the de. He raised the sword and shed down towards the Demon King Xiao.

    At this moment, the corner of his eye suddenly caught sight of the living corpses inexplicably falling to the ground one by one, as if their lives had been drained. In the end, only he remained, bravely charging forward.

    "Oh no, I¡¯ve been tricked," Yuan Ming subconsciously thought.

    But at this point, it was toote to retreat.

    With this momentum, perhaps he could still gain a glimmer of hope. If he harbored thoughts of retreat, he would undoubtedly die.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s ferocity was ignited, and the Nine Elements Technique in his body crazily circted. The Qingyu Sword in his hand flickered with a trembling sound, shing towards the Demon King Xiao¡¯s head.

    The Demon King Xiao hastily raised his arm to block the sword.

    "ng!"

    Sparks flew as the Qingyu Swordnded on the Demon King Xiao¡¯s arm.

    This time, the Qingyu Sword finally broke through the Demon King Xiao¡¯s skin, cutting a wound on his arm and embedding itself in the flesh.

    However, it was somewhat awkward that the sword was firmly held by the Demon King Xiao¡¯s tough muscles, making it difficult to pull out for a while.

    Without any hesitation, Yuan Ming immediately abandoned the long sword and stepped back.

    The Demon King Xiao roared furiously and leaped up, blocking Yuan Ming¡¯s path.

    His eyes were filled with killing intent, and dirty ck gas spewed from his nostrils. He raised his w and thrust it straight towards Yuan Ming¡¯s throat,pletely ignoring the sword stuck in his arm.

    At this critical moment, Yuan Ming¡¯s shadow suddenly shifted, and his body mysteriously dodged to the side.

    The Demon King Xiao¡¯s sharp ws grazed against Yuan Ming¡¯s neck but failed to hit.

    Then, with a swing of his arm, the Demon King Xiao heavily smashed Yuan Ming¡¯s neck.

    In an instant, Yuan Ming felt like he had been struck by a heavy hammer. His mind went nk, and his body flew sideways, crashing heavily into the cave wall.

    "Cough..."

    He coughed up a mouthful of blood, bloodshot veins filling his eyes, and his vision became blurry.

    Before he could even stand up, he suddenly saw a blurry figure rushing towards him. Without thinking, he knew it was the Demon King Xiao.

    However, the dizziness caused by the previous heavy blow and the blurred vision caused by the congestion in his eyes made it impossible for him to make urate judgments and dodge. He could only stagger backward, making a final attempt to protect himself.

    "I¡¯m going to die..." In the end, the only thought left in Yuan Ming¡¯s mind was this.

    But just at this moment, a brilliant golden light suddenly burst forth from behind the ck figure that was approaching him. It was as if a scorching sun had risen, carrying a hot but not dry aura, and rushed towards him.

    In the next instant, the golden light directly prated the Demon King Xiao¡¯s body, entering from his back and rushing out from his chest.

    The Demon King Xiao¡¯s forward movement instantly stopped, as if it had suddenly been frozen. Although it still maintained the posture of charging forward, it stood rigidly in ce, unable to move.

    Yuan Ming, who thought he was doomed, felt a warm current rushing over him. His vision was filled with a bright and hot golden light, as if the whole world had been illuminated.

    Tears welled up in his eyes uncontrobly.

    Not because he was moved, but because the dazzling golden light made his eyes feel sore.

    In the ring light, he vaguely saw a divine bird wrapped in golden mes.

    But immediately after, the brilliant golden light suddenly dissipated, turning into dots of golden light that danced in the void, floating towards the Silver Cat like a group of fireflies, and disappeared into it.

    Yuan Ming rubbed his sore eyes. His eye sockets were already swollen, but the congestion in his eyes had improved a lot, and his vision gradually recovered. Only then did he see that the Silver Cat hadn¡¯t abandoned him and fled.

    And that dazzling golden light just now was obviously the fatal blow it had unleashed.

    "Are you okay?" Yuan Ming saw that the Silver Cat was not in a good state and tentatively asked.

    After waiting for a while, the exhausted voice of the Silver Cat finally sounded in his mind, still ethereal but noticeably tired, "Take me...to the Demon King Xiao."Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming walked over, reaching out to pick up the silver cat.

    The silver cat, which had been somewhat drooping, immediately avoided his hand, its eyes full of disdain. It jumped onto Yuan Ming¡¯s arm by itself, climbed onto his shoulder, and squatted down.

    Yuan Ming curled his lips and brought it to the face of the Human Demon King.

    The Human Demon King in front of him had his eyes tightly closed. Apart from the blood hole in his chest and the sword marks left by Yuan Ming, there were no other obvious wounds on his body.

    Yuan Ming was somewhat puzzled, unable to figure out how the golden light just now had killed him.

    "Take out the bead in his throat..." At this moment, the voice of the silver cat echoed in his mind.

    "First, exin what¡¯s going on?" Yuan Ming said, but did not move.

    "What do you want to know?" The voice in his mind asked.

    "Who are you exactly? Why are you hunting this Human Demon King?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "The elders of Bi Luo Cave areing... while you¡¯re asking these questions." The silver cat did not answer.

    "That¡¯s your problem to worry about, it has nothing to do with me." Yuan Ming spread his hands and said.

    Just then, the tightly closed eyes of the Human Demon King suddenly opened.

    His eyes were still full of blood, and one of his arms suddenly raised, stabbing straight at the silver cat on Yuan Ming¡¯s shoulder.

    Both Yuan Ming and the silver cat were startled. The former instinctively dodged backward, while thetter¡¯s eyes lit up with a dark light. However, in their haste, they were both a step too slow.

    Just as the sharp ws of the Human Demon King were about to pierce the silver cat, a golden light suddenly shone from Yuan Ming¡¯s chest, and an arm covered in golden fur stretched out abruptly, reaching for the sharp ws.

    The two hands sped together, making a dull impact sound.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s body shook violently, and a sharp pain from the impact came from his chest.

    However, the golden-furred arm that had suddenly grown out held the sharp ws of the Human Demon King tightly. Although it was not an equal match, it was not broken.

    The Human Demon King thrust forward with all his might, forcing Yuan Ming to step back. The silver cat¡¯s spell was difficult to cast.

    "Hurry up, I can¡¯t hold on much longer." Yuan Ming urged, while his other two hands also grabbed the arm of the Human Demon King, resisting his thrust with all his might.

    At this moment, the pattern of the pill furnace on his right arm lit up again, releasing a warm and peaceful power.

    The silver cat on his shoulder, its eyes lit up with a dark light, projecting it towards the Human Demon King.

    The movements of the Human Demon King froze again, and he was fixed in ce.

    Yuan Ming pulled out his long sword from his arm, and just as he was about to chop at his neck, the Human Demon King¡¯s throat suddenly moved.

    With the movement of his Adam¡¯s apple, a dry and hoarse voice came from his mouth:

    "It¡¯s you... please, help me..."

    ...

    In another cave.

    A panicked Ba Da was anxiously talking to two elders of Bi Luo Cave.

    After he finished speaking, a middle-aged man with a square face, serious expression, and wearing a ck robe said, "We already know the situation. You go back first, we will handle the rest."

    "Yes." Ba Da responded and immediately turned to flee.

    Watching him disappear from sight, a gray-robed old man with a withered face and slightly gray skin sighed.

    His body was quite tall, but he seemed a bit hunched. If Yuan Ming were here, he would recognize him at a nce. This was Elder Sa Ren, who had verified the qualifications of their beast ves.

    "Elder Chu Xiong, this trial has caused heavy casualties among the registered disciples. If the identity of the Human Demon King is discovered... I¡¯m afraid neither of us can escape the me." Elder Sa Ren looked at the bodies on the ground and said with worry.

    "We volunteered to clean up the mess of this trial, isn¡¯t it to destroy the evidence and prevent idents?" Elder Chu Xiong, with his square face and wide mouth, looked serious and emotionless.

    "Ah, if only..." Elder Sa Ren¡¯s words were cut off by a low reprimand.

    "Don¡¯t mention the past..." Elder Chu Xiong¡¯s voice was stern.

    Elder Sa Ren¡¯s face turned pale, and he froze.

    "As long as we don¡¯t talk about that incident, no one will know. This trial is just an ident. Even if the cave master is angry, he can¡¯t me us." Seeing this, Elder Chu Xiong¡¯s expression softened slightly.

    "The urgent task is to find that beast and kill itpletely." Elder Sa Ren quickly said.

    "Don¡¯t worry, he has been pierced through the heart by my Bone Corrosion Hand, he is bound to die. As long as we can find the soul bead, even if the cave master knows, we will have one more life-saving charm." Elder Chu Xiong sneered, speaking confidently.

    After speaking, the two continued to search along the direction of the cave.

 Chapter 57: Death Moon method

    Chapter 57: Death Moon method

    In their of the Human Demon King.

    Beside the blood pool, a headless corpsey quietly, devoid of any signs of life.

    Yuan Ming squatted beside it, a tattered cloth spread out on the ground. On top of it was a dark red head, the head of the Human Demon King.

    He carefully wrapped up the head and looked at the silver cat sitting beside him.

    The silver cat was carefully examining a ck bead the size of a longan, lost in thought.

    "Let¡¯s go," Yuan Ming reminded.

    The silver cat snapped back to reality, lifted one of its front paws, and lightly swept it across the soul bead. The soul bead disappeared from its original position.

    Yuan Ming was amazed by this, but he didn¡¯t ask any further questions. He picked up the package containing the head of the Human Demon King and followed the silver cat¡¯s guidance, leaving through another cave exit.

    ...After an unknown amount of time, two figures quickly pursued each other in the underground cave and finally arrived here.

    "The aura of that person is strong here, we can¡¯t be wrong, he¡¯s inside..." Elder Chu Xiong¡¯s eyes lit up as he pointed to the entrance of the cave.

    "Quickly kill him and find the soul bead," Elder Sa Ren urged.

    Elder Chu Xiong waved his hand, and a ck weapon resembling a bone w appeared in the palm of his hand. He swiftly rushed into the cave.

    Elder Sa Ren followed closely behind and also rushed in.

    However, the moment they entered the cave, both of them were stunned at the same time.

    Inside the cave, it was a mess. The ground was littered with scattered and fragmented corpses, most of them in a severely decayed state, and many had already rotted into bones, inplete chaos.

    And near the blood pool, there was another headless corpse.

    "This is..." Elder Chu Xiong was shocked and quickly rushed over.

    Elder Sa Ren followed closely behind.

    "How did he die? Could it be fake?" Elder Sa Ren couldn¡¯t believe it.

    "The wound on his chest was caused by my Bone-Eroding Hand, there¡¯s no mistake, it¡¯s him," Elder Chu Xiong exined, his brow furrowed, clearly full of doubt.

    How did the Human Demon King suddenly die, and... where did his head go?

    "The soul bead!"

    Both elders felt a sudden tightness in their hearts and quickly searched for it on the corpse.

    But after a moment, both of them felt a chill in their hearts. Someone had beaten them to it, and the soul bead was gone.

    "Elder Chu, does anyone else know about the soul bead?" Elder Sa Ren asked with suspicion.

    "You know the true identity of this matter, how could I tell anyone else? Could it be..." Elder Chu Xiong looked at Elder Sa Ren, suspicious.

    "Do I look like someone who would do something stupid like that?" Elder Sa Ren nced at him and said.

    "Then who could have done this?" Elder Chu Xiong frowned and pondered.

    After Elder Sa Ren looked around and examined the scattered corpses on the ground, his brow couldn¡¯t help but knot.

    "Do you have any idea when you look at the state and distribution of these corpses on the ground?" Elder Chu Xiong incredulously looked at Elder Sa Ren.

    "Being able to control corpses at least indicates that the one who took the soul bead... is a Soul Cultivator, this..." Elder Sa Ren hesitated.

    "There are only the two of us here, what can¡¯t you say? Do you also think it was done by the Grand Elder?" Elder Chu Xiong straightforwardly said.

    "Other than the Grand Elder, I can¡¯t think of anyone else in the entire Bi Luo Cave," Elder Sa Ren nodded.

    "That old man might have already discovered the existence of the soul bead. He actually took the lead and snatched it away. We were nning to present it to him after obtaining it," Elder Chu Xiong said indignantly.

    "But why did he take his head?" Elder Sa Ren was puzzled.

    "Could it be... he¡¯s already..." Elder Chu Xiong¡¯s expression changed slightly.

    "This doesn¡¯t seem right. If it really was the Grand Elder, with just onemand, which of us would dare to defy? Besides, why would he take the head?" After carefully pondering for a moment, Elder Sa Ren said.

    "Soul Cultivators have always been mysterious and sinister. Taking the head might be for the purpose of refining some Soul Cultivation artifact, but it¡¯s not certain," Elder Chu Xiong pondered.

    "If that¡¯s the case, it makes sense. If it was the Grand Elder, we can¡¯t mention the soul bead anymore... let¡¯s pretend that this never happened," Elder Sa Ren smiled bitterly and said.

    "That¡¯s right! Fortunately, he¡¯s already dead. After destroying the body, this matter can be considered closed. Our long-standing worry can finally be removed," Elder Chu Xiong sighed and said.After they finished speaking, they looked at each other in silence, their hearts not feeling much at ease.

    ...

    On the other side, in a hidden valley.

    Yuan Ming squatted below a green cliff, cing the head of the Demon King into a well-dug pit, filling it with sand and stones, burying it.

    Then, he found a uniquely shaped stone and ced it next to the pit, serving as a wordless tombstone.

    After doing all this, he nced at the silver cat sitting on a nearby rock, frowned, and said, "With this matter settled, let¡¯s part ways." He was quite dissatisfied with what had happened in the cave earlier and didn¡¯t want to have any more involvement with it.

    "Stop."

    The voice of the silver cat echoed in his mind, still with an unquestionable tone.

    Yuan Ming turned around and saw a palm-sized green book appearing out of thin air,nding at his feet.

    "What is this?" Yuan Ming furrowed his brows.

    "This time, without your help... I wouldn¡¯t have obtained the Soul Bead so easily... This, consider it as a reward." The silver cat said,pletely ignoring Yuan Ming¡¯s reaction, and turned to leave.

    Leaving Yuan Ming alone, he hesitated for a long time before picking up the green book from the ground.

    At first nce, he saw the three characters "Death Moon Method" written on the cover of the book.

    It wasn¡¯t the Southern Region¡¯s script, but the script used by the Central ins people in Yuan Ming¡¯s memory.

    After a moment, Yuan Ming chose a sunny hillside and sat down on a t boulder, opening the green book.

    "The technique of soul cultivation is not burdened by form or constrained by methods. It is mysterious and unpredictable, difficult to defend against. Those who cultivate must examine themselves. If their divine soul is not strong and their will is not resolute, they should not practice it lightly. Remember, remember."

    The opening paragraph was not a summary of the technique, but a reminder for the reader to self-reflect and see if they have the qualifications to practice the technique.

    Although Yuan Ming didn¡¯t understand what soul cultivation was, he felt that the opening words were somewhat intimidating.

    He continued reading and the subsequent content was more normal.

    "Absorb the essence of the sun during the day, and the essence of the moon during the night. The Death Moon technique nourishes the soul, strengthens the spirit..."

    Yuan Ming read through the entire "Death Moon Method" and understood that soul cultivation seemed to be a type of cultivator who refines the power of the divine soul. Soul cultivation techniques usually aim to refine the divine soul. Their attack methods during battles also focus on attacking the enemy¡¯s soul consciousness, making it even more difficult to defend against.

    Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but think of the battle with the Demon King in the cave. The corpses that had risen to attack were probably a soul cultivation technique used by the silver cat, right?

    However, it seemed that cultivating this kind of technique was extremely difficult. The warning in the beginning was not an exaggeration, as there were indeed risks in cultivation. Those with weak willpower were likely to harm their own souls. Once the soul was damaged, one could lose their memories, intelligence, lose their soul, or even be an idiot.

    Originally, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t have much interest in the "Death Moon Method," but after reading the description of the first level of the technique, he had a slight desire to practice it if he could refine the power of his divine soul into a physical form. Although he didn¡¯t know if his divine soul was qualified, he had some confidence in his willpower.

    Afterwards, he continued to read the content, only to find that the technique was unexpectedly short, with only three levels in total. However, the content of these three levels was very detailed, and there were asional small annotations in tiny handwriting next to the nk spaces, seemingly left by someone.

    It detailed the cultivation methods andter-stage attack techniques, but the content was quite profound and obscure. At least for Yuan Ming, it was somewhat difficult to fully understand.

    At the moment, he didn¡¯t have immediate ns to cultivate, so he put away the book, rested on the spot for half an hour, and then left.

    ...

    In the following half month, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t go out to hunt beasts anymore. Instead, he stayed in his cave, healing his injuries and cultivating.

    One reason was that he wasn¡¯t sure if Kun Tu and Ba Da woulde looking for trouble, and the other reason was that he wasn¡¯t sure if the sect¡¯s handling of the Demon King incident would involve him. Although the chances of these two things happening were not very high, given his lowly status as a mere beast ve, he still had to be cautious.

    During the day, he continued to cultivate the Nine Elements Technique, and at night, when the moon was hanging in the sky, he woulde out to try cultivating the "Death Moon Method."

    What troubled him was that he encountered the same dilemma as when he was cultivating the Qi Refining Technique.

    The "Death Moon Method" had a clear entry requirement, which was to be able to "perceive with divine consciousness and observe oneself in meditation."The so-called divine consciousness is a kind of ability that transcends the six senses, born from cultivators who have stepped into the Qi Refining stage. It is also mentioned in the Nine Elements Decision. In simple terms, it is a special perceptual power that can probe everything.

    However, his divine consciousness is currently very weak, only able to sense within a range of a few inches with his eyes closed. Moreover, every time he opens his divine consciousness, if he keeps it open for a bit too long, he feels a sense of exhaustion and needs to rest for a long time to recover.

    In addition, with each increase in cultivation, the divine consciousness will also slightly strengthen. But for Yuan Ming, the change is not very noticeable.

    ording to the books, the so-called "introspection of divine consciousness, self-observation while seated" requires guiding the divine consciousness to observe one¡¯s own Dantian, meridians, and sea of consciousness, these three important internalndscapes. It¡¯s like a king inspecting the mountains and rivers within his territory, demonstrating control.

    However, after half a month of effort, Yuan Ming could barely introspect his own sea of consciousness, and what he saw was only a small chaotic area. He couldn¡¯t truly introspect the entire sea of consciousness.

    Not to mention the so-called external patrol of divine consciousness along the meridians, or visiting the Dantian.

    This cirction of divine consciousness is different from the previous guidance of the silver cat to condense his eyes with the power of the divine soul. The operation is more meticulous, and the control of the power of the divine soul is extremely strict. Yuan Ming has always found it difficult to master.

 Chapter 58: Ambush

    Chapter 58: Ambush

    In the night.

    A lonely and cold moon hung high in the sky, shining through the gaps between the branches and leaves of the trees, casting patches of light.

    Yuan Ming sat cross-legged on a patch of moonlight, his palms pressed together, one hand pointing towards the sky and the other towards the ground.

    A hazyyer of moonlight enveloped his body, different from elsewhere, misty and ethereal, as if shrouded in fog and thin veils, lingering for a long time.

    At this moment, his brows were furrowed, sweat beads forming on his forehead, as if he was making some kind of attempt.

    But after a moment, his brows rxed, and he suddenly opened his eyes, revealing a trace of exhaustion.

    "Ah, it seems that I¡¯m really not cut out for this. I¡¯ve been trying so hard, but I can¡¯t even fullyprehend the sea of consciousness, let alone observe my whole body. At this rate, it will take me at least ten years toplete the first level of cultivation. It¡¯s better to honestly cultivate the Nine Elements Technique." Yuan Ming sighed and epted reality.

    If all the cultivation techniques in this world were as smooth as the Nine Elements Technique, it would be great.

    He put away the technique, ended this cultivation session, and temporarily decided not to continue cultivating the Death Moon method at night. Although it improved his control over his divine sense, it exhausted him mentally and physically, affecting his cultivation of the Nine Elements Technique during the day.Moreover, after this period of silence, he found that there was no news about the incident with the human demon. It seemed that the unexpected event during the trial did not cause much disturbance. He pondered when he should resume hunting.

    After all, umting blood food and finding a way to be an official disciple as soon as possible was the main goal.

    Although the named disciples he had encountered before might not be stronger than him, each of them had a spirit beast by their side and possessed magical weapons, which made Yuan Ming, a poor beast ve, extremely envious.

    Of course, more importantly, it would allow him to get rid of the identity of a beast ve with no status, no hope, and no freedom, and move closer to returning to the Central ins and recovering his memories.

    ***

    Time flew by, and it was already three monthster.

    In the evening, in a dense forest, a winding river flowed slowly.

    On the water near the riverbank, a section of grayish-green rotten wood floated quietly, with water flowing slowly around it, creating ripples.

    On the riverbank, a sturdy ck-haired wild boar was drinking water, its dark red eyes scanning the surroundings, carefully observing any movement.

    The light in the mountains and forests was dim, appearing quite tranquil. Only asionally, birds chirped.

    Seeing the peaceful surroundings, the ck-haired wild boar gradually rxed. Its short tail swayed gently behind it, and its mouth waspletely immersed in the water, drinking with bubbles popping up.

    At this moment, the quiet rotten wood floating beside it suddenly tilted, followed by a huge ck shadow rising to the surface of the water, revealing a massive and ferocious mouth, biting towards the ck-haired wild boar.

    The ck-haired wild boar panicked and barely avoided the sudden attack, but the ground under its feet was extremely slippery, and it couldn¡¯t retreat far.

    The owner of the massive mouth jumped out of the water, revealing a gray-ck giant crocodile covered in square scales, its huge mouth almost the same size as the ck-haired wild boar.

    After emerging from the water, it immediately caught up with the ck-haired wild boar and bit it again.

    With a powerful bite, the crocodile¡¯s jaws crushed the ck-haired wild boar¡¯s head along with half of its body.

    The ck-haired wild boar struggled desperately, trying to escape.

    But in the water, it had no resistance at all. In a short while, it becamepletely motionless.

    The crocodile dragged its body and quickly swam back to the shore, starting to devour the entire body of the ck-haired wild boar, swallowing it into its throat.

    The sound of cracking bones continued.

    The crocodile¡¯s jaws were incredibly strong, gradually crushing the bones on the ck-haired wild boar¡¯s body. In no time, half of the boar¡¯s body was swallowed.

    While the crocodile was enjoying its meal, on a tree trunk by the riverbank, a figure that had been quietly lying there, revealed a smile.

    Wearing a white ape skin and a bronze longsword tied around his waist, it was Yuan Ming.

    In order to hunt down this first-level advanced beast, he had been lurking here for four days and three nights, finally seizing the opportunity.

    <em>"Now is the time!"</em>

    He thought to himself, his figure flipped, and he jumped down from the tree, at the same time activating the Beast Transformation Technique. His body quickly grew, transforming into a muscr white-haired old ape.

    The crocodile noticed something was wrong and didn¡¯t care about its meal anymore, quickly retreating into the river.

    How could Yuan Ming give it a chance to escape? Gripping the Green Fish Sword tightly with both arms, he infused it with his spiritual power and fiercely stabbed it with his stored power.

    With a ng, the Green Fish Sword pierced the scales on the crocodile¡¯s back, but the de slipped and failed to prate.

    The crocodile felt the pain, swung its long tail, but couldn¡¯t hit Yuan Ming no matter what.

    Yuan Ming was somewhat surprised that he couldn¡¯t break through its defense. Seeing that the crocodile was still moving its body and retreating into the river, he immediately changed his n.

    Flipping his body, he jumped off the crocodile and used the Shadowless Step to dodge its tail sweep. With a horizontal sh, he struck the crocodile¡¯s leg.

    Although its scales were imprable, its legs were not as well protected.

    After the sh, blood spurted out, and the wound was already visible.

    The crocodile felt the pain and wanted to roar, but it had a ck-haired wild boar stuck in its mouth, unable to spit it out or swallow it, feeling extremely ufortable.

    Yuan Ming had seized this opportunity when he saw the crocodile¡¯s situation and decided to make his move.

    Skillfully dodging the crocodile¡¯s tail, he took advantage of the situation and stabbed its wound with his sword.

    With a "crack" sound, one of the crocodile¡¯s legs was directly severed by him.The ck-Scaled Giant Crocodile was in extreme agony, its dark yellow eyes flickering incessantly as it shed crystalline tears.

    Despite its injuries, it tried to retreat into the river at a faster pace. Yuan Ming, however, followed suit and severed another leg on its other side.

    With two of its legs cut off, the ck-Scaled Giant Crocodile could no longer move quickly, even if it wanted to.

    Yuan Ming, like a butcher, calmly dodged its tail attacks and slowly dismembered the ck-Scaled Giant Crocodile, which was utterly helpless against him.

    About half an hourter, the ck-Scaled Giant Crocodile, with all its limbs severed, had half of its body submerged in the river. However, a bronze longsword was embedded in one of its eyes.

    The Green Fish Sword pierced through its eye and into its brain,pletely cutting off its life force.

    Yuan Ming sat nearby, his chest heaving as he gasped for breath.

    With his current strength, hunting a beast that had just reached the upper level of the first rank was still quite challenging and even risky. This time, he was sessful only because he was well-prepared and took advantage of the situation.

    After resting for a while, he began to dismember the crocodile from its abdomen and peeled off its entire skin.

    This material was excellent for refining soft armor and was highly sought after by the named disciples of the Bi Luo Cave.

    After cutting off some crocodile meat, he found the biggest gain from this hunt - a "Blood Pill" the size of a dragon¡¯s eye.

    After packing up, Yuan Ming returned to the nearby temporary shelter with his spoils of war.

    At night, he lit a bonfire under the tree house, skewered the crocodile meat, and roasted it over the fire. As the fat seeped out, a tempting aroma filled the surroundings.

    After these days of trials and tribtions, Yuan Ming was no longer the weak little beast ve he used to be. Not to mention his cultivation at the fifth level of Qi Refining was already superior among many beast ves, his adaptability inbat and hunting experience also made him a standout among them.

    He had already set up various traps around him, so he was not worried that the firelight and the aroma of the meat would attract other beasts. On the contrary, if any beasts were to fall into his trap, he would be happy to collect more Blood Food.

    After this period of frantic umtion, he had almost gathered enough Blood Food. Including today¡¯s gains, he was less than four hundred short of his target of one thousand.

    The thought of being able to shed his identity as a beast ve and enter the Bi Luo Cave Sect made Yuan Ming feel great.

    You should know that although he used the mysterious incense burner hidden in his arm to suppress the bacsh from using the Beast Transformation Technique, the effect was getting weaker and weaker. There were even times when he almost lost his sanity.

    He didn¡¯t have much time left.

    Just as Yuan Ming was about to take a bite of the sizzling crocodile meat he had taken from the fire, a sudden crash sounded in the distance.

    "So a beast really dide..."

    Yuan Ming took a bite of the meat and chewed it, then stuck the rest back into the ground. He got up, picked up his sword, and headed towards the source of the noise.

    Under the dim moonlight, Yuan Ming saw that the trap he had set up was in a mess.

    On the dug pit, four sharpened logs were crisscrossed, and underneath was a made of beast tendons, covering the entire pit.

    As Yuan Ming approached, he saw that two of the logs had broken, and the incredibly tough had been torn open.

    In the pit below, a shadow was frantically darting around, making dull noises.

    The dim light made it hard for him to see the situation below, so Yuan Ming picked up a burning piece of wood and walked back.

    By the light of the burning wood, he saw arge green wolf standing at the bottom of the pit.

    "Huh..."

    Yuan Ming took a closer look and a hint of confusion shed in his eyes.

    The green wolf at the bottom of the pit looked a bit strange. It wasn¡¯t lying on the ground with all four limbs, but standing on its hind legs, its paws constantly digging at the pit walls.

    "Roar... Hiss..."

    As the green wolf swung its ws, it also let out suppressed growls from its mouth, seeming to be in great pain.

 Chapter 59: Take a look at her for me

    Chapter 59: Take a look at her for me

    Yuan Ming pondered for a moment, bent down, and leaned the torch down to see more clearly.

    The green wolf, however, seemed to be stimted by the firelight. It suddenly let out a furious roar and rushed upwards. Its ws scraped the dirt wall and it leaped out from inside.

    Thes and logs above couldn¡¯t stop it. The green wolf directly broke through the logs and fell out from the.

    The green wolf¡¯s limbs were entangled by the, and it struggled several times but couldn¡¯t break free.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming threw away the torch, drew his long sword from his waist, and leaped up, shing towards the green wolf.

    The green wolf immediately rolled on the ground to dodge the sword, and at the same time, it broke free from the hole in the.

    As it stood up, the green wolf returned to its four-legged posture and bared its teeth at Yuan Ming, revealing sharp white teeth.

    But as soon as Yuan Ming saw the appearance of the green wolf, he was stunned.

    At this moment, the green wolf was covered in bloody wounds, its eyescked the usual green light and instead had a bloody red color, and saliva dripped from its open mouth.Although the eyes didn¡¯t match, Yuan Ming was not unfamiliar with that appearance.

    "Ha Gong, is that you?" he asked tentatively.

    The green wolf, who had been growling softly, struggled when it heard Yuan Ming¡¯s question, and the blood-red color in its eyes was reced by the usual emerald green light.

    But it onlysted for a moment before the blood color covered its eyes again, and it pounced towards Yuan Ming.

    "He¡¯s suffering from the bacsh of the Fur Transformation Technique?" Yuan Ming thought while dodging.

    The green wolf dodged past him, and Yuan Ming caught a glimpse of its two hind legs, which were unusually thick and more like human legs covered in fur than beast legs.

    And the fur on those human legs was not dark green, but white.

    Yuan Ming was filled with doubts and suspicions. Just as hended, the green wolf, which had already turned back, collided with him head-on. He had no choice but to throw down his sword and cross his arms in front of his chest.

    "Boom!"

    Under the tremendous force, Yuan Ming was sent flying dozens of zhangs away.

    In mid-air, he quickly put on the ape skin and used the Fur Transformation Technique to transform into a white ape, flipping in the air andnding steadily.

    "Ha Gong, wake up!" Seeing the green wolf charging again, Yuan Ming shouted loudly, took a step forward, and met its wide-open bloody mouth with his left arm.

    His strong ape arm firmly held the green wolf¡¯s throat, keeping its body in ce.

    The green wolf kept biting, but it couldn¡¯t bite Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming noticed that the green wolf, which had only had white fur on its feet, now had both hind legspletely turned white.

    "So fast..."

    He thought of his deep-seated guess and couldn¡¯t help but be surprised.

    "I¡¯m sorry, Ha Gong, you have to wake up quickly." Yuan Ming shouted, raised his right arm, and smashed down towards the green wolf¡¯s head with a punch.

    With a muffled sound, Yuan Ming¡¯s punch was extremely powerful, directly knocking the green wolf to the ground. It struggled several times before finally standing up unsteadily.

    But this time, the green wolf stood up on its hind legs.

    The blood-red color in its eyes receded by more than half, returning to the emerald green color. Under the reflection of the firelight in the distance, it emitted a chilling green light.

    "Yuan... Ming..." The green wolf opened its mouth and made a hoarse sound.

    Its mouth opened and closed slowly, and its voice sounded somewhat muffled, as if speaking had be very difficult.

    "Ha Gong, answer me, is this the bacsh of the Fur Transformation Technique?" Yuan Ming quickly asked.

    "Yuan Ming, I can¡¯t... take off... the beast skin." Ha Gong, who had transformed into the green wolf, said with difficulty and bitterness.

    Saying that, he actually copsed and sat down.

    Yuan Ming put away the Fur Transformation Technique and approached him, asking with concern, "How do you feel now? What can I do for you?"

    "I¡¯ve used it too many times. I can¡¯t undo the Fur Transformation Technique... I can¡¯t take off the beast skin... I don¡¯t know what to do..." Ha Gong said, tearing at his face with his ws.

    His sharp ws immediately cut through the fur-covered skin, revealing the bloody flesh underneath. Ha Gong endured the intense pain and forcibly tore off a piece of fur, revealing a face covered in blood.

    Yuan Ming focused his spiritual power on his eyes and carefully observed. He found that there were no traces of fur on Ha Gong¡¯s face. Instead, each strand of fur seemed to grow from his flesh and blood.

    "Yuan Ming, save me..." Ha Gong trembled as he handed the torn beast skin to Yuan Ming, pleading.

    "You might be turning into a Human Fiend." Yuan Ming looked at this scene and furrowed his brows.

    Upon hearing these words, Ha Gong¡¯s hand, which was raised in mid-air, stiffened, and then he began to tremble violently.

    "What... did you say? Am I turning into... that kind of monster? I..." At first, he couldn¡¯t believe it, but when he saw his own legs, his voice choked up.

    When Yuan Ming saw the true appearance of the Human Fiend King, he already had some guesses in his heart, but he still held a glimmer of hope and didn¡¯t want to believe it.But after seeing Ha Gong¡¯s appearance today, he had to face a reality, that is, the ultimate result of the bacsh of the beast ve is most likely to be a human xiao.

    In other words, every person xiao who was hunted down by the Bi Luo Cave like a monster was once a living person.

    He had asked Yin Mao about this, but thetter did not answer.

    Now there is no need for any answer. The facts in front of him have given him a definite answer.

    The erosion caused by the bacsh of the beast transformation technique not only brings about changes in the mind, not only loses reason and bes bloodthirsty and brutal, but also brings about physical changes, bing a monster that is neither human nor beast.

    Yuan Ming looked at Ha Gong¡¯s appearance and couldn¡¯t help but feel pity.

    Since he was captured and became a beast ve in the Ten Thousand Mountains, the only person who could be considered a friend in this period of time was Ha Gong, but besides experiencing a period of hardship together, their interactions were actually not much.

    Now thinking back, Yuan Ming suddenly remembered that Ha Gong had also told him that he wanted to join the Bi Luo Cave and be a named disciple, not for anything else, just to regain his freedom.

    For this goal, Ha Gong was also very diligent in hunting beasts.

    And it was precisely this diligence that made him progress faster on the path of rapid transformation into a person xiao.

    After all, he didn¡¯t have a censer like Yuan Ming to temporarily suppress it, and his cultivation of blood energy and the beast transformation techniqueplemented each other, which might be one of the reasons.

    In just a moment, Ha Gong¡¯s eyes once again turned blood red, and half of his fur had already turned snow white.

    Yuan Ming frowned and was about to take action to control him, but he saw that Ha Gong actually forcibly suppressed the blood color in his eyes with his own will.

    "What you said... is true... I might... not make it..."

    "Yuan Ming, help me... kill me..."

    Ha Gong spoke with difficulty.

    His wolf mouth had already begun to shrink, bing shorter and shorter, while the hair on his face quietly grew.

    "What are you saying? How could I kill you?" Yuan Ming eximed in shock.

    "I... don¡¯t want to, I don¡¯t want to... be that kind of monster..." Ha Gong¡¯s tone was somewhat choked, and his voice was hoarse and messy, which made Yuan Ming even more sad.

    But he didn¡¯t have a way to help him.

    Although his censer was a treasure, he couldn¡¯t use it himself, it could only help himself and couldn¡¯t help others.

    The light in Ha Gong¡¯s eyes dimmed, and he said, "Let me... die as a human. I don¡¯t want... when I go to theherworld, she... she won¡¯t recognize me..."

    "She?" Yuan Ming asked in confusion.

    "Tu Ya... is my daughter..."

    Yuan Ming was also the first to know that Ha Gong actually had a daughter.

    "She was born... with a heart disease, I... I sold myself to the Bi Luo Cave... in order to treat her illness." Ha Gong seemed to recall the appearance of his daughter, and a smile appeared in his eyes.

    But this smile was quickly reced by pain.

    "I thought you and I were the same, both captured." Yuan Ming sighed.

    "At first... I was a servant, I offended... Elder Meng Shan, I was supposed to... die, butter... it was discovered that I had spiritual roots... so I became... a beast ve." Ha Gong said.

    "What about your daughter?" Yuan Ming worriedly asked.

    "I don¡¯t know... when I left... she had just turned one month old... it¡¯s been seven years, I haven¡¯t seen her..." Ha Gong¡¯s eyes were filled with sadness and tears.

    "In that case, you should live on, at least... see her again." Yuan Ming persuaded.

    Ha Gong shook his head repeatedly and said, "I can¡¯t... let her see..."

    "I¡¯m already... losing my sanity... kill me, kill me..."

    Ha Gong¡¯s pleading tone made Yuan Ming¡¯s heart tighten, and an indescribable feeling of bitterness climbed up his heart. He couldn¡¯t help but think of the King of the Person Xiaos.

    At thest moment when he regained his sanity, he also made the same plea: "Help me... kill me..."

    "If... you can go, please... take a look at her for me." Ha Gong spoke again.

    Yuan Ming was at a loss for words, but in the end, he asked, "Where is she?"

    "Under thergest kapok tree in the Qingao Mountain Miao Flower Vige." Ha Gong said this sentence smoothly, without any stumbling, that was his home.

    Yuan Ming repeated it word by word and promised.

    Finally, a smile appeared in Ha Gong¡¯s eyes, as if fulfilling his greatest hope.

    "Yuan Ming, thank you... apany me for a while." After Ha Gong finished speaking, he slowly closed his eyes.

    Yuan Ming heard this and held the Green Fish Sword in his hand, feeling a heaviness he had never felt before. He picked it up several times and put it down several times.

    He thought and thought in his mind, trying to find a way to save Ha Gong, but he had no clue.

    The process of bing a person xiao was irreversible, or for people like them, it was irreversible, just like the fate of a beast ve, once it was put on, it was almost impossible to change.

    "Uh..."At this moment, Ha Gong let out another painful groan. All the hair below his waist had turnedpletely white.

    "Quick, do it... I can¡¯t hold it back anymore..." Ha Gong said with difficulty.

 Chapter 60: Counterattack of the exception

    Chapter 60: Counterattack of the exception

    Yuan Ming looked at Ha Gong in front of him, knowing that he couldn¡¯t hesitate any longer.

    At this moment, Ha Gong was still struggling, still fighting his final battle, and every minute Yuan Ming dyed, Ha Gong would suffer even more.

    "Ha Gong, I will definitely go see your daughter, you...rest in peace." Yuan Ming raised his long sword high, closed his eyes, and prepared to strike.

    "Stop."

    Just then, a voice interrupted Yuan Ming¡¯s action.

    Yuan Ming opened his eyes and looked in the direction of the voice, seeing a figure rushing towards them from afar.

    "Elder Hu Huo?" Yuan Ming eximed in surprise.

    "What are you doing?" Elder Hu Huo scolded angrily.

    "I..." Yuan Ming held his sword in mid-air, not knowing how to exin."It was me...who asked him...to help me..." Ha Gong opened his eyes at this moment and said with difficulty.

    After calming down, Yuan Ming asked, "Elder Hu Huo, is he going to turn into a human demon?"

    Elder Hu Huo nodded without surprise or objection, but calmly.

    "Why? This is clearly the bacsh of the Beast Transformation Technique and Blood Qi Art. Why do we still need to cultivate them?" Yuan Ming furrowed his brows and couldn¡¯t help but question.

    "What are you? Are you beast ves? ves, understand?" Elder Hu Huo asked in return, his voice indifferent.

    Implied in his words was that mere servants had no right to question.

    Yuan Ming was burning with anger, not just for Ha Gong, but also for himself.

    If he hadn¡¯t identally obtained the incense burner and found refuge, he would probably have been unable to avoid the fate of bing a human demon.

    At this moment, Elder Hu Huo¡¯s expression eased slightly, and he said, "The cultivation world is inherently cruel, you should have understood that long ago. However, I can see that you are not an ordinary person, perhaps you can escape this quagmire before the bacsh."

    "What do you mean, Elder?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "The bacsh of the Beast Transformation Technique and Blood Qi Art has a triggering mechanism. Not everyone will definitely turn into a human demon. As long as you can ascend to the rank of a named disciple before the bacsh is triggered, you won¡¯t have to worry about suffering the bacsh. Ha Gong, like you, is a promising junior in my eyes, but unfortunately, he may not be able to hold on until that moment." Elder Hu Huo sighed heavily and said.

    "Is there still a chance to save Ha Gong?" Yuan Ming¡¯s anger subsided slightly, but he still had doubts and asked.

    "If the transformation is more than halfway, it¡¯s difficult to save him, but as long as it¡¯s not more than seventy percent, there is still a chance." Elder Hu Huo pondered for a moment and said.

    "Really?" Yuan Ming was overjoyed at the news, all his doubts were cast aside, and he eagerly asked.

    "Whether he can be saved or not, we¡¯ll have to bring him back and try." Elder Hu Huo said nomittally.

    "Thank you, Elder." Yuan Ming quickly thanked him.

    "Roar..."

    But just then, Ha Gong, who was lying on the ground, suddenly roared and struggled to get up.

    His eyes were bloodshot, and he reached out his hands to grab Elder Hu Huo.

    Elder Hu Huo raised his palm expressionlessly and pped him on the head.

    Yuan Ming wanted to stop him, but he saw a green talisman paper mped between his fingers, which was pped on Ha Gong¡¯s forehead.

    Although his action seemed powerful, it was actually done with finesse.

    Ha Gong was struck on the forehead by the green talisman paper, and his body stiffened for a moment before falling straight back.

    The redness in his eyes faded slightly, and the spread of white fur on his body stopped.

    "The situation is already very serious, we can¡¯t dy any longer. I have to take him back immediately." Elder Hu Huo frowned and said.

    Yuan Ming opened his mouth, but in the end, he didn¡¯t say anything.

    Although he was still dissatisfied with everything Elder Hu Huo had done to him and Ha Gong, this might be Ha Gong¡¯sst chance, and he had no reason to stop it.

    On the contrary, he felt a different kind of relief, at least he didn¡¯t have to personally send his friend on his way.

    Elder Hu Huo didn¡¯t say anything more, summoned his spirit beast, the Blue Falcon, lifted Ha Gong¡¯s arm, and ced him on the back of the Blue Falcon.

    With a whistle, the Blue Falcon pped its wings and flew up into the night sky.

    Ha Gongy on the back of the Blue Falcon, his eyes bloodshot, staring straight at Yuan Ming, appearing somewhat dull and seemingly unwilling.

    Suddenly, a sense of regret arose in Yuan Ming¡¯s heart. He didn¡¯t know if his decision was right or wrong, because he saw a pleading look in Ha Gong¡¯s eyes, just like when he begged for death.

    Yuan Ming returned to the temporary shelter by the campfire, looking at the golden and oily roasted crocodile meat, but he had lost all appetite.

    At this moment, a ethereal voice faintly sounded in his mind:

    "Foolish...stupid.""What do you mean by this? Why do you say I¡¯m foolish?" Yuan Ming suddenly shivered and quickly looked around, asking.

    However, the night wind blew and the surroundings were silent, with no one responding.

    Yuan Ming waited for a moment, feeling increasingly restless. He stood up, kicked the fire to extinguish it, and rushed into the mountains to find his next prey.

    ...

    Time flew by, and over a month passed.

    Yuan Ming arrived at the boundary monument and leaned against arge stone, waiting silently.

    Apanied by a whistling wind, Elder Hu Huo descended from the sky on a green falcon andnded on the ground.

    "Elder Hu Huo, how is Ha Gong doing now?" Yuan Ming hurriedly stood up and greeted him, asking.

    "He was too deeply affected by the Feather Transformation Technique. Despite my best efforts, I couldn¡¯t save him," Elder Hu Huo said, his expression unchanged.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming stood silently in ce, not saying a word.

    "Why, are you the only one here?" Elder Hu Huo nced around and asked.

    "I just arrived not long ago and haven¡¯t seen Wu Lu yet," Yuan Ming breathed a sigh of relief, as if he hadpletely let go of a heavy burden in his heart.

    "Hand over this month¡¯s contribution." Elder Hu Huo didn¡¯t ask further and said calmly.

    Yuan Ming took off the blood storage bag hanging from his waist and handed it over, receiving a small jade bottle containing the antidote from Elder Hu Huo.

    Yuan Ming opened the bottle cap, poured out the pill inside, and nced at it before tilting his head back to swallow it.

    Elder Hu Huo didn¡¯t leave immediately like before, but stood quietly by the side, looking up at the sky, lost in thought.

    Yuan Ming furrowed his brows, seemingly burdened with worries. He didn¡¯t want to stay here for long and bid farewell.

    "Wait." Elder Hu Huo stopped him and withdrew his gaze from the sky.

    "Elder, is there something else?" Yuan Ming turned around.

    "The rewards for thest trial have been distributed. Don¡¯t you want them?" Elder Hu Huo said.

    A strange expression shed across Yuan Ming¡¯s face, but he quickly regained hisposure and said, "I thought there would be no rewards due to the mishap in the trial."

    "The trial had some unexpected incidents, but it doesn¡¯t affect the rewards. You performed well in this trial, so you are granted two hundred portions of blood food as encouragement," Elder Hu Huo said.

    "Two hundred portions!" Yuan Ming¡¯s face showed surprise.

    "What, do you think it¡¯s too little?" Elder Hu Huo nced at Yuan Ming.

    "Of course not, it¡¯s too much. I didn¡¯t do much in the trial, so I dare not ept such a heavy reward," Yuan Ming shook his head.

    "Some named disciples specifically mentioned your contributions to the sect," Elder Hu Huo looked at Yuan Ming and said.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

    When he and the Silver Cat killed the Demon King, there was no one else present. Elder Hu Huo should be referring to the matter with Chen Wan.

    "In that case, I humbly ept the generous reward from the sect," Yuan Ming sped his hands.

    Elder Hu Huo nodded and didn¡¯t speak to Yuan Ming anymore. He turned around and walked towards the green falcon on the side.

    "Elder Hu Huo, I encountered an ident during the mission and withdrew early. I don¡¯t know what happened afterwards in the trial," Yuan Ming caught up and asked.

    "This is something you don¡¯t need to know," Elder Hu Huo frowned and reprimanded, jumping onto the back of the green falcon.

    The green falcon spread its wings and flew into the sky, quickly disappearing into the distance.

    Yuan Ming stood silently for a while, then left the ce and arrived at a secluded valley deep in the Hundred Thousand Mountains.

    On one side of the valley¡¯s bottom, there was a cave on a stone wall. It used to be the den of a gray bear, but after Yuan Ming killed it, he slightly tidied it up and used it as his current residence.

    Yuan Ming sat down in the cave and pondered his next actions.

    The two hundred portions of blood food reward greatly excited him. Combined with what he had umted before, the amount of beast blood he had turned in had already exceeded nine hundred portions. He was not far from his goal of one thousand portions. With a little more effort, he should be able to gather enough.

    Lately, the bacsh from the Feather Transformation Technique had be increasingly severe. He had been worried that his body wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand it until he gathered enough beast blood, but now it should be fine.

    Time was running out, and Yuan Ming stood up, ready to leave.

    Just as he took a few steps, a burning sensation suddenly emerged from his lower abdomen, as if a fire was burning, causing his internal organs to ache.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s heart skipped a beat and he quickly sat down, closing his eyes.

    After a moment, his brows furrowed. Through his weak divine sense, he faintly sensed the source of this burning sensation, which seemed toe from the detoxifying pill he had just taken.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s face changed unpredictably. He had never encountered such a situation with previous detoxifying pills. What was Elder Hu Huo nning to do?

    Before he could think further, the burning sensation suddenly erupted, spreading throughout his body.His meridians began to hum and tremble, a fierce and evil aura suddenly surged up, and the white ape skin around his waist automatically rolled up, adhering to his body, and instantly transformed into the shape of a white ape.

    After reaching the fifth level of Qi refining, the transformation into the white ape was even more robust than before, but his spine was somewhat curved, and his limbs were even more slender, looking more like a white ape than before.

    The white ape¡¯s fur was constantly bulging and wriggling, as if many small mice were burrowing inside.

    Yuan Ming was not unfamiliar with this situation. It had been happening more frequently in recent days, indicating that the fur-wearing technique was starting to backfire again.

    He hurriedly operated the Nine Yuan Jue to suppress the evil aura, while taking out the incense burner and holding it in his arms.

    Waves of heat from the incense burner entered his body, assisting the Nine Yuan Jue in suppressing the bacsh of the fur-wearing technique.

    A few breathster, Yuan Ming¡¯splexion became extremely ugly.

    The bacsh of the fur-wearing technique this time was different from before. Waves of indescribable restlessness surged up from his heart like raging waves, several times stronger than any previous bacsh.

 Chapter 61: Sea of consciousness

    Chapter 61: Sea of consciousness

    "This pill is definitely problematic!" Yuan Ming¡¯s face turned pale, and he was quite puzzled.

    He considered himself respectful towards Elder Hu Huo, and apart from submitting blood food every month in exchange for the antidote, they had no other interactions, let alone any conflicts. Why would he harm himself?

    At this point, it was meaningless to think about it.

    Yuan Ming took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and fully activated the Nine Elements Technique, focusing his mind and trying to resist the agitation from deep within his heart.

    As time passed, Yuan Ming¡¯s heart sank.

    The bacsh caused by the Fur Transformation Technique did not weaken in the slightest. It came in waves, growing more intense with each wave.

    Yuan Ming, in the form of a white ape, sat cross-legged on the ground. His cheeks turned red, cold sweat rolled down his forehead, and his breathing became heavy.

    His fingertips lengthened, and the fur on his body grew longer, messy and scattered around him. His eyes were mostly blood-red, shing with a beast-like fierceness, and saliva dripped from the corners of his mouth.

    If he could see himself at this moment, he would find that he looked very simr to Ha Gong.The erosion and mutation of his body were one thing, but after resisting for such a long time, his mind was on the verge of copse.

    "All this effort, is it all in vain? No! I refuse to ept it!" Yuan Ming¡¯s expression twisted as he roared in a low voice.

    Boom!

    A strong and abnormal aura suddenly surged, breaking through the defense of the incense burner¡¯s heat and hammering his mind.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s body trembled violently, and the incense burner in his arms fell out and rolled several feet away.

    He was shocked and quickly opened his eyes, wanting to pick up the incense burner.

    The only thing he could rely on now was the heat emitted by this mysterious incense burner, but the effect would be greatly reduced if it was too far away.

    Boom!

    A stronger and more intense aura suddenly surged in his heart, making his whole body boil with hot blood, and his eyes turnedpletely blood-red.

    Without the assistance of the incense burner¡¯s heat, Yuan Ming¡¯s defense line, which he had persistently maintained, instantly copsed.

    His head buzzed, and he fell to the ground, his limbs twitching. The hair on his body seemed toe to life, rapidly growing longer at a visible speed.

    His consciousness was also contaminated by the bloodthirsty thoughts, and hisst trace of rity elerated its decline.

    With a light sound, a book fell out of his arms. It was the Death Moon method that the Silver Cat had given him.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s dim eyes flickered, and in a daze, the contents of the Death Moon method shed through his mind.

    ording to the book, besides possessing mysterious soul cultivation techniques, the Death Moon method seemed to have the function of stabilizing the mind.

    With a thought, Yuan Ming instinctively operated ording to the description in the Death Moon method.

    The cultivation of the Death Moon method was difficult. It took him more than half a month to barely cultivate the firstyer, and he hadn¡¯t even mastered the maniption of soul power. But now, facing a life-or-death situation, his mind was not clear enough to consider the details. He directly skipped the observation of his whole body and forcefully tried to control his soul power, rushing through many ces.

    Yuan Ming felt a severe pain in his mind, as if many small knives were stirring inside it. The veins on his forehead throbbed, and his nostrils suddenly felt hot as two streams of blood flowed out.

    Whether it was the effect of the Death Moon method or the intense pain in his mind, the madness that surged in his heart subsided slightly.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming only had one thought in his mind, which was to continue operating the Death Moon method.

    The next moment, the veins on his forehead throbbed more violently, and not only his nostrils, but all seven orifices began to bleed.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s reckless actions were not without merit.

    Previously, when he operated the Death Moon method, the range he could see in his sea of consciousness was very limited. At this moment, this area rapidly expanded, and he could already see nearly half of his sea of consciousness, with the range of his exploration continuously expanding.

    After a few breaths, with a muffled sound, a dazzling white light lit up in his mind, illuminating the entire range of his sea of consciousness.

    It seemed like an ocean here, filled with soul power flowing like water. It was thin at the edges and became denser towards the center. In the most central ce, there was a faint humanoid shadow.

    Unconsciously, he achieved inner vision of his divine sense, a crucial step in observing his sea of consciousness!

    The next moment, Yuan Ming trembled all over, slowly opened his eyes, and his face first showed a dazed expression. After a while, a hint of rity appeared in his eyes.

    But immediately, he thought of something and closed his eyes again, releasing his divine sense to continue inner vision.

    "Could it be... this is my divine soul?" Yuan Ming curiously looked at the humanoid shadow standing in his sea of consciousness.

    In addition to soul power, there were also many dark red mists mixed in his sea of consciousness, which looked very simr to soul power and should be of the same type, filled with a sense of madness.

    After a little thought, Yuan Ming guessed that these blood-colored mists were most likely the bloodthirsty aura that caused the bacsh of the Fur Transformation Technique.

    The blood mist was eroding towards the deepest part of his sea of consciousness, already infecting more than half of it. Wherever it went, his soul power was tinged with a hint of blood.

    Only a small area in the center of his sea of consciousness still maintained its original state, but under the erosion of the blood mist from all directions, it had also begun to change color.

    Yuan Ming finally understood the full picture of how the Fur Transformation Technique eroded his consciousness. With a thought, he continued to operate the Death Moon method.

    After seeing the entire sea of consciousness, his understanding andprehension of the Death Moon method also vaguely reached a higher level, and the cirction of soul power became more natural.A sense of coolness emerged, like a clear spring pouring into a parchednd. His rapidly sinking consciousness seemed to have grabbed a piece of driftwood, no longer continuing to sink.

    "It really works!"

    Yuan Ming was both shocked and delighted. He continued to operate the Death Moon method with all his might while struggling to pick up the incense burner and hold it in his arms.

    As the heat from the incense burner seeped in, his pressure greatly eased, and the operation of the Death Moon method became smoother.

    The incense burner itself could stabilize the mind. Coupled with the active attack of the Death Moon method, the two worked together and quickly suppressed the bloodthirsty and murderous thoughts. The dark red mist in his sea of consciousness could no longer continue to erode.

    The blood in his eyes began to fade, and his rapidly mutating body stopped and slowly recovered.

    Half an hourter.

    Yuan Ming returned to his previous appearance, and the white ape skin also returned to its original state, making a rustling sound as it fell to the ground.

    He took a deep breath, put away the incense burner, picked up the Death Moon method, and his face showed excitement.

    The unexpected effect of the Death Moon method was beyond his expectation. If he had known this earlier, he should not have given up halfway. Of course, if it weren¡¯t for the idental achievement of observing the sea of consciousness this time, even if he persisted, he might not have made any progress.

    Fortunately, it¡¯s not toote to know now.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s eyebrows twitched suddenly, thinking of a possibility.

    Combining everything that had happened before, he couldn¡¯t help but specte that the reason for the increasing bacsh of his transformation technique might be rted to the antidote pills given by Elder Hu Huo every month, which was also provided by the Bi Luo Cave.

    He feared that the antidote pills he tookst month, or even earlier, also contained something that triggered the bacsh of the transformation technique. But he was unable to perceive it before, and he never thought about it in this direction. However, the process ofprehending the Death Moon method inadvertently improved his control over his consciousness, thus discovering this clue.

    The frequent use of the transformation technique would drive people into madness, eventually turning them into irrational monsters. This is why the requirement of a thousand portions of blood food seems not high, but few transformed beast ves can seed. What is the purpose of Elder Hu Huo elerating this process through the monthly antidote pills?

    Is it his personal behavior, or the intention of the Bi Luo Cave sect? If it¡¯s thetter, it means that all the transformed beast ves are experiencing this, because everyone gets the antidote from people like Elder Hu Huo every month.

    Thinking of this, Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but feel a chill down his spine.

    And that mysterious silver cat, perhaps it had already seen the problem, so it gave him this Death Moon method?

    Yuan Ming¡¯s face was uncertain. Today¡¯s events were full of twists and turns. The regr "antidote" from Bi Luo Cave, the mysterious silver cat, everything was beyond his ability.

    "Strength! I must increase my strength as soon as possible, otherwise I won¡¯t even know how I die." He clenched his fist.

    At this moment, a green light shed, and the stone door of the cave was cut in half and fell down, stirring up arge amount of dust.

    Yuan Ming suddenly stood up, performed the transformation technique, and instantly turned into a white ape.

    The dust outside the door slowly drifted away, revealing three figures.

    The first two were surprisingly Kun Tu and Elder Hu Huo. Behind Kun Tu stood a woman in red who was blind in one eye. She looked rather cold and seemed to be Kun Tu¡¯s follower.

    "Kun Tu! Elder Hu Huo!" Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes narrowed into a slit.

    Kun Tu stepped forward, seemingly about to enter the cave. Seeing Yuan Ming standing there unharmed, his expression faltered.

    "Hu Huo, didn¡¯t you say that you put ten times the amount of Lingxi incense in the medicine? Why is Yuan Ming still so sober?" Kun Tu turned to face Elder Hu Huo.

    "It is indeed strange. Ten times the amount of Lingxi incense should have made him fall directly, or even die on the spot." Elder Hu Huo was also surprised.

    The two of them spoke openly, not treating Yuan Ming as a threat at all.

    "All of this is your doing! I am just an ordinary transformed beast ve. Why are you targeting me?" Yuan Ming heard their conversation and confirmed his spection, asking coldly.

    "I¡¯m not interested in exining. You can be a confused ghost." Kun Tu sneered, a green light shining in his right hand.

    "It¡¯s because of Chen Wan." Yuan Ming suddenly said, his tone certain.

    Upon hearing this, Kun Tu¡¯s expression stiffened slightly.

    Yuan Ming judged from Kun Tu¡¯s expression that he had guessed correctly. He had only helped Chen Wan on a whim that day, without any intention of opposing Kun Tu. The gap in their statuses was clear, and he wouldn¡¯t seek trouble for himself.

    But he didn¡¯t expect Kun Tu to be so narrow-minded. Because of such a small matter, he wanted to kill him.

    "Since you¡¯ve guessed it, I¡¯ll let you die knowing the reason. My status is different now. Although that matter was a small one, I won¡¯t leave any potential threats to my future. So, you must die here today. In your next life, remember to open your eyes before meddling in other people¡¯s business!" Kun Tu¡¯s eyes were cold, and before his words fell, he raised his hands to cast a spell.

    Tworge green wind des shot out from his hands, whistling straight towards Yuan Ming. They were a circlerger and faster than the wind des that the green wolf mount had shot out that day.

 Chapter 62: Flee

    Chapter 62: Flee

    Yuan Ming faced the howling wind des and without hesitation, quickly chanted an incantation and pressed his hands down.

    With a loud rumble, two thick wooden spikes emerged from the ground and collided with the two wind des.

    There was a crisp sound!

    The wooden spikes were easily cut in half, but the two wind des also changed direction and shed into the stone walls on both sides of the cave, making a <em>"PU PU"</em> cutting sound.

    After the sound, deep marks about a foot long were left on the originally hard as iron stone walls.

    If Yuan Ming hadn¡¯t been prepared for protection, he would have been cut into pieces by the two wind des without even having time to react.

    "The kid reacts quickly." Kun Tu sneered, a green light shed in his hand, and the surrounding air flow surged violently, obviously preparing to use a more powerful method.

    Yuan Ming remained calm and made a gesture towards the sky.

    About seven or eight zhang above the cave, there was a cliff with arge stone measuring several zhang in diameter lying on the edge. The rocks on the cliff had already cracked due to wind and sun, and half of therge stone began to tilt downwards, ready to slide off at any moment.A green light shed at the bottom of therge stone, and two thick wooden spikes emerged, forcefully propping up therge stone.

    <em>BOOM!</em>

    Therge stone slid down from the cliff, rolling and smashing towards Kun Tu and the others at the entrance of the cave. Nearby rocks and soil were also brought along, pouring down with a rumble.

    Yuan Ming chose to live here partly because it was secluded, and partly because of the looserge stone above. He had only prepared for precaution, but unexpectedly, it came in handy today.

    Kun Tu and the others saw the fierce momentum of the giant stone and soil, and hurriedly dodged to the side.

    With a loud bang, therge stone fell to the ground, raising arge cloud of dust.

    Yuan Ming had been waiting for this moment and shot out from the cave, swiftly heading towards a distant ce.

    Seeing this, Kun Tu angrily shouted and pounced forward.

    He flipped his hands and a ck g appeared, about a zhang in size. A blood-red skull pattern was embroidered on it, and in an instant, a strong gloomy wind blew around, filled with a strong ghostly aura.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s pupils contracted, shouting "Watch out for hidden weapons!" He waved his arm and two gray-ck beads shot out, directly aiming for Kun Tu¡¯s face.

    Kun Tu¡¯s face showed a mocking smile as he waved the g in his hand. With a sh of blood, the blood-red skull pattern on the g seemed toe alive, opening its mouth and spitting out.

    A gust of wind-like Yin energy shot out, carrying a sharp and chilling intent. Wherever it passed, grass, trees, and stones were all cut off, and even the hard ground was marked with a deep groove, blocking the gray-ck beads.

    "No!" Hu Huo, who was on the other side, saw the gray-ck beads clearly and hurriedly shouted to stop.

    Unfortunately, it was toote. The Yin wind urately hit the beads.

    With a muffled sound, arge cloud of gray-ck smoke suddenly appeared out of thin air, instantly engulfing arge area nearby.

    Kun Tu suddenly felt his vision go dark, unable to see anything for a moment.

    Yuan Ming used the Shadowless Step technique and shot forward like an arrow towards the dense forest.

    Although Kun Tu couldn¡¯t see, he could still hear the movement. He poured his mana into the g, and little sparks of light appeared on the g, condensing into a blood-colored light de about a zhang in size in front of the g in the blink of an eye.

    <em>"GO!"</em> He flicked his wrist, and the blood-colored light de immediately turned into a blood-colored line, shooting towards Yuan Ming.

    Elder Hu Huo and the one-eyed woman also heard Yuan Ming¡¯s escape and simultaneouslyunched their attacks.

    Elder Hu Huo¡¯s sleeve rolled up, revealing a ck tube-like object in his hand. Without doing anything visible, the ck tube shook violently, emitting a low rumbling sound.

    A burst of ck light shot out, turning into countless ck needles, densely packed and shooting towards Yuan Ming.

    The one-eyed woman waved her arm, and a long whip with spikes shot out. Against the wind, it extended far beyond its original length of about a zhang,shing towards Yuan Ming¡¯s back.

    There was a strong wind behind Yuan Ming, his expression changed slightly, and his footsteps immediately shifted, his figure suddenly bing blurry as he swiftly moved two zhang to the side.

    The long whip of the one-eyed woman and the ck flying needles of Elder Hu Huo missed, but Kun Tu¡¯s blood-colored light de, like a blood-sucking leech, changed direction and continued to strike at Yuan Ming.

    With a loud explosion, the blood-colored light de appeared out of thin air three feet behind Yuan Ming, turning into an afterimage and shing down.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s expression changed drastically. It was toote to dodge, so he gritted his teeth and waved his right hand.

    A green shadow shed, and a green incense burner appeared in his hand. He held the sides of the incense burner with both hands, blocking it in front of the blood-colored light de.

    With a loud ng!

    Yuan Ming¡¯s whole body shook, and he was sent flying, his hands bursting open.

    The green incense burner was also shaken away and fell to the ground nearby, but it was intact without any damage, and there was no trace of a white mark.

    Yuan Ming flew out about four or five zhang away and crashed heavily into the nearby dense forest.

    Fortunately, he had already used the Fur Coat Technique to transform, so he was tough and unharmed. The wounds on his hands were only superficial, and he immediately flipped over and jumped up, fleeing towards the distance in the dense forest.

    While running, Yuan Ming raised his hand and the incense burner on the ground in the distance suddenly became illusory, turning into a wisp of green light and entering the mark of the incense burner on his right arm.

    Just as Yuan Ming¡¯s figure disappeared, Kun Tu and the others chased out from the gray-ck smoke, their faces looking very grim."Where did that kid escape to?" Kun Tu looked at the one-eyed woman.

    "There!" The one-eyed woman seemed to be skilled in tracking. After a brief observation of the ground, she immediately pointed out the direction Yuan Ming had fled.

    Kun Tu patted the spirit beast bag at his waist, and a two-zhang long blue giant wolf appeared. It was the spirit beast he had used during the trial, and he leaped up with the one-eyed woman, chasing after Yuan Ming.

    Elder Hu Huo also summoned a green falcon and leaped up, following closely behind them.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming had already left the valley. The transformed white ape moved swiftly through the mountains and headed towards the west.

    <em>However, whether it was Kun Tu¡¯s blue wolf or Elder Hu Huo¡¯s green falcon, they were both fierce beasts known for their speed. The sound of their pursuit quickly reached Yuan Ming.</em>

    Yuan Ming felt anxious, but he had no immediate solution and could only run with all his might.

    Just then, the sound of rushing water came, and a not-so-narrow river appeared ahead.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming immediately ran towards the river.

    At that moment, Kun Tu¡¯s voice came from the dense forest behind him, "Yuan Ming, let¡¯s see where you can escape to!"

    As the voice fell, the wind rose, and Kun Tu rode on the blue wolf, leaping several zhangs and pouncing towards Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming turned his head and his eyes narrowed. His right ape arm suddenly grew thicker, and he grabbed a handful of gravel, fiercely throwing it backwards. Then, he continued running forward.

    The blue wolf opened its mouth and a gust of wind surged out, shattering the gravel with dozens of cyan wind des.

    Kun Tu took advantage of the opportunity to wave hisrge g and pointed it towards Yuan Ming in the air.

    The skull pattern on the ck g lit up, and the top of the g emitted a shing light, shooting out more than ten blood-colored light arrows. Although they were not as powerful as the previous blood-colored light des, their speed surpassed them. They whistled towards Yuan Ming¡¯s back.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s figure lowered, sticking close to the ground and rolling forward, barely avoiding the attack of those blood arrows. However, his right arm was still scratched, and blood gushed out.

    But he had finally reached the riverside and flipped over, diving into the rushing water with a "plop," disappearing.

    Almost at the same time, Kun Tu flew andnded on the riverside, cursing under his breath. His eyes stared at the river, continuing to channel his mana into the ck g.

    The gloomy aura on the g became stronger and stronger, and the top of it surged with blood light. With the hindered movement in the water, and with the speed of the blood arrows, as long as Yuan Ming showed his head, he would not be able to escape Kun Tu¡¯s thunderous strike.

    Elder Hu Huo also arrived at the riverside, staring at the river as well.

    But no matter how long they waited, there was no sign of Yuan Ming resurfacing. It was as if he hadpletely disappeared.

    The three of them sensed that something was wrong and quickly dispersed, each searching a different area of the river. However, they still couldn¡¯t find any trace of Yuan Ming.

    "Hu Huo, could it be that Yuan Ming knows some kind of water avoidance spell? I don¡¯t remember you mentioning it before." Kun Tu looked at Elder Hu Huo.

    "Based on what I know, no one in the Toad Valley has ever sold such a spell. Besides, the cultivation requirements for the Water Avoidance Spell are very high, and it¡¯s not something that someone at the Qi Refining Fourth or Fifth Layer can cultivate." Elder Hu Huo shook his head.

    "Then where did Yuan Ming go?" Kun Tu asked in a deep voice.

    Yuan Ming was just a beast ve. He had thought that he could easily capture such a small character with a wave of his hand, but unexpectedly, Yuan Ming had escaped from his grasp multiple times, leaving him with a belly full of anger.

    "Kun Tu, calm down. I will let the green falcon search nearby." Elder Hu Huo seemed to be quite wary of Kun Tu as he tried to console him with kind words before summoning the green falcon.

    He jumped onto the back of the green falcon and ced his hand on its head, a faint white light appearing in his palm as he muttered something under his breath.

    After a few breaths, the green falcon soared into the sky and flew towards the lower part of the river.

    "You also go and find Yuan Ming. We must not let him escape." Kun Tu said to the one-eyed woman.

    The one-eyed woman agreed and began searching in the opposite direction.

    Kun Tu stood in ce, scanning the surrounding river surface with his gaze.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming was hiding underwater, sticking close to the ground and swimming downstream.

    He had already changed his beast skin technique to the ck Toad Beast Skin, transforming into the form of a ck toad.

    The beast soul within the ck Toad Beast Skin had been greatly enhanced by the incense burner, allowing him to hold his breath underwater for a much longer time. He had been lurking underwater for half an hour without any problems.

    "Elder Hu Huo and Kun Tu have conspired against me. I can no longer stay in the Ten Thousand Mountains, but the poison in my body is still unresolved. I won¡¯t be able to survive for long even if I leave now." Yuan Ming was in a dilemma.

    "Forget it, there¡¯s still a month before the poison takes effect. Let¡¯s ovee the current difficulties first." He couldn¡¯t make up his mind, so he stopped thinking about it and continued moving forward.

    Half an hourter, Yuan Ming¡¯s breath-holding reached its limit. He emerged from the river and, seeing no one around, dashed into the forest on the riverbank.

    Although he didn¡¯t see any trace of Elder Hu Huo and the others, he didn¡¯t dare to be careless and quickly fled towards a distant ce.

    As the three of them chased and fled, the sky gradually darkened.

    In the dim forest, the sounds of insects and beast roars asionally echoed. Yuan Ming stood on a branch of an old tree, supporting himself with one hand on the trunk. He breathed slightly and looked nervous, constantly scanning his surroundings.

    <em>Although he had narrowly escaped earlier, the current situation was still not optimistic.</em>

    <em>During their previous confrontation in the cave, he had been limited by the terrain and hadn¡¯t realized how strong Kun Tu was. It was only when they met again just now that he finally experienced the gap between them.Moreover, with Elder Hu Huo assisting from the side, if they were to be caught up again, they would likely be in a dire situation, teetering on the brink of life and death.</em>

 Chapter 63: Fire ferret

    Chapter 63: Fire ferret

    Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but feel angry when he thought of Elder Hu Huo. This person, despite being an official figure of the Biro Cave, conspired with Kun Tu for some undisclosed purposes to harm a beast ve. It was truly despicable.

    "Here!" Just as he was thinking, he suddenly heard a shout from above.

    Yuan Ming looked up and saw a ck shadow hovering in the gap between the dense forest in the mountains. There was a figure standing on it, holding a cylindrical artifact against their eyes, looking at him.

    "Hu Huo!" Yuan Ming cursed under his breath, quickly jumped off the tree trunk, and plunged into the bushes, continuing to run towards the depths of the Ten Thousand Mountains.

    This time, he didn¡¯t even have time to leave a mark. He had no intention of going back. Like a headless fly, he could only escape wherever he could.

    Yuan Ming ran for a while, and the shouts from above finally disappeared.

    But before he could rx, the branches above suddenly broke, and a huge shadow swooped down from the sky, rushing towards him.

    Yuan Ming quickly used the Shadowless Step, dodging to the side and swiftly moving away.

    Before he could even stand still, he saw the majestic eagle falcon crash into arge area of trees and fall to the ground.Elder Hu Huo leaped down and coldly shouted at Yuan Ming, "Stop struggling, you can¡¯t escape."

    As soon as he finished speaking, there were soundsing from behind and the side of the mountain forest. Soon, Kun Tu and the one-eyed woman appeared.

    "Hmph! I didn¡¯t expect that a mere beast ve would waste so much of our effort." Kun Tu, riding on a green wolf, spat and said with resentment.

    The three of them surrounded Yuan Ming, forming a triangr position.

    "Don¡¯t worry, he can¡¯t escape this time. But, let¡¯s make it clear beforehand, his head belongs to you, and everything on his body belongs to me." Elder Hu Huo spoke.

    Listening to their conversation, Yuan Ming felt angry but had no way to retaliate.

    Facing the siege of these three people, he knew he was no match for them. Even if he wanted to escape, it seemed difficult now.

    "No problem, I only want his life. But if everything belongs to you, you can¡¯t bezy anymore. Show some real skills and quickly kill this guy." Kun Tu sneered.

    "Naturally." Elder Hu Huo nodded.

    After speaking, he raised his hand and patted his waist. Immediately, a small triangr g with a reddish color appeared in his palm. On it was embroidered a golden three-legged toad and numerous intricate runes.

    "Yuan Ming, don¡¯t me me. If you have grown so fast and actually managed to gather the Blood Food in such a short time, I really want to see what secrets you are hiding. Don¡¯t worry, I will make your death more enjoyable." Elder Hu Huo held the slender gpole of the triangr g with two fingers and waved it lightly towards Yuan Ming.

    "Hu!"

    The golden toad on the triangr g seemed toe alive, opening its mouth and spitting towards Yuan Ming.

    In an instant, a surge of golden-red mes rushed out, carrying scorching heat, and surged towards Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming quickly dodged to the side to avoid it.

    But just as he moved, a gust of wind blew from the side, forcibly interrupting his Shadowless Step, blowing his body back to its original position, directly facing the fierce mes.

    "Trouble." Yuan Ming inwardly cursed, realizing that it was toote to dodge again.

    The scorching breath was already approaching, about to engulf him.

    At this moment, a slender figure suddenly dashed out from the forest and appeared in front of Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming thought it was Silver Cating to the rescue, but he found that the figure in front of him was slender and had a shiny red fur, resembling a fox. It was actually a fire ferret.

    The fire ferret rushed into mid-air, its eyes shining brightly, showing no fear or intention to dodge. It seemed very interested in the mes that were attacking.

    Its abdomen contracted, and suddenly it opened its mouth, emitting an incredibly strong suction force.

    Immediately after, the rolling mes were like clouds and mist, pouring into its mouth, and in the blink of an eye, it waspletely sucked in.

    Yuan Ming looked at the small creature in front of him, its belly bulging, bing round and plump, as if it had been inted. It lightlynded on the ground, full of surprise.

    "Burp..."

    Afternding, the fire ferret burped as if it had eaten and drunk to its heart¡¯s content.

    Then, its belly visibly calmed down at a speed visible to the naked eye.

    This sudden scene stunned everyone present, including Yuan Ming, who had no idea where this little creature came from.

    "What is this thing?" Elder Hu Huo frowned.

    "I don¡¯t know." The one-eyed woman shook her head.

    Kun Tu, however, had a pensive look on his face. He vaguely felt that he had some impression, but for a moment, he couldn¡¯t remember what it was.

    "It seems a bit strange. Whatever it is, let¡¯s catch it first." Elder Hu Huo said.

    The one-eyed woman nodded and immediately waved her hand. A crudely shaped wooden hairpin flew out, with ayer of dark purple light condensed on its surface, spiraling towards the small creature on the ground.The marten seemed to have just eaten its fill, and whether it was not paying attention or simply didn¡¯t care, it made no attempt to dodge the iing hairpin, allowing it to shoot towards itself.

    At this moment, Kun Tu seemed to suddenly realize something and urgently shouted, "Stop, don¡¯t hit it..."

    His shout broke off in a hoarse, drawn-out note, startling the one-eyed woman.

    By the time she reacted and wanted to recall her magical tool, it was already toote.

    Just as the ebony hairpin was about to hit the marten, a figure swept across the ground, scooping up the marten and shielding it in his arms.

    Despite not knowing why the marten had saved him earlier, Yuan Ming still stepped in to protect it.

    Before the marten could react, Yuan Ming had already thrown it far into the distant forest.

    Seeing an opportunity, Kun Tu immediately raised his hand and threw a punch at Yuan Ming through the air.

    A shadow of a fist flew through the void, heavily hitting Yuan Ming¡¯s back, sending him flying into the distance.

    After rolling on the ground a couple of times, Yuan Ming spat out blood, stood up again, held his sword in front of him, and prepared for the next attack.

    Kun Tu and the others had already caught up and once again surrounded him.

    At this point, Yuan Ming was like a turtle in a jar, with no chance of escape.

    "It¡¯s time to go."

    Just as they were about to kill him, a red light suddenly shot from the distance, apanied by a strong heat.

    "The Art of Fire." Kun Tu was shocked.

    Before they could react, a beautiful woman in red armor had appeared in front of them.

    She looked to be in herte twenties, with a slender figure, slightly plump, delicate features, gentle temperament, and mature beauty.

    Her appearance stunned everyone present.

    The one-eyed woman even showed a hint of jealousy.

    "Junior Kun Tu, a disciple under Elder Meng Shan of the Beast Taming Hall, pays his respects to the Third Cave Master." Upon recognizing the neer, Kun Tu immediately bowed in salute.

    Elder Hu Huo¡¯s expression changed slightly, and he also hurriedly paid his respects.

    He had been exiled to manage the beast ves for many years and had rarely seen the Third Cave Master, who was rumored to be obsessed with refining tools and in charge of the Fire Refining Hall.

    The one-eyed woman was even more shocked and immediately knelt down.

    However, Yuan Ming, who didn¡¯t recognize her, simply maintained his defensive posture.

    The mature and charming Third Cave Master scanned the crowd and asked indifferently, "Has anyone seen a fire marten?"

    She seemed uninterested in the current standoff and had no intention of intervening.

    Upon hearing this, Kun Tu and the others tensed up.

    No wonder the marten looked familiar. The Third Cave Master kept a fire marten that could swallow mes and contained a strange fire. Although it was not yet mature, it was her most cherished pet.

    And the one who had saved Yuan Ming by a twist of fate was likely that marten.

    "There... there was one, but it was injured by that despicable beast ve and thrown away. We don¡¯t know where it is now." Kun Tu hesitated for a moment, then quickly made up a story.

    Only then did the Third Cave Master turn her gaze to Yuan Ming.

    Upon seeing him, she frowned slightly, her gaze falling on the bronze sword in Yuan Ming¡¯s hand.

    After a brief pause, she asked, "Did you hurt my marten?"

    Yuan Ming shook his head, not bothering to exin.

    "You don¡¯t have the ability. Where did you get the Green Fish Sword?" The Third Cave Master asked again.

    "You recognize this sword?" Yuan Ming asked in surprise.

    "Answer my question." The Third Cave Master¡¯s voice was gentle, but carried an undeniable authority.

    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Yuan Ming briefly exined how he had obtained the Green Fish Sword.

    Seeing this, Kun Tu and the others felt a sense of foreboding.

    "Third Cave Master, don¡¯t be deceived by his smooth talk. This man is bloodthirsty and disobedient, not to mention he has killed hispanions. Many beast ves have died at his hands. He is aplete viin." Kun Tu quickly interjected.

    "Third Cave Master, I am the elder in charge of the beast ves in this area. As Kun Tu said, this man is indeed a heinous criminal. I invited Brother Kun Tu to help enforce the familyw." Hu Huo immediately corroborated.

    "Shameless!"

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming sighed inwardly. Knowing that he couldn¡¯t argue with them, he didn¡¯t bother to speak.

    "Give me the Green Fish Sword." The Third Cave Master¡¯s voice was indifferent, her expression unchanged.

    Upon hearing this, Kun Tu and the others showed joy.

    Yuan Ming frowned but made no move, still holding his sword in a defensive posture.

    However, the tension in his muscles betrayed his nervousness.

    But after waiting for a while, the Third Cave Master did not make a move. Kun Tu turned his gaze and said, "Let¡¯s not let this scoundrel tarnish the Cave Master¡¯s eyes. We will kill him now."

    With that, he quickly signaled the other three.

    The one-eyed woman was the first to attack, her ebony hairpin spinning rapidly and stabbing viciously towards Yuan Ming¡¯s heart.

 Chapter 64: The instructions of the three leaders

    Chapter 64: The instructions of the three leaders

    Yuan Ming put on the white ape beast skin and instantlypleted the transformation. He turned around and shed towards the ebony hairpin, while his figure rushed towards the side of the mountain forest, as if he was about to escape into it.

    However, Kun Tu had long been waiting there. A green wolf by his side opened its blood-filled mouth and let out a roar. The rolling wind des immediately stirred the air and attacked Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming seemed to have anticipated this. He swiftly changed his direction and rolled on the ground to avoid the attack of the wind des. Then, he leaped forward with a pouncing motion, seemingly intending to directly dive into the mountain forest.

    At this moment, mes suddenly burst out from the forest, burning through a clump of bushes and rushing towards Yuan Ming.

    But just as the mes ignited, a <em>"CHI CHI"</em> sound came from the ground, and a thick green wooden spike rose up.

    Yuan Ming grabbed the wooden spike with both hands and made a big circle with his body, changing the direction of his attack. He directly pounced towards Kun Tu.

    Since he couldn¡¯t escape, he must seize the opportunity to severely injure his enemy.

    Kun Tu, seeing him suddenly turn back and charge towards him, showed no fear on his face. He just raised his hand and pressed it against the green wolf beside him.

    His palm surged with mana, and a faint green light flowed into the body of the green wolf.In an instant, the green wolf¡¯s body was filled with a brilliant green light. Its fur stood on end, and in its wide-open bloody mouth, a mass of intense green light condensed, releasing a far stronger pressure than before.

    Faced with Kun Tu¡¯s killer move, Yuan Ming also had no intention of dodging. His flying speed increased instead.

    <em>"ROAR"</em>

    The green wolf let out a furious roar, and within the green light mass, dozens of sharp white wind des mixed together, crazily surging towards Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s figure rushed directly into the mass of green light without hesitation, being engulfed by the wind des and light.

    Seeing this scene, the Third Master¡¯s eyebrows couldn¡¯t help but slightly furrow.

    Just as she was about to turn around and leave, a hint of surprise shed in her eyes, and she stopped.

    Under her gaze, a golden light suddenly appeared in the surging green light mass of the green wolf, like a golden spear piercing through the green light wind des.

    Disturbed by the chaotic light, no one could see clearly what was happening.

    Yuan Ming, who was in the midst of it, already had a miserable appearance covered in blood.

    However, his gaze was fierce and determined, without any intention of retreating. A golden arm swiftly reached out from his chest, and his five fingers opened like a shield, colliding with the wildly swirling wind des, tearing open a gap from the inside.

    His steps were difficult, and his body was covered in countless small wounds, dripping with blood. With the protection of the golden arm, he gradually approached Kun Tu¡¯s green wolf step by step.

    At first, Kun Tu felt rxed because the Third Master didn¡¯t care about this matter. He thought that as long as he quickly killed the opponent, he could rest easy. But now, his brows unconsciously furrowed.

    <em>"How is this possible? How can a mere beast ve resist?"</em>

    As Yuan Ming approached step by step, the power of the wind des continued to weaken, and the seriousness in Kun Tu¡¯s eyes grew deeper.

    When the distance between the two was less than a zhang, Yuan Ming raised his blood-stained arm and tightly gripped the Qingyu Sword stained with blood.

    The Nine Elements Technique in his body was fully activated, and his mana surged into the Qingyu Sword in his dantian without considering the consequences.

    The green light flowed on the de, as if there were swimming fish, emitting a faint sword hum.

    With the support of the Yuan Arm, an invisible sword qi protruded from the de, causing Kun Tu¡¯s eyes to flicker.

    <em>"Just a lowly ant, still thinking of turning the tables? Seeking death!"</em> He shouted angrily and took out a yellow talisman from his bosom, waving it towards Yuan Ming.

    A sh of light appeared on the talisman, and the sound of an arrow being shot rang out.

    A yellow light condensed into a talisman arrow, <em>"whoosh"</em> and it collided with the green light, heading straight for Yuan Ming¡¯s head.

    The talisman arrow was extremely fast, and with the green light obstructing the line of sight, an ordinary person would not be able to dodge it, and they wouldn¡¯t even have time to notice it.

    But in the instant the talisman was activated, Yuan Ming "saw" it.

    The cultivation of the Death Moon method during these days had subtly changed his soul, making him more sensitive to danger.

    At this critical moment, he couldn¡¯t afford to hesitate. The long sword in his hand had already shed forward.

    <em>"CLANG!"</em>

    The long sword shed with a green light and collided head-on with the talisman arrow, erupting into a loud explosion.

    A high fireball over ten zhang in height burst open, and Yuan Ming¡¯s body was blown away, flying four or five zhang away.

    He fell heavily to the ground, feeling a strong sense of suffocation in his chest. His throat was filled with a fishy sweetness, and he struggled for a long time but couldn¡¯t get up.

    Kun Tu frowned deeply. This me Breaking Talisman was one of the entry gifts his master gave him. Its explosive power wasparable to an attack from a Qi Refining Seventh Layer cultivator. How could it not kill Yuan Ming?

    <em>"Could it be that the body of a beast ve is really this strong?"</em> He couldn¡¯t help but feel doubtful.What Kun Tu didn¡¯t know was that besides wielding his sword to counterattack, most of Yuan Ming¡¯s power was actually being blocked by the golden one-armed man.

    If it weren¡¯t for this, even if Yuan Ming exhausted his mana, he wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand this attack.

    However, at this moment, he was already unable to fight again. Despite trembling all over, he still stood up with his sword supporting his body.

    Seeing this, the Third Master of the Three Caves began to scrutinize him with a calm gaze.

    Kun Tu¡¯s expression slightly rxed, and he nodded towards the one-eyed woman. At this point, he no longer intended to extract Yuan Ming¡¯s soul, he just wanted to get rid of him as soon as possible.

    The woman immediately understood and carefully assessed the Third Master¡¯s reaction. Seeing that he had no objections, she walked towards Yuan Ming.

    But at this moment, there was a sudden movement in the bushes beside them. A slender figure quickly dashed out and ran to the center of the group, looking around.

    "Hu Chan¡¯er,e over here." The Third Master saw it and a smile appeared in his eyes as he called out.

    Kun Tu and the other two immediately dared not move, afraid that the fire ferret had been attacked earlier and would show hostility towards them, displeasing the Third Master.

    The fire ferret quickly scanned everyone¡¯s eyes and then stopped at the Third Master.

    "Why aren¡¯t youing back?" The Third Master called out again, his voice bing slightly stern.

    At this moment, a surprising scene unfolded.

    In response to the Third Master¡¯s call, the fire ferret actually turned its head and ran straight towards Yuan Ming, climbing up his pants and onto his shoulder.

    After standing on his shoulder, the fire ferret didn¡¯t settle down. It rubbed its head against Yuan Ming¡¯s neck and head, as if greedily sniffing some scent.

    This sudden scene surprised Yuan Ming, but he didn¡¯t drive it away and let it y around on his body.

    Kun Tu and the others looked at each other, not knowing what to do for a while.

    The Third Master furrowed her brows and carefully observed Yuan Ming for a while. The doubt in her eyes remained unresolved.

    She walked up and straightforwardly asked, "Do you have any hidden treasures on you that can attract spirit beasts?"

    "No," Yuan Ming swallowed and shook his head.

    "Are you skilled in beast taming?" The Third Master asked again.

    "No," Yuan Ming shook his head again.

    "That¡¯s really strange. My fire ferret usually doesn¡¯t like strangers, but it seems to be close to you. What¡¯s your name?" The Third Master asked.

    "Yuan Ming," Yuan Ming replied.

    "From today onwards, you will follow me back to the Bi Luo Cave and be a named disciple of the Fire Refining Hall," the Third Master said calmly.

    Upon hearing this, Kun Tu and the others were immediately shocked and their faces turned extremely ugly.

    "Third Master, this can¡¯t be, he..." Kun Tu didn¡¯t even finish his sentence before being knocked down by a scorching wave of heat.

    A three-zhang-long, one-zhang-tall fiery red giant bird appeared on the open space beside them. Its body was covered in colorful bright red feathers, with brilliant fiery patterns all over, emitting scorching heat.

    The moment this bird appeared, the temperature around it quickly rose. It stood tall with a proud and disdainful gaze. Kun Tu¡¯s green wolf had already lowered itself to the ground, trembling in fear, showing a submissive posture.

    "Fire Feather Falcon..." Kun Tu stood up and fear appeared in his eyes.

    Hu Huo and the others dared not say a word.

    The Third Master flicked her wrist, and a translucent red crystal immediately appeared in her palm. She waved it towards the fire ferret, which was clinging to Yuan Ming¡¯s head, and looked at the drooling fire ferret.

    Yuan Ming finally noticed that although the Fire Feather Falcon had a proud posture, its gaze had been avoiding him all along, intentionally or unintentionally.

    As for who it was avoiding, it was obvious that it wasn¡¯t Yuan Ming.

    "Hu Chan¡¯er." The Third Master furrowed her brows, seemingly dissatisfied.

    The fire ferret reluctantly moved its gaze away and leaped onto the Third Master¡¯s arm, squatting like a squirrel. It held the fiery red crystal in its hands and happily gnawed on it.

    The seemingly hard fiery red crystal was as crunchy as an ice cube in its mouth.

    Yuan Ming watched in astonishment, but he saw that the Third Master had already leaped onto the back of the Fire Feather Falcon.

    In the instant shended, the proud Fire Feather Falcon visibly trembled.

    "Get on." The Third Master spoke.

    Yuan Ming snapped back to his senses and realized that the Third Master really intended to take him to the Bi Luo Cave.

    He took a deep look at Kun Tu and Elder Hu Huo, forcibly suppressing his injuries, took a deep breath, and dispelled his fur transformation technique. He leaped up with his sword andnded behind the Third Master.

    The Fire Feather Falcon under him shook its head dissatisfiedly, apparently unhappy that Yuan Ming was also riding on its back. But at the Third Master¡¯smand, it spread its wings and flew straight up into the sky.

    Yuan Ming almost lost his bnce and sat down on the Fire Feather Falcon¡¯s back, quickly grabbing onto its feathers to stabilize himself.<em>At this moment, he felt as if everything around him was rapidly receding, his mind buzzing incessantly. Everything that had just happened felt like a dream.</em>

 Chapter 65: To cross the threshold

    Chapter 65: To cross the threshold

    Watching Yuan Ming being taken away by the three sect masters, Kun Tu didn¡¯t dare to move, his face turned extremely pale.

    "Kun Tu, today we failed topletely eradicate the grass, this enmity will be settled. In the future, either you die or he perishes." Elder Hu Huo¡¯s gaze was deep as he spoke.

    "You don¡¯t need to say that." Kun Tu narrowed his eyes and said coldly.

    ...

    Riding a spiritual beast for the first time and flying in the sky, Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but feel a little nervous.

    But after a short adjustment, he calmed down and felt the whistling wind beside him, leaning sideways to look down.

    At this moment, hundreds of feet above the ground, the dense forest below became dark and indistinct in the night, leaving only a vague silhouette of undting mountains, giving him a sense of insignificance like a tiny ant on a dangerous tower.

    Yuan Ming retracted his gaze and looked up at the sky. The clouds in the sky were ethereal, the moon and stars were sparse, and they didn¡¯t appear closer to him just because he was flying higher.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming felt someone¡¯s gaze on him. Looking over, he found that the half-furry head of the fire ferret on the shoulder of the three sect masters was sticking out, and its round eyes were staring at him.Yuan Ming was indirectly saved by it, so he smiled at it, and it blinked its eyes in response.

    The Fire Feather Falcon spread its wings and soared, and not long after descending into the darkness below, bright lights appeared in sight, illuminating arge area. Yuan Ming looked and saw arge number of illuminated buildings.

    The Bi Luo Cave Sect was backed by the Ten Thousand Mountains and was also built in the dense forest, but the vegetation in the main area of the sect was not as dense as the Ten Thousand Mountains.

    As they got closer, Yuan Ming suddenly noticed a faintyer of mist shrouding the area where the sect buildings were concentrated, making it unclear.

    Only when he concentrated his spiritual power around his eyes did he finally confirm the existence of the mist.

    Moreover, the mist seemed like an overturned pot, the closer to the bottom of the pot, the thicker it became, and conversely, the closer to the edge of the pot, the thinner it became.

    Yuan Ming wanted to ask, but seeing the cold figure of the three sect masters, he ultimately didn¡¯t speak.

    At this moment, the Fire Feather Falcon flew to the outside of the mist but suddenly stopped.

    A red waist badge suddenly appeared around the waist of the three sect masters, emitting a faint glow that enveloped both of them and the two beasts.

    Then, under the glow, they easily passed through the light curtain and entered it.

    Inside the barrier of mist, the Fire Feather Falcon began to descend, and the scenery below became clearer.

    At a nce, Yuan Ming saw the gorge and the bronze giant gate that he and the group of savages were captured into when they first entered the Bi Luo Cave Sect, located in the northeast direction of the sect.

    The terrain of the entire Bi Luo Cave was high in the west and low in the east, distributed in three tiers.

    The easternmost part was a spacious blue stone square, with several slightly elevated martial arts tforms on both sides of the square. In the central area, there were seven or eight round buildings with exotic styles.

    This was basically the same as the scene Yuan Ming saw when he first entered the Bi Luo Cave.

    In the highest part of the west, there were three slightly raised peaks, with the southwest peak being the shortest, equivalent to a raised hilly area, where one could see divided fields.

    The mountain in the middle of the west had a slightly higher terrain, and the mountain closest to the north and the Ten Thousand Mountains was the tallest and thergest in area.

    Although it was already night, the entire sect was still brightly lit, and there were faint sounds of various beast roars.

    The Fire Feather Falcon pped its wings and flew towards the middle peak of the three peaks.

    As they got closer, Yuan Ming gradually saw several courtyards scattered on the mountaintop, varying in size and style, different from the round buildings in front, more simr to the Central ins architecture in Yuan Ming¡¯s memory.

    Finally, the Fire Feather Falconnded with them on a white stone square with a radius of a hundred feet in front of the mountain.

    Afternding, Yuan Ming looked around and saw a green stone stele standing on the edge of the square not far away, with a column of characters in the southern region: "Fire Refining Hall."

    The three sect masters immediately asked Yuan Ming to follow them, and the two of them walked through the square and came to a courtyard.

    At this moment, a woman wearing a fiery red dress and a prominent green waist badge suddenly ran over from a distance, stopped in front of them, and bowed to the three sect masters.

    "Greetings, Master."

    As soon as the woman spoke, Yuan Ming felt that her voice was somewhat familiar. He frowned and looked closely, and indeed, she was someone he knew.

    "Chen Wan, you came just in time. This is the newly registered disciple, called... Yuan Ming. Take him to the separate residence for registered disciples and arrange a ce for him." The three sect masters looked at the woman and said.

    As soon as Chen Wan heard this name, she immediately raised her head and met Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze, but she was momentarily stunned.

    Aftering back to her senses, Chen Wan quickly responded, "Disciple obeys."

    The three sect masters nodded and were about to leave when they suddenly remembered something. They looked at Yuan Ming and saw that his injuries had already scabbed over, which surprised them.

    "You were born as a beast ve, and the poison of the Rotting Heart Pill on your body is probably still unresolved. Take these Clear Heart Pills. Although they are not specifically for detoxifying the Rotting Heart Pill, after taking them for three days, they can also remove the remaining poison from your body." The three sect masters said.

    "Thank you, three sect masters." Yuan Ming immediately thanked them with sped fists.

    After leaving a small white jade bottle, the three sect masters left with the fire ferret in their arms.

    The "Fire Greedy" poked its head out of her arms again and looked at Yuan Ming.

    After it went far away, Chen Wan put away her respectful attitude and looked at Yuan Ming with a hint of confusion.

    "Master has a calm personality and has never taken the initiative to bring back registered disciples. Why did she..." Chen Wan frowned and looked at Yuan Ming, unable to figure it out.

    "Why would she bring back a beast ve?" Yuan Ming added.

    Chen Wan didn¡¯t avoid the topic and nodded calmly."It¡¯s a blessing in disguise, I suppose. I should thank Kun Tu for that..." Yuan Ming chuckled lightly and began to speak.

    Upon hearing the name "Kun Tu", Chen Wan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She had already realized what had happened, but as Yuan Ming recounted the events, her face grew increasingly pale.

    "I can¡¯t believe he was so malicious, conspiring to harm you."

    "Murder to silence, only the dead can keep secrets. There¡¯s nothing surprising about that..." Yuan Ming¡¯s words trailed off as he turned to look at Chen Wan.

    He raised an eyebrow and asked, "What I¡¯m curious about is, why didn¡¯t you report this to the sect, Chen Sister? Why didn¡¯t you expose their plot to humiliate you?"

    Chen Wan hesitated for a moment, then sighed, "There was no substantial evidence for what happened that day, just hearsay. Our words wouldn¡¯t have been believed."

    Hearing her say "our words" instead of "your one-sided words", Yuan Ming¡¯s expression softened slightly.

    "Besides, Kun Tu has already entered the inner gate. His master, Elder Meng Shan, is the second inmand of the Beast Control Hall. His status is different from other elders, I..."

    "I understand." Yuan Ming nodded.

    He was not a stubborn person, and he understood that people sometimes had no choice.

    "I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know this would almost cost you your life... But you did turn misfortune into fortune. I hope we can put this matter to rest and not mention it again in the future. My master prefers to stay out of worldly affairs, and I don¡¯t want to cause her trouble just after joining her." Chen Wan suddenly changed the subject.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming was about to respond when a long cat¡¯s meow sounded.

    "Meow..."

    The drawn-out tone seemed to express dissatisfaction.

    Yuan Ming looked around in surprise, but saw no sign of a cat.

    Chen Wan was also puzzled, "Strange, when did wild cats start appearing on the mountain?"

    "Sister Chen, can you show me to my quarters?" Yuan Ming quickly changed the subject.

    Chen Wan nodded and led him past a nearby courtyard, exining as they walked, "This is where the servants of the Refining Fire Hall live, responsible for the disciples¡¯ daily needs. The courtyard where you named disciples live is further back. There are currently 138 named disciples, each with their own private room."

    As she introduced the ce, they arrived at argeplex of buildings. The houses were close together, only a few yards apart, without separate courtyards, making the area seem quitepact.

    "Sister Chen, is there a quieter ce?" Yuan Ming asked.

    Chen Wan thought for a moment, then said, "Yes, after thest trial, eight disciples of the Refining Fire Hall died. Five of them were close and lived nearby, but none of them made it back. The area where they lived is now vacant, and no one will choose to live there for a while."

    "Good, take me there." Yuan Ming immediately said.

    "You... alright." Chen Wan hesitated for a moment, but agreed.

    They walked along the path between the houses towards the back of the courtyard. The houses in front were all dark, clearly uninhabited.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t mind at all and chose a house under an old pine tree in the corner as his residence.

    "The bedding inside has been changed. Tomorrow I will notify the servant in charge, and they will arrange for someone to clean for you daily. As for the curriculum of the Refining Fire Hall, Second Brother Fang Ge is in charge. You will know when you go to the Fire Workshop tomorrow." Chen Wan reminded.

    "Thank you." Yuan Ming noted everything down.

    "You should rest early." Chen Wan said, then turned and left.

    Just as Yuan Ming was about to enter the house, he heard Chen Wan¡¯s voice from behind, "By the way, I hope you won¡¯t reveal to others that you know me."

    Hearing this, Yuan Ming paused.

    Then, he pushed open the door with a creak and walked in.

    Yuan Ming lit the oilmp on the table, and the room was illuminated by a dim yellow light, revealing the simple and elegant furnishings.

    The room wasn¡¯t veryrge. To the left of the window was a desk and a chair, with a brush, ink, and inkstone on the desk, but no paper or books.

    In the middle of the room was a round table with four stools, and a tea cup on the table.

    On the right side of the room, a bed was ced behind a carved wooden screen, with bedding neatly folded on top.

    Yuan Ming sat on the edge of the bed, feeling the soft touch beneath him, and was silent for a moment.

    He had been calm up until now, but his head was still a bit dizzy.

    "Am I officially a member of the Bi Luo Cave sect now?"

 Chapter 66: Bustling

    Chapter 66: Bustling

    Yuan Ming touched his nose and smiled bitterly in his heart.

    Just the day before, he was still struggling to survive in the dangerous environment of the Ten Thousand Mountains, trying to escape from being a ve to the Beastman and join the Bi Luo Cave. He even faced a desperate situation. However, he never expected that just one dayter, he would enter the sect directly in this way.

    After sitting cross-legged, Yuan Ming took out the "Clear Heart Pill" given to him by the three cave masters. He opened the bottle and poured out a bright red pill with a faint fragrance.

    After taking a quick look, Yuan Ming tilted his head back and swallowed the pill.

    In an instant, a warm stream started to rise from his abdomen, gradually flowing towards his heart.

    Yuan Ming felt his heart beating faster, as if it was about to burst out of his chest. His breathing became short and rapid.

    Before he could react, he suddenly felt an uncontroble urge to vomit. He quickly opened the door and rushed to the stone wall outside, bending over and vomiting.

    After spitting out a bunch of foul-smelling ck mucus, the urge gradually disappeared and his heartbeat returned to normal.

    After a moment of relief, Yuan Ming felt clear-minded and refreshed, as if all the pent-up frustration in his heart had been swept away."ording to the instructions of the three cave masters, the medicine needs to be taken for three days topletely remove the toxicity of the Corroded Heart Pill. This clear-minded and refreshing feeling is not a sign of the toxicity beingpletely resolved, but the original effect of the Clear Heart Pill." Yuan Ming thought to himself.

    After feeling the changes in himself upon returning, he couldn¡¯t help but breathe a sigh of relief.

    Yuan Ming suddenly rxed, but he couldn¡¯t fall asleep at all.

    He knew in his heart that the Bi Luo Cave was not his home after all. The Central ins, hidden deep in his memories, was his true destination. No matter what, he had to find a way to go back and figure out who he really was.

    However, after stepping into the cultivation world and experiencing a series of events, he realized that he was too small and weak. He didn¡¯t even know the identity of the person who had harmed him to such an extent. If he rashly went back, he might not even be able to protect himself if something happened.

    Moreover, he had just officially entered the Bi Luo Cave, and there were still many things he needed to explore.

    "At least I need to improve my cultivation and have some self-defense power before I can leave. Otherwise, it will be difficult to cross the thousands of miles." Yuan Ming thought to himself.

    Although he said that, he already had a rough n in his mind about returning to the Central ins.

    After thinking for a while, Yuan Ming calmed his mind and sat cross-legged on the bed, continuing to cultivate the "Nine Elements Technique".

    ...

    "Knock knock."

    The next morning, Yuan Ming, who was immersed in cultivation, was awakened by a dull knocking sound.

    He opened his eyes and couldn¡¯t help but show surprise.

    In such a state of deep meditation, where he forgot about himself and the world, it was rare to have any disturbances in the dangerous Ten Thousand Mountains.

    Yuan Ming got up and opened the door, seeing a young man in brown clothes standing outside. He had ordinary eyebrows and eyes, and slightly thick lips, giving the impression of an honest and loyal person.

    "Hello, I am the servant in charge of this ce. I am responsible for the cleaning and daily chores here." The young man lowered his head and held a stack of clothes in his hands, speaking.

    On the clothes, there was a palm-sized white waist badge with the words "Bi Luo Cave" written in the Southern Region¡¯s script.

    Yuan Ming took it and found another row of vertical characters on the other side, which read "Named Disciple".

    "What is your name?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "Bo Tu." The young man replied.

    "Just give me the clothes. You only need to clean once every three days here, no need toe daily, and don¡¯t move anything in the room." Yuan Ming nodded and instructed.

    "Yes, Immortal." Bo Tu replied.

    Yuan Ming took the clothes from him, turned around, and was about to go back inside when he saw that the young man was still standing outside. He frowned and said:

    "You can go now."

    "Immortal, when you change your clothester, I will take you to the Fire Forge." Bo Tu said.

    Yuan Ming remembered that Chen Wan had also mentioned yesterday that he should go to the Fire Forge in the morning, so he nodded and said, "Understood."

    He closed the door, spread out the clothes in his arms, and found that there were two sets of blue short-sleeved shirts for changing. There was the words "Fire Forge" embroidered on the chest.

    After changing his clothes, Yuan Ming hesitated for a moment, but still tied the white ape beast skin around his waist, hung the Named Disciple waist badge on the left side, and carried the Blue Fish Sword on the right side before leaving the room.

    Guided by Bo Tu, Yuan Ming left the courtyard where the Named Disciples lived and headed towards the back mountain. After about the time it took to finish a cup of tea, he saw a building surrounded by red walls.

    Arriving at the main entrance, Yuan Ming saw a stone standing by the door with the words "Fire Forge Restricted Area, No Unauthorized Entry".

    After dismissing Bo Tu, Yuan Ming walked alone and stepped into the Fire Forge.

    As soon as he stepped onto the three steps and before entering the door, Yuan Ming felt a wave of heat rushing towards him. The air was mixed with theplex smell of sulfur and saltpeter.

    He wrinkled his nose and walked in.

    Passing through the gate and into the courtyard, various nging sounds came from all directions.

    Yuan Ming could already imagine the scene inside the Fire Forge, but because there was a front hall in between, he couldn¡¯t see anything yet.

    At this moment, the front hall was empty. Yuan Ming walked through it by himself.

    The moment he walked out of the front hall, Yuan Ming was stunned.In the spacious courtyard behind, there were numerous independent open-door huts, looking like workshop sheds, arranged in an orderly manner, as many as fifty or sixty.

    At this moment, most of the huts had a fire pit burning, with the furnace fire roaring, making a whooshing sound.

    Busy figures moved around in the huts, some were melting metals, some were adding refining materials, and some were bare-chested, swinging hammers on the anvil, striking iron embryos, making a nging noise, with sparks flying around.

    Yuan Ming nced over and saw that most of them were burly and rugged men, with few women like Chen Wan. asionally, he saw a few women, all busy, holding a slightly smaller hammer, knocking on the refining materials on the stone tform.

    They smashed the palm-sized raw stone materials into pieces, then ground them with a stone mill, and then used sieves of different sizes to sift them over and over again.

    On one side was the rough hammering, and on the other side was the delicate sifting, apanied by the nging sound of hammering and the constant sshing of sparks, forming a unique picture.

    Everyone in the picture was immersed in their work, and no one noticed Yuan Ming¡¯s arrival.

    Yuan Ming looked at this scene, although it was somewhat different from what he had imagined, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of fondness.

    At this time, a square-faced man, also dressed in short clothes and with a red headband tied around his forehead, finally noticed Yuan Ming. He walked through rows of casting huts and came towards Yuan Ming.

    His body was robust, his muscles taut, outlining lines full of strength. His square face with short beard exuded a serious expression. He walked up to Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming nced at the green waist tag hanging around his waist, which was the same style as Chen Wan¡¯s, seemingly unique to the inner disciples.

    "Greetings, Brother Fang Ge." Yuan Ming greeted with a fist salute.

    Last night, Chen Wan had told him that the person in charge of managing the fire workshop and teaching the basic skills of refining to the registered disciples was this Brother Fang Ge.

    Brother Fang Ge¡¯s surname was not Fang, he was from the Southern Border, and his name was Fang Ge.

    "You are the new registered disciple, called... Yuan Ming, right?" Fang Ge looked Yuan Ming up and down and asked.

    His voice was deep and matched his overall image very well.

    "Thank you for your guidance, Brother." Yuan Ming nodded and saluted with his fist.

    Fang Ge nodded secretly, seeing that although Yuan Ming¡¯s physique was not robust, his skeleton looked sturdy, and he was quite polite, which made Fang Ge feel a bit of fondness.

    However, his face still showed no smile, and he said:

    "You¡¯rete. Our fire workshop¡¯s rule is to light the fire at the third quarter of the morning and keep it burning until the third quarter of the noon. After that, you¡¯re free to continue casting or practicing on your own. Since it¡¯s your first time, I won¡¯t hold it against you. But don¡¯t make the same mistake again."

    "Brother, you¡¯re right. I¡¯ll remember that." Yuan Ming replied.

    "Although our Fire Refining Hall is not thergest or the most populous, our status within the sect is second only to the Beast Taming Hall. Many of their spirit beasts need saddles, muzzles, or chains, all of which require our help in refining." Fang Ge continued, his words full of pride.

    Yuan Ming knew that the Bi Luo Cave was founded on beast taming, and almost all disciples of any hall took pride in having a spirit beastpanion. However, not everyone had the ability to raise and train spirit beasts.

    The disciples of the Beast Taming Hall were mainly responsible for mass breeding, reproduction, capturing, and taming of spirit beasts.

    "In addition to these, we also need to refine weapons, hidden weapons, and even magical tools. The first two can bepleted by ordinary registered disciples as long as they have standard patterns. As for magical tools... it¡¯s too far away from you, you don¡¯t need to know for now." Fang Ge continued.

    Magical tools, Yuan Ming had already learned about them from Zhao Tong, knowing that they could only be refined by a refiner at least at the Foundation Establishment stage.

    "Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you to the fire pit to try your hand."

    With that, Fang Ge led Yuan Ming to an empty casting hut.

    Upon entering, Yuan Ming finally saw the entire structure. On the left side against the wall, a fire pit was built, enclosed on all sides except for the front and back, which were left open for the fire and smoke channels, ensuring that the heat would not be lost.

    Next to the fire pit was a forging anvil tform, and on the side shelf, there were piles of ores and metal powders on the upperyer, and stacks of wood and charcoal on the loweryer.

    "The wood is used to start the fire, light the charcoal, and when the temperature rises, start melting the ore. These metal powders are already sifted refining materials, there are many types, you¡¯ll recognize them slowly." Fang Ge said.

    Yuan Ming nced over and found that he recognized many of them, one of the reasons being that many of them were ones he had sold to Zhao Tong.

    "Today you don¡¯t need to worry about anything else, just practice the most basic work, forging." Fang Ge picked up the huge hammer on the anvil tform and threw it lightly to Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming immediately caught it, although he was prepared, he was still pulled down by the weight of his arm.

    The hammer was much heavier than he had imagined.

 Chapter 67: The worst record

    Chapter 67: The worst record

    Seeing that Yuan Ming didn¡¯t fall down directly, a hint of approval shed in Fang Ge¡¯s eyes, but he quickly returned to normal and said, "First, watch me demonstrate carefully, and then try it yourself."

    As he spoke, he skillfully ignited and added charcoal to the fire, and when the mes lit up, he grabbed a handful of yellow powder and sprinkled it into the fire pit.

    <em>"WHOOSH!"</em>

    The fire pit suddenly burst into a red and yellow me, reflecting Fang Ge¡¯s square and angr face with a red glow, and the temperature around instantly doubled.

    "This is an ignition powder made from a mixture of sulfur, saltpeter, and other substances. It can save a lot of time. Since you¡¯re only practicing forging today, start with the pre-smelted crude iron ingot." While speaking, Fang Ge picked up a palm-sized, brick-thick iron ingot from Yuan Ming¡¯s hand and put it into the fire pit to be roasted.

    In no time, the iron ingot was burned red.

    "Watch carefully, I¡¯ll only demonstrate it once." Fang Ge took the iron hammer from Yuan Ming¡¯s hand.

    He took a horse stance, ced the iron ingot on the anvil, held a pair of tongs in one hand, and swung the iron hammer in the other hand, smashing it down on the red-hot iron ingot.

    When his arm swung, his muscles bulged, and his whole arm seemed to draw circles in mid-air, exuding a mysterious sense of power and beauty.<em>"CLANG!"</em>

    The iron hammernded with a clear and bright sound, and sparks flew.

    Yuan Ming stared at every step of Fang Ge¡¯s movements, carefully observing his exertion of force, and pondering in his heart.

    <em>"CLANG!"</em>

    Another clear and bright sound of the hammer rang out, sshing sparks, with clean and swift movements, without any dy.

    "The process is notplicated. It doesn¡¯t seem too difficult as long as you follow along." Yuan Ming silently thought in his heart.

    After a dozen or so strikes, Fang Ge¡¯s movements began to speed up, and the speed of his arm swinging doubled. The sound of "ng ng" continuously echoed, and sparks sshed like fireworks.

    As Yuan Ming watched, his eyes began to change.

    His gaze became slightly unfocused, as if losing focus, but his ears involuntarily perked up, fully focused on using both his eyes and ears to observe the other party¡¯s movements more thoroughly.

    Although there were not a hundred, but at least eighty people forging iron in the entire cksmith shop, the sound was not chaotic. However, Fang Ge¡¯s pounding sound clearly fell into Yuan Ming¡¯s ears.

    It was not because he was close, but because that sound was obviously clearer than others¡¯, and it carried a unique rhythm that couldn¡¯t be described in words.

    Yuan Ming frowned, listening to the hammer strikes one after another, silently counting the number of strikes.

    This was his unique habit. Just like when he first entered the Ten Thousand Mountains, he would silently mark the progress, sketching a mental map of the route. From the beginning, he had been observing and recording every detail.

    After the eighteenth strike, Fang Ge began to speed up his pounding. By the three hundred and sixtieth strike, he increased the speed for the second time. Now it was the five hundred and thirty-first strike.

    When Yuan Ming saw this, his mentality hadpletely changedpared to a while ago.

    He had already realized that this forging and pounding iron method was not simple at all.

    Just from one aspect, he could already see its extraordinary nature.

    From the moment Fang Ge swung his arm and hammered, except for the initial heating of the iron ingot in the fire pit, he did not perform any reheating.

    But that piece of iron ingot remained bright red and never cooled down.

    "It¡¯s already eight hundred and fifty strikes, and he¡¯s elerating again." Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze condensed, thinking to himself.

    <em>"CLANG CLANG..."</em>

    At this point, the pounding sound had be very dense. Under the continuous sound, it was as if small andrge silver beads were falling on a jade te, making a pleasant "ding ding dang dang" sound.

    During the pounding process, Fang Ge also kept flipping and folding the iron ingot at an extremely fast speed, with extremely skilled and smooth movements.

    "Such continuous pounding requires extraordinary strength and endurance. Senior Brother Fang Ge¡¯s cultivation must be high." Yuan Ming looked at Fang Ge¡¯s expressionless face and thought to himself.

    When he counted to the one thousandth strike, thest spark sshed, and Fang Ge stopped pounding.

    He ced the forging hammer on the ck anvil, leaving only the palm-sized, still hot and red iron ingot, gradually cooling and changing color, revealingyers of finely patterned forgingyers.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze condensed, and he saw that the pattern forgedyer byyer was not only very fine, but the thickness of eachyer of pattern was roughly the same, making it pleasing to the eye and quite impressive.

    "Putting aside the materials used, ordinary refined iron used for refining tools would only be qualified for use after being hammered a thousand times like this. Come, you give it a try." Fang Ge said, extinguishing the mes in the fire pit and making room for Yuan Ming.

    He was starting from the beginning, teaching Yuan Ming how to start a fire, which obviously took into ount Yuan Ming¡¯s situation and was quite meticulous.

    Yuan Ming nodded, walked forward, took off the animal skin and long sword from his waist, and ced them aside.

    Then, he recalled Fang Ge¡¯s previous actions and began to light the firewood.

    Yuan Ming strictly followed Fang Ge¡¯s method, doing it step by step, and soon a me rose up.Fang Ge, who was standing by the side, watched quietly and nodded in approval. He had a particr fondness for disciples who were serious about learning.

    <em>"WHOOSH"</em>

    A handful ofbustion powder was sprinkled, and the temperature in the furnace rose instantly.

    Yuan Ming picked up a piece of iron billet with tongs and ced it in the furnace, timing the heating process.

    When the iron billet was heated to a glowing red, he immediately took it out and ced it on the anvil. Picking up the forging hammer, he began to hammer it.

    <em>"CLANG"</em>

    Sparks flew, and Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but frown. The sound of his hammering was somewhat dull, far less crisp than Fang Ge¡¯s.

    <em>"Is it because the heating time was insufficient, or is my strength too weak?"</em>

    <em>Yuan Ming suppressed the doubts in his heart and swung his arm in a full circle, continuing to hammer.</em>

    <em>One hammer blow followed another, sparks sttered on the anvil, and the sound began to be a bit clearer.</em>

    <em>After eighteen full blows, Yuan Ming¡¯s internal energy began to circte secretly, the force of his hammering increased, and his speed also began to elerate.</em>

    Seeing this, Fang Ge raised his eyebrows slightly, a hint of surprise shing in his eyes.

    The more Yuan Ming hammered, the more amazed he was. This seemingly simple mechanical hammering action consumed far more strength than he had imagined. After only a few dozen blows, his arm began to feel a sense of sour swelling.

    After one hundred and fifty blows, the sour swelling sensation increased, and his speed began to slow down.

    By the time he reached one hundred and eighty blows, his speed had returned to what it was at the beginning, and the iron billet on the anvil, its fiery red color, had begun to darken noticeably.

    "That¡¯s enough, no need to continue hammering." Fang Ge stopped Yuan Ming¡¯s action.

    A hint of disappointment shed in his eyes. Yuan Ming¡¯s aptitude was not as good as he had hoped.

    "Senior Brother, I can continue." Yuan Ming panted, saying.

    "No need, even if you continue to hammer, this iron billet will not be a qualified product." Fang Ge said, his tone still unhurried.

    "Why is that?" Yuan Ming put down the forging hammer, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and asked in confusion.

    "The process we are doing now is called forging, also known as refining the billet. Essentially, it is to hammer out the impurities in the iron billet through continuous hammering. To ensure the best ductility and state of the iron billet, at least a thousand hammer blows are needed, and these thousand blows cannot be interrupted. Do you know why?" Fang Ge slowly exined, and after asking thest question, he looked at Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming had already guessed the answer, saying, "Senior Brother, during your previous hammering process, you did not reheat the iron. It is necessary to maintain the temperature of the iron billet through continuous hammering, right?"

    "Correct, and as the impurities in the iron billet be less and less, its temperature bes more and more difficult to maintain, so you have to hammer faster and faster. Once the speed slows down in the middle, the iron billet will inevitably cool down and be brittle, and its ductility will be damaged." Fang Ge nodded and said.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming was quite shocked. The seemingly simple forging was actually not easy.

    <em>"Senior Brother, how can I reach your level of continuous hammering?"</em> Yuan Ming looked up and asked sincerely.

    "First, tell me, after observing my refining process and trying it yourself, what do you feel?" Instead of answering, Fang Ge asked Yuan Ming.

    "Earlier, I paid attention to Senior Brother¡¯s hammering movements, estimated the strength of Senior Brother¡¯s hammering, and also noticed the points at which Senior Brother elerated each time. I even noticed that the sound of Senior Brother¡¯s hammering was different from others. But when I did it myself, the difference was too great." Yuan Ming thought for a moment and said.

    "It¡¯s already quite impressive that you noticed these things. However, besides not being able to see the flow of my internal energy, you also didn¡¯t pay attention to my breathing." Fang Ge nodded and said.

    "Breathing?" Yuan Ming frowned slightly.

    "The rhythm of your breathing is the foundation of your refining rhythm. This is very important. Although you didn¡¯t pay attention, your rhythm was quite good when you were hammering earlier. It was naturally perfect, but you need to maintain it in the future." Fang Ge said.

    "Senior Brother, what is my problem?" Yuan Ming asked, this was what he cared about the most.

    "Minor problems don¡¯t need to be mentioned. Your biggest problems areck of strength andck of experience. These are not things that can be solved in a short time. They require months and years of cultivation to solve." Fang Ge waved his hand and said.

    Yuan Ming thought for a moment and asked again, "Are there many brothers like Senior Brother who can hammer continuously without interruption?"

    "You want to ask, how does your levelpare to the other disciples, right?" Fang Ge asked back.

    Yuan Ming felt a little embarrassed and nodded.

    "Inferior." Fang Ge said bluntly.

    Yuan Ming was stunned when he heard this. He never expected such an answer and became even more embarrassed.

    Who would have thought that Fang Ge, seemingly oblivious, stroked his chin and continued to add insult to injury, "For a first attempt, being able to continuously hammer only one hundred and eighty-three times is... the worst record in years."

 Chapter 68: Screening

    Chapter 68: Screening

    "This..." Yuan Ming was at a loss for words when he heard Fang Ge¡¯s evaluation of him.

    "But..."

    At this moment, Fang Ge suddenly changed the topic. Yuan Ming thought he was going to talk about his strengths, and his spirits lifted, feeling like he could finally regain some face and confidence.

    "However, the starting point does not determine future achievements. Among the 183 named disciples, only five of them have been able to continuously forge qualified weapon prototypes by hammering a thousand times. Whether you can be the sixth one or more depends on your diligence and perseverance," Fang Ge continued in a serious tone.

    Although he didn¡¯t hear any praise, the phrase "the starting point does not determine future achievements" truly touched Yuan Ming¡¯s heart.

    His starting point as a "beast ve" was already as low as it could be. Now that he had passed the first hurdle and be a named disciple of the Biluo Cave, he would take bing a weapon refiner as the second hurdle to ovee.

    "Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother," Yuan Ming took a deep breath and bowed to Fang Ge.

    "Practice on your own... You are still in the apprentice stage for now, so you don¡¯t need to take forging tasks. By the way, don¡¯t forget to have lunch at the canteen," Fang Ge said.

    "Forging tasks?" Yuan Ming asked in confusion."After you can hammer five hundred and sixty times continuously, you can take some basic forging tasks. Help the senior brothers and sisters of the sect refine some ordinary weapons, hidden weapons, or saddles needed for riding spirit beasts," Fang Ge casually replied.

    Yuan Ming remembered that the smoke bomb he had used before seemed to havee from the Fire Refining Hall.

    "Understood," Yuan Ming nodded.

    "By the way, this is the basic textbook for learning weapon refining. Take it back and study it. After half a month, I wille to check your progress, including the situation of your weapon prototypes," Fang Ge said.

    "Thank you, Senior Brother," Yuan Ming received a blue book from him and put it in his embrace.

    After Fang Ge left with the refined iron embryo, Yuan Ming started a fire and continued his practice of swinging the hammer.

    ...

    After a while, the sound of a golden gong rang out.

    The disciples in the Fire Forge, who had been busy for most of the day, began to stop forging one after another.

    At this time, someone noticed that there was a neer in the Fire Forge who had a decent appearance but not a very strong physique.

    However, seeing that he was still working hard, no one bothered him.

    After a quarter of an hour, Yuan Ming finally stopped forging, drenched in sweat. After having a meal at the canteen, he took a bath and returned to his residence with a tired body.

    After sitting down in his room, he took out the book from his embrace. On the cover, it was written in the Southern Region¡¯s script, "Essentials of Weapon Refining." He opened it and started reading.

    As he flipped through the pages, his vision blurred, and he couldn¡¯t resist the drowsiness. He fell asleep on the table.

    After an unknown amount of time, a cool breeze blew, and Yuan Ming woke up suddenly, instinctively reaching for the green fish sword at his waist.

    Unconsciously, he thought he was in the middle of the Ten Thousand Mountains. He felt a sense of fear for sleeping so soundly.

    But when he saw the surroundings clearly, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of confusion.

    At this moment, a bright moonlight poured in from outside, like a light veil spread on the table in front of him.

    Yuan Ming was no longer sleepy, so he sat down on the floor and formed hand seals, starting to cultivate the "Death Moon Method."

    On a branch of a pine tree outside the window, a silver catzilyy down.

    Its head rested on its front paws, its eyes half-closed, and the moonlight flowed on its silver fur, reflecting a shimmering light.

    ...

    Time flew by, and half a month passed.

    In a forging room in the Fire Forge, the sound of hammering resounded continuously. Yuan Ming held a forging hammer and hammered a piece of iron embryo.

    Fang Ge and several disciples from the Fire Refining Hall watched from the side, and Chen Wan was also here.

    "Two hundred and eighty-one, two hundred and eighty-two..." a disciple counted.

    Yuan Ming swung the iron hammer with all his strength, matching Fang Ge¡¯s previous demonstration in both strength and speed, without any mistakes. However, as time went on, his strength gradually depleted, and his face turned pale.

    Just as the person finished counting to three hundred, his arm went numb, and the iron hammer couldn¡¯t be lifted anymore. It made a "ng" sound as it hit the anvil.

    "Three hundred and fifteen hammer strikes, assessment failed," Fang Ge shook his head, his voice devoid of any emotion.

    The onlookers burst intoughter, and some of them wore mocking expressions. They didn¡¯t know how many times they hammered each day, yet Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t even reach five hundred hammer strikes.

    Yuan Ming wasn¡¯t too frustrated. He had already given it his all, but it seemed that there was still a gap between him and the people from the Southern Region in terms of physique.

    Fang Ge frowned. Yuan Ming¡¯s physique was clearly not suitable for cksmithing, but he had seen his diligent practice during this period.

    "How is the book ¡¯Essentials of Weapon Refining¡¯?" Fang Ge asked.

    "I have basically memorized it," Yuan Ming replied.

    "Memorized? Then tell me about the origin, characteristics, and properties of Wuting Iron Stone!" Fang Ge¡¯s face turned serious, and his voice suddenly became stern.

    He asked how well Yuan Ming had understood it, not whether he had memorized it or not. The book "Essentials of Weapon Refining" was the foundation of the Fire Refining Hall¡¯s weapon refining. It had a lot of content, and even senior disciples of the Fire Refining Hall wouldn¡¯t dare to im that they had memorized half of it.

    Yuan Ming recalled for a moment and recited the content about Wuting Iron Stone.

    Fang Ge paused for a moment and continued, "What about Broken Gold Jade?"

    "Broken Gold Jade is produced in the Golden Lake of the Southern Region. It is extremely hard and suitable for forging knives and swords. However, this material is easily corroded by Yin Qi and needs to be carefully preserved," Yuan Ming answered without hesitation.

    This time, not only Fang Ge, but also the others were surprised.

    Chen Wan looked at Yuan Ming, a hint of curiosity shing in her eyes.Fang Ge asked about several other types of spiritual materials and the furnace temperatures required to smelt them. Yuan Ming answered each question urately.

    "It seems you really have remembered everything. Good, from today on, you will be in charge of sifting materials." Fang Ge nodded slightly, his tone much softer.

    "Yes." Yuan Ming nodded in agreement.

    The male disciples who were watching showed disdain in their eyes at Yuan Ming¡¯s response.

    Sifting materials was usually a task for female disciples with weaker strength. In the smelting hall, male disciples who sifted materials were considered weak and useless. Yuan Ming¡¯s eptance of the task was seen as shameless in their eyes.

    Yuan Ming knew that the male disciples in the smelting hall had some prejudice against the task of sifting materials, but he didn¡¯t care. He had gradually adjusted his mindset and nned to establish himself among the registered disciples first.

    "What kind of look is that? There is no distinction between high and low in the tasks within the smelting hall. It seems that my previous words have been taken as wind passing by your ears?" Fang Ge looked sternly at the group.

    "Brother Fang is right, we always remember your teachings and dare not have any prejudice."

    "Yes, we think Junior Brother Yuan has an excellent memory and is intelligent. He is perfectly suited for the task of sifting materials. Brother Fang¡¯s arrangement is quite appropriate."

    "Brother, I suddenly remembered that I have some urgent matters to attend to, I will take my leave first."

    "Oh, I also have something to deal with, I almost forgot."

    Seeing Fang Ge¡¯s anger, the group hastily made excuses and scattered.

    Fang Ge sighed and said to Chen Wan, who was still there, "Junior Sister Chen, I have something to deal with here. Could you please take Yuan Ming to Wu Ri¡¯s smelting room? They are always short of hands there. Please exin the key points of sifting materials to Yuan Ming."

    "Okay." Chen Wan nodded and walked in another direction.

    Yuan Ming followed her, looking back at Fang Ge who was walking away, and asked, "Senior Sister Chen, why did Brother Fang sigh just now?"

    "In your opinion, is there a hierarchy in the tasks within the smelting hall?" Chen Wan nced at Yuan Ming and asked.

    "If we talk about the difficulty level, forging is the hardest, and sifting materials is simpler. However, whether it¡¯s forging or sifting materials, each is just a step in the process of refining tools. If any step is not done well, it will affect the final result. So, there is indeed no hierarchy." Yuan Ming answered without hesitation.

    "It¡¯s rare that you have such insight. But the people in the smelting hall don¡¯t think so. As you said, among the tasks in the smelting hall, forging is the hardest, and the sect values the forging disciples the most and provides them with the most resources. Because of this, the forging disciples have be more and more arrogant and look down upon the sifting and smelting disciples. The conflicts between them are getting more and more serious, which is not conducive to the development of the smelting hall. Since Brother Fang took over the smelting hall, he has been trying to adjust this prejudice. But as you saw just now, the effect is minimal, so he naturally sighed in disappointment." Chen Wan exined.

    "I see, Brother Fang really has a tough job." Yuan Ming suddenly understood and his impression of Fang Ge improved a lot.

    "Let¡¯s not talk about this. You must have seen the sifting process over the past few days. It¡¯s a simple task. Just follow the instructions of the forging disciples, smash the required ores, and sift them finely. The only thing you need to pay attention to is not to mix up the ores. Since you are familiar with the ¡¯Basics of Refining¡¯, as long as you are careful, there should be no problem." Chen Wan exined as they walked.

    "Yes, thank you for your guidance, Senior Sister Chen." Yuan Ming responded.

    While they were talking, they arrived at a small smelting room.

    There were only four people here. The leader was a tall young man with a broad body, thick limbs, and hands that were scorched yellow from the heat, clearly a seasoned forging disciple.

    There were also two female disciples sifting materials. One was tall with slightly dark skin, and the other looked like a young girl with a round face and some baby fat.

    Thest person was a bald male disciple in his early twenties, who was working hard to operate the bellows to maintain the temperature of the fire in the furnace.

    Compared to other smelting rooms, there were fewer people here, and everyone was extremely busy. Especially the two female disciples sifting materials, they were almost running around, their clothes and cheeks covered in dust, looking quite disheveled.

    "Wu Ri, this is Yuan Ming, a new disciple in the smelting hall. He will be helping with sifting materials here from now on." Chen Wan said to the tall young man who was hammering a casting block.

    Wu Ri didn¡¯t respond. He was focused on the red-hot casting block in front of him. His hand rose and fell like a whirlwind, hammering nearly a hundred times before stopping.

    After putting the casting block into the furnace, he turned his body, nced at Chen Wan, and then looked at Yuan Ming with a skeptical gaze. "Neer? Are you familiar with ores? We are short of people here, but we don¡¯t need anyone who will make things worse."

 Chapter 69: Object Manipulation Technique

    Chapter 69: Object Maniption Technique

    "Don¡¯t worry, Yuan Ming may be a neer, but he has already studied ¡¯Essentials of Refining¡¯ and has no problem identifying ores," Chen Wan said.

    "I can¡¯t be at ease. Look, do you recognize these ores?" Wu Ri nced at Yuan Ming and pointed to the shelf next to him, where there were more than ten kinds of ores.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze swept over the shelf and said one by one, "Wu Iron Stone, Fire Agate Jade, Moon Iron, Kunshan Sand..."

    At first, Wu Ri looked down on Yuan Ming, but as he listened, he couldn¡¯t help but be moved.

    Today, he was refining a peculiar hidden weapon, and the materials used were very rare. Yuan Ming actually named all these ores.

    "...As for thisst one, it should be Yin Marrow Crystal," Yuan Ming looked at thest piece of ck crystal the size of a fist and paused before saying.

    "Not bad, you actually recognize this?" Wu Ri¡¯s surprise on his face deepened.

    He had just obtained this Yin Marrow Crystal yesterday. It was a very rare and obscure spiritual material. If he hadn¡¯t borrowed this task, he wouldn¡¯t have known about it.

    "I happened to read about it in a book on spiritual materials," Yuan Ming said.He didn¡¯t see the Yin Marrow Crystal in the "Hundred Herbs Collection" or the "Essentials of Refining," but he learned about it from the Death Moon method. This material contained a strong Yin energy and was a spiritual material needed for the subsequent cultivation of the Death Moon method.

    "Not bad, I¡¯ll take this person," Wu Ri smiled and turned to Chen Wan.

    "Then I¡¯ll leave this person to you," Chen Wan didn¡¯t stay any longer and turned to leave.

    "Your name is Yuan Ming? Work well here, I won¡¯t treat you unfairly," Wu Ri looked at Yuan Ming and encouraged him.

    "Yes, please take care of me, Wu Ri," Yuan Ming said respectfully, maintaining a humble attitude.

    "Very well, start working. Listen to Lina¡¯s instructions on what to do specifically," Wu Ri was satisfied with Yuan Ming¡¯s attitude and pointed to the tall sifting female disciple, then continued to forge the ingot.

    "Lina Senior Sister, please give me your instructions," Yuan Ming walked to the vicinity of the tall female disciple and spoke.

    "First, smash ten pieces of Wu Iron Stone," Lina didn¡¯t even lift her eyes and said in a cold tone.

    Yuan Ming raised an eyebrow, not knowing when he had offended this woman.

    But he didn¡¯t mind. He took ten pieces of Wu Iron Stone from the shelf, picked up a hammer used for smashing stones, and struck it hard.

    With a loud "ng," the hammer rebounded, and his fingers tingled, but the Wu Iron Stone only cracked a gap.

    Yuan Ming looked surprised. When Lina and the round-faced female disciple struck the ore, it would directly split into several pieces with one strike. Could it be that his strength was inferior to that of a woman?

    While pondering, he felt a surge of energy and swung the hammer again, using more force, but the effect was still not good.

    "Infuse mana into the hammer," a soft voice came, but it was the reminder of the round-faced girl.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes lit up, and he infused mana into the hammer. A faint golden pattern appeared at the bottom of the hammerhead, as if two cracks intersected.

    "What is this?" he was secretly surprised and swung the hammer to strike the Wu Iron Stone.

    With a loud "ng," the stone that was still extremely hard suddenly became fragile and shattered into several pieces.

    "Thanks for the reminder, Senior Sister," Yuan Ming was delighted and thanked the round-faced girl.

    In the Biluo Cave, disciples were arranged in order of seniority. Although this round-faced girl looked younger than him, he still had to address her as Senior Sister.

    The round-faced girl blushed and didn¡¯t respond, burying her head in her work.

    Yuan Ming smiled and continued to focus his gaze on the Wu Iron Stone in front of him.

    With the grasp of the essentials, his efficiency in smashing stones greatly increased, swinging the hammer quickly.

    Although he couldn¡¯t swing the forging hammer a thousand times in a row, he was more than capable of swinging this small stone-smashing hammer. Soon, he finished processing a basket of materials and handed the crushed stones to the round-faced female disciple.

    "Next is Moon Iron," Lina handed over a basket of Moon Iron.

    Yuan Ming raised the hammer and continued working.

    With Yuan Ming¡¯s participation, the sifting work became orderly, and Wu Ri¡¯s forging speed also increased. By midday, they hadpleted today¡¯s task.

    "Very good, if you can continue to maintain this speed in the future, your reward will be increased by thirty percent at the end of the month!" Wu Ri was very satisfied with today¡¯s progress.

    Chen Wan mentioned on the way here that working in the Fire Workshop was not voluntarybor, and the Biluo Cave would provide a certain amount ofpensation.

    However, thispensation was directly given to Wu Ri and other forging disciples. Thepensation for the sifting and fire-making personnel was distributed by the forging disciples, which also led to the forging disciples considering themselves superior.

    "Thank you, Senior Brother Wu Ri!" the bald youth was the first to express his gratitude, and the two female sifters echoed.

    Yuan Ming also thanked them.

    Wu Ri encouraged them a few more times before turning and leaving the forging room.

    Yuan Ming had been smashing stones all morning and his arms were sore. He was about to finish the final finishing work and then go back to rest when he heard the voice of the bald youth behind him.

    "Hey,e here for a moment.""A G, is there something else?" He turned around.

    After spending the morning in the forging house, he already knew the names of a few people. The bald youth was called A G, and the round-faced female disciple was called Qi Qige.

    "You¡¯re Yuan Ming, right? After work every day, clean up the forging house before going back." A G pointed to various ces in the forging house and gave orders with an air of authority.

    Yuan Ming looked at A G without saying a word.

    He had been in the Fire Workshop for some time and was not unaware of the situation here. In the other forging houses, the cleaning work was done by the disciples except for the forging disciples. A G made him responsible alone, clearly intending to make things difficult for him.

    "What? Do you have any objections?" A G stood up, sping his hands and making cracking sounds with his joints.

    Yuan Ming pursed his lips, picked up the broom in the corner of the house, and started cleaning.

    "Consider yourself sensible." A G smirked, stretchedzily, and walked away.

    Lina followed suit and left, and Qi Qige hesitated for a moment before leaving the forging house as well.

    It took Yuan Ming nearly half an hour to clean the house.

    He had been hammering ores all morning, which consumed a lot of energy. Cleaning the forging house was also tiring, leaving him with a sore back.

    He knew that if he were to fight the bald man, he wouldn¡¯t necessarily gain any advantage. As a neer, he didn¡¯t want to cause any trouble and preferred to keep a low profile.

    With no one in the house at the moment, Yuan Ming closed the door, sat cross-legged, and began to cultivate the Death Moon method.

    The Death Moon method had the effect of quickly restoring physical strength, and the fatigue umted from swinging the hammer quickly disappeared, and his strength returned.

    "This Death Moon method is truly mysterious. I wonder what attribute it is. With such strong recovery ability, it¡¯s probably either wood or water attribute." Yuan Ming stretched his body as he stood up.

    Cultivators had different elemental attributes, and the same applied to cultivation techniques. The Death Moon method did not specify its attribute, and with his shallow cultivation, he couldn¡¯t discern it from his own body.

    However, the five elemental attributes each had their own characteristics. Gold and fire excelled in offense, earth excelled in defense, and wood and water excelled in recovery. Judging from the effect of the Death Moon method, it was most likely attributed to the wood and water attributes.

    Yuan Ming shook his head and stopped thinking about it, then walked outside.

    Just as he took a few steps, his footsteps suddenly stopped. A hint of bloodlust shed in his eyes, and a sinister and fierce aura surged from his body. The aura of the Bloodthirsty Art erupted again, and the blood-colored mist in his sea of consciousness surged.

    Yuan Ming hurriedly sat down cross-legged, took out the mysterious incense burner and held it in his arms, silently cultivating the Death Moon method.

    The heat from the incense burner continuously flowed into his body,bined with the effect of the Death Moon method, and after a long time, he managed to suppress the bacsh of the aura.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s clothes were soaked in sweat, and his face showed exhaustion. His brows furrowed even more.

    The poison in his body had been resolved, and he had stopped using the Bloodthirsty Art recently. The white ape skin was usually kept far away, but the aura still frequently bacshed. This was the third time it had happened recently, not much less than when Elder Hu Huo drugged him.

    "Could it be that there is still some Lingxi incense residue in my body?" Yuan Ming¡¯s face turned ugly.

    At this moment, footsteps could be hearding from outside, getting closer and closer to this ce.

    Yuan Ming quickly put away the incense burner, supported himself on the nearby anvil, and stood up.

    Bang!

    In his haste, he identally knocked the iron hammer on the anvil to the ground.

    "Who is it!" The door of the forging house was forcefully pushed open, and a figure rushed in. It was Chen Wan.

    "Senior Sister Chen, what are you doing here?" Yuan Ming had already calmed down and picked up the iron hammer from the ground, asking.

    "Today, Fang Ge had something to do, so I came to check the Fire Workshop. I saw that the forging house was closed but not locked, so I came to take a look. The Fire Workshop has already finished work, why haven¡¯t you left yet?" Chen Wan asked curiously.

    "I stayed behind to do some cleaning work and also practiced for a while." Yuan Ming said half-truthfully.

    Chen Wan¡¯s gaze fell on the iron hammer in Yuan Ming¡¯s hand and his slightly wet clothes. A hint of realization shed in her eyes. "You haven¡¯t given up yet and are still practicing swinging the hammer?"

    Yuan Ming¡¯s expression froze, but he didn¡¯t exin.

    "People from the Central ins have naturally weaker constitutions, so learning the Southern Border¡¯s forging techniques is indeed disadvantageous. If you are really interested in forging, I have a way." Chen Wan seemed to be moved by Yuan Ming¡¯s perseverance and said after a moment of contemtion.

    Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit helpless. He had only wanted to fool Chen Wan to avoid implicating the mysterious incense burner with the matter of the Bloodthirsty Art bacsh. But now that things hade to this point, he had no choice but to continue with Chen Wan¡¯s words. "Please enlighten me, Senior Sister Chen."

    "You can go to the Hidden Treasures Pavilion and exchange for the ¡¯Material Maniption Technique.¡¯ It might bring about a turning point for you." Chen Wan said.

    "The Material Maniption Technique? Is it a type of Five Elements technique?" Yuan Ming raised an eyebrow.

    "The Material Maniption Technique is not a Five Elements technique. It is a spell that uses mana to manipte objects and is also the foundation for manipting magical artifacts. If you can cultivate it, you can use this technique to assist in swinging the hammer and reduce the burden on your body." Chen Wan exined.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming nodded slowly.He could imagine the effect of the Object Maniption Technique, which could indeed assist him in wielding his hammer. However, he was currently focused on improving his cultivation and refining the Death Moon Method to counteract the evil qi within his body. As for the art of refining tools, he wasn¡¯t particrly interested. It was merely a temporary measure to secure his footing when he first joined the sect.

    However, if given the opportunity, he would genuinely like to learn the Object Maniption Technique.

    This technique could drive magical tools, and his Green Fish Sword was a semi-magical tool. He wondered if the Object Maniption Technique could unleash even greater power?

 Chapter 70: Execution Hall

    Chapter 70: Execution Hall

    "How clever! Junior Sister is truly brilliant toe up with this hammer swinging method," Yuan Ming thought to himself,plimenting her.

    "Don¡¯t talk nonsense. I couldn¡¯t havee up with this method. It was created by a master craftsman from our sect a hundred years ago. That master was naturally weak, so in order topensate for hisck of strength, he came up with this method," Chen Wan blushed slightly and shook her head.

    "I see. What is the name of this master craftsman? Is he still in the sect?" Yuan Ming curiously asked.

    "Master Heimu is one of the most talented master craftsmen in our sect for the past hundred years. Unfortunately, he mysteriously disappeared many years ago. If he were still here, the level of craftsmanship in our Bi Luo Cave would be far beyond what it is now," Chen Wan said with regret.

    Yuan Ming had no interest in craftsmanship and couldn¡¯t understand Chen Wan¡¯s thoughts. Instead, he started thinking about the spellcasting technique.

    Having been in the sect for half a month, Yuan Ming had gained some basic understanding of the Bi Luo Cave. The storage ce for spells, secret techniques, and cultivation methods that Chen Wan mentioned was the Archive Pavilion.

    The Bi Luo Cave was quite careless in teaching its disciples, except for the inner disciples who were taken in by the elders and cave masters. Ordinary registered disciples who wanted to learn new cultivation methods or secret techniques had to go to the Archive Pavilion to exchange andprehend them on their own.

    As an official institution of the sect, the Archive Pavilion did not allow the exchange of spells through bartering like the Toad Valley. Instead, a thing called "contribution points" had to be used.

    For newly registered disciples, the sect would grant them twenty contribution points to establish themselves within the sect. However, these points would only be officially distributed at the end of the month.Yuan Ming could earn some contribution points by working in the Fire Workshop, but he would also have to wait until the end of the month to receive them. So, until now, he couldn¡¯t exchange for any spells.

    "Don¡¯t get your hopes up too much. Using the spellcasting technique to assist in forging is theoretically feasible, but it is actually very difficult. Although this technique is easy to learn, it is not easy tobine it with physical strength and use it in forging, at least for Qi Refining stage cultivators. Many weak individuals in our sect have tried this method, but very few have seeded. You should consider it for yourself. I have something to do, so I¡¯ll leave first," Chen Wan reminded Yuan Ming before turning to leave.

    "If you don¡¯t have anything else, Chen Junior Sister, could you take me to the Execution Hall?" Yuan Ming called out to her.

    "The tasks issued by the Execution Hall are not simple. There is a risk to life if you are not careful. You have just entered the sect, so it seems too early for you to take on tasks. It¡¯s better to wait for a while," Chen Wan frowned and advised.

    "It¡¯s alright. I just want to take a look. I might not necessarily take on a task," Yuan Ming waved his hand and suddenly felt a chill running down his spine, causing him to shiver.

    "What¡¯s wrong with you?" Chen Wan asked, puzzled, as she noticed his reaction.

    "N-nothing. Maybe I caught a cold," Yuan Ming touched his nose and vaguely caught a glimpse of a silver figure shing on a big tree outside the forge.

    "Are you still going or not?" Chen Wan asked.

    "Let¡¯s go," Yuan Ming withdrew his gaze and said.

    The two of them left the forge and walked towards the foot of the mountain. Soon, they arrived at a valley between three peaks. In the valley stood a tall gray stone tower, divided into three levels.

    At the entrance of the stone tower stood a stone pir with threerge red characters that read "Execution Hall."

    There were constantly peopleing in and out of the entrance of the Execution Hall, making it quite lively.

    The Execution Hall was where the Bi Luo Cave issued reward tasks. Disciples of the Bi Luo Cave could undertake tasks here to earn contribution points.

    Contribution points were of great importance. They could not only be used to exchange spells and cultivation methods in the Archive Pavilion but also to exchange for other things such as pills, talismans, and spiritual materials elsewhere.

    Yuan Ming had heard about this ce before but had been busy practicing forging and cultivation. Today was his first timeing here.

    "Alright, I¡¯ve brought you here. I won¡¯t say any more unnecessary words. Take care of yourself," Chen Wan said and turned to leave.

    Yuan Ming stood still in ce, observing the gray tower for a moment, and was about to step inside.

    "Junior Brother Yuan Ming, are you here to take on tasks?" a timid voice came from behind, and it was Qi Qige.

    "Senior Sister Qi Qige, I came here to familiarize myself with the environment. Are you here to take on tasks, Senior Sister?" Yuan Ming had a favorable impression of Qi Qige and smiled as he replied.

    "Yes," Qi Qige was very shy and immediately lowered her head when her gaze met Yuan Ming¡¯s.

    "Then let¡¯s go in together. It¡¯s my first time here, so I hope Senior Sister can give me some guidance," Yuan Ming said.

    "Okay," Qi Qige uttered a word and walked in.

    Yuan Ming followed Qi Qige into the Execution Hall. The space inside was quiterge, about a hundred zhang in diameter. The first thing that caught their eyes was a long stone tform, where two old men dressed in the attire of the Execution Hall were registering disciples who had taken on tasks.

    Next to the stone tform stood a seven to eight zhang tall and three to four zhang wide white jade stele, on which various sect tasks were disyed through prohibitive methods.

    Several Bi Luo Cave disciples gathered around the stele, mostly registered disciples, quietly discussing the contents on the stele.

    "There aren¡¯t many people here. I thought there would be many disciplesing here to take on tasks," Yuan Ming said.

    "Most of the sect disciples are busy with their own duties most of the time and spend the remaining time cultivating. There aren¡¯t many people whoe to the Execution Hall to take on tasks," Qi Qige whispered.

    "So,ing to the Execution Hall to take on tasks is like doing odd jobs," Yuan Ming made aparison.

    "You can say that," Qi Qige nodded slightly and said.

    Yuan Ming nodded and looked at the stele.

    The tasks on the stele were diverse. The simplest ones were delivery tasks, mostly letters written by Bi Luo Cave disciples to their families.

    These tasks were not dangerous but had very little reward, only one or two contribution points.The tasks with slightly higher rewards were mostly gathering tasks, requiring one to venture into dangerous areas to collect spiritual herbs and materials, or to hunt fierce beasts and obtain their materials. The reward in contribution points varied from a few to several tens.

    There were also tasks with even higher contribution points, but the level of danger was notparable to gathering spiritual materials or hunting fierce beasts.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze fell on the task with the highest reward. It was an assassination task, and the target was not a fierce beast, but a cultivator named "Ma Xingkong".

    ording to the description of the task, this person was a traitor from the Bi Luo Cave, whose cultivation had reached the peak of Qi Refining. He possessed a spiritual beast whose strength wasparable to the Foundation Establishment stage. Bi Luo Cave offered a reward of a thousand contribution points for his capture, regardless of whether he was dead or alive.

    "Sister Qi Qige, do you know this Ma Xingkong? His name sounds like he¡¯s from the Central ins," Yuan Ming asked.

    "I know a little about him. He is indeed from the Central ins. He was originally a disciple of the Beast Taming Hall. It is said that he was a beast ve before he was personally brought into the sect by Elder Meng Shan. He suddenly betrayed the sect more than a year ago and has not been caught yet," Qi Qige, no longer as shy as before, spoke more.

    "This Ma Xingkong is just a Qi Refining cultivator, no matter how powerful he is. Why would Bi Luo Cave spend a thousand contribution points to capture him?" Yuan Ming asked in confusion.

    "I don¡¯t know about that," Qi Qige shook her head.

    Yuan Ming was just asking casually. He quickly put it out of his mind and continued to look at the tasks on the stone tablet.

    He came here today not just to look around. If there were suitable tasks, he wanted to try and earn some contribution points.

    He didn¡¯t consider the messenger tasks. The contribution points were too few, and these tasks took a lot of time. Each one would take at least half a month, and he still had to work at the Fire Workshop. He couldn¡¯t be away for that long.

    Yuan Ming set his sights on the gathering tasks and quickly found one that caught his eye.

    "Collect Fire Jade: Go to the Tower Fire Mountain and collect Fire Jade. Every five pieces can be exchanged for one contribution point. This task can bepleted in a team."

    After Yuan Ming entered Bi Luo Cave, he deliberately inquired about the geographical situation nearby. He had heard of the Tower Fire Mountain, which was only about a hundred miles away from the gate of Bi Luo Cave. A round trip would take half a day, which was enough.

    This task could bepleted in a team and was not very dangerous, which was suitable for him.

    "Sister Qi Qige, you can go about your business. You don¡¯t need to worry about me," Yuan Ming said to Qi Qige.

    Qi Qige nodded, turned her head to look at the stone tablet, quickly walked towards the long stone tform to ept a task, and left on her own.

    Yuan Ming watched Qi Qige leave, then went to the stone tform, took out his identity que, and handed it to a ck-robed deacon, "I want to take task number thirty-five, the Fire Jade gathering task."

    "Fire Jade tasks are usually done in teams. There¡¯s a team currently recruiting. Do you want to join?" The ck-robed deacon took out a white jade charm, tapped it on Yuan Ming¡¯s identity que, and asked without any expression.

    "I¡¯m willing to join," Yuan Ming immediately said.

    "Very well, the team is over there. You can go directly," The ck-robed deacon returned the identity que and pointed to a corner of the hall.

    Yuan Ming followed the direction of his finger and saw four disciples of Bi Luo Cave standing there. They were all registered disciples, and among them was a familiar face, A G.

    His eyebrows furrowed slightly, but he quickly rxed and walked over.

    Noticing someone approaching, the four of them looked over.

    A G was taken aback when he saw Yuan Ming.

    "This junior brother also took the Fire Jade task? Hehe, a new face. I wonder which hall you¡¯re from?" A beautiful young woman with silver ornaments on her head asked after looking at Yuan Ming a few times. She seemed to be the leader of the four.

    The woman was in her thirties, with a friendly face. She wore a shining silver bracelet on her wrist, which seemed to be no ordinary item, and a green beast bag hung from her waist.

    Next to the young woman stood a dark-skinned man. He wore a piece of animal skin on his upper body, revealing half of his chest. A red tiger head tattoo was carved on his shoulder, and he held a thick ck iron rod in his hand. He was obviously a man of great strength.

    Thest person was a young man with triangr eyes wearing a felt hat. He had a cold expression and seemed to keep people at a distance.

    "My name is Yuan Ming, a newly admitted disciple of the Fire Refining Hall. Nice to meet you all," Yuan Ming greeted with a bow.

    "Fire Refining Hall? A G, is he from your side?" The beautiful young woman looked at A G.

    A G gave the young woman a forced smile. When he turned to Yuan Ming, his face became gloomy. He said coldly, "Yuan Ming, you¡¯ve only been in Bi Luo Cave for half a month. You probably don¡¯t even know three roads in the sect. Why are you so eager to take on tasks? Are you seeking death?"

    Yuan Ming frowned. A G was targeting him again. When did he offend him?

 Chapter 71: Gain the upper hand

    Chapter 71: Gain the upper hand

    "Only half a month since joining the sect? Why would a neer take on this task? Are you in a hurry to feed the Fire Rock Snake? Our team doesn¡¯t want any dead weight, nor are we responsible for collecting corpses for others!" The dark-skinned man¡¯s face darkened as he spoke bluntly.

    "Junior Brother Yuan, what A G and the others said is not without reason. Collecting Fire Essence Jade is dangerous, and if we encounter an attack from the Fire Rock Snake, we might not be able to protect you. It¡¯s better for you to focus on cultivating and improve your strength before taking on any tasks," the beautiful young woman advised, her eyes showing a hint of disdain.

    "Thank you, Senior Sister, and this Senior Brother, for your reminder. Although I am not talented, I believe I have the ability to protect myself and won¡¯t cause you any trouble," Yuan Ming nodded slightly towards the beautiful young woman and the dark-skinned man, smiling.

    As for A G, it was as if he hadn¡¯t been seen.

    The beautiful young woman raised her eyebrows, and the dark-skinned man let out a low hum, but they didn¡¯t say anything more.

    At this moment, A G, who had been ignored, had a face that turned as red as a pig¡¯s liver. He stepped forward and said, "You talk big. If you want to join our team, let me see your strength first!"

    "Since Senior Brother A G wants to teach me, please make your move," Yuan Ming said calmly.

    "Alright, take my arrow first!" A G formed a hand seal.

    A sparkling water stream appeared out of thin air, quickly bending and transforming into a strange water bow that was two feet long. A bright water arrow automatically formed at the bowstring.With a sharp whistle, the water arrow shot out, heading straight for Yuan Ming¡¯s chest at a speed much faster than an ordinary arrow.

    A G had secretly used a technique before speaking, silently forming a hand seal and casting a spell. By the time he finished speaking, the water arrow had already been shot out.

    "Water Arrow Technique?"

    Yuan Ming remained calm and pushed his right hand into the air, causing a dense green light to appear in his palm.

    A thick wooden spike emerged from it, intercepting the water arrow before it could reach Yuan Ming¡¯s chest.

    During these days, Yuan Ming had been diligently cultivating the Death Moon method. Although his spiritual power hadn¡¯t increased much, his reaction speed had improved significantly.

    With a loud bang, the water arrow shattered, and the wooden spike was also shattered.

    "What!" A G¡¯s expression froze.

    He had secretly used a technique, and yet his Water Arrow Technique, known for its speed, was actually blocked by the Wood Spike Technique!

    "Is that enough?" Yuan Ming said calmly, a surge of green light appearing in his palm as the shattered wooden spike immediately returned to its original state.

    A G¡¯s face turned ugly. He quickly formed hand seals with both hands, and a sh of light appeared on the water bow, revealing five water arrows.

    Whoosh whoosh whoosh!

    The five water arrows were shot out simultaneously, attacking Yuan Ming.

    "A continuous barrage of five arrows! When did A G¡¯s Water Arrow Technique reach this level?" The beautiful young woman eximed in surprise.

    The dark-skinned man and the young man with triangr eyes also showed some astonishment.

    It was not difficult to master the Water Arrow Technique, but it was not easy to simultaneously unleash five arrows. This required a deep reserve of mana and powerful control over mana.

    Seeing this scene, Yuan Ming¡¯s expression became more serious, but he remained calm and cast his spell, forming hand seals.

    A burst of green light shed in front of him, and three thick wooden spikes emerged from the ground, each with a diameter of about one foot, blocking in front of him and obscuring his figure.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s mana was not enough to summon more than three wooden spikes at the same time.

    The water arrows hit the wooden spikes, easily piercing fiverge holes, but Yuan Ming¡¯s figure was nowhere to be seen.

    A G was filled with doubt and uncertainty. Just then, a sharp gust of wind came from the side, and Yuan Ming¡¯s figure appeared out of thin air, holding a blue fish-shaped sword in his hand as he swung it down.

    The sword turned into a cold light, shing down like a bolt of lightning.

    A G¡¯s face changed drastically. He crushed something in his right hand, and ayer of green aura appeared on his body, swiftly dodging to the side.

    However, he suddenly felt a pain in his foot. A small wooden spike had unexpectedly emerged without warning, piercing his sole.

    In order toplete today¡¯s mission, A G was wearing a pair of specially made boots, made from the leather of a ferocious crocodile beast. They were extremely tough, and the Wood Spike Technique did not pierce through the soles of his shoes, but it still caused his figure to sway, momentarily interrupting his dodging motion.

    The cold light of the Blue Fish Sword enveloped him, about to sever his arm.

    Just at this moment, a silver light shot over from the side, faster than anyone¡¯s eyes could see, and with a "ng," it struck the Blue Fish Sword.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s wrist went numb, and the Blue Fish Sword flew out of his hand, causing him to be pushed back two steps.

    The silver light also revealed its true form, a string of silver bracelets, precisely the ones on the beautiful young woman¡¯s wrist.

    Swish!

    An elegant figure shed by, and the beautiful young woman appeared between the two.

    "Hehe, the disy of the Five Elements spells by the two of you is quite eye-opening. We still have a mission topleteter, so how about we end thispetition here?" The beautiful young woman smiled and said, her gaze towards Yuan Ming no longer holding any strangeness, clearly acknowledging his strength."Of course, we were just sparring with A G senior brother." Yuan Ming chuckled and picked up the green fish sword on the ground and put it away.

    A G remained silent, his face turning slightly pale.

    "Junior Brother Yuan Ming is extraordinary. Do you two have any objections to joining the mission team?" The beautiful woman looked at the dark-skinned man and the man with triangr eyes.

    "Junior Brother Yuan¡¯s cultivation is impressive. Mu wees him, of course." The dark-skinned man grinned, changing his previous arrogance.

    The man with triangr eyes didn¡¯t speak but nodded.

    "In that case, let¡¯s prepare to set off." The beautiful woman nodded and said.

    "Can you all wait for me for a moment? I have something in my residence that I need to retrieve. I¡¯ll be back soon." Yuan Ming suddenly said.

    "No problem. I¡¯m going to the Furnace Hall to buy something anyway. Mu Li and the others also need to rent a flying crane. Let¡¯s disperse for now and meet near the mountain gate in fifteen minutes." The beautiful woman hesitated and said.

    "Rent a flying crane? Are we going to ride a crane to the Tali Volcano?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "Of course. The Tali Volcano is a hundred miles away from the sect. How long would it take to walk there on foot?" The beautiful woman said.

    Yuan Ming looked embarrassed. He had just joined the sect and had no contributions or the ability to rent a spiritual beast.

    "Don¡¯t worry, Junior Brother Yuan. You can ride with meter." The beautiful woman noticed Yuan Ming¡¯s embarrassment and said.

    "Thank you, Senior Sister." Yuan Ming breathed a sigh of relief and thanked her.

    "It¡¯s nothing." The beautiful woman shook her head.

    Yuan Ming nodded slightly to the others and quickly left, heading towards the Furnace Hall.

    He ran all the way and quickly returned to his residence, taking out a gray bundle from under the bed.

    Inside were two beast fur skins, one from a white ape and one from a ck toad. This was his first mission for the sect, and he couldn¡¯t afford to make any mistakes. He brought the two fur skins just in case.

    Although he was no longer a beast ve, he currently had no good means of attack or self-defense other than the Green Fish Sword and Wood Thorn Art. The increase inbat power brought by transforming into a white ape might be useful in critical moments.

    Yuan Ming stuffed the bundle into his arms and returned the same way, walking quickly towards the mountain gate.

    ...

    The main hall of the Furnace Hall.

    Theyout here was simr to the Execution Hall. In front was a long stone table with four or five disciples of the Furnace Hall sitting inside. Behind them were rows of stone counters, gray-white in color and several feet tall, filled with various jade bottles and porcin jars.

    The fragrance of medicine filled the entire hall, and just being here would make one feel much more refreshed.

    "I want a bottle of Water Ze Pill." The beautiful woman walked up to a short and fat young man and said.

    "Ten contribution points." The short and fat young man nced at the woman and said.

    The beautiful woman obviously knew the price of the pill and directly took out her identity token and handed it over.

    The short and fat young man took out a white jade token and lightly tapped it on the woman¡¯s identity token. A white light flowed out from the identity token and entered the white jade token.

    "Wait a moment, I¡¯ll go get the medicine." The short and fat young man said and turned to the counter behind him.

    "Lan Ke junior sister, it¡¯s been a while." A woman in a red dress walked over. It was Chen Wan.

    "Senior Sister Chen Wan, are you also here to buy pills?" The beautiful woman saw Chen Wan and greeted her with joy.

    The beautiful woman was obviously older, but she showed a respectful attitude towards Chen Wan, as if she were the younger one.

    "I came here specifically to see you. Is that not allowed?" Chen Wan smiled and held the beautiful woman¡¯s hand.

    "I¡¯m here to handle some matters for my master." Chen Wan smiled and said.

    "Do you need any help? I¡¯m quite familiar with the officials of the Furnace Hall." The beautiful woman¡¯s eyes flickered and immediately said.

    She was a disciple of the Beast Taming Hall and had no background or status, but she had a high ambition and had been striving to climb up. She had made many connections within the sect and if she could use this opportunity to be familiar with the Third Elder, it would be beneficial for her future development.

    "No need, it¡¯s just some small matters. I heard that Lan Ke junior sister is buying Water Ze Pills. Are you going on a mission to collect Fire Pith Jade?" Chen Wan shook her head and changed the topic.

    The beautiful woman felt disappointed in her heart, but she didn¡¯t show it on her face. She touched the silver bracelet and said, "Yes, I n to add another rune to the Silver Snake Bracelet recently, but I don¡¯t have enough contribution points. I need to gather some."

    As she said this, the image of Yuan Ming suddenly appeared in her mind.

    "Speaking of which, Senior Sister Chen Wan, did you hear about a young disciple from the Central ins named Yuan Ming in the Furnace Hall?" The beautiful woman asked.

    "Yuan Ming? There is such a person. Have you heard of him?" Chen Wan nodded."I assembled a team to undertake the task of collecting Fire Jade, and Yuan Ming was among them. His strength is impressive. He even gained the upper hand after several rounds ofbat with A G," the beautiful young woman said.

    "Really?" A hint of surprise shed across Chen Wan¡¯s face.

    A G was a senior disciple of the Fire Refining Hall. Although his talent in refining was not outstanding, his cultivation was not weak, having reached the sixth level of Qi Refining. It was unexpected that he would be defeated by Yuan Ming, who had just joined the sect.

    She remembered that during the trial mission that day, Yuan Ming was only at the fourth level of Qi Refining and was merely a beast ve. In just a few short months, his cultivation had improved?

    "Could it be that this man has extraordinary talent, which is why the master personally took him as a disciple?" Chen Wan wondered to herself.

 Chapter 72: Be close to

    Chapter 72: Be close to

    "Sister Chen Wan, is there something wrong with Junior Brother Yuan Ming?" The beautiful young woman noticed the change in Chen Wan¡¯s expression and asked softly.

    "No, I¡¯m just amazed at how quickly Junior Brother Yuan Ming has progressed. He must have been diligent in his cultivation." Chen Wan smiled.

    "Sister Chen Wan, are you familiar with Yuan Ming?" The beautiful young woman looked surprised.

    "Not really. Junior Brother Yuan is originally from the Beast Taming Sect." Chen Wan hesitated for a moment before blurting out.

    The beautiful young woman was taken aback. While there were many beast taming ves in the Bi Luo Cave, very few were able to break free from their status and be named disciples.

    However, anyone who could rise up from being a beast taming ve was not an ordinary person. The disciples of the Beast Taming Hall had the deepest understanding of this. "Ma Xingkong," who had now climbed the bounty list, had also risen from being a beast taming ve. After entering the Beast Taming Hall, his cultivation had advanced rapidly, and he had mastered the art of beast taming and tamed many powerful spirit beasts in a short period of time.

    If he hadn¡¯t defectedter on, it was highly possible that the Bi Luo Cave would have gained another Foundation Establishment elder.

    "Sister Lan Ke, can you take care of Yuan Ming during this mission? He was personally brought back to the sect by our Master, who entrusted me to look after him and not let him lose his life during the mission." After thinking for a moment, Chen Wan said so.

    The beautiful young woman was slightly surprised, and her opinion of Yuan Ming grew even higher. She nodded and said, "Alright, I will take good care of him."The two women chatted for a while before parting ways.

    ...

    Yuan Ming quickly arrived at the mountain gate. The others had not arrived yet, so he found a ce nearby and sat down, waiting.

    The beautiful young woman and the others didn¡¯t make him wait for long and soon arrived one after another.

    Yuan Ming noticed that the dark-skinned man, the triangr-eyed youth, and A G all had a white spirit beast pouch around their waists, embroidered with the symbol of the Beast Taming Hall.

    "Now that everyone is here, let¡¯s get ready to go!" The beautiful young woman nodded at Yuan Ming and said.

    The Bi Luo Cave had strict control over its disciples. Anyone who wanted to leave had to register at the entrance of the mountain gate and have a valid reason.

    Yuan Ming and the others had a valid reason for going out on a mission, so after registering their names, they quickly arrived outside the sect.

    The beautiful young woman patted her spirit beast pouch, and a gray shadow flew out andnded after a brief hover in mid-air. It was an unusuallyrge gray bird.

    The wingspan of this bird was about twenty feet, its body was plump, but its head was small and unusually t, resembling an owl. It looked quite ugly, but the only eye-catching feature was its two golden eyes, which were as bright asmps.

    "This is the Golden-eyed Carving!" The dark-skinned man eximed in surprise.

    Yuan Ming looked at the man. When he registered his name earlier, he had already figured out the names and identities of the others.

    The dark-skinned man was named Mu Li and was a disciple of the Refining Hall. The triangr-eyed youth was called Chi Shu and was a disciple of the Rules Hall. The beautiful young woman was named Lan Ke and was a disciple of the Beast Taming Hall.

    "I heard that Sister Lan Ke recently tamed a spirit beast on her own. I didn¡¯t expect it to be a Golden-eyed Carving. Congrattions!" Chi Shu, who had been silent all this time, also spoke up with a tone of obvious envy.

    The Golden-eyed Carving was a fierce bird unique to the Ten Thousand Mountains. Although itsbat power was not strong, it had an incredibly fast flying speed and excellent endurance. What was even more remarkable was its excellent vision, which could see things several miles away. Whether it was used for traveling or reconnaissance, it was an excellent choice.

    Unfortunately, the Golden-eyed Carving had a fierce temperament and would rather die than submit. There were very few Golden-eyed Carvings in the entire Bi Luo Cave, which was why Chi Shu was so envious.

    "Junior Brother Chi Shu, you tter me. I was just lucky to seed." Lan Ke modestly smiled, but there was an unmistakable sense of pride in her smile, clearly showing her satisfaction with taming this spirit beast.

    Yuan Ming was quite interested in beast taming and curiously observed the Golden-eyed Carving.

    The Golden-eyed Carving seemed to sense Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze and looked back at him.

    "Gu..." The bird let out a low cry.

    Yuan Ming was taken aback. For some reason, he felt a sense of closeness from the bird¡¯s cry.

    "The Fire Ferret of the Third Hall is quite close to me, and it seems that this Golden-eyed Carving doesn¡¯t dislike me either. Could it be that I have a special affinity with animals? Why didn¡¯t I feel this way with the fierce beasts in the Ten Thousand Mountains before?" He was puzzled and couldn¡¯t figure it out.

    "It¡¯s gettingte. If we keep chatting, we might dy the mission. Let¡¯s set off." Lan Ke jumped onto the back of the Golden-eyed Carving.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming also jumped on.

    The back of the Golden-eyed Carving was spacious enough for two people, leaving plenty of room.

    The bird let out a sharp cry, pped its wings, and effortlessly lifted the two of them into the air, soaring into the sky.

    Mu Li and the others summoned the rented spirit beasts, three white cranes. They were smaller than the Golden-eyed Carving, but they had no problem carrying them and quickly caught up.

    The Golden-eyed Carving was very fast, and everything around them quickly receded. The mountain gate of the Bi Luo Cave was soon left far behind, bing a small ck dot.

    Seeing this scene, Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but feel envious.

    If he had such a spirit beast, it would be much more convenient for him to carry out sect missions or other tasks in the future.

    Unfortunately, he had only been in the Bi Luo Cave for half a month, and he hadn¡¯t even been able to exchange for the core beast taming technique, let alone the art of controlling beasts.

    "Junior Brother Yuan, you¡¯d better lower your body. The Golden-eyed Carving flies very fast, and you don¡¯t want to be blown away by the wind." Lan Ke reminded Yuan Ming when she saw him lost in thought.

    "Alright." Yuan Ming sat down.

    The Golden-eyed Carving let out a low cry, and its feathers suddenly stood up, blocking most of the oing airflow in front of him.

    "Hmm, although this Golden-eyed Carving was tamed by me, it still has a proud temperament and rarely gets close to others. But it seems to really like you, Junior Brother Yuan. It¡¯s quite rare." Lan Ke looked surprised.

    "Since I was young, I have always been liked by animals. Maybe that¡¯s the reason." Yuan Ming didn¡¯t know why either and casually made up an excuse."Is there really such a unique ability in this world? If so, Junior Brother Yuan, you are indeed a talent in the art of beast taming." Lan Ke still seemed somewhat skeptical, she said.

    "Can other disciples outside the Beast Taming Hall also learn the beast taming techniques of our sect?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "Of course, our sect has many beast taming techniques, and all disciples of the Bi Luo Cave can learn them. They can be borrowed from the Gui Cang Pavilion. However, the scriptures collected in the Gui Cang Pavilion are quite mixed and unstructured, and there may even be some misconceptions, which need to be discerned by oneself. The orthodox beast taming secret methods of our sect require going to the Beast Taming Hall, but if non-beast taming disciples want to audit, they must have a clear reason." Lan Ke said with a smile.

    "Oh, what kind of reasons are usually needed?" Yuan Ming asked, his heart pounding.

    "The mostmon one is that non-beast taming disciples have taken on beast taming tasks in the Execution Hall, and they can naturally go to learn. In addition, if ordered by an elder or the cave master, they can also go." Lan Ke seemed to have a good impression of Yuan Ming and answered every question he asked.

    Yuan Ming nodded thoughtfully.

    ......

    An hourter, the group flew over a hundred miles and arrived at a gray mountain range.

    Sharp stones were scattered all over the ce, like wolf teeth inserted into the ground. The sky was thick with gray, but there was no hint of rain. The air was dry and filled with the pungent smell of sulfur.

    The source of all the smells was a huge volcano in the center of the mountain range. The mountain was exceptionally tall, almost reaching the clouds. The massive mountain cast arge shadow, inspiring awe in people.

    The mouth of the volcano was still rumbling, spewing out thick smoke.

    "This must be the Tari Volcano." Yuan Ming thought to himself, looking around at the surrounding environment.

    ording to the task description, the Fire Jade was produced from the magma underground and woulde to the surface with the eruption of the volcano. Their job was to find it from the cooledva.

    Of course, it was easier to find the Fire Jade in the uncooled magma, provided that they could withstand the high temperature of the magma.

    "Now is the active period of the Fire Rock Snakes, we need to be careful. To improve efficiency, let¡¯s split into two teams as we discussed before. A G, Yuan Ming and I will be one team, and the two Junior Brothers, Chi Shu and Mu Li, will be another team. Does anyone have any objections?" Lan Ke said.

    Everyone shook their heads, indicating no objections.

    Just at this moment, a thunderous roar came from the mouth of the volcano, and the nearby ground shook violently. A red column of magma erupted from it, then overflowed towards the base of the mountain.

    The ce where Yuan Ming and the others were standing was still quite a distance from the mouth of the volcano, but the ground under their feet was still rumbling and shaking, like an earthquake.

    "The volcano is erupting! Great, there must be new Fire Jadeing out, we might have a big harvest this time!" Mu Li said excitedly, and ran towards the magma.

    Chi Shu followed closely, vigntly scanning the surroundings.

    "Let¡¯s go too. Later, the two Junior Brothers will be on the lookout for Fire Rock Snakes, and I will use the Golden Eagle to search for Fire Jade. The harvest will be divided in a ratio of four, three, three. Is that okay?" Lan Ke said.

    "No problem." Yuan Ming nodded.

    He was already very satisfied with a third of the ie.

    A G frowned slightly, seeming a bit dissatisfied, but he didn¡¯t say anything.

    The three of them also started to approach the mouth of the volcano, their direction slightly different from Chi Shu and the others. They quickly arrived near the mouth of the volcano.

    The three of them stopped a hundred feet away from the volcanicva area. The temperature here was already extremely high. The air they breathed into their lungs was boiling hot, and their internal organs were burning with pain.

    A G took out a blue talisman and stuck it on his chest. A stream of water-like blue light immediately appeared on his body, and his red-hot face quickly returned to normal.

    Lan Ke also took out a water-blue jade pendant and hung it around her waist. A blue light lit up on the jade pendant, protecting her body.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t have the treasures and methods of the other two, so he could only silently operate the Nine Yuan Jue to resist the surrounding heat.

    As a sense of coolness rose from his dantian and spread to all parts of his body, the feeling of being roasted was immediately relieved a bit.

    "Junior Brother Yuan, you didn¡¯t prepare any means to resist the high temperature? Searching for Fire Jade is not something that can be done in a short time. Relying solely on operating mana to protect your body, you won¡¯t be able to hold on for long." Lan Ke saw this and her eyebrows furrowed slightly, she said.

    "It¡¯s okay, I can hold on." Yuan Ming shook his head and said.

    "Well, Junior Brother Yuan, you should know your own limits. If you can¡¯t hold on, remember to say something, don¡¯t force yourself." Lan Ke reminded him, then stepped forward and walked away.

 Chapter 73: Rushing into the magma

    Chapter 73: Rushing into the magma

    Lan Ke blew a soft and melodious whistle, and the golden-eyed eagle flew over and hovered above her head, its sharp golden eyes scanning the area below.

    Yuan Ming and A G followed closely behind, keeping an eye on their surroundings and staying alert for the attack of the Fire Rock Snake.

    "Goo!"

    After a moment, the golden-eyed eagle suddenly called out and looked towards a ck stone in the front right, which seemed to be the product of cooled magma.

    Seeing this, Lan Ke raised her hand without hesitation and pointed forward. The silver bracelet on her wrist shot out and hit the ck stone.

    The light on the bracelet condensed, forming a silver de-like light, splitting the ck stone in half as if cutting through decayed soil.

    A fist-sized fiery red jade was embedded in the ck stone, it was the Fire Essence Jade.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes shed with surprise. The golden-eyed eagle¡¯s eyes were so extraordinary that it could even see through the inside of the stone?

    "The first one!" Lan Ke walked over and bent down to pick up the Fire Essence Jade.A dark red shadow shot out from behind a nearby stone, it was a dark red snake as thick as a bowl, its sharp fangs biting towards Lan Ke¡¯s calf. It was the unique Fire Rock Snake in this area.

    This snake was only a first-level lower-rank fierce beast, its attack was not particrly powerful, but its fangs contained potent poison. Even a peak Qi Refining cultivator would have trouble if bitten.

    A G raised his hand, surrounded by blue light, and a water arrow quickly shot towards the Fire Rock Snake.

    But his action was a step too slow, the water arrow clearly couldn¡¯t stop the red snake.

    Lan Ke frowned, the chain on her wrist lit up with silver light, about to intercept the Fire Rock Snake.

    At this moment, the ground rumbled, and a sharp wooden spike emerged, piercing through the body of the Fire Rock Snake and lifting it up.

    The blue water arrow finally arrived and hit the snake¡¯s body.

    With a loud bang, the snake¡¯s body was split into two, blood sttering everywhere. The two halves of the snake twisted a few times and quickly stopped moving.

    Lan Ke recalled the silver bracelet and put away the Fire Essence Jade. She turned her head and nodded at Yuan Ming, continuing to search ahead.

    Yuan Ming followed closely behind, paying close attention to the movements around him.

    A G felt somewhat embarrassed and his face became even uglier. A trace of viciousness shed in his eyes as he looked at Yuan Ming¡¯s back.

    Half an hour quickly passed.

    The three of them became more and more skilled in their cooperation. Yuan Ming and A G worked together to block all the sneak attacks from the Fire Rock Snakes, while Lan Ke, without any worries, could drive the golden-eyed eagle to search for the Fire Essence Jade at a fast pace.

    So far, they had found more than twenty pieces of Fire Essence Jade. ording to the agreed ratio, Lan Ke distributed the Fire Essence Jade to Yuan Ming and A G.

    Yuan Ming touched his chest, where he had already stored seven pieces of Fire Essence Jade. They made a crisp sound when they collided. Five pieces of Fire Essence Jade could be exchanged for some contribution points, and these Fire Essence Jade were worth about one and a half contribution points.

    It was still early, and if they continued at this speed, they could collect more than ten, or even twenty pieces of Fire Essence Jade before it got dark. That would be four contribution points.

    At the thought of this, Yuan Ming¡¯s heart suddenly warmed.

    Just at this moment, his dantian suddenly jumped, and his mana was already running low.

    Without enough mana to protect his body, he began to feel a dull pain all over.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t have the fire-resistant treasures like Lan Ke and A G, and it was already not easy for him to hold on until now.

    "Two of you, my mana is about to run out, I need to leave here and rest for a while." Yuan Ming didn¡¯t force himself and said.

    A G raised his chin slightly, a hint of mockery shed in his eyes, and his gloomy face looked slightly better.

    "It¡¯s fine, you can go first. The two of us can take care of ourselves." Lan Ke said.

    "Yeah, you guys continue to search for the Fire Essence Jade. You can distribute the gains during my absence." Yuan Ming said, then quickly left and soon arrived at the foot of the volcanic peak.

    The temperature here had returned to normal. He found a secluded ce and operated the Nine Elements Technique.

    The spiritual energy of heaven and earth gathered and replenished his mana.

    After a quarter of an hour, Yuan Ming suddenly opened his eyes.

    The mana in his dantian had only recovered about half, and the recovery speed was obviously slower than before.

    "What¡¯s going on? The spiritual energy here is not thin." Yuan Ming was about to investigate when a squeaking sound came from a distance, sounding somewhat familiar.

    He stood up and hid behind arge nearby rock, looking towards the direction of the sound.

    A slender red figure resembling a fox appeared in the distance, quickly running towards the volcano. It was the Fire Ferret of the Third Cave Master.

    "Fire Greedy! How did ite here? Could it be that the Third Cave Master is here?" Yuan Ming walked out.

    He himself was brought into the sect by the Third Cave Master, and the Fire Refining Hall where he currently stayed was also under her jurisdiction. If she was nearby, he should go and pay his respects.

    Yuan Ming looked around for a long time but did not find the figure of the Third Cave Master.

    At this time, the Fire Ferret also noticed Yuan Ming in the distance, turned its head to look over, and its running footsteps paused for a moment.

    But it quickly looked away and continued to run towards the volcano.

    Yuan Ming looked puzzled. From the appearance of the Fire Ferret, it seemed like it was chasing after something?

    Just at this moment, hurried footsteps came from a distance. It was a tall red-haired youth running towards here, sweating profusely. Judging from his attire, he was a disciple of the Beast Taming Hall.

    "Senior brother ahead, please stop the Fire Ferret. It is the Third Cave Master¡¯s spiritual beast, and it must not touch the magma. It cannot withstand the high temperature of the magma!" The red-haired youth shouted as he ran, his voice filled with urgency.

    Yuan Ming was stunned.ording to this person, is the fire mink going to jump into theva?

    Although the fire mink¡¯s spiritual intelligence has not yet awakened, even ants have the instinct to survive. How could it jump into theva?

    However, the fire mink was rushing forward, its eyes full of fervor, showing a determination to forge ahead without looking back.

    "It¡¯s not really going to jump into theva, is it?" Yuan Ming¡¯s face changed slightly, and he hurriedly chased after it, shouting the name "Fire Mink".

    However, the fire mink, which was usually quite close to him,pletely ignored his call at this moment and continued to rush towards the volcanicva without looking back, as if there was something extremely attractive to it there.

    The fire mink ran very fast. Yuan Ming had already used the Shadowless Step, but he still couldn¡¯t catch up, and the distance between them was still increasing.

    Remembering the life-saving grace of the Three Cave Master, Yuan Ming gritted his teeth and used the Fur Technique.

    The skin of the White Ape wrapped around him, instantly transforming him into the form of a White Ape, greatly increasing his speed, but he was just barely keeping pace with the fire mink.

    At this moment, they were not far from the volcanicva. With the speed of the fire mink, it would be able to reach it soon.

    Yuan Ming quickly took out a piece of Fire Jade from his bosom and threw it forward.

    He had seen the Three Cave Master attract the fire mink with a red crystal stone before. Fire Jade was also a fire attribute ore, perhaps it would be useful.

    The Fire Jade drew an arc and uratelynded in front of the fire mink.

    The fire mink looked at the Fire Jade, let out a joyful cry, pounced on it, and picked it up in its mouth.

    "It really works." Yuan Ming was delighted and quickened his pace.

    However, the fire mink raised its head and swallowed the Fire Jade in one gulp, then immediately continued to rush forward. It had only paused for three breaths.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s expression froze, but fortunately, the three breaths were time, and the distance between them had narrowed a bit.

    He continued to chase after it, painfully taking out another piece of Fire Jade and throwing it out,nding in front of the fire mink.

    The fire mink seemed to like the Fire Jade very much, and once again stopped to pick it up and swallowed it, then continued to run forward.

    With the previous experience of picking up the jade, the fire mink only took about two breaths this time.

    "It really can eat." Yuan Ming muttered helplessly, continuing to take out Fire Jade and throw it out.

    Seven pieces of spirit jade were used up in the blink of an eye, but the distance between them had finally narrowed to less than three zhang (10 meters), but the fire mink was less than five zhang (16.5 meters) away from theva.

    Yuan Ming seized the opportunity to cast a spell, and the ground in front of the fire mink rumbled, and a wooden spike as thick as a bowl suddenly sprouted.

    The fire mink almost ran into it, let out an angry growl, and detoured to the side.

    However, there was another rumble on that side, and arge wooden spike sprouted again, blocking its way again.

    Before the fire mink could react, the other directions around it were constantly rumbling, and wooden spikes kept sprouting, forming a wooden fence in the blink of an eye, trapping the fire mink in the middle.

    After circling in ce for a few times, the fire mink suddenly paused, then jumped up.

    The wooden spikes were only four or five feet high, and the fire mink¡¯s jumping ability was not bad, so it easily jumped out.

    However, as soon as it jumped up, arge hand covered with white hair stretched out from the side and grabbed the fire mink¡¯s back.

    The fire mink¡¯s ws iled wildly, and it roared incessantly, but its neck and back were controlled, and no matter how much it struggled, it was in vain.

    Yuan Ming ignored the fire mink and immediately dispelled the Fur Technique.

    The longer the Fur Technique was used, the more death energy would umte in his body. Although the Death Moon method seemed to be able to resolve it, he still nned not to use it if he could.

    The skin of the White Ape slid off him, and he grabbed it and stuffed it into his bosom.

    At this moment, the fire mink, whether it was tired from roaring or seeing Yuan Ming¡¯s true body, suddenly calmed down.

    "Junior Brother Yuan, how did you get here?" A voice suddenly came from the front, and two figures walked out from a depression in the front, it was Mu Li and Chi Zhu.

    "What have you caught? A fire fox? Be careful!" Mu Li saw the fire mink in Yuan Ming¡¯s hand, his eyebrows furrowed, and he was about to hit it with his iron rod.

    There were countless fierce beasts in the Hundred Thousand Mountains, and it was not surprising that they had any strange abilities. It was best to kill them immediately upon encountering them, otherwise, a moment of carelessness could cost one¡¯s life.

    Chi Zhu was forming a spell in his hand, and two fireballs the size of a human head appeared in front of him, ready to strike.

    "Both of you, stop! That¡¯s the Three Cave Master¡¯s spirit beast, a young fire mink!" Yuan Ming quickly put the fire mink behind him and said.

    "The Three Cave Master¡¯s spirit beast! Why is it here?" Mu Li was taken aback, put away his iron rod and asked.

    "I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll have to ask him about that." Yuan Ming turned to look behind him.

    The red-haired young man was panting as he hurried over. Seeing that the fire mink had been caught by Yuan Ming, he couldn¡¯t help but breathe a sigh of relief and thanked him, "Thank you... Thank you, Senior Brothers, for your help!"

    At this moment, they had reached the top of the giant peak. The terrain was uneven, with many protruding rocks blocking the view. The young man hadn¡¯t seen Yuan Ming¡¯s action just now, and thought that it was with the help of Mu Li and the others that the fire mink was stopped.

 Chapter 74: A curved angle

    Chapter 74: A curved angle

    "Thank him if you want to thank someone. We didn¡¯t do anything and don¡¯t dare to take credit," Chi Shu nced at Yuan Ming and said to the red-haired youth.

    "Thank you, Senior Brother. I would have been in big trouble today if it weren¡¯t for you," the red-haired youth quickly bowed to Yuan Ming and expressed his gratitude.

    "I can¡¯t ept the title of Senior Brother. I am Yuan Ming from the Fire Refining Hall. I just recently entered the Bi Luo Cave. These two are Mu Li from the Refining Furnace Hall and Chi Shu from the Rules and Regtions Hall. May I know your name?" Yuan Ming introduced Mu Li and Chi Shu before asking.

    "I am Le Gong, a disciple of the Beast Taming Hall," the red-haired youth scratched his head and quickly introduced himself.

    "So you¡¯re Senior Brother Le Gong. I have seen this Fire Ferret before. It is the beloved spirit beast of the Three Cave Masters. Why did you bring it here?" Yuan Ming handed the Fire Ferret over and asked.

    Le Gong quickly reached out to catch it, but as soon as the Fire Ferret reached his hand, it suddenly struggled violently, squealing loudly and scratching the young man¡¯s hand fiercely.

    The Fire Ferret¡¯s ws were quite sharp, and Le Gong¡¯s hand was immediately cut with several deep wounds, blood gushing out.

    He cried out in pain, loosening his grip, and the Fire Ferret fell to the ground.

    Yuan Ming quickly reached out and caught the Fire Ferret.Strangely enough, as soon as the Fire Ferret was in Yuan Ming¡¯s hands, it immediately became docile. It not only stopped struggling and hurting people, but also gently rubbed its head against his body.

    Seeing this scene, Le Gong, Mu Li, and Chi Shu all showed surprise.

    "I didn¡¯t expect Junior Brother Yuan to not only be skilled in refining tools, but also proficient in beast taming!" Le Gong said.

    "I am just a neer to the sect. I don¡¯t know anything about beast taming. It¡¯s just that I had the opportunity to meet the Three Cave Masters in the Ten Thousand Mountains and spent some time with them, so maybe it remembers me," Yuan Ming exined half-truthfully.

    "I see." Le Gong nodded, his expression seeming somewhat disappointed.

    Mu Li and Chi Shu exchanged nces when they heard that Yuan Ming was familiar with the Three Cave Masters, and their gazes towards Yuan Ming unconsciously changed.

    Caw...

    A piercing screech sounded, and the Golden-eyed Eagle flew over. Lan Ke and A G stood on its back, apparently noticing the situation here and rushing over.

    "Why are you here, Le Gong?" Lan Ke jumped down from the eagle¡¯s back and looked at Le Gong, seeming to be familiar with him.

    A G also followed suit and jumped down. His clothes seemed to have grown bigger at the chest, indicating that he had gained something during this moment.

    "Lan Ke Senior Sister, it¡¯s because of this Fire Ferret," Le Gong nodded and greeted her with a wry smile.

    "Could it be that you took on the task from the Three Cave Masters?" Lan Ke looked at the Fire Ferret in Yuan Ming¡¯s hand and asked.

    "Yes, I didn¡¯t consider it carefully. This task is much more difficult than I expected. If it weren¡¯t for Junior Brother Yuan and the others helping today, I would have almost messed it up. It seems that my talent in beast taming is not enough. Let¡¯s stop here for this task," Le Gong sighed.

    "What are you two talking about? Don¡¯t just think about yourselves, let us hear it too. Le Gong, are you carrying out a sect mission?" Mu Li frowned and asked.

    They were here to collect Fire Essence Jade and didn¡¯t want to get involved in other matters.

    "Mu Li Junior Brother, don¡¯t worry. The mission I¡¯m talking about is not something else. It¡¯s just taking care of this Fire Ferret, which was issued by the Three Cave Masters. It won¡¯t affect our collection of Fire Essence Jade," Lan Ke said.

    "Taking care of a Fire Ferret? There¡¯s such a task?" Yuan Ming looked surprised.

    Why would they need to issue a task just to take care of a spirit beast? If the Fire Ferret is mischievous, they can just lock it up.

    "Junior Brother Yuan, you don¡¯t understand beast taming, so you don¡¯t know the intricacies. Cultivating a spirit beast is not just about feeding and taking care of them. It also requires careful attention to their emotions and guidance of their nature. This Fire Ferret is still in its infancy and is in a lively and active stage. Keeping it confined for a long time will affect its growth. The Three Cave Masters are usually busy and don¡¯t have time, so they issued this task," Le Gong exined.

    "I see, but I didn¡¯t see this task in the Hall of Mission Execution. Why is that?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "There are too many people in the Hall of Mission Execution, and the Three Cave Masters didn¡¯t directly issue this task. They only informed the people from our Beast Taming Hall, so it doesn¡¯t appear on the mission stone tablet," Le Gong said.

    Yuan Ming nodded and was about to say something when the Fire Ferret suddenly struggled violently in his hand and jumped out, falling to the ground.

    Yuan Ming was startled and was about to reach out to grab it again, but the Fire Ferret didn¡¯t run away. Instead, it bit onto Yuan Ming¡¯s clothes and pulled him towards a distance.

    "Caw caw caw!" Lan Ke¡¯s Golden-eyed Eagle also let out a sharp cry, looking terrified towards the volcanic peak.

    Everyone present was stunned.

    At this moment, the ground beneath their feet suddenly shook violently. Even with their strength, they almost fell.

    Before they could stabilize themselves, the ground shook for the second time, and then the third...

    Yuan Ming¡¯s face turned pale as he held onto arge rock next to him, barely stabilizing himself.

    At this moment, a rumbling sound came from underground, like countless rolling thunders. The ground trembled violently, as if an irresistible force had erupted.

    In the face of this tremendous force, everyone present was like saplings in a strong wind,pletely powerless to resist. Their bodies were thrown out.

    Then, a loud bang came from a distance!

    Yuan Ming looked up in shock, and his expression immediately changed.

    He saw the volcanic crater shaking violently, and a massive column of magma surged out, pouring down the mountain like countless streams of redva.

    The ce where they were also had magma sweeping towards them.

    Yuan Ming immediately activated his Beast Transformation Technique and turned into a white ape form.

    As a white ape, he was stronger and more stable than in human form, and he stumbled and ran down the mountain.

    Lan Ke and the others also quickly used their techniques and fled towards a distance.

    At this moment, everyone could only take care of themselves and couldn¡¯t care about others.

    Yuan Ming crawled and rolled, escaping towards a distance. He didn¡¯t know how many times he fell, but he finally reached the foot of the mountain.

    If it weren¡¯t for the tough skin and protection of the white ape form, he would have long been covered in bruises and bleeding from hitting his head.

    Even with the protection of the ape skin, he was still bruised and bleeding from his nose and mouth, and his head was buzzing.

    But now was not the time to rest. The surging magma was already not far behind him, melting and engulfing everything on the road.

    "Squeak squeak squeak..." the Fire Ferret¡¯s cries came from the front. It agilely ran towards a small mountain on the right, unaffected by the shaking ground.Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes lit up, and he immediately fled towards the low hill, arriving at its base in no time.

    He activated the White Ape Beast Skin, his ten fingers growing sharp ape ws that easily pierced into the rocks, allowing him to quickly climb towards the top of the low hill.

    The surgingva flowed and roared, rushing several miles down the hill before slowly stopping, swallowing everything in its path in a sea of red.

    The earthquake triggered by the volcanic eruption gradually subsided, and the ground slowly returned to calm.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming had already climbed to the top of the low hill. He deactivated his transformation, lying down in a spread-eagle position, panting heavily with lingering fear.

    The fire minky quietly beside him.

    "Fire Mink, thank you for your help this time." Yuan Ming gently stroked the fire mink¡¯s head.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for the fire mink¡¯s warning, allowing him to take refuge on this low hill in time, he would most likely have been swallowed by theva, leaving no trace behind.

    He closed his eyes and rested for a moment, then got up and looked around for signs of others.

    Lan Ke, Mu Li, and the others all had flying spirit beasts. As long as they could summon them in time and fly into the sky, they should be able to escape.

    He wasn¡¯t sure if that Le Gong had managed to escape, as he didn¡¯t seem to have a flying spirit beast.

    The surroundings were all red molten rock, not a single bird, let alone a person, could be seen.

    Yuan Ming shook his head and surveyed the situation around the low hill.

    Three sides of the hill were already covered byva, but fortunately, there was still an area at the back that was free ofva, leaving a passage.

    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Yuan Ming picked up the fire mink and headed in that direction.

    "Squeak, squeak, squeak..." As they passed a certain spot, the fire mink suddenly let out excited squeals, its eyes fixed on a patch ofva not far away, a look of longing in its eyes.

    Yuan Ming stopped in his tracks and followed the fire mink¡¯s gaze.

    "Huh!" His eyebrows raised, and he cast a spell.

    The ground in theva area rumbled, and arge wooden spike shot out, already charred ck.

    Green light stubbornly emanated from the inside of the wooden spike, resisting the burning of theva. It suddenly bent and flicked outward, like a hand sshing water.

    With a "ssh", a patch ofva was flung away by the wooden spike,nding not far in front of Yuan Ming.

    A long object rolled out from theva, a fiery red object about a foot long, curved like the horn of some exotic beast.

    The horn shone with a red light, as if there were mes burning on it.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes lit up. This fiery red horn didn¡¯t emit much spiritual power fluctuation, but just by its appearance, it was extraordinary, far superior to fire jade, and should be a high-grade spiritual material.

    Was the fire mink¡¯s frantic rush towards theva earlier for this object?

    The fire mink let out a cheer, transformed into a blur, and pounced on it, biting the fiery red horn as if it wanted to swallow it.

    "Stop, no, shut your mouth!" Yuan Ming hurriedly lunged forward, grabbing the other end of the fiery red horn.

    This was not some low-grade spiritual material like fire jade. Any high-grade spiritual material was of great value, and it would be a huge loss if he let the fire mink eat it.

    The fire mink stubbornly bit the fiery red horn, its strength surprisingly great. Yuan Ming used most of his strength, but still couldn¡¯t wrest it away.

    In his urgency, he was about to use some other means to snatch the horn when he suddenly realized that the fire mink¡¯s teeth couldn¡¯t bite into it at all. Its sharp teeth didn¡¯t leave a single mark.

    Yuan Ming rxed, no longer struggling, and smiled at the fire mink.

    The fire mink bit and gnawed at the horn until its teeth were sore, but it couldn¡¯t make a dent in it. It could only give up reluctantly.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming finally picked up the fiery red horn and held it up to his eyes for a closer look.

    The object was hot to the touch, but not scorching, and felt quitefortable in his hand. The patterns on the horn revealed some strange me patterns, which seemed to be natural.

    "What kind of exotic beast¡¯s horn is this? How could it be perfectly preserved in theva?" Yuan Ming wondered to himself, his eyebrows suddenly raising.

    He was standing not far from the molten rock, the surrounding heat was unbearable, and he had been exerting all his strength to resist it. But after he got this fiery red horn, the surrounding heat suddenly weakened a lot. Could it be that the fiery red horn was isting the surrounding heat?

 Chapter 75: New task

    Chapter 75: New task

    "It really is a high-grade spiritual material."

    Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes lit up, and he became even more fond of the fiery red unicorn. He carefully put it away and nned to study what it was after returning to the sect.

    To think that such a horn was contained within the volcanic magma in this tower, it seems that this volcano is not simple.

    However, he currently doesn¡¯t have the ability to explore this mountain. He turned around and called the fire ferret, continuing to walk towards a distant ce, quickly leaving the area covered by volcanic magma.

    Yuan Ming stood on a slope, looking at the scarred earth.

    With such arge-scale volcanic eruption, the fire jade near the volcano had already beenpletely submerged by magma. He didn¡¯t have a way to search for fire jade in the magma, so it seems that this mission can only end here.

    He was unsure of how to proceed next, whether to search for others or return to the sect on his own.

    After a brief consideration, Yuan Ming decided to go look for others and headed in a direction with the fire ferret.

    Leaving alone like this seemed heartless, and he only vaguely remembered the location of the Birodong Sect. It would be troublesome to go back alone.Just at this moment, a faint sound came from behind, as if footsteps.

    Yuan Ming quickly turned around and saw a person appearing on the mountain path not far away. It was Legong.

    "Junior Brother Yuan, you¡¯re still alive, and the fire ferret is safe too. Thank goodness!" Legong saw Yuan Ming and the fire ferret beside him, and ran over excitedly.

    Legong looked very disheveled at the moment, with many of his clothes burned, and his skin scorched in a few ces, but fortunately, they were not in vital areas.

    After ncing at Legong, the fire ferret moved its gaze away and ignored him, seeming to dislike this person.

    "Senior Brother Legong, are you alright?" Yuan Ming also felt happy.

    Encountering familiar people at this time was always a joyful thing.

    "I¡¯m fine, just some superficial injuries, nothing worth mentioning. By the way, Junior Brother Yuan, have you seen Senior Sister Lan Ke and the others? Of course, including Mu Li." Legong waved his hand and asked.

    "The situation was critical just now, and I only cared about saving myself, so I didn¡¯t notice how the others were doing." Yuan Ming shook his head.

    "Ah, I wonder how she¡¯s doing." Legong scratched the back of his head, showing a worried expression.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes flickered. Legong, Mu Li, Chishu, and A G were all people he had just met, so naturally he was worried about Lan Ke. He didn¡¯t know what their rtionship was.

    "Let¡¯s search around a bit. With Senior Sister Lan Ke¡¯s strength, she should be fine." Without probing further, he suggested.

    Legong nodded, and the two of them went in a direction to search.

    The fire ferret jumped onto Yuan Ming¡¯s shoulder and halfid down, closing its eyes to rest.

    "It seems like the fire ferret really likes Junior Brother Yuan. After you return to the sect, you might as well take on this task." Legong saw the docile appearance of the fire ferret and half-envied, half-sighed as he made the suggestion.

    Yuan Ming did have this idea and asked, "Senior Brother Legong, can you tell me more about this task from the Third Elder?"

    "Junior Brother Yuan is really interested? Actually, the task itself is not difficult. The Third Elder¡¯s requirements are very simple: take good care of the fire ferret, feed it a few pieces of me Crystal every day, and make sure it doesn¡¯t get hurt." Legong quickly said.

    "It sounds like it¡¯s not difficult." Yuan Ming said.

    "It sounds simple, but it¡¯s not simple at all. Junior Brother Yuan, you don¡¯t know how mischievous this fire ferret is." Legong sighed and said.

    Just at this moment, the fire ferret, who had been squinting its eyes, suddenly opened them and started making a humming sound.

    Seeing this, Legong quickly took out a piece of fiery red crystal and handed it to the fire ferret¡¯s mouth. It seemed to be what the Third Elder had fed the fire ferret before.

    The fire ferret saw the crystal and immediately raised its head, biting onto it and chewing it up.

    "How is the reward for this task?" Yuan Ming rubbed the fire ferret¡¯s head and asked the most concerned question.

    "The reward is naturally generous. As long as you can take care of the fire ferret ording to her requirements, you can receive a reward of thirty contribution points every month. And you can also learn a spell from her for free, of course, it must be within the Qi Refining stage." Legong said.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming became even more tempted.

    Thirty contribution points can definitely be considered a generous reward. Working in the Fire Pavilion, the monthly contribution points are only ten, not to mention being able to learn a spell for free.

    He continued to y with the fire ferret¡¯s head, secretly making up his mind.

    "Junior Brother Yuan is not a disciple of the Beast Taming Hall. If you want to take on this task, you should start from the Execution Hall. The stewards there are also aware of the Third Elder¡¯s task." After thinking for a moment, Legong added.

    "Thank you for the advice." Yuan Ming thanked him.

    The two continued to search forward, but after a long time, they didn¡¯t find any clues.

    Yuan Ming was fine, but Legong became more and more anxious.

    "It¡¯s not a solution to continue searching blindly like this. Why don¡¯t we try a different approach?" Yuan Ming suggested.

    "Oh, Junior Brother Yuan, do you have any ideas?" Legong¡¯s eyes lit up and asked.

    "Since we can¡¯t find Senior Sister Lan Ke and the others, why not let them find us instead?" Yuan Ming said.

    Legong was puzzled by this.

    "Set the wood on fire to create smoke." Yuan Ming pointed to a small forest not far away.

    "This method is not bad." Legong rubbed his hands together and said happily.

    The two of them worked together to cut down all the trees in the forest and lit a bonfire.

    Thick ck smoke quickly rose and floated towards the sky, forming a column of smoke.

    The volcanicva had already calmed down, and not much smoke rose from it, making the ck smoke column quite conspicuous.

    After a while, a clear and crisp crane cry came from the other side, and two white cranes appeared in the distant sky, flying quickly towards them.

    On the backs of the white cranes were Mu Li and Chishu.

    "Both of you are safe, that¡¯s great." Yuan Ming waved his hand to greet them.

    Legong felt disappointed in his heart, but reluctantly squeezed out a smile and asked the two about Lan Ke¡¯s whereabouts.

    A piercing cry that pierced through the sky came from the other side, and a gray figure quickly approached. It was the golden-eyed eagle, with Lan Ke and A G on its back.

    "Senior Sister Lan Ke, you¡¯re also safe, thank goodness." Legong was overjoyed and waved his hand.

    Yuan Ming also showed a happy expression, feeling a bit emotional.

    Encountering such a natural disaster, all six of them in the group actually survived. It had to be said that their luck was really good.The Golden-eyed Eaglended on the ground, and Lan Ke leaped down, but A G did not move.

    His right leg below the knee was charred, with nearly half of the skin and flesh burned off, clearly the result of theva. There were also multiple burns elsewhere on his body, making for a pitiful sight.

    Upon seeing this, the expressions of Mu Li and the others changed slightly, and Yuan Ming also furrowed his brows.

    "Brother A G, how did you get injured like this?" Mu Li, who hadpleted several missions with A G and had a rtively close rtionship with him, asked with concern.

    A G gave a bitter smile but did not speak.

    With his right leg injured like this, the meridians in his leg were likely damaged as well. It was uncertain whether they could be healed.

    Lan Ke sighed and exined how A G had been injured.

    When theva attacked, he released a white crane in an attempt to fly away, but the crane, terrified of the volcanic disaster, abandoned A G and fled on its own.

    In his shock and anger, A G had no choice but to escape on his own. However, he was attacked by a fire rock snake halfway through, his right leg was bitten, and then he was caught up by the rollingva, his right leg was burned. He was about to be buried here.

    At the critical moment, Lan Ke happened to pass by and saved A G¡¯s life.

    "Regardless, we are all still alive, which is a blessing in disguise. Although Brother A G¡¯s injuries are severe, there are ways to heal them, but we¡¯ll have to return to the sect first," Lan Ke said.

    Mu Li, a disciple of the Refining Furnace Hall and skilled in several medical techniques, immediately applied ointment to A G¡¯s wound and bandaged it.

    "Thank you, Brother Mu Li," A G thanked him.

    Everyone was quite exhausted from their hasty escape, so they rested briefly around the fire.

    "It¡¯s strange, why would there suddenly be a volcanic eruption of this scale?" Mu Li looked towards the volcanic peak.

    "Such a disaster is beyond our mortalprehension," Lan Ke shook her head.

    "Maybe the me Demon under the tower is turning over, haha..." Seeing that Lan Ke was safe and sound, Le Gong regained his previous liveliness andughed.

    "The me Demon of the tower?" Yuan Ming looked over.

    "This is a legend of the Tower Volcano. This area used to be a lush green mountain range, and that peak was just an ordinary mountain. Later, an immortal suppressed a me Demon under the peak. The me Demon burned the rocks with its mes, turning this ce into a volcanic area," Le Gong said with a flourish, asionally ncing at Lan Ke.

    Yuan Ming remained silent, thinking of the fiery red horn he had just obtained. Could it be the horn of that me Demon?

    He immediately shook his head andughed, scolding himself for being naive. How could such a myth be true?

    "By the way, the rumor also says that the me Demon turns over every five hundred years, causing a massive volcanic eruption. I¡¯ve seen records of the Tower Volcano in the sect, and it seems that a few hundred years ago, there was also arge-scale volcanic eruption here. Maybe that legend is true," Le Gong said enthusiastically as everyone looked over.

    "Enough, these are just folk tales. It¡¯s surprising that you, a cultivator, would believe such absurd stories," Lan Ke frowned and scolded.

    Le Gong chuckled a few times and obediently shut his mouth.

    However, Le Gong¡¯s nonsense did lighten the atmosphere quite a bit.

    After a brief rest, everyone had more or less recovered.

    "What are your ns now?" Lan Ke asked.

    "After such an incident, it¡¯s impossible to continue searching for the Fire Jade. We should return to the sect first. We need to get someone to look at Brother A G¡¯s injury as soon as possible," Mu Li said.

    The others had no objections, and the group immediately headed towards the sect.

    ...

    Execution Hall.

    The others who had returned from the mission with Yuan Ming handed in their Fire Jades in exchange for rewards, but all of Yuan Ming¡¯s Fire Jades had been eaten by the Fire Mink, so he couldn¡¯t get any rewards.

    However, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t mind. He had already decided to take on the task of taking care of "Fire Glutton", so he went directly to find the managing deacon.

    After registering the task at the deacon¡¯s ce, Yuan Ming was told that non-Beast Taming Hall disciples who took on spirit beast rearing rted tasks needed to go to the Beast Taming Hall to learn relevant knowledge and gain approval.

    After all, it involved the beloved pet of the Third Cave Master. If anything happened, no one could bear the responsibility.

 Chapter 76: A narrow path for enemies

    Chapter 76: A narrow path for enemies

    The next day, early morning.

    Yuan Ming arrived at the Fire Workshop early. The work of material selection and screening was not difficult for him. On the contrary, he was skilled in identifying materials and sieving gravel, and quicklypleted all the tasks at hand.

    He didn¡¯t waste time resting, but picked up the casting hammer again and started the tedious and challenging process of refining the embryo. However, progress was not smooth after a hard work.

    He was not too discouraged by this. Afterpleting today¡¯s tasks and having lunch at the canteen, he went straight to the Beast Taming Hall.

    Yuan Ming now knew that among the three peaks in the sect, the shortest one in the southeast belonged to the Furnace Hall, which was the territory of the Second Elder and was mainly responsible for the cultivation of spiritual herbs and the refining of pills.

    As for the central peak, it goes without saying that it was where the Forge Hall, managed by the Third Elder, was located, responsible for refining tools for the sect.

    The tallest peak in the northeast was where the Beast Taming Hall, under the jurisdiction of the Grand Elder, was located. It was also the most powerful and highest-ranking hall in the sect.

    Since he didn¡¯t have his own spiritual beast, Yuan Ming had to rely on his legs to travel. By the time he arrived at the boundary of the Beast Taming Hall, it was already an hourter.

    The situation in the Beast Taming Hall waspletely different from that of the Forge Hall.Its buildings were widely distributed throughout the entire mountain peak, and there was a circr reception hall at the foot of the mountain.

    As soon as Yuan Ming entered, he saw a sturdy disciple with a round face and ck tattoos walking towards him.

    "Hehe, this junior brother looks unfamiliar. Are you a neer?" The disciple with a round face smiled.

    Yuan Ming was a little overwhelmed by this sudden enthusiasm and could only nod.

    "There¡¯s no need to be restrained when youe to the Beast Taming Hall, junior brother. We are here to serve all the senior brothers and sisters in the sect, and the prices are fair. We can meet all your needs! So, junior brother, are you here to rent or buy a spiritual beast? Let me introduce it to you." The disciple with a round face smiled even more and asked.

    Yuan Ming was taken aback by his words. It turned out that he was here for business, no wonder he was so enthusiastic.

    "Senior brother misunderstood. I came here to learn basic knowledge of raising spiritual beasts as part of the task assigned by the Execution Hall." Yuan Ming smiled and shook his head.

    The disciple with a round face was stunned by his words. The smile on his face gradually disappeared, and his tone becamezy:

    "Oh, I see. You took on a task. Do you have the seal from the Execution Hall?"

    Yuan Ming had already prepared and took out the seal from his pocket and handed it over.

    The disciple with a round face took it casually, looked at it, and frowned, "Why do you only have the seal from the Execution Hall and not the signature of the Elder?"

    Yuan Ming furrowed his brows at his words. He had confirmed with the staff of the Execution Hall before that as long as there was a seal, it would be enough. The other party was obviously making things difficult for him.

    "Go back and get the signature, thene back." The disciple with a round face threw the seal back and was about to turn around.

    At this moment, a figure walked into the hall and immediately walked towards Yuan Ming.

    "Oh, isn¡¯t this... Junior Brother Yuan Ming?"

    Yuan Ming looked over at the sound and found that it was the disciple from the Beast Taming Hall who took care of the gluttonous beast yesterday.

    "Senior Brother Legong, what a coincidence to see you here." Yuan Ming raised his eyebrows and greeted him with a bow.

    "Junior Brother Yuan Ming, it seems like you¡¯ve made up your mind and are ready to challenge yourself, right?" Legong walked up to Yuan Ming, nced at the seal in his hand, and immediately understood what was going on, and smiled.

    "Cough, Senior Brother Legong, I didn¡¯t expect you two to know each other..." The disciple with a round face smiled awkwardly and said.

    Seeing the change in his expression, Legong knew that this guy was making things difficult for others again. He waved his hand and said, "I¡¯ll take Junior Brother Yuan Ming in. You don¡¯t need to worry about it. Go about your business."

    "Alright." The disciple with a round face no longer mentioned the signature and immediately turned around and left.

    "Junior Brother Yuan Ming, follow me." Legong said, and led Yuan Ming through the hall and out through the back door.

    After leaving the main hall, Yuan Ming first arrived at a spacious square and saw a huge circr building in front of him, built entirely of stone, looking very sturdy.

    Seeing Yuan Ming¡¯s curious gaze, Legong exined, "This is the Beast Arena. Sect disciples can bring their own spiritual beasts here topete. If they win, they can get arge amount of contribution points as a reward."

    "When are thepetitions usually held? Can I watch them?" Yuan Ming became interested.

    "Usually once a month, and there will be different sessions depending on the number of participants. Elder disciples who don¡¯t participate in thepetition can also watch, but they need to pay ten contribution points as an entrance fee." Legong said.

    "It¡¯s not free after all..." Yuan Ming thought to himself.

    "Speaking of which, thepetitions are always lively! The spectators can also ce bets based on their own judgments. If the side they bet on wins, they can get contribution points as a reward based on the odds." Legong said excitedly.

    "You can do that too?"Yuan Ming said with his mouth, but in his heart he thought: "Isn¡¯t this just gambling? I didn¡¯t expect that cultivators, in this aspect, are no different from ordinary people."

    As they spoke, the two bypassed the beast arena and walked along the mountain path towards the mountaintop.

    The trees along the way were dense, with buildings of various sizes hidden among them. There were many more buildings than the Refining Hall, and various beast roars could faintly be heard.

    When they reached a spacious square halfway up the mountain, Legong stopped and instructed Yuan Ming, "The ce where non-disciplese to learn beast taming is in the beast garden ahead. I will take you there to register with the elder in charge. After learning, return the same way and do not wander around. Our Beast Taming Hall has many rules and strict levels, especially the area above the halfway point of the mountain, which is the activity range of inner disciples and generally cannot be essed."

    "Thank you, senior brother. I will remember." Yuan Ming nodded.

    With that, the two arrived at a courtyard of considerable size and entered the front hall.

    The elder in charge here was a middle-aged man with a thin build and a mustache. When he saw Legong bringing a stranger, he asked, "Legong, you¡¯re here. This person next to you is a disciple of the Refining Hall, right?"

    "Disciple greets Elder Moru. I havee here to learn about beast breeding as part of a task." Yuan Ming handed over the sign-in book and said.

    "Junior brother is so eager to learn, naturally wee! Come,e and register, and submit five contribution points." Elder Moru nced at him and nodded.

    Yuan Ming frowned upon hearing this.

    He had received a clear reply from the elder of the Administration Hall that it was not necessary to pay for learning about beast breeding as part of a task. This was the bottom line that a sect specializing in beast taming should have.

    "What¡¯s wrong, junior brother Yuan? Do you have any questions?" Elder Moru frowned when he saw Yuan Ming standing still and not moving.

    Yuan Ming naturally had no contribution points, and he couldn¡¯te up with any for a while. He had nned to give up and leave, but Legong took out his own disciple waist badge and handed it to Elder Moru, saying, "Elder Moru, this junior brother is new and doesn¡¯t understand the rules. Deduct it from my contribution points."

    "If he doesn¡¯t understand the rules, you should teach him. It¡¯s fortunate that I¡¯m an easygoing person. Others wouldn¡¯t be so polite." Elder Moru¡¯s expression softened a bit.

    He took the waist badge, pressed it against his own waist badge, and a light shed in his palm. Then he returned the waist badge to Legong, turned around, and walked towards the back door.

    "Thank you, senior brother. I will definitely repay you." Yuan Ming sincerely thanked Legong.

    "It¡¯s a small matter, not worth mentioning! If it weren¡¯t for your help yesterday, the Fire Ferret of the Third Cave Master would have caused me a lot of trouble." Legong waved his hand and said in a low voice.

    Just as the two were about to step over the threshold, they heard a loud shout from behind, "Stop."

    Yuan Ming frowned, thinking to himself, "What bad luck."

    Legong was puzzled and turned around to see that his expression changed slightly. He quickly sped his fists and said, "Senior Brother Kuntou, is there something wrong?"

    Kuntoupletely ignored his question and only looked at Yuan Ming, showing a mocking smile.

    Yuan Ming turned sideways and met Kuntou¡¯s gaze without any avoidance.

    He thought that the sect was so big, it shouldn¡¯t be so coincidental, but he didn¡¯t expect to really encounter this person. It could be said that they were destined to be enemies.

    However, what surprised him was that there were several people behind Kuntou, most of them had a sycophantic look, but one of them was not wearing the Beast Taming Hall emblem on his clothes and did not have a disciple waist badge. It was Wu Lu.

    Wu Lu just looked at him with a slight smile, without any malice, nor did he have any intention of greeting him.

    "I thought the Third Cave Master brought you back for some important task. Why did youe to our Beast Taming Hall?" Kuntou looked at Yuan Ming provocatively and said.

    "Senior Brother Kuntou, he..." Legong hadn¡¯t finished speaking when he was red at by Kuntou, and immediately fell silent.

    Moru, who had already reached the back hall door, also stopped and turned around. When he saw who it was, the corners of his mustache trembled slightly, and he immediately put on a smile. He jogged a few steps to Kuntou¡¯s side and bowed, "Senior Brother Kuntou, what brings you here?"

    "Moru, when did our Beast Taming Hall be so casual? Can any cat or doge in? What if a precious spirit beast is lost? If being a hall elder is too hard for you, I don¡¯t mind suggesting to the master that you can focus on cultivation." Kuntou nced at Moru and said so."Ah, Brother Kuntu, what are you talking about! I was just observing thisd, he looks like a sly fox, not a good sort at all. I was about to drive him away when you arrived. Hey, I¡¯m talking to you, do you think you can juste here as you please? Get lost now!" After giving Kuntu a ttering smile, Moru immediately turned to Yuan Ming and scolded him with a stern face.

    Yuan Ming had clearly seen the change in Kuntu¡¯s expression when he saw Legong. Although Kuntu was a newly admitted inner disciple, his status in the Beast Control Hall was already quite unusual. His n to study today was doomed to fail. Insisting on staying would not bring any benefits, but would instead likely result in him being framed.

    He wanted to thank Legong, but he was afraid of causing him unnecessary trouble, so he said nothing and turned to walk towards the exit of the hall.

    "Halt, did I say you could leave?" Seeing Yuan Ming ignoring him, Kuntu¡¯s face grew even darker, and he shouted loudly.

    The twockeys following him immediately moved, one to the left and one to the right, blocking Yuan Ming¡¯s path.

 Chapter 77: Gui Cang Pavilion

    Chapter 77: Gui Cang Pavilion

    Legong looked at the Kun map, then looked at Yuan Ming, his face full of conflict, but his mouth slightly opened, and in the end, he didn¡¯t dare to speak up for Yuan Ming.

    "Senior Kun map, I came here and registered for a task at the Execution Hall. I want to do something unnoticed. I¡¯m afraid it will be difficult, right?" Yuan Ming stopped and turned to Kun map, showing a smile with his white teeth.

    "I suspect that someone has ill intentions and covets the spiritual beasts in the hall. I need to thoroughly investigate all suspicious personnel. Before that, you cannot leave." Kun map narrowed his eyes, a murderous intent bursting out.

    "By the way, the task I took is to take care of her ferret for the Third Cave Master." Yuan Ming smiled and said so.

    He emphasized the three words "Third Cave Master" heavily.

    Legong didn¡¯t know the cause and effect, but seeing Yuan Ming like this, he couldn¡¯t help but think, "Too reckless, too reckless..."

    Kun map was taken aback by his words.

    But he knew very well that the reason why the Third Cave Master epted Yuan Ming into the mountain was probably because of that ferret. So he had to consider whether Yuan Ming¡¯sing here was also instructed by the Third Cave Master.

    Thinking of this, he couldn¡¯t help but hesitate.Actually, he would never be foolish enough to do anything like killing and silencing people in the sect. He just wanted to humiliate Yuan Ming and drive him away, but now he changed his mind because he was wary of the Third Cave Master.

    At least, before understanding the situation clearly, he couldn¡¯t be so tant.

    He didn¡¯t want to offend the important figures in the sect just as he entered the inner sect and hadn¡¯t stabilized his position yet, all because of an insignificant person.

    "Hmph, I still have important matters to attend to today, I don¡¯t have time to waste with you. Moru, remember this person well. If he dares toe to our Beast Taming Hall¡¯s territory, kick him out for me. If anything happens to him on our territory and it implicates me, I will hold you responsible." Kun map looked at Moru and gave an order before turning and walking away with Wu Lu and the others.

    "Yes, yes, Senior Kun map, rest assured, I will definitely do as you say. Take care, Senior!" Moru nodded and bowed to Kun map¡¯s back, with a ttering expression.

    Throughout the process, Legong obviously also noticed that Kun map and Yuan Ming were not getting along, so he kept his head down and stood silently beside Moru.

    Yuan Ming coldly watched the scene, not surprised by what he saw.

    After this period of time, he had gained some understanding of the Birolo Cave and was no longer ignorant like before.

    In the entire sect, the highest status naturally belonged to the three Cave Masters, followed by the elders in charge of various halls, such as the Elder Meng Shan, whose name he had heard several times.

    Outside of them, there were also some elders who, although not in charge of affairs, had high status because of their own strength. They were usually promoted from inner sect disciples.

    These elders, at least at the Foundation Establishment stage, were not too many in number. More of them were ordinary attendants like Moru, who had a higher status than named disciples and were usually promoted from named disciples.

    They were responsible for various tasks in the sect and asionally exploited named disciples. They dared not be reckless in front of inner sect disciples and elders. The so-called "Hu Huo Elder" was one of them.

    "You, kid, why don¡¯t you leave? You¡¯re really unlucky!" Moru, after Kun map had gone far away, straightened up, stroked his goatee, and scolded Yuan Ming, ring at Legong.

    Yuan Ming turned around and looked deeply at them, sneered, and then turned and left the main hall.

    He came down from the mountain and nned to go to the Hidden Treasures Pavilion mentioned by Lan Ke to try his luck and see if he could pass the registration at the Execution Hall.

    But not long after he left the territory of the Beast Taming Hall, a gray bear chased after him.

    He frowned, one hand holding the long sword at his waist, and turned to look back.

    He saw Legong riding on the bear, waving at him from a distance.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s expression rxed, but he didn¡¯t let go of the hilt of his sword.

    Legong caught up and jumped off the bear, looking somewhat embarrassed as he looked at Yuan Ming and said, "I¡¯m really sorry just now. Kun map is now favored by Elder Meng Shan, and I can¡¯t afford to provoke him."

    "Senior brother, you worry too much. I¡¯m already grateful for your help earlier." Yuan Ming finally let go of the sword hilt and said.

    "Ah, in the Birolo Cave, especially in our Beast Taming Hall, the strong are respected, and the weak have no say. I chased after you not only to apologize but also to tell you that if you want to learn about beast taming and raising, you don¡¯t have toe to the Beast Taming Hall. The Hidden Treasures Pavilion also has such books. You can go there to borrow them." Legong waved his hand and said.

    "I¡¯ve heard about it and was nning to go there to see the situation. Thanks for the reminder." Yuan Ming nodded and said.

    "But if you go to the Hidden Treasures Pavilion, you will need to spend a lot of energy to organize and select the books yourself. But for you now, there is no other way. Well, I won¡¯t say much more polite words. This can be considered as repaying the favor I owed you before. From now on, we can only pretend not to know each other, otherwise, my days in the Beast Taming Hall will not be easy." Legong smiled bitterly.

    "I understand. Take care, senior brother." Yuan Ming sped his fists.

    Before leaving, Legong reminded him in a low voice, "Kun map is very vengeful. Be careful."

    After saying that, he rode his gray bear spirit beast and returned to the Beast Taming Hall.

    Yuan Ming headed straight for the Hidden Treasures Pavilion.

    ...

    The Hidden Treasures Pavilion was located in the central area of the sect, among the circr buildings on the second level of the stairs.

    By the time Yuan Ming found the Hidden Treasures Pavilion, it was already getting dark.

    He immediately walked towards the entrance of the hall. Just as he was about to step over the threshold, he bumped into someone.

    The two locked eyes, both stopped their steps at the same time, and then their eyes showed surprise.

    "Oh, Yuan Ming..."

    "Senior brother Zhao Tong."

    The person who walked out of the hall was none other than Zhao Tong, who had been doing business in the Toad Valley all year round.

    Yuan Ming looked Zhao Tong up and down, seeing that he was holding several scrolls in his arms, as if he had just borrowed them from the Hidden Treasures Pavilion.

    "Why are you here?" Zhao Tong nced at Yuan Ming¡¯s attire, surprised and puzzled.

    "This is a long story..." Yuan Ming didn¡¯t know where to start for a moment."Don¡¯t rush, let¡¯s find a ce and you can tell me everything in detail." Zhao Tong¡¯s curiosity was piqued.

    "But I have something to do. I want to go to the Gui Cang Pavilion to borrow some books." Yuan Ming said hesitantly.

    "Do you have enough contribution points to borrow books?" Zhao Tong asked.

    "I¡¯ve just started, and I won¡¯t receive my sect contribution points until the beginning of next month. However, I have a mission from the Hall of Execution and need to look up some rted information. I was thinking of asking if they could make an exception." Yuan Ming exined.

    "That¡¯s a dead end. You don¡¯t have any contribution points, you can¡¯t even enter the Gui Cang Pavilion, who would make an exception for you? Satisfy my curiosity first, and I¡¯ll help you think of a solution." Saying this, Zhao Tong dragged Yuan Ming to a peculiarly shaped round pavilion not far away and sat down.

    Left with no choice, Yuan Ming picked out some of the things he could share about his recent experiences and told Zhao Tong.

    "I must say, you¡¯re incredibly lucky. To go from being a beast ve to a registered disciple, it¡¯s no exaggeration to say that I¡¯ve never seen anyone like you since I started." Zhao Tong said, his face full of disbelief.

    "I guess it¡¯s a blessing in disguise." Yuan Ming said with a bitter smile.

    After speaking, he stared at the emblem on Zhao Tong¡¯s chest, a strange look in his eyes.

    In the past, Zhao Tong always wore ordinary clothes in Toad Valley. At least Yuan Ming had never seen him in the attire of a Bi Luo Cave disciple. It was only today that he realized that Zhao Tong was wearing the uniform of a registered disciple of the Hall of Laws.

    "Brother Zhao, are you a disciple of the Hall of Laws?" Yuan Ming asked.

    Zhao Tong looked down at his chest and asked, "Is that strange?"

    "Why would a disciple of the Hall of Laws go to Toad Valley to do business?" Yuan Ming asked curiously.

    "Cough, don¡¯t get the wrong idea. I¡¯m just doing a mission from the Hall of Execution. There¡¯s nothing strange about it." Zhao Tong said, his expression slightly awkward.

    Yuan Ming stared at him without saying a word, his face clearly saying, "Do you take me for a fool?"

    "Alright, most disciples of the Hall of Laws wouldn¡¯t take on such low-paying and thankless tasks. I just didn¡¯t want to stay in the Hall of Laws, so I went to Toad Valley to rx and read books without being disturbed." Zhao Tong shook the book in his hand.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming nced at the book Zhao Tong was holding.

    The cover of the outermost book clearly read "Golden Book of Desire" in Central ins script. It didn¡¯t look like a serious book at all.

    "If you didn¡¯t want to stay in the Hall of Laws, why did you join it in the first ce?" Yuan Ming asked, shifting his gaze away.

    "Most people in the world have mediocre spiritual roots and are primarily independent cultivators. Being able to join a sect is already a blessing from heaven. Naturally, you stay wherever you¡¯re assigned." Zhao Tong rolled his eyes at him.

    Yuan Ming nodded, epting this answer.

    "By the way, what book do you want to borrow from the Gui Cang Pavilion?" Zhao Tong changed the subject.

    "Something about spiritual beast breeding." Yuan Ming replied.

    "You¡¯re a disciple of the Fire Refining Hall. Instead of focusing on cksmithing, you¡¯re studying spiritual beast breeding. How are you any more serious than me?" Zhao Tong frowned.

    "I n to take on a task of taking care of a spiritual beast and want to learn some basic knowledge." Yuan Ming exined.

    "The one owned by the Third Cave Master?" Zhao Tong had heard about Yuan Ming¡¯s initiation process and knew about the "Fire Glutton".

    "Yes, this fire mink and I seem to have some fate..." Yuan Ming began to recount his encounter with the fire mink at the volcano.

    Upon hearing this, Zhao Tong¡¯s face was filled with surprise and envy. He said:

    "The Third Cave Master¡¯s fire mink is not an ordinary spiritual beast. It¡¯s still in its infancy and doesn¡¯t show much of its extraordinary abilities. But when it grows up... The fact that it¡¯s close to you is a great blessing."

    "That¡¯s why I need to learn more about beast rearing." Yuan Ming nodded.

    "To enter the Gui Cang Pavilion, you need contribution points. When you register at the entrance, a point will be deducted. Once inside, you can borrow all kinds of books. There are bookshelves where you can pick out books to read, but you generally can¡¯t take them out. You can only read them in the reading area inside. After you finish reading, you have to put them back where they belong. Of course, if you¡¯re willing to pay a price, you can also make rubbings." Zhao Tong exined, subconsciously touching the "Golden Book of Desire" in his hand.

    "Oh, can I borrow any book?" Yuan Ming asked, intrigued.

    (Dear Dao friends, this book will officially be on the shelves at the beginning of next month ^^)

 Chapter 78: Book without borrowing

    Chapter 78: Book without borrowing

    "You really are a cunning fox, thinking so highly of yourself! The materials in the public area on the first floor are allmon knowledge, like the "Bai Cao Ji" and "Illustrated Guide to Dangerous Beasts" that I gave you before. If you want to ess confidential information or secret techniques, you have to go to the second floor and exchange with the elder in charge," Zhao Tong raised an eyebrow and smiled.

    "Exchange? Does it require a lot of contribution points?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "It depends on the specific situation. The contribution points required for exchange vary depending on the value of the information. Generally, the secret techniques for the Qi Refining stage require about ten contribution points, while the secret techniques for the Foundation Establishment stage usually require more than three hundred contribution points. And, each borrowing time cannot exceed three hours," Zhao Tong continued.

    "Three hours..." Yuan Ming pondered.

    "It¡¯s usually difficult for anyone to remember a secret technique within three hours, so they need to spend additional contribution points to exchange for a copy. Generally, copying a secret technique for the Qi Refining stage requires one hundred contribution points, while copying a secret technique for the Foundation Establishment stage requires one thousand contribution points. This may be a problem for others, but it¡¯s nothing for you," Zhao Tong looked deeply at Yuan Ming and said.

    He was deeply impressed and envious of Yuan Ming¡¯s ability to remember things at a nce.

    If he had such an ability, why would he need to spend extra money to buy copies of theseplicated and strange emotional biographies and supernatural novels?

    "Are there only secret techniques on the second floor? What about cultivation techniques?" Yuan Ming nodded thoughtfully and asked.

    "Cultivation techniques are the foundation of a sect. As far as I know, there are not many options avable within the sect, and they are extremely expensive. Most people choose to cultivate the orthodox technique of the sect, the "Biluo Technique," and won¡¯t spend a lot of money to exchange for others. Um... by the beginning of next month, the copies of the "Biluo Technique" should be distributed along with your contribution points, and you will be able to get them then," Zhao Tong said.After listening to his words, Yuan Ming finally understood the rules of the Repository Pavilion and couldn¡¯t help but ponder.

    "Alright, I said I would find a solution for you. If you don¡¯t have any contribution points at the moment, I can lend you five points," Zhao Tong looked at Yuan Ming, his eyes turning mischievous as he said with a smile.

    "What are the conditions?" Yuan Ming asked without surprise.

    "Very straightforward... consider it as interest. You will return me seven points at the beginning of next month, how about that?" Zhao Tong rubbed his hands and grinned.

    "That¡¯s fine, not too demanding. Okay," Yuan Ming nodded.

    Zhao Tong then took Yuan Ming¡¯s waist token and knocked it against his own. After a sh of light, he returned the waist token to Yuan Ming.

    "Take a look," Zhao Tong said.

    "How do I look?" Yuan Ming felt a little embarrassed at the words.

    He had always been in a semi-nurtured state on the side of the Fire Refining Hall. Those guys who only knew how to refine embryos had no time to deal with other matters, so no one had told him how to use the waist token.

    Although he had seen Le Gong operate it once before, he hadn¡¯t had the chance to ask in detail before being driven down the mountain.

    "You really... forget it, let me exin patiently. Hold the waist token in your hand, immerse your mind, and slightly focus your attention on the waist token," Zhao Tong exined with some exasperation.

    Yuan Ming followed his instructions and concentrated his mind on the waist token. He immediately felt some textual informationing from inside, recording his name, the mark of the Fire Refining Hall he belonged to, and the additional five contribution points.

    "How does it feel? " Zhao Tong¡¯s voice sounded.

    Yuan Ming nodded.

    "In the future, when you need to trade contribution points, you can also use the waist token to make contact and control it with your thoughts."

    "Hehe, as the saying goes, you can¡¯t read a book without borrowing it. Using borrowed contribution points to borrow, it can also motivate you! Speaking of which, Senior Brother is doing this for your own good," Zhao Tongughed.

    "Thank you, Senior Brother Zhao. I will return it as promised at the beginning of next month," Yuan Ming sincerely thanked him.

    For the other party to trust him and lend him contribution points based on their previous acquaintance in the Toad Valley, it was quite rare in a sect like the Biluo Cave.

    Afterwards, the two chatted casually for a while, discussing the locations of their respective residences, and then waved goodbye.

    When Yuan Ming arrived at the Repository Pavilion, he realized that it was already closed as it was past the hour of the Dog. He could only give up and n toe back the next day.

    By the time he returned to his residence in the Fire Refining Hall, it was already midnight.

    The sky was covered with dark clouds, obscuring the moonlight.

    Yuan Ming sat down by the bed and did not continue to cultivate the "Death Moon Method," but began to cultivate the "Nine Elements Method."

    Compared to the slow progress of the Death Moon Method, the Nine Elements Method was steadily growing, which was aforting thing for him.

    However, Yuan Ming vaguely noticed that perhaps because he had advanced to the fifth level of Qi Refining, the progress of the Nine Elements Method seemed to have slowed down slightly.

    If this was true, then it would probably be more difficult as his cultivation progressed.

    ...

    After a night of cultivation, Yuan Ming felt refreshed and full of energy. He went to the Fire Forge earlier than usual.

    Fang Ge, who was ustomed toing to the Fire Forge an hour earlier, looked at Yuan Ming¡¯s figure swinging the hammer from a distance, and a rare smile appeared on his serious face as he nodded silently.

    He was quite approving of Yuan Ming¡¯s perseverance. Most of the newly recruited disciples nowadays were somewhat impetuous and couldn¡¯t calm down, which gave him a headache.But every time Yuan Ming ran out of strength after three hundred or so hammer strikes, he couldn¡¯t help but sigh and shake his head, leaving in disappointment.

    While the spirit of trying again after failure ismendable, there should be some progress.

    Yuan Ming naturally didn¡¯t notice the good intentions of his senior brother Fang Ge, his mind was elsewhere.

    When it was early in the afternoon, he finished his hammering for the day and left the forge, heading straight for the Repository with great excitement.

    After registering at the entrance and paying a small contribution, Yuan Ming leisurely walked into the Repository.

    As soon as he stepped into the main hall, he saw a ck and red wooden spiral staircase about ten meters ahead, leading up to the second floor.

    Centered around the staircase were rows of dark red, semi-circr tables and benches, where disciples from various halls were quietly reading.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze swept over the area, noticing a circr passage outside the tables and chairs. Against the wall outside the passage were bookshelves filled with books.

    He walked over to the bookshelf on his right and looked up, seeing wooden ques hanging at intervals,beled with categories such as "Herbs", "Misceneous Records", "Strange Tales", "Exotic Customs", "Geography", "Novels", and so on.

    As he walked along the passage, Yuan Ming finally found the "Basic Manual of Spirit Beast Breeding" under the "Beasts" category, and immediately took it off the shelf.

    He found a quiet spot to sit down, opened the book, and began to read.

    Yuan Ming read slowly but with intense focus, his eyes glued to the pages, his fingers turning the pages every fifteen breaths in a regr rhythm.

    When he finished thest page, he closed the book and began to recall the contents with his eyes closed.

    This process was very quick, and in just a few moments, he had reviewed all the content.

    It turned out that a qualified beast tamer not only needs to be good at capturing and taming spirit beasts, but also needs to master the art of breeding and raising them.

    ording to the book, most spirit beasts are captured and tamed in the first generation, and the second and third generations are usually bred and raised.

    These descendants, raised from a young age, are more human-like and easier to tame, but the downside is that theyck wildness and are generally weaker.

    After all, the more generations a spirit beast is bred, the thinner the bloodline of the first generation bes, and the less wildness it has, making it far less powerful than the first generation captured and tamed. Therefore, after three or four generations, the bloodline is usually cut off and a new beast is captured and tamed.

    However, if one can capture a young spirit beast with a pure bloodline, that would be the best subject for taming and training, bncing human-likeness and strength, and often awakening some talents more easily when grown up.

    But such young beasts are very rare, and the Fire Glutton owned by the third cave master is one of them, no wonder he treasures it so much.

    The content of the "Basic Manual of Spirit Beast Breeding" in Yuan Ming¡¯s hand mainly focuses on the physical development and beastly cultivation of young spirit beasts.

    The biggest requirement is to maintain a bnce, ensuring that the spirit beast¡¯s wildness and affinity are within a reasonable range, neither too close to humans andcking aggression, nor too wild and attacking its master.

    The book also categorizes different types of spirit beasts and outlines the general dietary rules for each attribute.

    This ssification is somewhat simr to the division of spiritual power attributes among human cultivators, but spirit beasts, due to their bloodlines, are usually more pure and generally have only a single attribute.

    For example, green wolves are mostly wind attribute, excelling in speed, and their attacks are mainly wind des, while ck bears are mostly metal attribute, excelling in armor breaking, and their attacks are mainly w marks and tears.

    The Fire Glutton is obviously fire attribute, but there must be something else special about it.

    After reading the "Basic Manual of Spirit Beast Breeding", Yuan Ming returned the book and picked a few more rted books from the shelf, starting to flip through them page by page.

    About two hourster, he had read almost half of the books about spirit beasts on the shelf.

    When he found that the repeated content in thest few books had reached three or four tenths, Yuan Ming decided not to continue reading other books. The content he could read for free was probably just that.

    However, with his photographic memory and his decent understanding of beast taming, he had gained a rtivelyprehensive understanding of the way of beast taming and the situation of spirit beasts, which was enough for him at the moment.

 Chapter 79: Heretical Soul Cultivation

    Chapter 79: Heretical Soul Cultivation

    Yuan Ming spent less time on beast taming books than he had estimated. After returning the books, he began to pace in front of the bookshelf, selecting some new content to read.

    When he came to the category of "Geography Records," Yuan Ming stopped and looked around the bookshelf for a while before finding a book called "Land Records."

    This book wasrger and thicker than the others, with a different cover made of hard wood, carved with a hollow map.

    Yuan Ming opened the "Land Records" and started reading, only to find that the first page was folded.

    He unfolded it and found that it was as big as three pages of a book, with a map of a vast territory drawn in ck and red lines.

    It was not exactly a topographic map, as the upper half of the map only showed rough outlines of the regions without any terrain markings.

    The lower half, however, clearly marked various terrains. The mountains, valleys, and rivers were vividly depicted.

    However, Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze was fixed on the simplified map at the top third of the page.

    The reason was simple. Near the edge of the map, there were tworge characters marked as "Central ins," which was Yuan Ming¡¯s vague memory of his hometown, the ce he wanted to return to but didn¡¯t know where to go.After carefully examining it, he found that the one-third map was obviously iplete, only roughly marking parts of two countries: one called Da Jin, which had the same name as the country of the little emperor he saw when he lit incense, and the other called Xi Yue.

    These two countries were adjacent to each other and bordered the Ten Thousand Mountains like a flood dragon. On the other side of the thick and sturdy mountain ridge marked by the ck lines was the Southern Border.

    The topography of the Southern Border was outlined in more detail, including not only mountains and rivers but also the territories of some countries and powers simr to countries.

    After searching for a while, Yuan Ming finally found the location of Bi Luo Cave.

    Afterparing it carefully, he was surprised to find that Bi Luo Cave, which seemed vast in size, was insignificantpared to the massive Ten Thousand Mountains.

    The entire territory of the Southern Border was even more unimaginablyrge.

    After looking for a while, Yuan Ming tried to find a route from the Southern Border to the Central ins but found nothing.

    "It¡¯s not easy to return home when the world is so vast." Yuan Ming sighed.

    At this moment, he remembered something and began to search on the map. After a while, he finally found a small mountain peak the size of a grain of rice and saw the small characters "Green Robe Mountain" marked next to it.

    That was the hometown mentioned by Ha Gong and hisst concern before he died.

    Yuan Ming nned to go there after settling down in Bi Luo Cave. It would be rtively easier to go to Green Robe Mountain than to return to the Central ins.

    After looking at it for a while, he put aside hisplicated thoughts, folded the map, and started reading the book.

    Most of the records in this book were about the various mountains and rivers in the Southern Border, mixed with many legends and stories about immortals and monsters, which were bizarre and unknown.

    Since most of the ces were unfamiliar to him and he had never been there or heard of them, he quickly lost interest after reading for a while and put the book back.

    Then, he deliberately looked for several other books on geography, hoping to find more information about the Central ins. Unfortunately, the descriptions inside were scarce and couldn¡¯t provide him with much information.

    "It¡¯s really hard to find books about the Central ins in the Southern Border." Yuan Ming put thest book back on the shelf and continued to pace, wanting to see what other categories and contents were avable.

    After a few steps, he arrived in front of the "Cultivation" category and stopped.

    Yuan Ming randomly picked up a book from the shelf and nced at the cover. It was written in Southern Border characters: "Introduction to Cultivation," which immediately caught his interest.

    It was unexpected for him to embark on the path of cultivation. As a beast ve trapped in the Ten Thousand Mountains, no one had taught him the basic knowledge of cultivation.

    After bing a named disciple by ident, no one had answered his questions or guided him. Yuan Ming wascking in this kind of knowledge.

    He returned to his seat and opened the book, starting to read it carefully.

    After reading for a while, Yuan Ming frowned and thought to himself, "So, cultivation, cultivators, and different types like Body Cultivation, Qi Cultivation, and Soul Cultivation are not the same."

    ording to the content in the book, Body Cultivation focused on cultivating the physical body, practicing body-refining techniques, and emphasizing the tempering of skin, fur, muscles, bones, and internal organs. The goal was to make the body as powerful as a magic weapon, relying on oneself rather than external objects in battles, and having strong survival abilities.

    Qi Cultivation, on the other hand, focused on umting and refining spiritual energy from the heavens and earth, storing it in the dantian and meridians, and releasing it with corresponding techniques. This could give cultivators unpredictable abilities, and when reaching higher levels, they could even move mountains and fill seas.

    Compared to physical cultivation, this book clearly advocates the path of magical cultivation. Although the physical body is rtively weak, the ability to cast spells and control objects is endless, with diverse attack methods. It also allows for self-improvement through means such as activating and wearing magical instruments, and refining medicines. Often, both offense and defense are moreprehensive.

    The third major category mentioned in the book is soul cultivation, which is given very little coverage.

    Regarding soul cultivation, the author of this book seems to have obvious discrimination, stating that it neither cultivates the body nor practices magic, but focuses on the refinement of the power of the soul, which is a heresy in cultivation.

    The term "heresy" is a very derogatory assessment.

    Later, the book does provide a brief description of the methods of soul cultivation, but the exnations are somewhat mysterious.

    For example, it is mentioned in the book that when soul cultivators reach a certain realm, they can control soulless corpses, manipte them to walk and jump like living people, and even attack and fight.

    "That silver cat, who exactly is it?" When Yuan Ming saw this, he couldn¡¯t help but recall the scene where the silver cat controlled the corpses to attack in the cave of the Human Demon King.

    Regarding soul cultivation, the book also describes abilities such as astral projection and soul searching.

    Among them, the description of astral projection states that when soul cultivators reach a certain level of cultivation, they can separate their souls from their bodies, travel thousands of miles in the wind, and even attack others in the form of a soul body, killing them from afar.

    What interested Yuan Ming the most, however, was the ability to search souls.

    With this ability, soul cultivators can forcibly invade others¡¯ sea of consciousness, freely search and probe their memories, and even forcibly alter or erase their memories.

    "If I had this ability, could I recover my own memory?" Yuan Ming wondered to himself.

    As he continued to read, Yuan Ming gradually understood that although soul cultivation has its unique aspects, it also has fatal ws.

    Compared to the other two systems, the conditions for soul cultivation are more stringent, and the cultivation process is more dangerous. Even with the guidance of orthodox soul cultivation methods, it is easy to lose control.

    In minor cases, one loses their sanity and bes a fool, in severe cases, the soul disperses, and there is no chance for reincarnation.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but break out in a cold sweat. He seemed to have not encountered such a situation so far, and he didn¡¯t know whether it was good luck or because the Death Moon method given to him by the silver cat was special?

    Looking back, his current cultivation was hindered, progress was slow, and he didn¡¯t notice any risk of losing control. On the contrary, he felt that this method could alleviate the bacsh hidden danger left by his previous cultivation of the fur technique, which was his main motivation to continue practicing.

    Yuan Ming even felt that perhaps this was an exaggeration of the author¡¯s prejudice against soul cultivation, and he was somewhat dismissive.

    You should know that the fur technique is still his important reliance in battle. Before he gets better means to defend against the enemy, he does not n to give up, and the Death Moon method is naturally indispensable.

    Later, Yuan Ming intended to find more information about soul cultivation, but unfortunately, there was no content specifically about soul cultivation, and some were mixed with other content.

    But these contents are not only scattered and mixed, but even contradict each other, making it difficult to distinguish between right and wrong, true and false.

    However, there is one point where these materials are surprisingly consistent.

    That is their attitude towards soul cultivation. The better ones fear and avoid it, the worse ones consider all soul cultivators to be heretics, and say that seven or eight out of ten soul cultivators are evil cultivators, and those who do not take the evil path are less than 30%.

    Based on his previous judgment, Yuan Ming neither agreed nor disagreed with this, only recognizing that the methods of soul cultivation were mysterious and involved the matter of soul memory, so he decided to further practice the Death Moon method.

    After returning thest batch of materials he got, Yuan Ming stretchedzily. Just as he was about to find some more materials to read, a middle-aged man in a steward¡¯s costume came down the stairs, shouting, "The hour of Xu is approaching, the library will be closed soon."

    Only then did he realize that he had unknowingly spent most of the day reading in the library.

    He didn¡¯t leave immediately, but took a quick look around the first floor until the hour of Xu before reluctantly leaving.

    ...

    The next afternoon, Yuan Ming went to the Executive Hall.

    With his current knowledge and extraordinary memory, as well as his familiarity with the fire marten, he naturally passed the initial approval of the managing steward and received the task of looking after the fire marten.

    Then, ording to the guidance of the task, he went directly back to the Fire Refining Hall to find the Third Cave Master.

    The courtyard where the Third Cave Master lived alone was located in a quiet bamboo forest on the back mountain, with a very tranquil environment.

    After asking a few fellow disciples, Yuan Ming found the way there, but before he could reach the bamboo forest, he ran into Chen Wan halfway.

    Apart from the Third Cave Master who had three inner disciples, the other elders mostly had only one inner disciple, or none at all.

    On weekdays, these inner disciples mostly served by their masters¡¯ side, receiving instruction at any time. Chen Wan was no exception, so since joining the sect, Yuan Ming had rarely seen her.

 Chapter 80: Naturally close

    Chapter 80: Naturally close

    Chen Wan was quite surprised by Yuan Ming¡¯s appearance. After inquiring, she learned that Yuan Ming had taken on the task of taking care of Huo Chen¡¯er, and her face naturally showed excitement.

    "Yuan Ming, there are some things... maybe I shouldn¡¯t say, but I still think I should remind you." After looking at Yuan Ming for a long time, Chen Wan hesitated and said.

    "Chen Senior Sister, just say it." Yuan Ming guessed what she was thinking and wasn¡¯t surprised, so he said.

    "It¡¯s good to be ambitious as a cultivator, but as a disciple of the Fire Refining Hall, you should focus more on refining and cultivation." Chen Wan hesitated for a moment and said.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s expression remained unchanged when he heard this, and he smiled and asked, "Senior Sister Chen thinks I have ulterior motives for taking on this task?"

    Chen Wan was taken aback by his directness.

    "It¡¯s not easy to tame a beast. As a disciple of the Beast Taming Hall, your Master won¡¯t agree to you taking on this task." Chen Wan didn¡¯t continue the conversation and said to herself.

    "Senior Sister, rest assured, I understand the reasons behind it all. I have made thorough preparations beforeing here." Yuan Ming said confidently.

    "You... forget it, since you have made up your mind, I won¡¯t say much. I will take you to see Master." Chen Wan sighed and said."Thank you."

    Yuan Ming followed her into the bamboo forest and walked through a winding path, arriving in front of a courtyard built with green bamboo.

    The courtyard was not too big, but the overallyout was very exquisite. The outer wall was wrapped in bamboo weaving, and inside were several bamboo buildings with steeply sloping roofs, neatly arranged.

    "You wait here, I will go in and inform Master." Chen Wan said to Yuan Ming.

    "No problem."

    Yuan Ming waited outside the courtyard for a long time before Chen Wan returned and opened the bamboo door.

    "Come in." Chen Wan greeted, and Yuan Ming followed her into the courtyard.

    The courtyard was paved with bluestone bs, filled with fine white gravel in the gaps. In the southeast corner of the wall, there was a finely crafted table and chairs made of white marble. A person in red clothes was sitting there.

    Unlike thest time they met, the Third Sect Master was not wearing red armor today, but a loose, fiery red robe. A golden silk ribbon was tied around her waist. In her gentle temperament, there was a hint ofziness.

    "I have seen the Third Sect Master." Yuan Ming stepped forward and saluted.

    The Third Sect Master nced at him and furrowed her brows slightly, "The task you took today?"

    "Yes." Yuan Ming nodded.

    After speaking, he felt that the Third Sect Master¡¯s question was a bit strange.

    "As a disciple of the Beast Taming Hall, what confidence do you have to take on this task?" The Third Sect Master said coldly.

    "Yesterday, I studied the books on taking care of spirit beasts in the Return to Storage Pavilion. I believe I can help alleviate the difficulties for the Sect Master." Yuan Ming said.

    Upon hearing this, Chen Wan¡¯s face changed slightly. Just by reading a few books, Yuan Ming dared to take on this task. His courage was too great, wasn¡¯t it?

    Sure enough, after hearing this answer, the Third Sect Master¡¯s face darkened and said, "If you really want to take on this task, at least go to the Beast Taming Hall to listen and learn for half a month beforeing back."

    After saying that, she waved her hand and gave Yuan Ming an order to leave.

    Yuan Ming, however, seemed rooted to the spot and did not move.

    Seeing this, Chen Wan couldn¡¯t care about hiding their previous rtionship as acquaintances anymore. She kept making eye gestures at him, hoping he would know better and not offend the Master.

    However, it was as if Yuan Ming didn¡¯t see it at all and said, "Master, since I¡¯m here, I naturally have confidence in being able to handle it. Why not let me try? Seeing is believing, after all."

    The Third Sect Master nced at him, pondered for a moment, and asked, "Do you really have confidence?"

    "You¡¯ll know once I try." Yuan Ming said.

    "Do you understand the nature of Huo Chen¡¯er?" The Third Sect Master frowned and asked.

    "Themon characteristic of fire attribute spirit beasts is that they like the sun and dislike the shade. Before reaching adulthood, they are mostly active and like to run and chase. After reaching adulthood, they be more restrained but more aggressive. Huo Chen¡¯er is not yet an adult and is in the active stage. It can be properly tamed, but it should not be forcibly confined, as it will hinder its natural development and affect its future achievements. I think..." Yuan Ming spoke confidently.

    After saying these words, the Third Sect Master¡¯s expression gradually eased.

    She then asked a few more questions, and Yuan Ming answered them fluently, earning a slight nod from the Third Sect Master. Although there was surprise in her eyes, there was more admiration.

    Chen Wan, on the other hand, was stunned. She never expected that in just over half a month since he started, Yuan Ming had already mastered so much knowledge about beast taming.

    She couldn¡¯t help but sigh in her heart. Perhaps Yuan Ming would have a better development if he went to the Beast Taming Hall to cultivate?

    But as soon as she thought of Kun Tu in the Beast Taming Hall, she immediately dismissed the idea.

    At this moment, the Third Sect Master said, "No matter how much theoretical knowledge you learn, it still depends on practical results. If you can call Huo Chen¡¯er over from my hand, I will give you this task."

    "Okay." Yuan Ming readily agreed.

    With the previous experiences as a foundation, he believed that it shouldn¡¯t be difficult for him to do this.

    After all, Huo Chen¡¯er had eaten his Fire Essence Jade before. As the saying goes, it¡¯s hard to bite the hand that feeds you. Huo Chen¡¯er shouldn¡¯t refuse him.

    Chen Wan, on the other hand, shook her head secretly.

    Huo Chen¡¯er was a very peculiar creature. It was the senior brother who had been with the Master the longest, but every time he tried to lure it with Fire Essence Jade and me Crystals, it would ignore him, let alone a stranger like Yuan Ming.

    Just as she expected, the Third Sect Master patted the red spirit beast bag hanging from her waist, and a sh of red light appeared. A fiery red figure suddenly appeared out of thin air and was grabbed by the skin on its neck by her, hanging in mid-air.The newly released Huo Chan¡¯er, a fiery marten, immediately kicked its four legs in a frenzy, venting its dissatisfaction at being confined in the spirit beast pouch.

    After struggling for a while and realizing it couldn¡¯t escape from the grasp of the Third Cave Master, it finally gave up like a defeated rooster, drooping its head and lying down, no longer resisting.

    At this point, the Third Cave Master gestured to Yuan Ming to call Huo Chan¡¯er.

    Yuan Ming nodded and softly called out, "Huo Chan¡¯er."

    The previously dispirited marten, upon hearing the voice, immediately struggled to turn its neck and looked at Yuan Ming.

    "Did it really respond?" Chen Wan was somewhat surprised at this scene.

    She had tried calling Huo Chan¡¯er in the past, but at most she would only receive a roll of the eyes, rarely getting a direct response.

    A smile appeared at the corner of Yuan Ming¡¯s mouth as he beckoned to Huo Chan¡¯er.

    The Third Cave Master timely released her grip.

    Suddenly free, the marten darted out the moment it hit the ground, leaping over the bamboo wall and disappearing.

    The three people by the stone table looked at each other, the scene momentarily silent.

    "So it is..." Chen Wan¡¯s previous guess was confirmed, she thought to herself.

    A hint of disappointment shed in the Third Cave Master¡¯s eyes as she said, "It seems your attempt has failed, I..."

    Before she could finish her sentence, a fiery shadow leapt back over the wall. The moment itnded, it climbed up Yuan Ming¡¯s leg and darted onto his shoulder.

    The returning marten, as if stepping on hot coals, darted back and forth on Yuan Ming¡¯s back and shoulder without stopping, but its head kept rubbing against his cheek, showing a very intimate demeanor.

    Seeing this, Chen Wan was stunned.

    "Last time I thought it was an ident, but it seems it really has a natural affinity for you," the Third Cave Master was also surprised.

    Yuan Ming extended his arm, and Huo Chan¡¯er immediately climbed up and sat in his palm.

    "Huo Chan¡¯er,e back."

    The Third Cave Master had never seen it so obedient. As its master, she couldn¡¯t help but feelpetitive.

    To everyone¡¯s surprise, Huo Chan¡¯er turned its little head, looked between her and Yuan Ming, then at the spirit beast pouch on the Third Cave Master¡¯s waist, and chose not to return.

    Even the Third Cave Master was somewhat unsettled by this.

    She first turned her wrist, and a dark gold token appeared in her palm. After thinking for a moment, she put it away.

    Then, she reached into another exquisite white pouch at her waist, and a semi-transparent red crystal appeared in her hand.

    The moment it saw the crystal, Huo Chan¡¯er¡¯s eyes lit up. It leapt from Yuan Ming¡¯s hand towards the crystal.

    However, the moment it leapt, someone grabbed the skin on the back of its neck and lifted it up.

    The enticing red crystal disappeared before its eyes.

    Huo Chan¡¯er immediately cried out in dissatisfaction, struggling with its ws and teeth.

    The Third Cave Master tossed it away.

    Yuan Ming reached out and caught Huo Chan¡¯er in his arms.

    "For the next month and a half, I will be in closed-door cultivation to refine a magical tool. I¡¯ll leave Huo Chan¡¯er in your care. The reward for the task will be settled after the period," the Third Cave Master said.

    "Alright." Yuan Ming was delighted. He put Huo Chan¡¯er on his shoulder and immediately bowed in gratitude.

    At this point, the Third Cave Master took off a silver-white pouch from her waist and tossed it to Yuan Ming.

    Seeing this, Chen Wan raised her eyebrows in surprise.

    "Third Cave Master, what is this?" Yuan Ming asked in surprise as he caught it.

    "There are some fire crystals and fire jade in it. Feed Huo Chan¡¯er one a day... at most two," the Third Cave Master said after a moment¡¯s thought.

    Yuan Ming nodded, pulled at the bag¡¯s opening, and tried to open it.

    To his surprise, he found that he couldn¡¯t open the bag.

    Seeing this, the Third Cave Master said, "This is a storage bag, it¡¯s not opened by brute force. I¡¯ll teach you a refining mantra, try to refine it."

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t understand why the storage bag couldn¡¯t be opened by force, but he just nodded.

    The Third Cave Master immediately began to recite a mantra of about three hundred words.

    After reciting it, she quietly watched Yuan Ming, waiting for him to ask questions. However, Yuan Ming just lowered his gaze, seemingly deep in thought.

    Huo Chan¡¯er was still restless, darting back and forth on him.

    However, after waiting for a while, Yuan Ming still didn¡¯t ask any questions. Seeing this, the Third Cave Master couldn¡¯t help but frown.

 Chapter 81: Storage bag

    Chapter 81: Storage bag

    "It¡¯s okay if you can¡¯t remember it all at once. I can repeat it for you. Just listen carefully," said the Third Master.

    "No need, Third Master. I have memorized the incantation. It¡¯s just that my aptitude is not good, so I may need to try a few more times," Yuan Ming replied respectfully.

    The Third Master was slightly surprised, but since Yuan Ming said so, he didn¡¯t say anything more. He just nodded slightly, indicating that he could start trying.

    Sure enough, Yuan Ming remembered the incantation urately, but he encountered problems when it came to the specific operation.

    When he activated the incantation and covered the storage bag with his mana, a circr array of red runes appeared, emitting a repelling force that pushed back his mana.

    Yuan Ming frowned and strengthened his mana, gradually integrating it with the circr array.

    However, after a moment, his mana was interrupted again and forced back.

    "The restriction on the storage bag is the most basic. Concentrate and focus on controlling your mana while activating the incantation," the Third Master reminded.

    Yuan Ming nodded and took a moment to calm himself before continuing to try.After trying seven or eight times, he finally seeded in refining the storage bag.

    "Now that you have refined the storage bag, all you need to do is release your mana while lightly touching the bag and think about what you want to take out," the Third Master said again.

    Yuan Ming immediately tried it.

    This time, it went very smoothly. With a swipe of his palm, a translucent red crystal appeared in his hand.

    "The process of putting things back is simr. Release your mana while lightly touching the item you want to put back, and use your thoughts to assist," the Third Master nodded in satisfaction and said.

    Yuan Ming immediately followed his instructions. The fire crystal in his hand disappeared in an instant.

    The first time he came into contact with the storage bag, Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but try several times. It wasn¡¯t until he becamepletely familiar with it that he stopped.

    "I¡¯ll lend you the spirit beast bag for now. Unless it¡¯s absolutely necessary, try not to put Huo Chan¡¯er in it. It actually prefers to be outside," the Third Master thought for a moment and took out a red cloth bag, throwing it to Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming quickly caught it.

    "The usage of the spirit beast bag is simr to the storage bag, but remember, the storage bag can only store objects, while the spirit beast bag can only store spirit beasts. Don¡¯t confuse them," the Third Master reminded.

    "I understand," Yuan Ming nodded.

    "Chen Wan, tomorrow you go to the Fire Workshop and inform Fang Ge that Yuan Ming no longer needs to do daily tasks there. Just take good care of Huo Chan¡¯er for the next month," the Third Master instructed.

    "Disciple obeys," Chen Wan immediately responded.

    Yuan Ming wanted to say that it wasn¡¯t necessary, but he knew that the Third Master gave him this privilege because he was afraid he wouldn¡¯t take care of Huo Chan¡¯er well, so he didn¡¯t say anything.

    After leaving the Third Master¡¯s courtyard, Chen Wan¡¯s gaze towards Yuan Ming gradually changed. Obviously, everything Yuan Ming showed during this visit made her feel amazed.

    Combined with the previous miraculous experiences of going from a beast ve to a named disciple, she dared not underestimate this young man in front of her anymore.

    "I didn¡¯t expect you to really seed," Chen Wan couldn¡¯t help but speak, feeling amazed.

    "It¡¯s just luck. Sometimes, luck is also a kind of strength," Yuan Ming chuckled and said.

    "Look at how proud you are! Taking good care of Huo Chan¡¯er will bring you great benefits in the future. Don¡¯t mess it up," Chen Wan rolled her eyes at Yuan Ming and reminded him unkindly.

    Yuan Ming looked at her, smiled and nodded. Her reminder brought a slight warmth to his heart.

    After parting ways, Yuan Ming walked back alone. He raised his hand and tapped the storage bag, storing his Green Fish Sword, beast skin, and other items inside.

    "This thing is really useful. When can I have my own storage bag?" Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but exim, feeling light without any burden.

    Back at his residence, as soon as Yuan Ming pushed open the door, the fire ferret swiftly darted inside.

    It was full of curiosity about this new environment and jumped around in the house. After a while, it jumped onto Yuan Ming¡¯s bed and burrowed into his bedding.

    Yuan Ming smiled and didn¡¯t pay it any attention.

    After closing the door, he came to the edge of the bed and sat cross-legged. The fire ferret quickly crawled out and jumped onto his shoulder once again.

    "I¡¯m going to start cultivating now. Don¡¯t disturb me," Yuan Ming instructed, regardless of whether it understood or not.

    The fire ferret didn¡¯t care about that and continued to do as it pleased, jumping and running around on him.

    It wasn¡¯t until Yuan Ming raised the spirit beast bag in his hand that the little creature jumped off him and onto the table.

    Yuan Ming temporarily ignored it and began to meditate and cultivate the Nine Elements Technique.

    He hadn¡¯t closed his eyes for long when a chaotic noise broke out. Yuan Ming opened his eyes and saw that the things on the table had fallen all over the ce, and the fire ferret was ying with a rolling teacup on the ground.

    Helpless, Yuan Ming gave up on cultivation and took out the "Death Moon Method" to read.

    He had already memorized the contents of the cultivation technique, but the slow progress of his cultivation had always been uneptable. asionally flipping through the book might bring some new insights.

    At night, moonlight seeped into the room through the open window. Yuan Ming immediately got up and walked towards the spot where the moonlight fell.

    After a whole afternoon of ying around, the tired fire ferret thought Yuan Ming was going out, so it climbed up and followed him. But it soon saw Yuan Ming sitting down on the ground.

    It instantly felt deceived and climbed onto Yuan Ming¡¯s shoulder in anger, continuing to y around.

    Yuan Ming had gotten used to it and ignored it. He raised one hand towards the sky and one hand towards the ground, formed the hand seals, and began to cultivate the Death Moon Method.

    The bright moonlight enveloped him, emitting a hazy glow.The previously restless Huo Chan suddenly froze, as if it was immobilized. But then, it felt a wave offort and slid down from Yuan Ming¡¯s shoulder, quietly lying on his thigh.

    Outside the window, the silhouette of a silver cat was hidden in the shadows, with a faint glow circting in its heterochromatic eyes.

    Just as Huo Chan had settled down and closed its eyes to enjoy thefort, its body suddenly floated up as if lifted by an invisible force, and was thrown to the side.

    The little creature was startled and quickly stood up, craning its neck to look around, but found nothing unusual. It could only shake its head and climb back onto Yuan Ming¡¯s thigh.

    But as soon as ity down, its body was once again lifted and thrown to the ground.

    Huo Chan was immediately anxious, circling around Yuan Ming without understanding what was happening. It could only stare at Yuan Ming with its round eyes.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes were slightly closed, his expression natural, showing no signs of abnormality.

    Huo Chan shook its head and climbed back onto Yuan Ming¡¯s thigh, this time keeping its eyes open, looking around to find out who was ying tricks.

    The next moment, it watched itself being lifted into the air and thrown to the ground.

    Fear filled Huo Chan¡¯s small eyes. If it could speak, it would probably be shouting "I¡¯ve seen a ghost".

    Themotion woke Yuan Ming from his cultivation.

    He frowned and pondered for a moment, then tentatively asked, "Are you nearby?"

    Over the past few days, he had vaguely sensed that the silver cat seemed to be near him, but it had never shown itself in front of him.

    After waiting for a long time without a response, Yuan Ming said again, "I have a question to ask, can we meet?"

    The surroundings were quiet, with only the chirping of insectsing from outside the window.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming knew that the mysterious silver cat would not appear. He could only shake his head helplessly and continue to meditate.

    The little fire marten looked around a few times, then carefully approached Yuan Ming. This time, it didn¡¯t climb onto his leg, buty down next to him, not daring to close its eyes to sleep.

    After waiting for a long time without any invisible force bothering it, it gradually closed its eyes and fell asleep.

    ......

    Time flew by, and the end of the month finally arrived.

    Early the next morning, Yuan Ming went to the Fire Workshop, with the fire marten still lying on his shoulder.

    Over the past half month, Yuan Ming had not done as the Three Caves Master had said. He still came to the Fire Workshop every day, but he no longer sifted materials. Instead, he lit a fire and continued to refine embryos.

    By now, he still couldn¡¯t achieve the goal of swinging the hammer a thousand times in a row, but he could already do it four hundred times.

    For some reason, Huo Chan¡¯s lively nature seemed to have calmed down a lot. It followed Yuan Ming all day, inseparable from him. The other disciples had gone from being surprised at first to being used to it, and now they took it for granted.

    When Fang Ge saw Yuan Ming, he didn¡¯t watch from a distance as usual, but came straight to him.

    "Your basic contribution points and basic cultivation method have been issued. Give me your waist tag," Fang Ge said straightforwardly.

    Yuan Ming was delighted and immediately took off his waist tag and handed it over.

    After Fang Ge took it, he quickly returned it and took out a smooth white bone piece and handed it to him.

    The white bone piece was warm and translucent, looking a bit like jade, but Yuan Ming could see the fine lines on it that belonged only to bone. He looked at the ck runes engraved on it and asked, "Brother, what is this?"

    "This is a bone slip, which records our basic cultivation method, the ¡¯Biluo Gong¡¯. With this, you don¡¯t need to practice the ¡¯Blood Qi Method¡¯ anymore. That method is not very useful, this one is better," Fang Ge said, knowing Yuan Ming¡¯s background and kindly advising him.

    "How do I use this?" Yuan Ming asked, rubbing the white bone piece a few times.

    "Put the bone slip close to your forehead and feel it with your divine sense, and you can see the content of the cultivation method inside," Fang Ge said.

    Yuan Ming nodded and was about to put the bone piece on his forehead.

    "Hey, not here, go back to your ce, calm your mind, and then study it carefully," Fang Ge quickly stopped him.

    "Why is that?" Yuan Ming asked in confusion.

    Was it necessary to cleanse and meditate just to look at a cultivation method?

 Chapter 82: The difference is clear

    Chapter 82: The difference is clear

    "The content of this bone slip can only be viewed three times. After three times, the content inside will be destroyed. Do not waste each opportunity," Fang Ge exined.

    "It¡¯s another measure to prevent leaks..." Yuan Ming thought to himself.

    "By the way, the content of the cultivation technique can only be memorized with your heart. It is forbidden to copy or spread it without permission. Once discovered, it is a capital offense, and no one can save you then," Fang Ge solemnly warned.

    "What if I can¡¯t remember it after three times?" Yuan Ming curiously asked.

    "If you can¡¯t remember it after three times, you can go to the second floor of the Repository Pavilion to exchange. Ten contribution points can be exchanged for one borrowing opportunity," Fang Ge said.

    "Okay, thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother," Yuan Ming thanked with a fist.

    "Don¡¯t refine the embryo today. Take care of your spirit and go back to memorize and familiarize yourself with the cultivation technique," Fang Ge waved his hand and said.

    "I will listen to Senior Brother," Yuan Ming bid farewell and left.

    Fang Ge looked at Yuan Ming¡¯s departing figure and suddenly became puzzled: "Has Huo Chan¡¯er grown up during this time?"...

    After Yuan Ming left, instead of immediately returning to his residence, he put Huo Chan¡¯er into the spirit beast bag and went straight to the Repository Pavilion.

    This time, he went directly to the second floor along the spiral staircase.

    The second floor of the Repository Pavilion was much more spacious than the first floor. Two-thirds of the area was filled with matching tables and chairs, with scattered disciples sitting inside.

    Unlike the rxed atmosphere downstairs, the atmosphere upstairs became noticeably more serious.

    Everyone sitting here had furrowed brows and a concentrated and nervous appearance, afraid of wasting this learning opportunity obtained with contribution points if they were slightly distracted.

    One-third of the remaining area on the second floor was divided and built into an independent room.

    Behind the desk ced outside the room, there sat a middle-aged steward with dark skin, slightly fat, and silver earrings hanging on his ears.

    This person had a fierce appearance with a face full of flesh, the kind that could stop a baby from crying at night.

    "Elder, I¡¯m here to borrow the secret manual of ¡¯Spirit Expulsion Technique¡¯," Yuan Ming stepped forward, saluted, and spoke.

    Upon hearing this, the middle-aged steward raised his eyelids, looked at Yuan Ming, and slowly said, "Ten contribution points."

    Yuan Ming took off his waist badge and ced it on the desk.

    The middle-aged steward picked up the waist badge without wasting words, got up, pushed open the door behind him, and walked in.

    In a short while, he came back with a thin blue book in his hand.

    "For borrowing books, you can only stay within the range of the second floor and cannot take them out. It is limited to three hours," the middle-aged steward said and ced the waist badge and book on the table.

    After thanking him, Yuan Ming took the waist badge and checked it. There were only fourteen contribution points left.

    He sat down at a table and chair, brought out the "Spirit Expulsion Technique," and began to concentrate on reading it. He maintained his usual pace, flipping through one page after another, neither fast nor slow.

    The information that could be essed on the second floor was obtained at a considerable cost. Almost everyone read it word by word, carefully memorizing and reading slowly.

    Inparison, Yuan Ming appeared somewhat unique.

    After about half an hour, Yuan Ming got up and went to the desk of the middle-aged steward.

    Thetter frowned and said, "The time is not up yet. If you want to copy the technique, it requires one hundred contribution points."

    Yuan Ming shook his head and smiled, "No need, I¡¯m here to return the manual."

    After saying that, he didn¡¯t care about the middle-aged steward¡¯s reaction, turned around, walked downstairs, and left the Repository Pavilion.

    After leaving, Yuan Ming went to Zhao Tong¡¯s residence and happened to meet him returning from the Toad Valley. He immediately repaid the contribution points he owed him, leaving only seven contribution points now.

    After returning to the residence in the Fire Refining Hall, Yuan Ming immediately patted the spirit beast bag and released Huo Chan¡¯er.

    As soon as the little guy came out, he climbed onto Yuan Ming¡¯s shoulder and scratched and wed at him, venting his dissatisfaction of being locked up.

    Yuan Ming took out a piece of Fire Essence Jade from the storage bag and shook it. Huo Chan¡¯er immediately stopped venting, crawled along Yuan Ming¡¯s arm, and snatched the Fire Essence Jade, gnawing on it.

    Yuan Ming sat down at the table, took out the bone slip that copied the "Azure Luo Technique," and stuck it on his forehead, carefully examining it.

    "The Azure Luo Technique belongs to the wood attribute, mainly promoting growth. If cultivated sessfully, it can continuously produce mana and have a longsting effect..."

    Looking at the content recorded in the bone slip, Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but wonder, "ording to this, the ¡¯Azure Luo Technique¡¯ belongs to the wood attribute cultivation technique."

    After a little thought, Yuan Ming continued to read.

    After a long time, the content of the cultivation technique was deeply imprinted in Yuan Ming¡¯s mind. However, what followed was a big doubt.

    "Why does it say that the ¡¯Azure Luo Technique¡¯ can establish a foundation at the tenth level of Qi Refinement, but I remember that the ¡¯Nine Elements Art¡¯ clearly states that the foundation can only be established at the thirteenth level of Qi Refinement?" Yuan Ming pondered silently.

    With doubts in his mind, he carefully recalled the two cultivation techniques. Afterparing them, he found that ording to the cultivation method of the ¡¯Azure Luo Technique,¡¯ reaching the tenth level would be the limit that could be achieved in Qi Refinement.

    On the other hand, the ¡¯Nine Elements Art¡¯ could allow Yuan Ming to cultivate all the way to the thirteenth level.

    Just based on this, the ¡¯Nine Elements Art¡¯ was obviously stronger than the ¡¯Azure Luo Technique.¡¯

    "Anyway, it is still the orthodox cultivation technique of the Azure Luo Cave. It must have its unique aspects. I¡¯ll try practicing it first," Yuan Ming silently pondered in his heart.Thinking about the cautious attitude of Bi Luo Cave towards cultivation methods, Yuan Ming could guess that once he revealed his practice of the "Nine Yuan Method", it would undoubtedly bring unnecessary trouble to himself.

    Before, he was just a beast ve, and no matter how much he tossed around in the Hundred Thousand Mountains, it was hard to attract attention. But now that he had arrived at Bi Luo Cave, he had to be more cautious.

    If he could practice the "Bi Luo Method" at the same time, it would be easier to hide this matter.

    With this thought, Yuan Ming got up and prepared to go out.

    "Huo Chan, let¡¯s go..."

    Huo Diao had just finished eating the fire jade, and as soon as he heard Yuan Ming¡¯s call, he immediately got up and followed, jumping onto Yuan Ming¡¯s shoulder in a sh.

    The man and the marten left the courtyard and hurriedly headed down the mountain.

    Before long, Yuan Ming, with Huo Diao, found a densely wooded sunny slope. He chose an ancient tree and sat down cross-legged under it.

    Seeing Yuan Ming sit down, Huo Diao thought he was going to start practicing the Death Moon Method again, so he obedientlyy down at Yuan Ming¡¯s feet.

    The little guy tilted his head and thought for a while, but in the end, he didn¡¯t dare to climb onto his thigh.

    Yuan Ming adjusted his breathing, and his hands immediately began to form seals.

    At the same time, he began to silently recite the Bi Luo Method in his heart, trying to circte his mana for cultivation.

    The next moment, a hazy green light lit up around him, and strands of heaven and earth aura began to gather around him.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s pores rxed, and he began to absorb the aura into his body like breathing.

    As time slowly passed, Huo Chan, who was lying at Yuan Ming¡¯s feet, noticed that the fluctuations emanating from him were different from when he practiced under the moonlight at night, and he became a little restless.

    But when he felt the gathering of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, he felt a bit morefortable and didn¡¯t make a fuss.

    After a long time, Yuan Ming slowly opened his eyes, feeling somewhat disappointed.

    He had chosen a ce with dense trees to practice the Bi Luo Method ording to the requirements of the method, but the result was not satisfactory. The speed of inhaling and exhaling the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and the speed of mana conversion were too slow.

    Although it was not as difficult as when he practiced the Blood Qi Method, the speed of cultivation was far from that of the Nine Yuan Method.

    It could be said that the two were notparable at all.

    With this thought, Yuan Ming suddenly thought of a question. He seemed to have never figured out what kind of method the Nine Yuan Method was.

    ording to the "Bi Luo Method", different methods should be practiced in their respective suitable environments, which would have different degrees of enhancement effects. If he knew the attribute of the Nine Yuan Method, could the speed of cultivation be improved?

    Yuan Ming clearly remembered that when he first learned the Nine Yuan Method, he did not hear about the attribute of the Nine Yuan Method from the Daoist in the jade pot. But after practicing for a long time, he had some feelings.

    ording to his previous inference, the attribute of the "Nine Yuan Method" should be between wood and water.

    "Let¡¯s give it a try."

    With this thought, Yuan Ming changed his seals and began to practice the Nine Yuan Method.

    Just after a short while of cultivation, Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but raise his eyebrows slightly, a hint of joy appearing in his eyes.

    "No wonder, no wonder..." He chuckled and said repeatedly, startling Huo Chan.

    Yuan Ming had been wondering why his speed of practicing the Nine Yuan Method had gradually slowed down since he entered the Fire Refining Hall. It turned out that he had left the dense forest environment of the Hundred Thousand Mountains.

    Obviously, the "Nine Yuan Method", like the "Bi Luo Method", belonged to the wood attribute method.

    "Since they both belong to the wood attribute method, there¡¯s no need to worry about being found out. This crappy Bi Luo Method, it¡¯s better not to practice it." Yuan Ming was overjoyed.

    It was not until this moment that he finally confirmed the extraordinary nature of the Nine Yuan Method, which was far superior to the likes of the Bi Luo Method. The fact that he, with his four spiritual roots, could cultivate so quickly in such a harsh environment as the Hundred Thousand Mountains, was all thanks to it.

    After discovering this, Yuan Ming was not in a hurry to practice the Nine Yuan Method.

    After sitting cross-legged, he took a deep breath and began to recall the content of the "Object Maniption Technique" in his mind.

    The Object Maniption Technique, as the name suggests, is a technique for driving objects for one¡¯s own use.

    The principle of the method is not difficult. It requires using mana as a guide to establish a connection with the object, allowing the mana to naturally flow from one¡¯s arm into the object, making it one with oneself, to the point where it can be controlled as easily as one¡¯s own arm.

    Generally speaking, objects like magical instruments that have spiritual energy within them are easier tomunicate with and more convenient to control.

    Of course, in this process, the power of the soul is also needed.

    After all, only when the caster is fully focused on controlling the mana can the flow of mana not deviate, thus urately driving the controlled object.

    Because he had practiced the Death Moon Method, Yuan Ming had some confidence in his soul power. He immediately found a stone in the forest and held it in his hand.

 Chapter 83: Drive Sword (Four More for Monthly Votes)

    Chapter 83: Drive Sword (Four More for Monthly Votes)

    "Focus your mind, guard your dantian, use your mind to guide the spirit, use your techniques to control objects, merge your mind and spirit, concentrate your soul, direct your mind, and move the object." Yuan Ming closed his eyes and recited the mantra in his mind while channeling his mana towards the stone in his hand.

    After a moment, he felt a slight warmth in his palm, and the stone he held was covered in a faint green light, with tiny streams of light flowing on its surface.

    "Rise!" Yuan Ming suddenly opened his eyes and shouted.

    His mana involuntarily surged out of his body and flowed into the stone in his hand. However, the stone only expanded with a burst of green light and then returned to normal without any movement.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze hardened, but he didn¡¯t feel discouraged. After all, it was impossible for any technique to seed on the first try.

    He closed his eyes again and tried several more times, but there was no progress.

    "Why is this... Could it be because I didn¡¯t channel enough mana? Is it because my mind is not focused enough or my understanding is not urate..." Yuan Ming pondered to himself.

    With this thought in mind, he sat quietly for a moment and tried again.

    The little fire glutton beside him didn¡¯t understand what was happening. Seeing the stone emitting a faint green light from time to time, it couldn¡¯t help but approach and touch it with its small paw. Seeing that there was no danger, it became bolder and started ying with it.Yuan Ming¡¯s attempts ended in failure once again.

    "Perhaps, as recorded in the book, it is difficult tomunicate and control ordinary inanimate objects without spirituality. It seems that it is not easy to manipte them." He sighed lightly and casually threw the stone in his hand, startling the yful fire glutton.

    Yuan Ming pondered for a while, then wiped his waist storage bag with his hand. Immediately, a silver light shed in front of him, and the Green Fish Sword appeared,nding in front of him.

    He grabbed the Green Fish Sword with one hand and gently rubbed the de with the other hand. At the same time, he channeled his mana from his dantian into the sword. The surface of the long sword flickered with a faint green light, revealing a hint of agility.

    When the mana dissipated, the green light on the sword disappeared, making it no different from an ordinary bronze long sword.

    "If we are talking about objects with spirituality, this is the only half-magic tool I have that can be considered qualified." Yuan Ming muttered to himself.

    Immediately, he closed his eyes slightly, held the long sword with both hands, and focused all his attention on the sword.

    "Use your mind to guide the spirit, use your techniques to control objects, merge your mind and spirit, concentrate your soul..." He channeled his mana towards the Green Fish Sword while reciting the mantra in his mind.

    Soon, the Green Fish Sword lit up with a green light again, and with the continuous infusion of mana, it revealed a hint of sharpness.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s mind moved, but this time he didn¡¯t even speak.

    At this moment, the fire glutton cautiously approached, extending its paw and wanting to y with the Green Fish Sword.

    But just as it approached, a strange scene urred. The Green Fish Sword suddenly bounced up from Yuan Ming¡¯s palm and floated three inches above it, swaying left and right as if it was about to fall at any moment.

    The fire glutton was startled and jumped onto a nearby old tree.

    "It worked..."

    Yuan Ming was overjoyed, but as soon as his mind rxed, the Green Fish Sword violently shook and fell to the ground, sinking in halfway.

    But even so, Yuan Ming was still pleasantly surprised. He immediately picked up the long sword and tried again.

    The way to control the Green Fish Sword waspletely different from controlling the stone. It was much smoother than he had imagined, but after trying a few times, he found some problems.

    Although the Green Fish Sword could ascend as he wished, it was always slightly slower than he expected, and it felt a bit... sluggish.

    "Go!" Yuan Ming pointed forward and shouted.

    The Green Fish Sword immediately wobbled and flew straight ahead, but before it could fly three zhang away, the connection between their mana was interrupted.

    The Green Fish Sword then fell to the ground with a loud thud.

    "Although it is a bit difficult to control, this should be the way to do it. With more practice, it should perform better. It seems that using this technique on a semi-magic tool is much more convenient than on inanimate objects without spirituality. Oh, I still have this..." Yuan Ming pondered to himself and a thought emerged.

    He stood up and looked around. Seeing no one around, he moved his mind and summoned the green incense burner from his arm.

    Then, Yuan Ming channeled his mana into the incense burner and once again used the technique to control objects.

    This time, before his thoughts even formed, the incense burner floated up leisurely and suspended in front of Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming was delighted to see this and immediately moved his mind. With a wave of his hand, the incense burner swayed and flew away into the distance.Unlike the Green Fish Sword, which could only fly three zhang away, the incense burner flew nearly ten zhang away before the connection between it and Yuan Ming was almostpletely severed.

    Yuan Ming quickly got up and ran over, taking a step ahead of the curious Fire Ferret to pick up the incense burner.

    The Fire Ferret was very curious about this incense burner that could fly and climbed up topete with Yuan Ming for it.

    "You little guy, don¡¯t move around. Go find something to do on your own. If you cause trouble again, you¡¯ll go hungry for the next meal." Yuan Ming threw the Fire Ferret out and then carefully examined the incense burner in front of him.

    From the initial reaction of using the Drive Object Technique, he was already certain that this incense burner was at least a magical tool. This made him quite excited.

    After thinking for a moment, Yuan Ming once again used the Drive Object Technique to make the incense burner fly and tried to increase his mana to see if he could stimte any special abilities.

    However, after several attempts, he still gained nothing. The incense burner remained like a stubborn stone, showing no other power.

    "Could it be because I haven¡¯t refined it?"

    After a brief thought, Yuan Ming made a decision to use the refining method taught by San Dongzhu to refine the incense burner.

    On the day he learned the refining method, he had already tried to refine the Green Fish Sword, only to find that it was only a semi-magical tool and did not meet the conditions for refining, so he had to give up.

    Without hesitation, Yuan Ming immediately held the incense burner and recited the refining method, attempting to refine the treasure.

    In the next moment, a strong repulsive force emanated from it, andyers of golden runes and prohibitions appeared one after another. Before Yuan Ming could see clearly, he was thrown back by the golden light.

    He flew from his original position and crashed into an old tree seven or eight zhang away beforeing to a stop.

    The Fire Ferret, lying on the tree, saw this scene and stood still, not understanding what had happened.

    "Wow, such powerful prohibition power..." Yuan Ming rubbed his chest and sighed.

    Although he failed to refine the incense burner, Yuan Ming was inexplicably happy.

    From theyers of runes and prohibitions, he could easily see that this incense burner was definitely a rare magical tool, and it might even be the legendary treasure.

    Thinking of this, he no longer tried to refine it beyond his abilities, but continued to practice the Drive Object Technique.

    ...

    In the blink of an eye, more than half a month had passed.

    In a certain ce in the Ten Thousand Mountains, a half-human-sized fierce beast leopard cautiously moved forward in the forest, attentively watching the surroundings while searching for prey to fill its stomach.

    In front of it, there was a rustling sound in the forest, and a small beast with a fiery red body and a fox-like shape dashed out happily.

    The fierce beast leopard¡¯s eyes lit up, immediately pounced on it, and the forest within a few zhang range was filled with the sound of chaos and the stench of blood.

    The fiery red little beast showed a look of surprise, opened its mouth, and spewed a red me towards the fierce beast leopard. However, the power of the red me was too weak. Before it could reach the fierce beast leopard, it was torn apart by the strong wind.

    The steel-like ws of the fierce beast leopard appeared above the head of the little beast in an instant and fiercely grabbed it.

    At this moment, a green long sword shot out from the forest in front, piercing towards the chest of the fierce beast leopard with lightning speed.

    The fierce beast leopard roared, and itsrge body quickly moved sideways on the ground, narrowly avoiding the attack of the green long sword.

    However, the green long sword suddenly changed direction and continued to stab towards the fierce beast leopard, as if an invisible hand was holding the sword.

    With a light sound, the green long sword pierced into the heart of the fierce beast leopard, reaching the hilt.

    The fierce beast leopard let out a mournful cry, fell to the ground at an angle, and struggled for a moment before bing motionless.

    In the sound of rustling in the forest ahead, Yuan Ming¡¯s figure walked out.

    "You little guy, I¡¯ve told you before, this ce is very dangerous. I can¡¯t afford to take responsibility if something happens when you run around everywhere." He picked up the fiery red little beast and knocked its head.

    The fiery red little beast lowered its head, looking apologetic.

    "Don¡¯t do this again! If you don¡¯t listen, I¡¯ll put you in a bag!" Seeing this situation, Yuan Ming was both angry and amused. He rolled his eyes at it and put it on his shoulder.

    As he spent more time with the Fire Ferret, he finally understood why Legong said the Fire Ferret was so mischievous. Although this little creature was not brave, it was full of curiosity about everything and couldn¡¯t stay still. It was a headache.During this period, with his continuous practice, he had be increasingly proficient in manipting the Green Fish Sword through the Object Control Technique. Not only had he made significant progress in terms of stability and uracy, but the distance he could control it had also increased from the previous ten meters to the current twenty to twenty-five meters. Moreover, as he delved deeper, he believed he could further improve in this aspect.

    Unfortunately, the Green Fish Sword was, after all, only a semi-magical artifact, different from a true magical artifact. Coupled with his insufficient cultivation and magical power, he had no problem with straightforward control, but he couldn¡¯t perform anyplex movements.

    With this thought in mind, his desire to possess a true magical artifact became even more urgent.

    (Dear fellow Daoists, it¡¯s the first month on the shelf, four more chapters for votes ^^)

 Chapter 84: In danger in the lake

    Chapter 84: In danger in theke

    Yuan Ming nced at the corpse of the flower leopard beast, without much movement, and continued to move forward.

    Now, he returned to the familiar ce, but everything had changed.

    As a named disciple of the Biro Cave, he no longer needed to collect any blood food. The shackles were gone, and the terrifying experiences seemed to have be the past.

    But he was very clear in his heart that although the Biro Cave had identally led him to the path of immortality, it was not his true home. One day, he would find a way to return to the Central ins, to find his true self, and to find the mastermind behind all this.

    Of course, before that, he had to be stronger.

    Because only the strong could avoid being looked down upon, avoid being humiliated, and survive in the cruel environment, and have the capital for revenge.

    This was what the Ten Thousand Mountains and the Biro Cave had taught him.

    Half an hourter, the field of vision gradually became open, and with a fresh breath, a hugeke appeared in front, boundless and endless.

    Theke water was a blue-green color, with lush reeds growing here, extending to the end of the field of vision, painting a vivid green in this world.Theke breeze blew, and the rustling sound of the countless reeds gathered together, giving a sense of a flood sweeping the world.

    "So this is the Qianlu Lake, the area is indeed not small!" Yuan Ming looked at the scene in front of him, feeling broad-minded.

    Qianlu Lake was ake within the Ten Thousand Mountains, with a vast area, about a hundred miles in size, named after the countless reeds growing in it.

    Yuan Ming brought Huo Chan¡¯er to the Ten Thousand Mountains not only to find a suitable ce for her to y, but also for other purposes.

    Every ce in the sect required contribution points. Since he was going out, he also took a rtively simple collection task from the Execution Hall, to find the local specialty, the Bishui Stone, in Qianlu Lake.

    This was one of the many long-term tasks in the Execution Hall, with no time limit. As long as he collected the Bishui Stone, he could exchange it for contribution points at any time.

    Originally, Huo Chan¡¯er, who was lying on Yuan Ming¡¯s shoulder and dozing off, became spirited when she saw the vastke, and came to thekeside with a curious look, staring at theke, her body eager to jump into theke to y.

    Yuan Ming was quite surprised to see this. Huo Chan¡¯er was a fire attribute spirit beast, and he thought she would resist water, but he didn¡¯t expect her to be like this.

    "Shall I take you to stroll on the waterter, okay?" He squatted down, scratched the back of Huo Chan¡¯er¡¯s ear with his hand, and smiled.

    Huo Chan¡¯er didn¡¯t know if she understood, she nced back at Yuan Ming, immediately turned her little head away, and focused her attention on the vastke.

    Yuan Ming no longer paid attention to her, he summoned the Qingyu Sword, nced at severalrge trees nearby, and cut off the branches and trunks, leaving only the main trunk.

    Then, he used the rope he brought from the sect to tie the several main trunks together, creating a simple wooden raft that was two or three zhang long.

    "Let¡¯s go."

    Yuan Ming picked up Huo Chan¡¯er and put her on his shoulder, jumped onto the wooden raft, and used a long and straight tree trunk as a pole to row towards the center of theke.

    Many disciples of the Biro Cave had taken the task of collecting Bishui Stone. The ore in thekeside area had long beenpletely mined, so they had to go to deeper areas to search.

    Huo Chan¡¯er hopped around on the wooden raft, asionally lightly tapping the surface of theke with her ws, immediately retracting them, enjoying herself.

    Yuan Ming saw this and understood that although Huo Chan¡¯er was not afraid of water, as a fire attribute spirit beast, she still had some aversion to water.

    This was good, so he didn¡¯t have to worry about Huo Chan¡¯er jumping into the water and running away when he was searching for Bishui Stone.

    The wooden raft soon reached a deeper area of theke. After Yuan Ming looked around, he dived into the water and swam to the bottom.

    With his current cultivation level, even without using the transformation of the toad, he could hold on for a long time underwater.

    Half an hourter, he emerged from the water, but his hands were empty.

    Yuan Ming turned his head to look at the wooden raft and saw that Huo Chan¡¯er was still on it, his face rxed. After a short rest, he dived into the water again, but after searching for a long time, he still couldn¡¯t find a piece of Bishui Stone.

    "This task is not as simple as it seems!" He muttered to himself, then turned over and jumped back onto the wooden raft, continuing to row towards the center of theke. It was only after traveling several li that he stopped and dived into the water again to search, but still found nothing.

    Although Yuan Ming was a bit frustrated, he wasn¡¯t too disappointed. Qianlu Lake had been searched for many years, and there were not many Bishui Stones left at the bottom of theke. If he found them too easily, he would find it strange.

    He continued to swim deeper into theke, changing locations three times in a row, and finally found the first piece of Bishui Stone.

    The Bishui Stone was shaped like jade, with faint streams of air flowing inside, giving a cool and refreshing feeling when touched.

    Yuan Ming looked at it several times, and put it into his storage bag.

    As a water attribute ore, the Bishui Stone was also amon spiritual material with a considerable demand within the sect. However, its value was slightly lower than that of the Fire Jade. It took ten pieces to exchange for a contribution point.Although the value was slightly lower, Qianlu Lake was not as dangerous as the Tower Fire Mountain, so many sect disciples would take on this task in the past.

    Yuan Ming continued to venture deeper into Qianlu Lake, asionally diving into the water to search for something, but never staying too long each time.

    Although he could stay underwater longer by transforming into a toad using the Fur Coat Technique, it would elerate the bacsh of the technique, making it more harm than good.

    Half a day passed in the blink of an eye.

    Yuan Ming paddled his wooden raft forward, his gaze sweeping around, his brows furrowed.

    After a busy morning, he had only found seven or eight pieces of Bishui Stone.

    This didn¡¯t matter much, as it was just a side task. However, during his search, he had already ventured deep into Qianlu Lake.

    Theke was astonishinglyrge, with mist asionally rising from the depths. Coupled with the absence of the sun today, he could no longer discern his direction.

    "Fire Glutton, they say that spirit beasts have a much sharper sense of direction than humans. Can you tell which way to go?" Yuan Ming looked at the fire marten.

    The Fire Glutton, who had been lively at first, was now lying on his shoulder, calling out weakly, its spirit seemingly low.

    "Could it be that this little guy can¡¯t stay in this damp ce for long?" Yuan Ming tried tomunicate again, but received no response.

    He took out a piece of Fire Jade to feed it, but the Fire Glutton just nced at it and looked away.

    "Could it be sick?" Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but feel a little anxious.

    If something happened to the Fire Glutton, he wouldn¡¯t be able to exin it to the Three Cave Master.

    After a moment of contemtion, he put the Fire Glutton into the spirit beast bag.

    In the past, the Fire Glutton would scream and shout when put into the spirit beast bag. This time, however, it made no reaction, lying quietly in the bag without any movement for a long time.

    Yuan Ming quickly paddled the raft, choosing a direction and moving quickly, trying to leave this ce.

    The surrounding water and reeds quickly receded. After half an hour, there was still no sign of the shore, and the mist on theke became even thicker, limiting his visibility to about seven or eight zhang.

    "It seems I¡¯ve gone the wrong way." Yuan Ming stopped the raft, about to turn back.

    "Squeak, squeak, squeak..." Suddenly, the Fire Glutton in the spirit beast bag started to make noise, bouncing around inside, looking like it wanted toe out, a stark contrast to its previous listlessness.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming was both surprised and delighted. He pped the spirit beast bag and let the Fire Glutton out.

    The Fire Glutton ran to the front of the raft in a few steps, half-standing and looking forward, squeaking incessantly.

    "Do you want to go ahead?" Yuan Ming was taken aback, asking somewhat uncertainly.

    The Fire Glutton turned its head and nodded at him repeatedly.

    Yuan Ming looked ahead, hesitating.

    Going further would mean entering the central area of Qianlu Lake, where the humidity would only be higher. It would be more harmful than beneficial for the Fire Glutton to go there. But its unusual insistence on going there made him wonder if there was something special.

    Yuan Ming silently recalled the records he had read in the Gui Cang Pavilion about the habits of spirit beasts. After considering for a while, he decided to trust the Fire Glutton¡¯s judgment and continued to paddle the raft forward.

    As a spirit beast with a rather pure bloodline, the Fire Glutton wouldn¡¯t risk its life for no reason.

    Even if they encountered any danger, he could simply put this little thing into the spirit beast bag, transform into a toad using the Fur Coat Technique, abandon the raft, and escape.

    As the raft continued to move forward, the surrounding mist became denser and denser, limiting his visibility to only four or five zhang.

    Suddenly, the water surface began to ripple, constantly hitting the raft, making a "whoosh" sound.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming immediately stopped the raft. Waves without wind must have a reason.

    At this moment, the water under the raft suddenly surged violently, forming a vortex several zhang in size, exerting a strong pulling force.

    The raft was immediately sucked in, spinning around. The rope tied to it snapped with a pop, and the already unstable raft disintegrated.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s face darkened. He grabbed the Fire Glutton, put it on his shoulder, and leaped up.

    A green light shed across his arm, and the mysterious incense burner appeared, floating in the air.

    Yuan Ming grabbed the incense burner with one hand and held the paddle with the other, suspending himself in mid-air.

    The incense burner was very sensitive to the Drive Object Technique. With a slight push, it could float up. He hade up with this idea during his previous practice, using it to levitate.

    Over the past half month, Yuan Ming had practiced many times and had already mastered this skill. However, his magical power was not deep enough, and the incense burner was not a proper flying artifact, so he couldn¡¯t stay in the air for too long.

    At this moment, arge ck object, like a tentacle, emerged from the water below with a "sizzle", blue arcs of electricity flickering on it. Itshed at the already disintegrated raft.

    The originally sturdy tree broke with a crack and flew in all directions.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming felt a chill in his heart. He then chased after a flying piece of broken wood, lightlynding on it, standing steady, and quickly paddling forward.

    With only one piece of wood, he moved quickly and soon left the giant vortex far behind.

 Chapter 85: Relentless pursuit

    Chapter 85: Relentless pursuit

    Yuan Ming pushed the pole forward, causing the wooden nk beneath his feet to move rapidly. He asionally looked back, relieved that the tentacle-like ck shadow did not reappear.

    He dared not rx and continued to push the pole quickly, using his driving technique to assist him. Soon, hepletely left the area where anomalies urred and unknowingly arrived near the center of Qianlu Lake, where Huo Chan¡¯er wanted to go.

    In the mist ahead, a faint shadow could be seen, resembling an ind. Yuan Ming looked at the little creature perched on his shoulder with confusion.

    However, Huo Chan¡¯er had lost the excitement she had before and nervously looked around. The vortex and the ck tentacles had frightened her.

    Yuan Mingforted Huo Chan¡¯er with a pat on the head and decided to go and see the shadow first.

    If it was an ind, they could rest for a while and make a wooden raft.

    "Squeak, squeak..." Huo Chan¡¯er suddenly looked behind and let out a sharp cry, trembling.

    Yuan Ming followed the sound and his pupils contracted.

    He saw a long ck shadow quickly chasing after them from underwater, seemingly the main body of the ck tentacle from earlier."This damn thing is still chasing us!" Yuan Ming¡¯s face darkened as he pointed his finger and recited an incantation.

    The Qingyu Sword shed out from his storage bag and turned into a green sword shadow, diving into theke and heading straight for the ck shadow.

    The ck shadow seemed to sense something and swiftly moved to the side. Its speed was beyond imagination.

    However, the Qingyu Sword suddenly changed direction and elerated, leaving a "Ö®" shape in the water with its clear sword light.

    The ck shadow was too slow to evade and was cut with a wound several feet long by the Qingyu Sword. Blood gushed out, staining the nearby water red.

    A sharp and angry roar, like the cry of a night owl, echoed in theke, sounding extremely deste and chilling.

    Ssh!

    Arger ck tentacle shot out from the water, heading straight for Yuan Ming. It was also surrounded by blue electric arcs, seemingly intending to crush Yuan Ming into a pulp.

    However, Yuan Ming remained calm. He leaped into the air again and held the incense burner in one hand.

    The ck tentacle wrapped around the tree trunk and easily crushed it into pieces.

    Yuan Ming raised an eyebrow. Not only did the ck tentacle possess lightning power, but its strength was also extremely strong. If it entangled him in the water, it would be a situation of certain death.

    He pointed his finger, and the Qingyu Sword broke through the water and returned to his hand. He put it back into the storage bag and immediately activated the incense burner, flying towards the shadow ahead.

    The monster in theke was powerful, but it seemed to only be able to move in the water. It was helpless against enemies in mid-air and could only chase them relentlessly in the water.

    The incense burner flew at a fast speed and soon arrived at the shadowy area.

    As Yuan Ming had guessed, it was an ind. The ind was shrouded in dense white mist, with extremely low visibility. Everywhere he looked, there were lush trees and dense forests.

    After ncing at the ck shadow in the water near the shore, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t dare to stop and continued flying towards the depths of the ind, disappearing behind a lush tree canopy.

    Only then did the ck shadow let out a resentful roar and dived back into the water, disappearing.

    After a while, a figure shed by the treetop of arge tree, and Yuan Ming¡¯s figure appeared. Seeing that the ck shadow on the shore hadpletely disappeared, his tense face rxed. Hended next to arge tree, stumbling slightly.

    His mana had been depleted by more than half during this moment of flight.

    "It seems that I can¡¯t use this method casually." Yuan Ming muttered to himself, putting away the incense burner and carefully examining the surrounding environment.

    He looked surprised. The spiritual energy on this ind was unusually rich, almost surpassing that of the Birodong Sect.

    He had heard Chen Wan mention that the entire Birodong Sect was built on top of a spiritual vein, and with some special arrangements, it could create such a spiritual environment. Could there also be a spiritual vein beneath this ind?

    Huo Chan¡¯er didn¡¯t have Yuan Ming¡¯splex thoughts. Without the threat of the ck shadow in the water, she became lively again and looked around excitedly. Taking advantage of Yuan Ming¡¯s distraction, she jumped out.

    "Come back!"

    Yuan Ming acted quickly, reaching out and grabbing Huo Chan¡¯er by the back of her neck, pulling her back. Ignoring her protests and screams, he directly put her into the spirit beast bag.

    He was no longer the beast ve he was before. During his time in Birodong Sect, he had gained a lot of understanding about the cultivation world. The spiritual energy on this ind was so rich that there must be something suspicious about it. He needed to be cautious.

    After carefully exploring the surroundings and confirming that there was no danger, Yuan Ming leaned against arge tree, sat cross-legged, and began to cultivate using the Jiuyuan Technique.

    The spiritual energy on this ind was abundant, and the vegetation was flourishing. The wood attribute spiritual energy was particrly abundant. It only took him a moment topletely restore his mana.

    Yuan Ming stood up and looked towards the ind, silent.

    After a while, he took out the White Ape¡¯s skin and tied it around his waist, just like before. He tightly gripped the Qingyu Sword with his other hand and began to walk deeper into the ind.

    Apart from the asional sound of waves from theke, everything was calm, and there was not even the sound of birds.

    Yuan Ming walked extremely cautiously, trying not to make any sound. Soon, he advanced more than a hundred zhang, and the vegetation ahead became denser, taller than him. Coupled with the influence of the mist, he couldn¡¯t see anything three or four zhang away. No one knew if there was a fierce beast hidden inside.

    He had seen various scenes in the Ten Thousand Mountains before, but for some reason, he felt a bit uneasy at this moment.

    "It seems that my temperament is still unstable." Yuan Ming shook his head and continued forward.Suddenly, a strange fragrance wafted from the front, refreshing the heart and soul, as if it could prate into the internal organs.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes brightened, he quickened his pace slightly, and soon arrived in front of a peach tree several meters high. On the tree, there were more than a dozen fist-sized purple-red peaches, and the strange fragrance was emitted from these immortal peaches.

    Now that he was closer, the fragrance was even more intoxicating. Yuan Ming hadn¡¯t eaten for a long time, and he couldn¡¯t help but salivate. He jumped up and picked one.

    Before he could peel and eat it, there was a rustling sound from the jungle ahead, and a golden monkey about a meter tall jumped out.

    The monkey was golden all over, its fur also emitted specks of golden light, it had a wide mouth andrge ears. The most peculiar thing was that this monkey actually had four eyes, tworge and two small, arranged side by side on its face, looking extremely strange.

    The monkey¡¯s four eyes also twinkled with golden light, different from the golden light of its body, giving a sense of substantial transformation.

    The Four-eyed Golden Monkey saw Yuan Ming and the purple-red peach in his hand, and immediately roared in rage, rushing over without a word.

    Yuan Ming was not flustered at all, but rather felt a sense of relief. After putting away the immortal peach, he raised his right hand, and all the mana in his body was stimted.

    A hissing sound came!

    The ground in front of the Four-eyed Golden Monkey cracked open, and fourrge wooden spikes shot out, stabbing at the monkey¡¯s legs with extreme speed.

    During these days, while he was diligently cultivating the Death Moon method and the art of driving objects, he had not neglected the practice of the Nine Yuan method, especially his control of the wooden spike technique, which had be more and more proficient. With his current mana, he could summon four wooden spikes at the same time.

    The Four-eyed Golden Monkey seemed to have known about the attack of the wooden spike technique, it leaped up and easily dodged the sneak attack of the wooden spikes, bringing a gust of wind to Yuan Ming¡¯s face.

    Yuan Ming had already used the Shadowless Step, his body left two afterimages, and he appeared behind a nearbyrge tree in a sh.

    He raised his arm, and a green sword shadow shot out from his hand, stabbing into the back of the Golden Monkey. It was the Green Fish Sword.

    With a crisp "ng"!

    The Green Fish Sword only prated an inch before it stopped. The body of the Golden Monkey seemed to be made of gold and iron, which slightly surprised Yuan Ming.

    The Four-eyed Golden Monkey was furious, its sturdy arm emitted ayer of golden light from inside out, and it swung back.

    With a loud sound of metal collision, the Green Fish Sword was knocked back and flew out.

    Yuan Ming wanted to reach out and catch the Green Fish Sword, but he felt a huge force transmitted from the sword, which shook his body and made him retreat several steps, he was even more surprised.

    The strength of this suddenly appeared Four-eyed Golden Monkey was truly astonishing, far superior to his White Ape transformation, and its body was harder than iron, he was definitely not its opponent at the moment.

    Yuan Ming recalled the Green Fish Sword and fled towards the nearby forest without hesitation.

    The skin of the White Ape around his waist rolled up and transformed into the form of a White Ape in an instant.

    The Four-eyed Golden Monkey seemed to be angered by Yuan Ming¡¯s act of stealing the immortal peach, and immediately chased after him.

    The Golden Monkey moved with the wind, its speed was extremely fast. Even though Yuan Ming had transformed into a White Ape, his speed was still far behind. In just a dozen breaths, the distance between them was less than two meters.

    The Golden Monkey¡¯s eyes were filled with fierce light, its right arm, like a magical instrument, emitted a substantial golden light, which shot out about a meter, forming a de shape, and shed horizontally.

    "What kind of divine power is this?" Yuan Ming¡¯s body broke out in a cold sweat, he hurriedly crouched down and rolled on the ground, barely dodging the golden light¡¯s sh.

    Whoosh...

    In the area a meter ahead, wherever the golden light passed, all the trees and grass were cut off, clearing arge area.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but take a cold breath, he made a seal and pped the ground.

    The grass behind him made a hissing sound, and fourrge wooden spikes shot out, but they did not attack the Four-eyed Golden Monkey, instead they formed a wooden wall in front of it.

    The Golden Monkey swung its arm, and the golden de shot out again, easily cutting off the four wooden spikes.

    However, at this moment, a soft "bang" sounded from the ground, and arge amount of gray-ck smoke appeared out of thin air, engulfing an area of several meters nearby.

    The Four-eyed Golden Monkey let out a roar, the airflow shook, forming a raging storm, easily blowing away the smoke.

    But in this moment of dy, Yuan Ming had already escaped far away, his figure was almost disappearing in the forest.

    The Four-eyed Golden Monkey¡¯s four eyes were fixed on Yuan Ming¡¯s already blurred figure, full of rage, it immediately chased after him, covering several meters in one step, quickly closing the distance between them.

    As Yuan Ming¡¯s thoughts turned, he pushed the Shadowless Step to the extreme, his whole body turned into a white shadow shuttling through the forest, constantly changing direction, making the Four-eyed Golden Monkey unable to disy its incredible speed, and barely maintaining a little distance from the Golden Monkey.

    "What kind of species is this Four-eyed Golden Monkey? I¡¯ve never heard of it before, its strength has definitely reached the upper level of the first rank, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s at the peak of the upper level, no wonder I was inexplicably nervous before!" As he fled, he racked his brains, thinking of a way to escape unscathed.

    But after all, he had just arrived on this small ind, and he waspletely in the dark. He had already used most of his own methods, and for a while, he didn¡¯t have any good strategies, he could only take one step at a time.

 Chapter 86: Mysterious journey

    Chapter 86: Mysterious journey

    Yuan Ming, who had transformed into a white ape, and the four-eyed golden ape were chasing and escaping in the forest. They quickly advanced several miles and a tall and unusuallyrge ck pine forest appeared ahead.

    Each of these ck pines was as thick as a water bucket, with trunks presenting a dark ck color like cast iron. They looked much stronger than ordinary pine trees and were very dense, making them more suitable for evading the pursuit of the golden ape.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s figure flickered and he flew into the ck pine forest.

    However, when the originally imposing four-eyed golden ape arrived at the edge of the forest, it stopped its figure. Its four eyes stared straight into the depths of the forest, scratching its ears and cheeks, seemingly concerned about something.

    But when it saw Yuan Ming about to escape, the four eyes of the golden ape shed with a fierce light, and it chased after him again.

    After Yuan Ming had traveled through the ck pine forest for a while, he suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of unease in his heart.

    It was too quiet here, even giving him a feeling of being quieter than the previous mountain forest.

    He had a feeling that if he continued to wander around like a headless fly, who knows what strange things he would encounter?

    Just as he was about to summon the incense burner regardless of his mana and escape through the spell of driving away objects, a loud screech came from the front, breaking the tranquility of the ck pine forest.A ck raven flew out from somewhere in front.

    This raven was as big as a house, with ck feathers all over its body, but its eyes were crimson. Its huge wings spread out to a length of two or three zhang, and it looked at Yuan Ming with a fierce gaze.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s face changed drastically, and he quickly stopped his footsteps, feeling his heart sink.

    The pressure caused by this ck raven was no less than that of the four-eyed golden ape. When facing the golden ape, he could still rely on the incense burner to escape into the air. But if he was targeted by this ck raven, he would truly have no way to escape.

    At this moment, there was a rustling sound from the trees behind him, and the four-eyed golden ape also caught up, but it also stopped its footsteps.

    However, when the ck raven saw the golden ape, it showed obvious anger in its eyes and let out a piercing screech.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze flickered. When he was studying beast taming knowledge before, the meaning of the sounds made by fierce beasts appeared in his mind. Various signs indicated that the ck raven seemed to be questioning the golden ape.

    The golden ape growled from its mouth, seeminglycking some confidence.

    The ck raven roared angrily, pping its wings in anger, and a gust of wind swept through the nearby pine forest, causing withered branches and leaves to fall.

    The golden ape seemed to be provoked by the raven¡¯s attitude, and its roar became sharp. Its face was filled with a fierce light as it confronted the ck raven.

    On the other hand, Yuan Ming, who was the cause of all this, was abandoned by the two fierce beasts on the side.

    "It seems that this ck pine forest is most likely the territory of this ck raven. The golden ape broke in here to chase after me. If they really fight, I can take the opportunity to escape." Yuan Ming¡¯s thoughts quickly turned, secretly nning his retreat.

    However, things didn¡¯t go as Yuan Ming expected. Although the four-eyed golden ape and the ck raven stared at each other angrily and roared continuously, there was no sign of them actually fighting for a while.

    Yuan Ming felt a sense of unease and quietly moved to the side.

    As soon as his body moved, the ck raven immediately looked over, opening its mouth and emitting a sharp screech. Apanied by the sound, a visible ck sound wave engulfed his vision.

    The attack range of the ck sound wave was extremely wide, and both Yuan Ming and the four-eyed golden ape were engulfed in it.

    Yuan Ming felt a violent shock in his sea of consciousness. His divine soul seemed to be trapped inside a violently struck bell, and his body trembled along with it. His consciousness quickly became blurred.

    "Oh no, it¡¯s an attack on the divine soul!" He was shocked in his heart and quickly operated the Death Moon method to stabilize his divine soul.

    The four-eyed golden ape was also enveloped by the sound wave, and its body trembled as well. However, it was able to maintain its will. Its four ape eyes suddenly emitted a dazzling golden light, and arrows of golden light shot out like swords.

    The ck raven hurriedly pped its wings to dodge, but it was still hit by two golden lights. Dozens of ck feathers fell, and blood flowed out, staining the nearby ck feathers red.

    The raven became furious, pping its wings and pouncing on the golden ape, shing with its two ck ws.

    The golden ape didn¡¯t show any weakness. With its arms waving, it shot out golden lights like arrows, facing the raven.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s previous guess was not wrong. This ck pine forest was indeed the territory of the ck raven, and the golden ape also had its own territory. The two beasts lived side by side, fighting each other for many years, and had deep grievances.

    The two beasts fought fiercely, ignoring Yuan Ming on the side.

    Although the influence of the ck sound wave had passed, his sea of consciousness still felt a violent shock,pletely beyond the control of the Death Moon method. There seemed to be some problems with the operation of his mana, and the transformation technique he had cast began to copse, causing the white ape skin to gradually fall off his body...

    Yuan Ming¡¯s heart sank. Now he relied entirely on the power of the transformation technique to barely contend with the four-eyed golden ape. Once his white ape skin fell off, his speed and defense would greatly decrease, and he would easily be killed by the two beasts in front of him.

    He bit his tongue hard, using the pain to regain some of his willpower, and desperately operated the Death Moon method, regardless of everything else.At this moment, the mark of the incense burner on his right arm suddenly trembled, and a hot stream rushed out and quickly entered his mind.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s divine soul suddenly stabilized, and the situation of his sea of consciousness trembling was greatly reduced, and his consciousness quickly recovered.

    "I didn¡¯t expect that this incense burner could also help me resist soul attacks!" He was secretly delighted and quickly activated his mana to stabilize his fur transformation technique, turning around and fleeing into the distance.

    In the midst of the battle between the ck giant crow and the four-eyed golden ape, a hint of surprise appeared in its eyes.

    Its crow cry technique had asting effect. If it weren¡¯t for the four-eyed golden ape, an opponent of equal strength, it would be impossible to recover so quickly. What method did this human cultivator in front of it use?

    The ck giant crow emitted a crow cry towards the four-eyed golden ape, and the ck sound waves surged out again, engulfing the golden ape¡¯s body.

    The four-eyed golden ape¡¯s movements stiffened slightly, and the ck giant crow took the opportunity to leave the battlefield and chase after Yuan Ming.

    Feeling the ck giant crow chasing after him, Yuan Ming¡¯s heart sank. He hurriedly increased his speed and used the same method he used to deal with the golden ape, constantly changing directions, relying on tall pine trees to block the crow¡¯s pursuit.

    However, the ck giant crow could fly, and the obstruction of the trees was limited. The distance between the two continued to shrink.

    While Yuan Ming was feeling helpless, his field of vision suddenly widened.

    He rushed out of the ck pine forest in one breath, and a stream several zhang wide blocked his way.

    The water of the stream was gray-white, and a coldness could be felt from a distance. Obviously, it was not ordinary water.

    As the sound of the ck giant crow breaking through the air approached quickly, Yuan Ming gritted his teeth and jumped into the stream, disappearing.

    The ck giant crow arrived like lightning and let out a crow cry at the spot where Yuan Ming entered the water.

    Large ck sound waves struck the water, and ripples spread on the surface, gradually dissipating after a while.

    The ck giant crow hovered and danced in the air, ck light surging on its ws, waiting for Yuan Ming to emerge from the water and deliver a fatal blow.

    But no matter how long it waited, there was no sign of Yuan Ming resurfacing. It was as if he hadpletely disappeared.

    The ck giant crow continued to hover in the air for a while before finally flying away.

    The surface of the stream tens of zhang away moved slightly, and a ck toad head emerged. It was Yuan Ming, who had changed his appearance to a ck toad with ck toad skin. He eagerly jumped ashore, trembling all over.

    The water in this stream was extremely cold and contained a strange Yin energy. Even the ck toad skin couldn¡¯t iste it, and a lot of Yin energy invaded his body.

    Yuan Ming canceled his toad transformation and revealed his true form.

    At this moment, his face turned pale, and there were patches of dark bruises on his limbs, a sign of Yin energy invasion.

    He sat cross-legged, circted the Nine Elements Technique, and mana flowed throughout his body, trying to dispel the Yin energy in his body.

    However, the Nine Elements Technique was a wood attribute cultivation technique that could quickly restore mana and physical strength, but it was not good at expelling Yin energy. No matter how he circted it, only a small amount of Yin energy was dispelled.

    Yuan Ming became anxious and suddenly remembered something. He scratched his storage bag, and a red object appeared in his hand. It was the red curved horn he obtained from the Towering Fire Volcano.

    He held the curved horn and infused mana into it.

    The red light on the curved horn suddenly surged, enveloping his body, and a scorching force rushed into his body.

    Since obtaining this curved horn, Yuan Ming had tried to investigate its origin, but unfortunately, he found no clues.

    Such a treasure was too wasteful to be left idle. He carefully studied the curved horn and discovered that it could not only absorb scorching fire power but also stimte heat.

    The Yin energy in Yuan Ming¡¯s body was quickly dissipated by the scorching force, and soon itpletely disappeared. The trembling of his body gradually subsided, and hisplexion returned to normal.

    He was delighted and yed with the curved horn a few times before putting it away.

    "Fortunately, the Yin energy was forced out. It would have been troublesome if it remained in my body. What kind of water is this stream? It contains such powerful Yin energy." Yuan Ming stood up and looked at the stream, then looked around.

    This ind not only had abundant spiritual energy but also strange and fierce beasts like the four-eyed golden ape and the ck giant crow. Now, there was even a stream of Yin energy. It was bing more and more mysterious.

    Yuan Ming, who was no longer nervous at this moment, had the intention to explore this ce and continued to move forward along the stream.

    Not long after, the fire glutton in his spirit beast bag excitedly screamed again.

    Yuan Ming pondered for a moment and released the fire glutton.

    But when the fire glutton immediately wanted to rush forward, Yuan Ming pulled it back.

    "Fire glutton, this ind is full of dangers. We need to be cautious and not run around. If we encounter powerful beasts, I won¡¯t be able to protect you. Do you understand?" Yuan Ming solemnly warned.

    The fire glutton nodded repeatedly.

    Only then did Yuan Ming let it go, and the fire glutton immediately rushed forward.

    He hurriedly followed, and the two quickly advanced for about a li, and a small mountain only a dozen zhang high appeared in front of them.Huo Chaner arrived at a mountain wall, looking up and standing still. Numerous vines were seen entwining around the stone wall, with severalrge rocks leaning against it.

    After a while, it jumped onto arge rock, scratching and wing at a spot on the mountain wall, as if trying to break it open.

    "You¡¯re saying, there¡¯s something strange about this stone wall?" Yuan Ming walked over.

    Huo Chaner nodded its little head rapidly, letting out urgent shrieks, seemingly urging Yuan Ming to help quickly.

 Chapter 87: Worth the trip

    Chapter 87: Worth the trip

    Yuan Ming carefully examined the stone wall in front of him, asionally reaching out to touch and tap it.

    After his investigation, he quickly discovered something unusual. When he tapped on a certain spot on the mountain wall, it produced a clear echo, indicating that there was something hollow inside.

    "Could it be that someone has hidden some treasures here?" Yuan Ming¡¯s heart stirred, and he took out the Green Fish Sword from his hand and stabbed it in.

    With a light sound, the Green Fish Sword easily pierced through, almost without any resistance. It was indeed hollow inside, with the stone wall only three inches thick.

    Yuan Ming pulled out the Green Fish Sword and stabbed a few more times. The stone wallpletely shattered, revealing a semi-circr hole five feet high. Inside was a stone room-like space.

    Huo Chan¡¯er cheered and flew into it.

    Yuan Ming was worried that there might be a trap inside that could harm Huo Chan¡¯er, so he hurriedly followed.

    Inside the entrance of the cave was indeed a stone room, about seven or eight zhang in size. It looked like someone¡¯s dwelling, with stone beds, stone tables, stone stools, and everything one would need. There was even a bookshelf against the wall, with more than a dozen green-covered books on it.

    These things were covered in thick dust, indicating that no one had lived here for a long time.Yuan Ming looked around and didn¡¯t find any dangerous mechanisms. He rxed and walked to the bookshelf, taking the rightmost book. The cover read "Records of Strange Stones," with the words "Volume One" in the lower right corner.

    He flipped through it briefly, and the content inside was exactly as the title suggested, introducing various minerals in great detail, far surpassing the mineral books he had seen in the Guicang Pavilion.

    Because he worked in the Fire Workshop, Yuan Ming thought he was quite familiar with various minerals, but the content in the book was several times more detailed than what he knew, and many of the contents were unheard of to him.

    He took the other books, all of them were "Records of Strange Stones," from Volume One to Volume Sixteen, collecting detailed information about thousands of minerals in the world, including their properties, origins, and uses. It was aprehensive encyclopedia of minerals.

    Compared to that, the "Hundred Herbs Collection" he had obtained before, as well as the "Essentials of Qi Refinement" from the Fire Workshop, were embarrassingly crude.

    "Good, this is great." Yuan Ming tightly held the book in his hand.

    As a neer to the cultivation world, he needed this kind of specialized book to enrich his knowledge.

    However, there was too much content in these dozen or so volumes of "Records of Strange Stones," and he couldn¡¯t finish reading them in a short time. So he immediately put all the books into his storage bag.

    "I wonder who used to live here? To actually have such a set of mineral books hidden." Yuan Ming looked around and felt curious about the person who used to live here.

    From the situation here, it seemed that the other party had been gone for a long time. Yuan Ming didn¡¯t know if they had temporarily left orpletely abandoned this ce, but in any case, they didn¡¯t take away these precious books, which was a lucky break for him.

    Just at this moment, a sound of "chirp chirp" came from the side, apanied by Huo Chan¡¯er¡¯s urgent cries.

    Yuan Ming looked over and saw Huo Chan¡¯er clinging and scratching at a stone wall in the deepest part of the stone room.

    "Oh, is this part also hollow?" He walked over, tapped the stone wall, and indeed heard an echo.

    However, this time the echo was very weak, indicating that the stone wall in front of him was quite thick and not as easily broken as before.

    "It seems that there is a secret room inside. Generally, the entrance to secret rooms is opened by mechanisms." He searched nearby and soon found an inconspicuous protruding stone in a corner of the stone wall not far away.

    Yuan Ming held onto the stone and moved it left and right. With a light sound of "crack," the stone actually turned half a circle.

    The stone wall slowly moved aside, revealing a dark passage.

    Huo Chan¡¯er¡¯s face showed excitement and immediately flew in, but Yuan Ming grabbed her from behind.

    "This ce is strange, we must not be careless." He said slowly, taking out the White Ape¡¯s skin and draping it over himself. After transforming into the form of a White Ape, he cautiously entered.

    The passage had limited height, and he had to slightly lower his head to pass through. He walked carefully all the way and arrived at the end after a while.

    This was also a stone room, about the same size as the outside. Unlike the outside, there was a casting furnace ced here, and the mes inside had long been extinguished.

    This casting furnace was muchrger than the one in the Fire Workshop, with many mysterious patterns engraved on it, seemingly not an ordinary casting furnace.

    Next to the furnace were anvils and shelves for forging, making it aplete refining room.

    Huo Chan¡¯er kept shouting at the shelves. On the shelves were four or five red jade stones that looked simr to Fire Agate Jade in appearance, but the fluctuations of fire attribute spiritual energy emitted from them were extremely astonishing, far surpassing Fire Agate Jade.

    Yuan Ming also carefully explored the surrounding environment, confirming that there was no danger before walking over and picking up one of the red jade stones.

    "This jade stone... could it be Fire Jade Marrow!" His eyes lit up.

    Fire Agate Jade was formed by the fusion of the mes of volcanicva with underground minerals. If the environment was suitable and the fire power was abundant, Fire Agate Jade could continue to absorb the power of fire spirits and evolve. After more than a hundred years, it could transform into a new type of mineral, Fire Jade Marrow.

    Huo Chan¡¯er squealed with excitement, her eyes fixed on the Fire Jade Marrow, and drool dripped down.

    "You little glutton." Yuan Ming smiled slightly and handed the jade stone to Huo Chan¡¯er as a reward.

    Huo Chan¡¯er grabbed it and happily gnawed on it in her arms.

    Yuan Ming took the opportunity to collect the remaining four pieces of Fire Jade Marrow.

    The fire attribute spiritual energy contained in Fire Jade Marrow was more than ten times that of Fire Agate Jade. It was already considered a medium-grade spiritual material and had considerable value.There is a ce in the Biluo Cave where spiritual materials can be exchanged directly for contribution points. It is called the Qingfu Hall. A piece of fire jade marrow can exchange for ten contribution points, which is equivalent to collecting one hundred pieces of green water stone. Yuan Ming is in a good mood. With these pieces of fire jade marrow, this dangerous situation is not in vain.

    He walked around the stone room and came to the other side of the forging furnace, his footsteps paused.

    There was a corpse lying quietly here, but it was not visible because of the cover of the furnace.

    The corpse held a dark red iron hammer in its right hand. The handle of the hammer was made of ancient bronze-colored wood, and the hammer head was dark and shiny, with densely engraved me patterns on it. It looked somewhat simr to the stone hammer pattern in the fire workshop, but there were ten times more of them.

    Yuan Ming tried to pick up the hammer, but it turned out to be incredibly heavy. It was more than five times heavier than the forging hammer in the fire workshop. Fortunately, he was currently in the form of a white ape. If he were in human form, even if he could lift it, he would not be able to swing it easily.

    He infused his mana into it, and with a muffled sound, a burst of fiery red light suddenly rose from the hammer, apanied by a strong and unusual mana fluctuation, causing the nearby air to tremble.

    "What a powerful hammer, could it be a magical tool?" Yuan Ming¡¯s face lit up with joy, and he quickly tried to control it with his object-driving technique.

    The dark red hammer kept shing with light, showing a strong reaction to the object-driving technique, but that was all. It couldn¡¯t be driven like the incense burner immediately.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t mind this. With a low shout, he swung the hammer towards a nearby stone wall.

    With a loud bang, there was a sound of thunder and fire bursting out. The solid stone wall copsed inrge pieces, and cracks appeared on the other walls of the stone room.

    This seemingly sturdy stone room was almost smashed by his hammer.

    Yuan Ming was both shocked and delighted. He didn¡¯t expect the attack power of this hammer to be so amazing. Even if it wasn¡¯t a magical tool, it was not far off.

    The only regret was that the hammer was too heavy. Even with the strength of the white ape transformation, it was not very agile to swing. It would be inconvenient to use it in battle.

    He shook his head regretfully and put the dark red hammer into his storage bag before examining the corpse in front of him.

    The corpse was quite tall and seemed to be from the Southern Region. The clothing on the body was also in the style of the Southern Region. It hadn¡¯t decayed much, so it could be inferred that this person had died within the past year or two.

    Yuan Ming carefully turned over the corpse, and with a light sound, a small ck bag fell down, emitting a faint aura of prohibition.

    He was not unfamiliar with this aura because he also had something simr. This small bag was a storage bag.

    "There¡¯s a storage bag. It seems that this person is also a cultivator, and his cultivation level is not low!" Yuan Ming¡¯s eyebrows raised, and he carefully took the bag, infused his mana into it, and operated it ording to the alchemy technique taught by the Third Cave Master.

    The ck bag was quickly refined, revealing its internal space.

    He was surprised to find that the space inside the ck bag was extremelyrge. The storage bag given to him by the Third Cave Master had a space of only five or six feet square, simr to the size of a wardrobe, but this ck bag was as big as half a room.

    Based on the information he had learned, in the Southern Region¡¯s cultivation world, storage-type magical tools were precious, and therger the internal space, the higher the value. This ck bag¡¯s internal space was sorge that it could probably be exchanged for several attack magical tools.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s heart pounded, he tightly held the bag, turned around and looked around, as if afraid of being seen by someone.

    But the next moment, he realized that this was a deserted ind. Besides him, there was probably no one else on the ind, so he couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    The ck bag was not empty. There was a thick white book and more than a dozen pigeon egg-sized red stones ced in the corner.

    Yuan Ming took out one of the red stones, and a faint red light appeared inside it, emitting a spiritual energy fluctuation. Although it was not very strong, it was very pure.

    "This... could it be a spirit stone!" he murmured to himself.

    As the name suggests, a spirit stone is a stone that contains the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. It is the mostmon and important resource in the cultivation world.

    The basic principle of cultivation for countless cultivators in the world is to absorb the scattered spiritual energy between heaven and earth and transform it into mana that they can control through various cultivation methods.

    However, the spiritual energy between heaven and earth is scattered and mixed with each other, making it time-consuming andborious to extract and refine a specific type of spiritual energy. This is also the biggest obstacle that hinders cultivators from advancing quickly.

    In some blessednds and immortal realms, the spiritual energy is naturally abundant, forming spiritual veins. Over the years, it is possible for spirit stones to be born near the spiritual veins.

    Spirit stones contain the spiritual energy of the spiritual veins, which is extremely pure. They can be directly absorbed into mana without the need for refining through cultivation methods. This greatly elerates the speed of cultivation.

    With this effect, spirit stones can be called the number one treasure in the cultivation world, and they are even used as hard currency in transactions.

    However, the function of spirit stones is not limited to assisting in cultivation. Through the research of generations of cultivators, they have been used in refining tools, refining pills, and setting up formations, etc. They can exert even more amazing effects. It can be said that as long as it requires spiritual energy, spirit stones can y a huge role.Such a multitude of uses made spirit stones highly sought after, with every sect and faction vying for this rare resource. Yuan Ming didn¡¯t know about other ces, but it was said that the only spirit stone mine in the Bi Luo Cave was treated as a sect¡¯s important area, with arge number of cultivators dispatched to protect it. One of the most popr tasks in the Execution Hall was the duty of overseeing the spirit stone mine.

    (Today we continue with four more chapters, please vote ^^)

 Chapter 88: Seek help

    Chapter 88: Seek help

    Yuan Ming shook his head regretfully as he yed with the fiery red spirit stone.

    Spirit stones can be roughly divided into five categories: gold, wood, water, fire, and earth, based on the different types of spiritual energy they contain. This spirit stone is obviously a fire attribute spirit stone, while his cultivation technique, the Nine Elements Form, is a wood attribute cultivation technique, so he cannot absorb the spiritual energy from it to assist in his cultivation.

    Yuan Ming put the spirit stone back into the ck pouch and took out the book, eagerly flipping it open.

    This book must not be an ordinary book if it was hidden in a ck pouch.

    The pages of these books are not made of paper, but a soft white silk, which can preserve for a longer time than paper.

    He opened the first page, and four big characters came into view: ckwood Notes.

    "ckwood? This name sounds familiar... Could it be the ckwood Master from the Fire Refining Hall that Chen Wan mentioned?" Yuan Ming suddenly remembered what Chen Wan had told him and paused flipping through the book. He continued searching on the corpse and quickly found a namete from the chest pocket of its robe, with the words "ckwood" written on it.

    "It really is the ckwood Master." Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes lit up.

    ckwood is known as one of the most talented weapon refiners in the Biluo Cave for the past hundred years, and the value of the notes he left behind is definitely not low.However, he did not expect that such a legendary weapon master would fall here without any exnation.

    He was about to continue flipping through the ckwood Notes when Huo Chan¡¯er, who was ying inside the room, suddenly rushed over and jumped onto Yuan Ming¡¯s shoulder, squeaking anxiously and full of fear.

    Yuan Ming frowned and immediately put away the ckwood Notes. A green light shed in his palm, and the Green Fish Sword appeared. He scanned the surroundings with sharp eyes.

    However, as time passed, there were no abnormal urrences around him.

    But Yuan Ming dared not rx at all and quietly walked towards the outside.

    Along the way, Huo Chan¡¯er¡¯s spiritual perception was proven right multiple times. It was incredibly sharp, able to sense the aura of the Fire Jade Marrow even through two stone walls. It was definitely not something to be ignored.

    Just as he was about to reach the entrance of the stone chamber, Huo Chan¡¯er suddenly screamed again. Almost at the same time, a yellow figure leaped out from under his feet, and a long w lightning-fast grabbed at his leg.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t expect the enemy to emerge from underground and hurriedly dodged to the side. The Green Fish Sword reflexively counterattacked, shing towards the chest of the yellow figure.

    The yellow figure¡¯s movements were extremely strange. It easily dodged the sh of the Green Fish Sword, crashed into the nearby stone wall, and melted into it without any hindrance, disappearing without a trace.

    Yuan Ming stumbled for a moment, and a long gash was cut on his right leg, oozing a lot of blood.

    Although he had tried his best to dodge, he was still grazed by the w of the yellow figure. Fortunately, the wound was not deep and did not affect his movement.

    "It can easily prate the stone wall... Could that thing be an underground demon?" he thought to himself.

    He had seen records of underground demons in the books. They had the ability to burrow underground and move freely in soil and stone. They were both offensive and defensive, especially difficult to deal with in the current environment.

    It was said that underground demons only appeared deep in the Ten Thousand Mountains, so how could there be one in the Qianlu Lake area?

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t have time to tend to his injuries and immediately rushed towards the outside.

    Huo Chan¡¯er crouched on his shoulder, anxiously looking around.

    "Oh, how could I forget to use its power!" Yuan Ming suddenly had an idea and formed a hand seal.

    At this moment, Huo Chan¡¯er screamed again and looked towards the back.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s right hand, which was forming the hand seal, immediately pointed backward in the same direction that Huo Chan¡¯er was looking.

    A faint yellow light appeared on the wall to the left and back, and half of the body of the yellow figure demon emerged.

    At the same time, a green light shed under its body, and a sharp wooden spike appeared out of thin air, piercing into the abdomen of the yellow figure demon.

    This demon belonged to the earth element, and wood restrains earth. The Wood Spike Technique easily broke through its body defense, tearing open arge wound.

    The demon let out a miserable cry, and most of the yellow light on its body dissipated, revealing its true form.

    It was a monster with a big head and a slender body, entirely earthy yellow. Its skin was exceptionally smooth, and its four ws were thin and long, with a hint of grotesqueness amidst its ugliness.

    "It really is an underground demon!" Yuan Ming whispered to himself and formed another hand seal.

    Two wooden spikes emerged and crossed, stabbing towards the body of the underground demon.

    The underground demon¡¯s body shrank, evading the pursuit of the two wooden spikes, and sank into the stone wall, disappearing without a trace.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s face turned cold, without the excitement of a sessful strike. He continued to run towards the outside.

    ording to the records in the books, underground demons hold grudges. Although the Wood Spike Technique injured it just now, it may not have hit a vital spot. This demon might still be lurking nearby, so he must leave immediately.

    During the rest of the journey, the underground demon did not attack again, and Yuan Ming quickly arrived outside, feeling slightly relieved.

    Underground demons can move through the ground, and the more enclosed the environment, the more advantageous it is for them. Now that he was in an open area outside, the demon¡¯s attack range was greatly reduced, so it was not as dangerous.

    Huo Chan¡¯er burrowed into Yuan Ming¡¯s arms, raised its head, and let out a few low cries, trembling with fear.

    "Look at how scared you are. But it¡¯s understandable. First, there was the Four-Eyed Golden Ape, then the ck Crow, and now an underground demon appeared. It¡¯s indeed better to leave early!" Yuan Ming gently stroked the fur on Huo Chan¡¯er¡¯s head and also had the intention to retreat.

    Although this mist-shrouded ind was full of dangers, it also highlighted its mystery. Especially with the appearance of the ckwood corpse, it made him curious and eager to explore. Unfortunately, his strength was still too weak, so he could only wait for an opportunity in the future.He retraced his steps along the chilly creek, quickly returning to the ck pine forest he had been in before.

    Yuan Ming hesitated for a moment, deciding not to return the same way he came.

    If he took the same route, he would likely encounter the giant ck crow and the four-eyed golden monkey again. He didn¡¯t want any unnecessary entanglements with these two creatures, preferring to avoid them if possible.

    Yuan Ming carefully recalled the situation after arriving on the ind, and reluctantly determined that this ck pine forest should also be on the edge of the ind. Walking in the opposite direction of the chilly creek should also lead him to the edge of the ind.

    He followed his own judgment, and the ck pine forest gradually thinned out. The sound of rushing water could be heard, and he quickly arrived at thekeside.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s face rxed, and he immediately dispelled the fur spell. He found a dry ce to sit down, and while he circted the Nine Yuan Jue to recover his mana, he considered his escape n.

    He still had ropes on him, so making another raft was not a difficult task. The trouble was the ck water creature that couldunch thunder and lightning attacks. He always felt that the creature was still lurking near the ind, waiting for him.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming suddenly opened his eyes and looked at a pine tree next to him.

    However, there was nothing there.

    "That¡¯s strange, I clearly felt something there just now..." Yuan Ming muttered to himself, suddenly thinking of a possibility.

    "Silver Cat, is that you?" He stood up and asked.

    The surroundings were silent, with no response.

    "I know you¡¯re nearby, can you show yourself?" Yuan Ming cleared his throat and said sincerely.

    Although he didn¡¯t know why, the Silver Cat had always been mysteriously following him and should be nearby now. This cat had extraordinary abilities, and if it could assist him, it would be much easier to leave this ce.

    Apart from the sound of water and wind, there was still no other movement.

    Yuan Ming gave a bitter smile, knowing that this was the Silver Cat¡¯s way of refusing to help. He didn¡¯t continue to call out, but sat down again and continued to circte the Nine Yuan Jue to recover his mana.

    After a while, he stood up and summoned the Green Fish Sword, cut down a few ck pines, trimmed the branches and tied the ropes, and quickly made a new raft.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t put the raft into the water, but stored it in the ck storage bag. Then he summoned the incense burner to rise into the air, trying to ascend as high as possible, and then flew away with all his strength.

    The wind whistled in his ears, and the white fog was cut into a trail. He quickly flew a distance of seven or eight miles.

    When he got here, Yuan Ming¡¯s face turned pale. He slowly descended and stopped a few feet above theke.

    He took out the raft from the ck storage bag, gently dropped it into theke, and then floated down, panting slightly.

    Having flown so far, Yuan Ming¡¯s mana was almost exhausted, and his body was extremely weak. He wished he could fall asleep right away, but now was not the time to rest.

    He forced himself to cheer up, took out a pole, and carefully propelled the raft, quickly moving forward.

    This was the escape n that Yuan Ming had thought of after much consideration: first use the incense burner to fly as far as possible, and then escape on the raft.

    If it had been before, this method would not have worked. The storage bag given to him by the Three Caves Master couldn¡¯t fit a raft. It was only after he got the storage bag from Master ckwood that he had this escape n.

    This method was very risky. If the ck water creature saw through it, he would have almost no power to resist. But he had no other way and could only take a risk.

    Yuan Ming quickly propelled the raft, his heart pounding, always paying attention to the movements around him.

    Time passed bit by bit, and the ck water creature never appeared. His tense nerves gradually rxed. He continued to move forward for a dozen miles, confirmed that the ck water creature would not appear, and then stopped the raft and sat cross-legged to recover his mana.

    As soon as his mana was restored, Yuan Ming immediately put the raft into the storage bag and continued to fly into the sky with the incense burner.

    Half a dayter, it waspletely dark.

    Somewhere on the shore of Qianlu Lake, a raft was quickly approaching and slowly docking.

    "I finally made it out." Yuan Ming jumped ashore and let out a sigh of relief.

    This search for the Bishui Stone, which he thought would be an easy task, had turned out to be full of twists and turns.

    Yuan Ming shook his head and quickly left.

    Tens of feet away from Yuan Ming in theke, a round, ck object the size of a millstone emerged. It was smooth and had tworge green eyes, looking like the head of some aquatic creature. Several ck tentacles were visible in the surroundingke water, paddling hard and quickly approaching the shore.

    If Yuan Ming were here, he would recognize at a nce that this was the ck water creature that had been chasing him.

    However, the ferocious light in the ck water creature¡¯s eyes was gone, reced by a look of confusion, as if it had been mind-controlled.

    On top of the ck head sat a small silver figure, the Silver Cat.

    The ck water creature quickly swam to the shore, and the Silver Cat jumped lightly and silentlynded on the shore. Its heterochromatic eyes shone brightly in the night, looking in the direction Yuan Ming had left.

    The ck water creature trembled, and the confused look in its eyes suddenly disappeared. It looked at the Silver Cat in fear, then immediately dived into the water and disappeared.

 Chapter 89: A lifelong pursuit

    Chapter 89: A lifelong pursuit

    Yuan Ming did not rush back to the Biluo Cave overnight. Firstly, it was unsafe to travel at night, and secondly, he didn¡¯t know where he was currently located or if there were any dangers around. He decided to wait until dawn to make a decision.

    He set up a simple grass shed by theke and sat down, reflecting on today¡¯s encounters.

    Yuan Ming had a good habit of carefully reflecting on his shorings after experiencing major events.

    The reason why he encountered danger multiple times today was because he didn¡¯t consider it thoroughly and was unprepared. Although he knew that Qianlu Lake was vast, he didn¡¯t think about the possibility of getting lost. There were alsopasses and other things in the Biluo Cave. If he had prepared one in advance, he wouldn¡¯t have encountered the subsequent troubles.

    Yuan Ming let out a sigh and silently remembered this lesson.

    Although he encountered danger today, the gains were also great. He obtained a set of "Record of Strange Stones," four pieces of Fire Jade Essence, a dark red iron hammer, arge storage bag, and the ck wooden notebook. Each of them was a treasure.

    "Oh right, I almost forgot about this." Yuan Ming reached out and took out an item, which was the red peach he picked.

    The peach emitted a refreshing fragrance that could be felt in one¡¯s heart and contained rich spiritual energy. It was definitely a rare spiritual fruit that could greatly assist in cultivation.

    However, he didn¡¯t know the origin and effects of this fruit, so he hesitated to eat it rashly."I better investigate it thoroughly after returning to the sect." Yuan Ming swallowed his saliva and put the peach away.

    He took out the ck wooden notebook and carefully read through it.

    The front of the notebook contained the self-narration of Master Heimu, introducing his life. He came from a small tribe in Southern Border that specialized in iron forging. Since childhood, he had a great interest in refining tools, but unfortunately, his physical condition prevented him from learning the forging techniques of his n.

    Later, by chance, Heimu was found to possess spiritual roots, and they were both fire and wood spiritual roots. As a result, he was sent to the Biluo Cave for cultivation.

    Heimu wasn¡¯t particrly interested in cultivating immortality itself; his heart was still set on refining tools. However, the refining techniques in the Biluo Cave also required a certain level of physical strength, which Heimucked. He could only do some simple forging tasks with fewer hammer strikes in the fire workshop.

    But Heimu didn¡¯t give up. While diligently doing his own duties, he also searched for ways to ovee hisck of strength.

    He firmly believed that he was born for refining tools.

    During this period, Master Heimu came into contact with the technique of driving objects, which immediately sparked his inspiration.

    With his intelligence and wisdom, Master Heimu forcefullybined the technique of driving objects with the forging process, perfectly solving the problem of insufficient strength. He officially embarked on the path of refining tools and became unstoppable.

    Just as Master Heimu firmly believed, he was indeed a natural tool refiner. In just ten years, he learned all the refining techniques in the Biluo Cave and integrated them, creating his own unique school of refining tools, the Heimu Style.

    ording to the self-narration, the back of the notebook recorded all of Master Heimu¡¯s lifelong insights into refining tools and his various ideas. It could be said to be the culmination of his lifelong pursuit and efforts.

    Upon reaching this point, Yuan Ming¡¯s expression became solemn.

    Chen Wan mentioned that although Master Heimu was hailed as the first genius tool refiner in the Biluo Cave in a hundred years, his refining techniques seemed to have not been passed down in the Biluo Cave. If the other sect members were to find out about the ck wooden notebook in his possession, it would likely cause a great disturbance.

    "The matter of Misty Ind must not be known by anyone, and the ck storage bag also needs to be hidden!" Yuan Ming secretly decided and continued reading.

    Theter self-narration in the notebook became sloppy, mostly recording the difficulties encountered by Master Heimu during the refining process orints written when he was in a bad mood. It was scattered and not very coherent.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t ck off and carefully read these words, not letting go of any details.

    ording to Chen Wan, the sudden disappearance of Master Heimu caused quite a stir within the sect. Perhaps some clues could be found in this notebook.

    These scattered words from Master Heimu revealed a lot of information. As his refining techniques became more and more exquisite, it seemed that he was being restrained by the Biluo Cave sect. Later, he stumbled in the process of refining a special treasure and ultimately decided to leave the Biluo Cave.

    "If this continues, everyone will die!"

    This was thest sentence written by Master Heimu in the self-narration of the notebook.

    "What does he mean by ¡¯everyone will die¡¯?" Yuan Ming muttered to himself, unable to guess the meaning behind Master Heimu¡¯s words.

    Since he couldn¡¯t figure it out, he didn¡¯t waste his time and continued reading the Heimu Style refining techniques in theter part of the notebook.

    The handwriting here was very neat, indicating that Master Heimu was extremely serious when writing each word.

    The Heimu Style refining techniques were divided into four steps: smelting the ore and forging the embryo.

    These two steps were not unfamiliar to Yuan Ming.ording to Master Heimu¡¯s description, smelting and forging embryos may seem simple, but they are the foundation of forging an object. There are many things to pay attention to, such as the ratio of ores, control of heat, and the strength of hammering. Any slight problem can affect the subsequent refining process.

    Master Heimu has put a lot of thought into smelting and forging embryos. Each step is much moreplicated than in the fire workshop. For example, in the fire workshop, there are at most a thousand forges, but Master Heimu requires ten thousand forges, and the requirements for each forging detail are also very high.

    Yuan Ming nced through it roughly. Although there were many things he didn¡¯t understand, he asionally had a sense of enlightenment and understanding.

    However, he didn¡¯t delve into it and continued to flip through.

    Because of his currentck of strength, he could only barely touch the first two steps in the fire workshop of Biro Cave. He didn¡¯t know what the subsequent refining process was like. He had been curious for a long time and finally had a moreprehensive understanding now.

    Yuan Ming quickly flipped through the pages, scanning ten lines at a nce, andbined with his own deductions, he quickly understood all the steps of refining.

    After smelting and forging embryos, the next two steps in refining are carving symbols and infusing spirits.

    Only by smelting and forging embryos, the weapons created are just ordinary objects. No matter how well these weapons are forged, they are at most tougher and sharper than ordinary weapons, like the Blue Fish Sword.

    To refine a magical tool with special powers, carving symbols and infusing spirits are required.

    Carving symbols means engraving runes with magical powers on the weapon, so that the weapon possesses special effects. Some can make the weapon sharper, some make it exceptionally sturdy, and some can even make the weapon unleash mes, thunder, and other powers.

    "The patterns engraved on the Broken Stone Hammer in the fire workshop are probably runes. No wonder it can easily crush hard ores," Yuan Ming recalled the situation when he first screened the materials.

    Runes are extremely precious. Every refiner spends their entire life collecting as many new runes as possible. Master Heimu is no exception. His refining manual records forty-five types of runes, such as "Sharp Rune," "Armor-Piercing Rune," "Gale Rune," and so on.

    At the end of the pages of writing runes, there are some moreplex things, as if many runes are connected together. With his current knowledge, he can¡¯t understand them at all.

    Carving symbols is not easy. Master Heimu believes that each rune represents a rule of the operation of spiritual energy in the world. When carving, there must be no slightest mistake. Otherwise, the entire rune will have no effect. To be proficient in carving symbols, it requires years of practice.

    Many refiners can only master a limited number of runes in their lifetime. The main reason why Master Heimu is famous is that he has a high level of aplishment in runes. He has mastered all forty-five types of runes recorded in this manual.

    To refine a magical tool, it is not enough to just engrave runes. After the runes are engraved, they do not immediately possess power. They still need to be infused with spiritual energy.

    Infusing spirits means injecting mana into the engraved runes to activate their power.

    This step may sound simple, but it is not easy to do. Infusing spirits requires a high level of mana maniption. These newly engraved runes on the magical tool are actually very fragile. A slight excess of impact will cause the runes to copse.

    Infusing spirits also has another purpose, which is topletely integrate the runes with the magical tool.

    Only when the newly engraved runes and the magical tool arepletely integrated can they be thoroughly stable and withstand the intense collisions in future battles. To achieve this goal, it is not enough to rely solely on skilled mana control. It also requires a natural spirituality, or talent.

    Among the several steps of refining magical tools, the failure rate of infusing spirits is the highest. Even senior refiners only have a sess rate of two to three percent. ording to the records in the manual, even Master Heimu¡¯s sess rate in infusing spirits is less than half.

    When Yuan Ming saw this, he couldn¡¯t help but sigh at the difficulty of refining tools.

    He continued to flip through the pages and quickly finished reading the entire manual, then looked into the distance.

    Yuan Ming was not very interested in the path of refining tools. These days, he persisted in going to the fire workshop to learn forging mainly to establish himself in Biro Cave. Now that he had obtained this Heimu manual, he had a shortcut in the field of refining tools. Perhaps he could try it out.

    He didn¡¯t expect to reach the heights of Master Heimu. Being able to refine the most ordinary magical tool would be enough.

    During his time in the sect, Yuan Ming became increasingly aware of the power and importance of magical tools.

    Magical tools are divided into four grades: low-grade, middle-grade, high-grade, and top-grade. Most of the disciples in Biro Cave only have low-grade magical tools. But even low-grade magical tools are not something that everyone has. As for middle-grade magical tools, they are extremely rare, and only a few inner disciples have one.

    Unconsciously, the figure of Kun Tu appeared in Yuan Ming¡¯s mind. The ck g in his hands, named Yin Ghost g, is a middle-grade magical tool and is well-known in Biro Cave.He had personally experienced the power of the Yin Ghost g. If he hadn¡¯t escaped quickly back then, he would have already died under this g.

    As for superior and top-grade magical tools, Yuan Ming had never heard of anyone possessing them. There were rumors that only those at the Foundation Establishment stage had such treasures in their hands.

    He flipped his hand and took out his Green Fish Sword. Recently, in battles, the role of this sword was bing smaller and smaller. If he could upgrade it to a magical tool, even if it was a lower-grade one, his strength would immediately increase greatly.

    Yuan Ming was silent for a moment, then he opened the ckwood note again and started reading from the beginning.

    The night passed quickly.

    Yuan Ming left the grass hut. After confirming his location, he headed straight towards the direction of the Bi Luo Cave¡¯s gate.

 Chapter 90: Not stupid to the end

    Chapter 90: Not stupid to the end

    A few dayster, in the early morning.

    Before the Mao hour arrived, the sound of nging hammers could be heard in the fire workshop.

    Inside a casting house, hot air filled the air as Yuan Ming, shirtless, held a casting hammer in his hand, continuously striking the iron on the anvil. Bright red sparks scattered in all directions.

    His expression was focused, his eyes fixed on the iron, as if there was nothing else in his sight.

    His arm was tightly connected to the casting hammer, seemingly just a simple grip, but in reality, he secretly activated his driving technique, infusing his mana into the hammer, creating a sense ofplete control.

    Yuan Ming hammered one after another, his speed getting faster and faster, constantly approaching his target.

    "ng ng ng..."

    The urgent sound formed a unique rhythm, like pearls falling on a jade te.

    Eight hundred and thirty-seven, eight hundred and thirty-eight...Nine hundred and forty-one, nine hundred and forty-two, nine hundred and forty-three...

    Yuan Ming was sweating profusely, withrge beads of sweat falling from his forehead.

    "Almost there, almost there..." Yuan Ming clenched his teeth, constantly repeating in his mind.

    Nine hundred and seventy-eight, nine hundred and seventy-nine...

    His arm had be stiff, and his swinging motion started to deform, but he tried his best to control it, not allowing the hammer to deviate in the slightest.

    However, when human strength reached its limit, it could not be ovee by will alone.

    At the moment when the nine hundred and eighty-first hammer fell, the originally crisp and pleasant sound became unexpectedly dull.

    Yuan Ming knew that he had failed again.

    He stopped his movements, no longer continuing the meaningless hammering, and watched as the iron on the anvil slowly cooled down.

    The fire ferret, who had been watching by the side, also sensed Yuan Ming¡¯s disappointment and quickly ran to his side, extending its ws to grab the casting hammer, as if wanting to help him continue refining.

    Yuan Ming touched its head and smiled, putting the casting hammer aside.

    He was not actually feeling disappointed, but rather reflecting. His spiritual power was not weak, and his driving technique cultivation was progressing smoothly, but there was still some distance to go before achievingplete mastery. This was the main reason for his failure in refining the embryo.

    At this moment, a figure walked over from a distance, and it was Fang Ge.

    "Your progress is faster than I imagined. Being able to continuously strike nine hundred and eighty-one hammers in just a few days is enough to refine spirit beast saddles and other things. It can be said that your level has surpassed most of the disciples in the Fire Refining Hall." He came to Yuan Ming¡¯s side and stopped, looking up and down at Yuan Ming before speaking.

    "Thank you for your praise, Senior Brother. However, I am still neen hammers away from that goal," Yuan Ming said.

    "A slight difference leads to a thousand miles of error. Although it seems like only neen hammers away, in reality, it is still far," Fang Ge nodded, his face serious.

    Yuan Ming wanted to continue with some polite words, but swallowed them back, feeling a bit awkward. He thought to himself, are you here to encourage me or to mock me?

    "I understand that my gap is not just a matter of neen hammers, but also in terms of strength, technique, and even focus. There is still a considerable difference," Yuan Ming thought for a moment and said.

    "I can tell that you don¡¯t really like refining tools, so I am a bit confused. Master has already made it clear that you don¡¯t have to refine embryos with screened materials, but why do you still insist on doing so and even put in more effort than others?" Fang Ge¡¯s serious face showed a hint of confusion as he asked.

    "Because I don¡¯t like taking detours," Yuan Ming looked at this serious and earnest senior brother and replied.

    "Hmm?" Fang Ge became even more puzzled.

    "When I encounter a mountain, I prefer to climb over it rather than go around it," Yuan Ming exined with a smile.

    "Very well! In that case, you are very close to the goal of continuously striking a thousand hammers," Fang Ge said, a smile appearing on his face.

    ...

    At night.

    A full moon hung in the western sky, its clear and bright moonlight pouring in through the window.

    Yuan Ming sat cross-legged in his room, holding a censer in his arms, surrounded by a faint glow, cultivating the "Death Moon Method".

    Huo Chan¡¯erfortably leaned against his feet, her eyes half-closed, half-dreaming.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s divine sense sat in meditation, and he could clearly see the inner scene of his own sea of consciousness. The hidden dangers caused by practicing the "Fur Covering Technique" had been mostly suppressed by him.

    The dark red mist that pervaded his sea of consciousness had been driven to the edge and dared not cause trouble anymore.

    Yuan Ming formed hand seals with both hands, silently reciting the Death Moon Method, gathering his divine sense and concentrating his power.

    Suddenly, a thought arose in his mind, and his divine sense began to surge out of his sea of consciousness, exploring his meridians throughout his body.

    He wanted to trypleting the internal vision of all his meridians.

    When his divine sense surged out, it first divided into two forces, entering the Ren Meridian and Du Meridian respectively.

    These two are thergest yin and yang meridians in the human body. As soon as his divine sense entered, he could clearly see the Ren Meridian descending from the forehead, passing through the brow center, the tip of the nose, the throat, the chest, and all the way down to the lower abdomen.

    Each acupoint along the way was like a ry station on a post road, lighting up one after another.The divine consciousness that entered the Du Meridian, observed all the way, went down along the back of the brain, and along the way, there were countless watchtowers like the Great Wall, each corresponding to an acupoint, burning with raging fire.

    When the two divine consciousnesses diverged, Yuan Ming felt a slight headache, but it was still bearable.

    But after the two diverged, there were still seven meridians above his head: the Stomach Meridian of Foot Yangming, the Galldder Meridian of Foot Shaoyang, the dder Meridian of Foot Taiyang, the Large Intestine Meridian of Hand Yangming, the Triple Burner Meridian of Hand Shaoyang, the Small Intestine Meridian of Hand Taiyang, and the Liver Meridian of Foot Jueyin.

    The divine consciousness also needed to enter these seven meridians at the same time, so it had to be divided into seven.

    In order to make progress in practicing the "Death Moon Method," Yuan Ming made up his mind and his thoughts arose.

    In the next moment, his seven divided divine consciousnesses simultaneously entered these meridians and began to observe internally.

    For a while, the internal scenes of each meridian and the acupoints all over his body were clearly disyed in Yuan Ming¡¯s mind.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s head felt like it was about to explode, and he felt an unbearable pain.

    He clenched his teeth and forcibly suppressed the urge to open his eyes and give up the continued impact, but his body was trembling uncontrobly.

    This was intense pain that caused muscle spasms throughout his body.

    The fire ferret leaning against his feet was awakened by Yuan Ming¡¯s abnormality and couldn¡¯t help but open its eyes.

    It looked at Yuan Ming, who had a pale face, sweating on his forehead, and trembling all over, and couldn¡¯t help but panic and squeak.

    At this moment, it suddenly saw a silver shadow standing up on the ancient pine tree outside the window. It immediately arched its back and snarled at that direction.

    The silver shadow walked out of the tree shade with elegant steps, gradually revealing a body covered in silver-white soft fur under the moonlight, emitting a noble and elegant aura.

    The fire ferret did not rx its vignce because of the beautiful appearance of the silver cat. On the contrary, there was a faint glow of fire in its snarling mouth.

    However, the silver catpletely ignored its warning and intimidation. It continued to walk with elegant steps, along the branches, and leaped lightly onto the windowsill.

    Just as the fire ferret felt threatened and was about to attack, its eyes suddenly met the silver cat¡¯s different-colored pupils.

    A mysterious and enchanting light lit up in those pupils, and the fire ferret found that the scenery in front of its eyes changed, as if it saw a small mountain built with fire crystals and fire jade.

    Its eyes were mesmerized, and its mouth couldn¡¯t help but curl up into a smile, but it seemed to think of Yuan Ming being in danger. It struggled forcibly, trying to resist this temptation.

    But when those fire crystals and fire jade rolled towards it, it couldn¡¯t resist the temptation and couldn¡¯t help but pounce on them.

    It wasn¡¯t that it had no backbone, but there were just too many fire crystals.

    The silver cat nced at the fire ferret rolling on the ground, kicking its legs, and looked at it with disdain.

    Then, her gaze fell on Yuan Ming.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming¡¯s face was not just pale. His eyebrows were furrowed, showing a painful expression.

    His divine consciousness had almost poured out, wanting to travel through all the meridians and then rush straight to the dantian, observing all three internal scenes thoroughly.

    But halfway through, he felt that his scattered divine consciousness was bing somewhat weak.

    "Could it be that the strength of the divine consciousness is not enough?" Yuan Ming wondered.

    Just as he hesitated and hesitated for a moment, the remaining power of his divine consciousness in his sea of consciousness began to flow out and rush towards the meridians.

    The scenes observed by Yuan Ming¡¯s divine consciousness instantly expanded, and all twelve regr meridians and the Eight Extraordinary Meridians were thoroughly observed in this instant.

    "Fool."

    Just at this moment, the voice of the silver cat suddenly sounded abruptly in Yuan Ming¡¯s sea of consciousness.

    Yuan Ming suddenly realized that the voice was very different from before, as if it was far away from him and somewhat elusive.

    Before he could respond, he suddenly felt his mind go nk, and a strong chaotic killing intent surged in his sea of consciousness, difficult to control.

    In his sea of consciousness, the originally suppressed dark red mist began to spread frantically, without the power of divine consciousness to suppress and resist, it began topletely erode Yuan Ming¡¯s sea of consciousness.

    And Yuan Ming¡¯s scattered divine consciousness in the meridians, like soldiers fighting outside, were caught off guard and unable to return to rescue in time.

    Just as his sea of consciousness was about to bepletely upied, a bright moonlight enveloped him, and a mysterious and ethereal chanting sound echoed in Yuan Ming¡¯s ears.

    In his already eroded sea of consciousness, a bright light suddenly appeared, and the dark red mist was forced to retreat.

    Yuan Ming finally got a moment of respite, and his divine consciousness immediately began to gather and return to his sea of consciousness. After a long time, it finally stabilized again.

    He opened his eyes suddenly, bloodshot eyes filled his vision, and his whole body was soaked in cold sweat.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. He first nced at the fire ferret rolling on the ground, then looked at the windowsill.

    A beautiful and mysterious silver cat was sitting elegantly on the windowsill, and a pair of different-colored eyes looked at him disdainfully, just like how it looked at the stupid fire ferret before.

    "Thank you." Yuan Ming stood up and thanked the silver cat.

    The silver cat nced at the incense burner in his hand, ignored it, hesitated for a moment, and then turned to leave.

    "Please stay." Yuan Ming hurriedly stopped her.The silver cat paused, hesitated for a moment, then turned half its head to look over.

    "You previously gifted me the ¡¯Death Moon Method¡¯, did you see that I was suffering from the bacsh of my fur-shedding technique and intentionally did so?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "You¡¯re still salvageable... notpletely stupid." The silver cat finally responded, but still didn¡¯t have any kind words.

    "So it is, I owe you a favor then." Yuan Ming didn¡¯t mind, he sincerely said.

 Chapter 91: Stop running

    Chapter 91: Stop running

    "Take what you need." The silver cat¡¯s head turned back and took a few steps forward, its voice echoing in Yuan Ming¡¯s sea of consciousness.

    "What does this mean?" Yuan Ming asked, puzzled.

    The silver cat did not exin, and continued walking forward.

    "No matter what your intentions are, can you help me again? I will remember it in my heart." Yuan Ming immediately spoke up.

    Upon hearing this, the silver cat paused its steps and did not leave immediately.

    Yuan Ming was delighted to see this. He thought that since the other party had taken the initiative to give him a life-saving technique and had helped him again, it must mean that they had goodwill towards him. Moreover, the fact that the silver cat had been following him all this time probably meant that they had some request for him.

    So he spoke with the idea of giving it a try, but he didn¡¯t expect to actually have a chance.

    "What do you want me to help you with?" The silver cat¡¯s voice echoed in Yuan Ming¡¯s mind.

    "Teach me the Death Moon method." Yuan Ming immediately said."Your talent is too poor, you won¡¯t be able to learn it." The silver cat¡¯s voice echoed in Yuan Ming¡¯s mind.

    Yuan Ming hesitated upon hearing this, but then said, "As long as you are willing to teach me, regardless of whether I can seed or not, I am willing to do something for you in return."

    Upon hearing this, the silver cat seemed to be somewhat moved and asked, "Even if it is something that could endanger your life... are you still willing to do it?"

    "I believe you won¡¯t ask me to do such a thing. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have spoken up to save me earlier." Yuan Ming hesitated for a moment upon hearing this, then spoke up.

    "At the moment, I do have some matters... that I can¡¯t conveniently handle myself... perhaps you can do it." The silver cat pondered and said slowly.

    "But it¡¯s fine to tell me." Yuan Ming said, feeling that the other party¡¯s speech seemed more coherent than before.

    "The Beast ve Hall or the Execution Hall disciples of the Biro Cave almost every month secretly go out to hunt and kill wild people. I want you to investigate their purpose for doing so." The silver cat pondered for a moment and slowly said.

    "Isn¡¯t it to capture fur-d beast ves?" Yuan Ming frowned and said.

    He was originally captured and selected along with a group of wild people, and eventually became a fur-d beast ve.

    "You people with spiritual roots were captured and brought back to be fur-d beast ves, but what about those without spiritual roots?" The silver cat¡¯s cold voice echoed in Yuan Ming¡¯s sea of consciousness, asking.

    Yuan Ming recalled for a moment and furrowed his brows.

    He still remembered that in that cave, all the remaining wild people were killed after being selected, and the people from the Biro Cave used a small silver bell about an inch in size to collect the souls of the killed wild people.

    "Alright, I will go investigate." Yuan Ming nodded.

    Upon hearing this, the silver cat did not immediately leave. It pointed out to Yuan Ming, "When you were cultivating the Death Moon method just now, you wanted to use your divine sense to inspect all the meridians in one go, right?"

    Yuan Ming was not surprised that the silver cat could detect his cultivation progress and nodded.

    "My soul power is not enough, so my divine sense can only stay within my sea of consciousness and cannot internally inspect the meridians and dantian. In order to make a breakthrough, I can only take the risk of forcibly inspecting the meridians." After thinking for a moment, Yuan Ming said so.

    "Who told you that internal inspection of the meridians needs to bepleted in one go?" The silver cat asked in return.

    Yuan Ming paused, only then did he realize that he had fallen into a misunderstanding, thinking that internal inspection of the meridians required the divine sense to pass through all the meridians at once to inspect their conditions.

    "If that¡¯s the case, then the entry requirements for the technique would also require simultaneous internal inspection of the sea of consciousness, meridians, and dantian, right?" The silver cat asked again.

    "In that case, do I only need to inspect one or a few meridians each time?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "The key is not the quantity, but the smoothness. Whether your divine sense can smoothly travel through your body¡¯s internalndscape is the key... The sea of consciousness and dantian are like two capitals, while the meridians are the roads. Your divine sense travels within them, like driving a car to patrol the map of your body. The ability to swiftly and smoothly travel and patrol reflects your control over the mountains and rivers within your body." The silver cat shook its head and began to exin.

    "In that case, I have been doubting myself and limiting my progress." Yuan Ming realized this and suddenly understood.

    "Sitting and observing internally is the basic ability of all Foundation Establishment cultivators. Only soul cultivators can take a step ahead without needing to establish foundations, relying on the advantage of their soul power. This was originally not difficult, but unfortunately, your talent is truly dull." The silver cat continued to transmit its voice.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming pondered for a moment and then furrowed his brows, "No, I have tried to explore one meridian at a time before, but I failed. That¡¯s why I mistakenly thought that simultaneous exploration was necessary. Why is that?"

    "Your soul power operation also has problems, you shouldn¡¯t..." After the silver cat¡¯s guidance, Yuan Ming finally had an epiphany.

    "That¡¯s all I have to say. You canprehend it yourself." Finally, the silver cat left behind these words and ran out of the window, disappearing into the darkness.

    After a long time, the little fire ferret, who had been rolling on the ground, finally regained consciousness.

    It saw that the nearby fire crystals and fire jade that were right in front of it suddenly disappeared, and for a moment, it couldn¡¯t handle the shock. Its stiff body fell backward, and it started rolling around again.

    Yuan Ming took out a piece of fire jade and threw it over, immediately curing its sadness. He then picked up a crystal and happily started gnawing on it.

    Yuan Ming himself closed his eyes, embraced the incense burner, and began to cultivate again.

    ...

    With the guidance of the silver cat, Yuan Ming took a much shorter path and finally elerated the cultivation speed of the Death Moon method.

    After just a few days, he was able to reach the point where his divine sense was unobstructed and he could sit and observe internally, which could be considered as an entry level.After mastering the basics of the Death Moon method, Yuan Ming¡¯s spiritual power had made significant progress. ording to what the silver cat had previously said, he was now roughly equivalent to an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator.

    Due to the increase in his soul power, his object maniption technique had finally made a breakthrough.

    In the fire workshop at the third quarter of the Mao hour, more than one hundred and eighty registered disciples had all arrived. Most of them were busy with their own tasks, except for a few who were familiar with Yuan Ming. They were all gathered outside a casting room.

    Inside the room, someone was swinging a casting hammer, striking the iron embryo with a "ding-dong" sound. The sound was crisp, and sparks were flying everywhere.

    "He¡¯s already struck eight hundred and fifty-three times. Yuan Ming really has some skills..." Qi Qige eximed in surprise.

    "This kid must have practiced in secret, otherwise, he couldn¡¯t have improved so fast." A G said with a frown.

    "He can¡¯t possibly strike a thousand times, can he?" Lina found it hard to believe.

    Wu Ri remained silent, watching intently.

    Yuan Ming had only been here for just over a month. Everyone knew how poor his foundation was, but his progress was also clear for all to see.

    Fang Ge walked over from a distance with a serious expression. The others were somewhat afraid of him and were about to scatter when they saw him.

    However, Fang Ge stopped them with a wave of his hand: "Watch closely..."

    He had a premonition that Yuan Ming might actually seed this time. However, he was also puzzled. How could Yuan Ming have made such great progress in just a few days?

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t understand the various emotions of the others, nor did he care. At this moment, his mind waspletely focused on forging. His arm was swinging with a whooshing sound, and the sound of hammering echoed continuously.

    "Dang"

    With the thousandth strike, Yuan Ming finally stopped and stood aside to catch his breath.

    The iron embryo on the anvil was still glowing red, slowly cooling and changing color until it waspletely cooled.

    Everyone looked intently and saw that the iron embryo had a uniform and fine pattern on it, likeyers of flowing water. It was very beautiful and in no way inferior to what Elder Brother Fang Ge had forged.

    "He did it, he really did it..." Qi Qige eximed in surprise.

    Lina couldn¡¯t help but give a thumbs up.

    A G touched his bald head, his face full of disbelief, but he had to believe it.

    Wu Ri took a closer look, then turned to ask, "Junior Brother Yuan, how did you do it? You¡¯ve only just started a few days ago, haven¡¯t you?"

    He was beginning to doubt his life.

    Yuan Ming just smiled and didn¡¯t give an answer. Instead, it was Fang Ge who said seriously, "It¡¯s all due to his unchanging initial heart and persistent perseverance."

    "And the assistance of practicing the object maniption technique." Yuan Ming quickly added when he heard this.

    Just as the others were chattering, amotion suddenly arose in the fire workshop. The shouts of "Third Cave Master" kepting.

    Yuan Ming and the others quickly left the casting room and saw the Third Cave Master, d in red soft armor, walking towards them.

    They all quickly paid their respects.

    The Third Cave Master came straight to Yuan Ming and asked directly, "Where is the fire marten?"

    "I put it in the spirit beast bag when I was forging the embryo just now." Yuan Ming replied.

    The Third Cave Master¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly as she looked at Fang Ge and said, "Didn¡¯t I tell you that he doesn¡¯t need to sift materials and forge embryos, he just needs to take good care of the fire marten?"

    Fang Ge immediately became nervous, opened his mouth, but didn¡¯t know how to exin.

    "Don¡¯t me Elder Brother Fang, it was I who wanted to forge the embryo." Yuan Ming quickly came to his rescue.

    "Master, Junior Brother Yuan was forging..."

    Before Fang Ge could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by the Third Cave Master, "I specifically didn¡¯t want to restrict the fire marten, and didn¡¯t want to trap it in the spirit beast bag, so I entrusted it to you. How could you be so negligent?"

    Seeing this, everyone around them fell silent, not daring to make a sound.

    Fang Ge opened his mouth, wanting to say something good for Yuan Ming, but before he could speak, Yuan Ming spoke first.

    "It¡¯s my fault. I¡¯ll return the fire marten now."

    With that, Yuan Ming pped his spirit beast bag, a red light shed, and the figure of the fire marten appeared. The moment itnded, it immediately turned its head and climbed onto Yuan Ming¡¯s shoulder.

    It didn¡¯t run away?

    The Third Cave Master was somewhat stunned when she saw this.

    ording to the fire marten¡¯s nature, the first thing it would do when it came out of the spirit beast bag was either vent its dissatisfaction or run away like crazy to y outside. Why would it behave like this now?

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming habitually took out a fire crystal stone from his storage bag and handed it to the fire marten.

    The fire marten took the stone with its little hands and started to chew on it with a "crunch crunch" sound.

    Yuan Ming picked it up from his shoulder and handed it to the Third Cave Master with both hands.

    The Third Cave Master nced at the fire marten and her eyebrows furrowed even more. She asked in confusion, "Have you been overfeeding it with fire crystal stones these past few days?"

    "No, the fire crystal stones and fire jade I gave you are measured. If you overfeed it, it shouldn¡¯t be able to eat until today." She shook her head after saying this.

    The fire marten¡¯s size hadn¡¯t changed much, but she clearly felt that it seemed to have grown a bit?

    (Dear friends, four more updates, please vote ^^)

 Chapter 92: Opportunity

    Chapter 92: Opportunity

    "Disciple remembers the teachings of the three sect masters and will never overfeed." Yuan Ming shook his head firmly.

    Saying that, he took off the storage bag hanging from his waist and handed it to the three sect masters.

    Thetter lowered her eyebrows and nced at it, but did not take the storage bag. Instead, she said, "Follow me."

    After speaking, she turned and walked towards the fire workshop.

    Yuan Ming hesitated for a moment, then had to sp his fists at Fang Ge and quickly followed.

    When they were far away, the other disciples looked at each other and couldn¡¯t help but whisper.

    "If it¡¯s so empty, today¡¯s tasks will be doubled, how about that?" Fang Ge¡¯s face darkened as he shouted.

    Upon hearing this, everyone dispersed.

    ...Yuan Ming carried Huo Chan¡¯er on his shoulder and followed the three sect masters out of the fire workshop, heading towards the back mountain.

    "Huo Chan¡¯er likes to be by your side. Is there any special reason?" the three sect masters asked.

    "Maybe we have a good connection, and I also like Huo Chan¡¯er." Yuan Ming nced at the little glutton on his shoulder and said.

    He actually had a guess. He always felt that it should be rted to the mysterious incense burner or the Death Moon method.

    Because every time he practiced the Death Moon method while holding the incense burner, that little guy would always be surprisingly quiet and liked to cuddle up to him.

    Upon hearing this, the three sect masters nced at Yuan Ming, then looked at Huo Chan¡¯er on his shoulder, and then withdrew their gaze, showing no change in their emotions.

    "Never mind, no matter what the reason is, you have taken good care of it for the past month and a half, and I am satisfied."

    "It¡¯s the disciple¡¯s duty." Yuan Ming replied.

    "Give me your waist token." The three sect masters stopped in front of a small hill and said.

    Yuan Ming immediately took off his waist token and handed it over with both hands.

    The three sect masters then turned their wrist, and another exquisite jade token appeared in the palm of their hand, lightly knocking against Yuan Ming¡¯s token.

    "The thirty contribution points promised to you have been deposited into your waist token. ording to our previous agreement, I can also teach you a technique. Have you thought about what you want to learn?" the three sect masters asked.

    "I want to learn beast taming." Yuan Ming, as if prepared in advance, immediately answered.

    Upon hearing this answer, the three sect masters couldn¡¯t help but frown.

    "Beast taming is the unique skill of our Bi Luo Cave. Apart from the specialized disciples of the Beast Taming Hall, other disciples who want to learn it only need the rmendation of the elders and pay a certain amount of contribution points to be able to go to the Beast Taming Hall to learn. Don¡¯t waste this opportunity." The three sect masters said.

    Her implication was that the opportunity to learn beast taming was easy toe by, unlike other techniques.

    Yuan Ming also knew that each of the inner sect elders had their own privately kept techniques that were not stored in the library. It was impossible to learn them through self-study, and naturally, the three sect masters of this level of cultivators would have them too.

    But at the moment, what Yuan Ming wanted to learn the most was beast taming, which he couldn¡¯t learn in the Beast Taming Hall.

    With only the books in the library, he could only learn some knowledge about feeding and identifying, but the most crucial and core content of beast taming was also impossible to learn.

    And the reason why Yuan Ming wanted to learn beast taming was actually to prepare for his return to the Central ins in the future.

    On the long journey back, he couldn¡¯t possibly run back with his own two legs, so mastering beast taming was one of the necessary skills.

    "Three sect masters, I understand your meaning, but I still want to learn beast taming from you." Yuan Ming didn¡¯t exin, he just expressed his needs clearly and straightforwardly.

    "Since that¡¯s the case, I will teach you beast taming." The three sect masters, who were originally cold, didn¡¯t ask any more questions.

    After speaking, she turned her wrist, and a white bone scroll appeared in the palm of her hand.

    "The core of beast taming lies in taming beasts, using one¡¯s own will to sharpen the will of the spirit beast, overpowering its wildness with one¡¯s own thoughts, and then using special methods to imprint beast taming runes on the spirit beast¡¯s sea of consciousness." The three sect masters said.

    Yuan Ming had already learned these basic knowledge from the library.

    A spirit beast that had been imprinted with a beast taming rune was like being subjected to ayer of submission illusion. In addition to the person who imprinted the rune, the person who possessed the beast taming stone could also control the spirit beast through the connection between the stone and the beast taming rune.

    In Bi Luo Cave, most of the disciples¡¯ spirit beasts were temporarily rented from the Beast Taming Hall by paying contribution points when they went out on missions, except for the spirit beasts that most of the disciples of the Beast Taming Hall personally tamed.

    And Qing Fu Hall was responsible for the sale and rental of spirit beasts, which was also an important source of ie for Bi Luo Cave.

    "In the bone scroll I gave you, it details how to suppress the souls of fierce beasts, how to condense beast taming runes, and how to refine beast taming stones. Take it back and study it carefully. If you have any questions, you cane to the back mountain to find me. I will guide you three times. If you still can¡¯t grasp it after three times, it means your aptitude is not enough and you can give up." The three sect masters said.

    "Thank you, three sect masters."

    Yuan Ming thanked with his mouth, but he was quite confident in himself. After all, his spiritual power was stronger than that of ordinary disciples, giving him an innate advantage in suppressing beast souls.

    After exining this matter, the three sect masters asked, "Did you finish refining the embryo at the fire workshop just now?"

    "The first sess." Yuan Ming replied.

    "How many strikes?" The three sect masters had already seen the finished iron embryo, so they already had the answer in their hearts, but they still asked.

    "One thousand strikes." Yuan Ming answered.

    The three sect masters¡¯ eyes flickered slightly, but their expression did not change much.

    "I didn¡¯t notice before, but you also have talent in refining tools." She pondered for a moment and said.

    Yuan Ming smiled and did not respond.

    "Now that you have been able to refine a thousand strikes, if you want to further study refining tools, go find A Mu He." The three sect masters said.

    "A Mu He?" Yuan Ming was surprised.

    "He is Chen Wan and Fang Ge¡¯s senior brother, and he is usually in the workshop behind the fire workshop." The three sect masters said.So it was the rumored entric senior brother.

    "Alright." Yuan Ming thought to himself and quickly agreed.

    "Fire Glutton." The Third Cave Master called out.

    The little fire marten, who had just finished eating a fire crystal, raised its head, its ck bean-like eyes staring at her, then turned to look at Yuan Ming.

    "What are you looking at me for? Go back." Yuan Ming said, speechless.

    Upon hearing this, Fire Glutton seemed somewhat reluctant. It slowly climbed down from Yuan Ming¡¯s arm and darted towards the Third Cave Master.

    The Third Cave Master held it in her arms, its fiery red and shiny furry head squeezed out from between her ample bosom, slightly deformed, but still looking at Yuan Ming reluctantly.

    This scene made Yuan Ming feel a bit embarrassed, fearing that the Third Cave Master would misunderstand and suspect that he had given this little guy some kind of love potion.

    Fortunately, the Third Cave Master didn¡¯t mind. She just said, "You can go now," and then turned and left.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming remembered something. He quickly took off the spirit beast bag and storage bag from his waist, took out his own items inside, and wanted to return them to the Third Cave Master.

    The Third Cave Master nced at him and said, "You keep them for now. When I retreat to refine tools next time, I will still need you to take care of Fire Glutton."

    "Alright." Yuan Ming was naturally happy and quickly agreed.

    After the Third Cave Master left with Fire Glutton, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t go back to the Fire Workshop or his residence. Instead, he went to the lush area halfway up the mountain and continued to practice the Nine Elements Method.

    Recently, he didn¡¯t know if it was because he had started practicing the Death Moon Method, but he felt that the speed of practicing the Nine Elements Method had elerated. The time to break through to the next level seemed not far away.

    Tonight, the stars were obscured by dark clouds, and the moon was nowhere to be seen.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t practice the Death Moon Method as usual, but sat cross-legged on the bed with his eyes closed, holding a white bone piece against his forehead.

    The bone piece contained the beast taming technique of the Bi Luo Cave.

    In less than half an hour, Yuan Ming had memorized all the contents of the bone piece and slowly removed it.

    Through his previous understanding in the Gui Cang Pavilion, Yuan Ming was already quite familiar with the principle of beast taming. But after reading the contents of the bone piece, he finally had a rtively clear andprehensive understanding.

    As for taming beasts, spirit beasts are generally wild and difficult to tame. Even those raised by the sect from a young age are unwilling to submit at heart. It is not easy to suppress them with human souls.

    This process is very simr to the worldly young masters taming hawks. It requires human willpower to grind away the spirit beast¡¯s sharpness, fierceness, and courage to resist. Only by truly suppressing them at the soul level can the subsequent branding of beast taming runes be sessfully achieved.

    This is not only a test for the spirit beast, but also a test for the beast tamer.

    As for the strength of the soul, it naturally has an advantage, but it is not the decisive factor for sess. The solidity of the subsequent beast taming rune branding and the sensitivity of the beast taming rune stone control are also important tests for the beast tamer.

    Therefore, Yuan Ming still has a lot to learn.

    However, before that, he needs to go to the Tool Pavilion and learn how to draw runes from Senior Brother Ah Mu.

    The reason is simple. Learning the various runes needed for refining tools will help him when he needs to brand spirit beast taming runes. It¡¯s a good thing to learn now.

    In the process of refining magical tools, Yuan Ming¡¯s current stage of refining the embryo has only been partiallypleted. He still needs to continue learning and refine the embryo iron hammer into the required tool shape during the process of refining the embryo.

    This is not too difficult. After all, in the previous process of refining the embryo, the refiner¡¯s use of the casting hammer has reached an extremely pure level. Forging various weapon shapes such as swords, spears, axes, and forks is just an extension of the handwork.

    However, the subsequent rune carving and spirit opening are different difficulties from refining the embryo.

    As for the difficulty of rune carving that Yuan Ming is about to face, one is the understanding of runes, and the other is the engraving of runes.

    As for how difficult it is, the notes of Elder Hei Mu didn¡¯t borate. Only when Yuan Ming actually tries it will he have a deep understanding.

    After thinking for a moment, Yuan Ming gradually put away his chaotic thoughts, took out the incense burner and held it in his arms, and began to meditate and practice the Death Moon Method.

    Tonight there is no moon, although the practice speed will be slower, but practice values persistence, and not a day can be wasted.

 Chapter 93: Amu He

    Chapter 93: Amu He

    The next day.

    Early in the morning, Yuan Ming finished refining the embryo as usual, and then, under the guidance of Senior Brother Fang Ge, he went through the Fire Workshop to the Tool Pavilion.

    The Tool Pavilion was located behind the Fire Workshop and was a small independent courtyard.

    Compared to the bustling and chaotic Fire Workshop, the Tool Pavilion, which was only a dozen steps away, appeared much quieter and more peaceful.

    Yuan Ming walked quickly into the main hall of the courtyard and first saw a disy hall with various items on disy. Most of them were saddles and other things made by disciples from the Fire Workshop, as well as some weapons such as knives, spears, and swords.

    Unconsciously, he slowed down his pace, walking among them, looking at the various weapons, and only a few of them were engraved with strange runes, indicating that they were probably magical tools.

    "They are beautiful, aren¡¯t they?" At this moment, a voice suddenly sounded from behind.

    Yuan Ming quickly turned around and saw a middle-aged man in a short robe, with messy short hair and a stubble beard. He was digging his ear with one hand and holding a bundle of white paper tubes in the other, standing not far away.

    The man had a green waist badge, just like Chen Wan and Fang Ge, so he was probably that Senior Brother."I have seen Senior Brother Amu He." Yuan Ming immediately saluted.

    "These magical tools are beautiful, especially the runes. Thebination of lines is like art." The middle-aged man, who looked a bit sloppy, walked up and admired the magical tools in the disy cab.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming carefully examined the runes on those magical tools.

    Upon closer inspection, he couldn¡¯t help but be stunned.

    Originally, he thought they were just simple lines, but when he poured his divine sense into them and observed carefully, they seemed toe alive, twisting and turning like living creatures.

    Some lines flowed softly like water, some lines were densely replicated like crazy nts, and some lines twisted violently like rising mes...

    As Yuan Ming looked at them, he seemed to be trapped, his gaze focused, and he stood still.

    After an unknown amount of time, someone suddenly patted his shoulder, and the vision in front of him suddenly disappeared, restoring his senses.

    He turned around nkly and saw the sloppy Senior Brother staring at him with a furrowed brow.

    "What did you see?" the sloppy Senior Brother asked.

    Yuan Ming paused for a moment before exining in detail what he had seen and felt just now.

    The sloppy Senior Brother listened attentively, his brow furrowing tighter and tighter, as if he had some big doubts. He remained silent for a long time.

    Watching the change in his expression, Yuan Ming¡¯s heart also became uneasy, not knowing what was going on.

    Just when he was feeling anxious, he suddenly saw the stubbly-faced Senior Brother burst intoughter.

    This made Yuan Ming even more at a loss.

    "Hahaha, I didn¡¯t expect you to be a fellow cultivator. I¡¯m Amu He. What¡¯s your name, little brother?" The sloppy Senior Brother patted Yuan Ming¡¯s shoulder andughed loudly, making Yuan Ming¡¯s ears go numb.

    Before Yuan Ming could answer, angry curses came from several closed rooms in the courtyard:

    "Amu He, shut your dog mouth..."

    "Amu He,ugh again and I¡¯ll cut off your tongue..."

    "Amu He, be quiet..."

    ...

    Amu He immediately fell silent upon hearing this, then lowered his voice and said to Yuan Ming, "Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go. Those old guys are engraving runes on the magical tools. If they fail, they¡¯ll me us again."

    Saying that, he pulled Yuan Ming¡¯s sleeve and walked towards the backyard.

    Yuan Ming followed behind him and heard a low murmur, "ming theck of embroidered flowers by the kang for not giving birth to a child, day after day, ming the road for being uneven..."

    Yuan Ming felt that this person had a deep resentment.

    The two of them arrived at a house in the backyard, and Amu He put down the paper tubes in his hand and closed the door.

    Yuan Ming nced around the room and couldn¡¯t help but be surprised.

    In the not-sorge room, it was packed with furnishings, but it was extremely neat and tidy, which waspletely inconsistent with Amu He¡¯s sloppy appearance. Inside the room, besides a bed against the north wall, there were two square tables in front of Yuan Ming, and on the east and west walls, there were rows of wooden bookshelves, each containing round paper tubes neatly arranged.

    In front of him, the two square tables werebined into a long table, with a pen holder, ink, and inkstone neatly ced on the left side, and a stack of neatly stacked white paper next to it.

    Under the table were three bamboo baskets ced side by side, filled with crumpled paper.

    What puzzled Yuan Ming was that next to the bamboo baskets, there was a wooden barrel filled with water, which was pitch ck and reflected faint ripples.

    "Little brother, what did you say your name was?" Amu He looked at Yuan Ming and asked.

    Only then did Yuan Ming have the chance to introduce himself and quickly gave his name.

    "Yuan Ming... I seem to have heard someone mention it before..." Amu He scratched his messy hair.

    Then, he shook his head, as if he couldn¡¯t remember who had mentioned it, and felt that it wasn¡¯t important. He asked, "Normally, disciples wouldn¡¯te to this side of the Tool Pavilion. Do you have something to do here? But it¡¯s fine to tell me."

    "Ipleted the Thousand Hammer Refinement yesterday, and the Third Elder asked me toe and learn how to draw talismans from Senior Brother." Yuan Ming said.

    Amu He nodded and said, "That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. Thest person whopleted the Thousand Hammer Refinement was..."

    "It was the previous person." He thought for a long time but still couldn¡¯t remember that person¡¯s name.

    Yuan Ming was speechless.

    "Just now, you said that you have different insights when you look at those runes. That¡¯s good. It means that you either have talent in drawing talismans, or your divine soul is naturally strong." Amu He said without any embarrassment.Yuan Ming pondered and concluded that thetter was more likely. His divine soul was not innately strong, but was the result of practicing the Death Moon method.

    With this thought, he subconsciously thought of the mysterious silver cat, but the thought was fleeting.

    "Senior Brother, why did I have such a sensation?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "The runes on the artifacts you saw are all spirit-infused, possessing the basic attribute ofmunicating with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. When your divine soul is poured in and your divine thoughts are sufficiently focused, you naturally see them," Ah Mu He exined.

    Yuan Ming suddenly understood. No wonder he didn¡¯t have that feeling when he looked at the runes drawn in Elder Hei Mu¡¯s notes.

    "Since you¡¯re here, I¡¯ll start teaching you today, starting with rune recognition," Ah Mu He said.

    With that, he turned around, took a hand-bound book from the bookshelf, ced it on the long table, and opened it.

    "This one with curved twisted lines is the me pattern, this one with three parallel twisted lines is the water wave pattern, this one with distinct edges is the earth rock pattern..." Ah Mu He flipped through the pages as he exined.

    Yuan Ming watched, his brows slightly furrowed.

    He found that the runes Ah Mu He showed him were very different from those he had seen in Elder Hei Mu¡¯s notes and on the artifacts he had seen before.

    "Senior Brother..."

    "Shut up." Yuan Ming was interrupted by a stern rebuke before he could ask his question.

    Yuan Ming was startled, looking at his suddenly furious senior brother, somewhat at a loss.

    "When I¡¯m teaching about runes, don¡¯t interrupt," Ah Mu He said sternly.

    "I understand." Yuan Ming swallowed, finally understanding why Senior Brother Fang Ge said Ah Mu He was entric.

    Ah Mu He continued to exin, flipping through the pages. Yuan Ming found that the runes in the back started to "normalize", corresponding to the runes he had seen before.

    When all the runes were disyed, Ah Mu He finally asked, "Is there anything you don¡¯t understand?"

    "Oh, Senior Brother, I wanted to ask, why are the first few runes so different from the ones in the back?" Yuan Ming hurriedly asked.

    "The first few are the most basic five-element attribute runes, like the strokes of writing. The runes in the back are mostly their variations or reorganizations. I¡¯m teaching you this to prevent you from not recognizing them in the future," Ah Mu He exined.

    "I see," Yuan Ming said, enlightened.

    "When you¡¯re just starting to learn, don¡¯t rush to write. First, remember all the shapes of these runes. Only when you have the runes in your mind can you draw them," Ah Mu He said.

    "Yes," Yuan Ming immediately responded.

    "You start with the me pattern. Look carefully, remember every detail, then try to draw it," Ah Mu He said.

    With that, he turned to the me pattern for Yuan Ming to observe carefully.

    "I¡¯ve got it," Yuan Ming said after staring at it for a moment.

    Ah Mu He didn¡¯t say anything, staring at Yuan Ming, seemingly dissatisfied with his perfunctory attitude.

    Yuan Ming had to stare at the rune for a while longer before he looked up and said, "I really have got it."

    His divine soul was not weak, and he had a photographic memory, so he was not being perfunctory, but had truly memorized all the details of the me pattern.

    "Try to draw it," Ah Mu He spread out a piece of paper and said.

    With that, he took a brush from the brush holder, dipped it in ink, and handed it to Yuan Ming.

    Only then did Yuan Ming notice that the ink in the inkstone didn¡¯t need to be ground, it didn¡¯t solidify, and the ink was ck with a hint of red, with fine sandy particles visible. It was clearly not ordinary ink.

    Yuan Ming hadn¡¯t held a brush for a long time, but when he took it, he held it naturally, his movements not at all awkward.

    He was wearing the short clothes of the Fire Refining Hall, so he didn¡¯t need to lift his sleeve with one hand and hold the brush with the other. He took a deep breath, carefully visualized the lines of the me pattern in his mind, and then began to draw.

    As the brush twisted, a red and ck line began to take shape on the white paper, surprisingly smooth.

    Seeing this, Ah Mu He couldn¡¯t help but raise his eyebrows, somewhat surprised.

    He was surprised that Yuan Ming was so confident, there was no hesitation when he started to draw, so there was no need to stop and continue drawing.

    It should be known that drawing runes most taboo against stopping, stopping is like stopping breathing, it requires one stroke to draw, one breath to finish.

    He hadn¡¯t mentioned it, but Yuan Ming had done it.

    When Yuan Ming stopped, Ah Mu He frowned and asked, "Tell me, boy, have you already learned to draw runes?"

    "No," Yuan Ming shook his head, feeling a bit nervous inside.

    "That¡¯s strange, how did you know to finish it in one stroke?" Ah Mu He asked.

    The requirement to finish a rune in one breath was something Yuan Ming had seen in Elder Hei Mu¡¯s notes, so he knew it without Ah Mu He mentioning it.

    But knowing and doing are two different things, and he was somewhat surprised at this himself.

 Chapter 94: Leaving the body

    Chapter 94: Leaving the body

    "Oh, I learned painting and calligraphy when I was young. At that time, my master taught me to control the brush, so it became a habit," Yuan Ming exined, finding a reason.

    Fortunately, Amuhe didn¡¯t pay too much attention to this matter and just nodded, not asking further.

    But at this moment, just as Yuan Ming finished drawing the me pattern on the white paper, a green smoke suddenly rose from it and it started to burn on its own.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t know what was happening and was afraid of igniting the nearby paper, so he instinctively reached out to pat it.

    However, Amuhe, who was beside him, stopped him with a surprised expression. Then, disregarding the burning mes, he reached out and took the piece of white paper, holding it up in front of his eyes to examine it carefully.

    When the rune on the paper waspletely burned, he threw the paper with the mes into the bucket under the table.

    The mes immediately extinguished, leaving behind ck ashes floating in the water.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming guessed that the burning was caused by his failure in drawing the rune for the first time, and he finally understood why the bucket was ced there.

    With this thought, he found it strange that Elder Heimu¡¯s notes didn¡¯t mention it.But after thinking about it, he realized that the notes recorded the collected runes and insights on drawing, not beginner teaching materials, so it was normal for it not to mention it.

    "Genius, you really are a genius..." Amuhe grabbed Yuan Ming¡¯s shoulder and eximed with joy.

    "What exactly happened? Was it caused by my failure in drawing the rune?" Yuan Ming quickly broke free and asked.

    "It¡¯s normal to fail on your first attempt at drawing a rune, but to be able to obtain Qi on your first try, although a bit slow, is already a genius move," Amuhe said excitedly, unable to contain himself.

    "May I ask, what is Qi?" Yuan Ming asked with a puzzled expression, not showing much change on his face.

    "The so-called Qi refers to the initial ability of the drawn rune tomunicate with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. This is the key to whether the drawn rune will be effective or not. The better the rune is drawn, the faster the Qi will be obtained," Amuhe exined.

    Hearing his exnation, Yuan Ming understood.

    It was simr to the meditation he practiced when learning the Death Moon method, which was the foundation of entry.

    However,pared to the meditation on the sea of consciousness, meridians, and dantian in the Death Moon method, learning to draw runes was much faster for him.

    "From this, it can be seen that you have talent in drawing runes," Amuhe said with a smile.

    "It¡¯s all thanks to your guidance, Senior Brother," Yuan Ming said, feeling happy.

    "Alright, I¡¯ll teach you these things for today. You can take this rune book back with you and practice copying it frequently. When you have learned everything,e find me again," Amuhe said, his smile bing even brighter.

    "Thank you, Senior Brother," Yuan Ming thanked him.

    "When you practice, you can buy the brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone you need from the Qingfu Hall. Remember, for now, ordinary ink will do. Don¡¯t buy rune ink," Amuhe reminded.

    "What will happen if I use rune ink for practice?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "It would be better, of course, but only if you have the money! Even if you draw the runes perfectly with ordinary ink, you won¡¯t obtain Qi. However, for beginners, it¡¯s good enough. The ink I used for you just now was rune ink, which is made by mixing cinnabar and some special mineral powder. When you truly draw runes, you will use this kind of ink. The price difference between the two is huge, so don¡¯t use rune ink during practice. It¡¯s too wasteful," Amuhe waved his hand and said.

    Yuan Ming was amazed by his words.

    He had asked everything he needed to ask today, so he didn¡¯t linger any longer. After bidding farewell to Amuhe, he left with the rune book in his possession.

    After leaving the Qilu Pavilion, Yuan Ming headed straight to the Qingfu Hall.

    Since entering the sect, he had only heard of the Qingfu Hall but had never seen it. He only knew that it was the department responsible for managing the sect¡¯s business affairs.

    It was said that the sect¡¯s magical treasures, spiritual materials, elixirs, and even the trading of spirit beasts and beast ves were all conducted through the Qingfu Hall.

    Inner disciples and elders could also purchase things from the Qingfu Hall, as long as they paid with contribution points.

    After buying the things mentioned by Amuhe for drawing runes, Yuan Ming returned directly to his residence to cultivate.

    ...

    Time flew by, and half a month passed.

    At night, the bright moon hung high in the sky.

    Yuan Ming sat cross-legged in his room, with moonlight pouring in through the window and casting a shadow on him.

    Having been in the Biro Cave for a while now and no longer living the life of eating and sleeping in the wild like a beast ve, Yuan Ming¡¯s appearance had undergone some changes.

    His skin had be fair again, and under the moonlight, it was enveloped in a faint white glow, making him look somewhat unreal.

    At this moment, the silver cat, which rarely appeared in front of Yuan Ming, was sitting on the desk in front of his window.

    The reason the silver cat appeared here was because after this period of training and guidance, Yuan Ming¡¯s cultivation of the Death Moon method had progressed rapidly and was about to reachpletion on the first level.Of course, this rapid progress is rtive to Yuan Ming¡¯s previous state. In the eyes of Yin Mao, his talent is still dull.

    Yuan Ming closed his eyes tightly, holding a censer in his arms, and a faint light flickered at the center of his eyebrows.

    In his sea of consciousness, the originally scattered soul power was gradually condensing, a faint light slowly merging, and finally condensed into a white light ball, rising up like a round moon.

    This round moon rose high in Yuan Ming¡¯s sea of consciousness, radiating light that instantly illuminated his sea of consciousness.

    The red mist that was originally suppressed to the edge by the power of divine consciousness instantly melted like snow under the reflection of the bright light,pletely dissolving in an instant.

    Yuan Ming suddenly opened his eyes, feeling that the originally dim room became a bit brighter, and the furnishings in the room became clearer.

    At the same time, his spiritual tform was also clearer than ever before, feeling refreshed andfortable.

    The sound of insects outside the window, the rustling of tree shadows, and even the closing sound of other disciples in the distance, all entered his ears clearly, and with a little concentration, he could hear even further.

    In addition to changes in vision and hearing, Yuan Ming¡¯s sense of smell has also be much more sensitive. He can smell the fragrance of resin from the ancient pine tree outside the window, the scent of grass on the ground, and the smell of charcoal from the fire workshop.

    Obviously, thepletion of the firstyer of the "Death Moon Method" not only benefited his soul, but also greatly enhanced his perception.

    But while Yuan Ming¡¯s face showed excitement, he also felt a bit confused. Although Yin Mao was sitting on the table not far in front of him, he could only see it but not hear its breathing or smell its scent.

    This feeling is as if Yin Mao does not really exist.

    "Is it worth being so happy just toplete the firstyer of the technique?" Yin Mao¡¯s voice echoed in Yuan Ming¡¯s mind, ethereal and cold.

    "If it weren¡¯t for your guidance, I¡¯m afraid it would take me another half a year to achieve this." Yuan Ming put away his smile and said.

    "At least you have some self-awareness." Yin Mao¡¯s voice softened slightly.

    "Why have my five senses be enhanced, but I can¡¯t perceive your existence... I mean, if I close my eyes?" Yuan Ming hesitated for a moment and asked.

    "This is a secret technique of soul cultivation that you cannot practice temporarily." Yin Mao said, and a wave of invisible aura emanated from it.

    Immediately, Yuan Ming could hear its breathing and heartbeat, and he could also smell its scent in his nostrils.

    He hadn¡¯t paid much attention to it before, but now he realized that the scent was very pleasant, not like what an animal should have, but more like the fragrance of orchids. However, Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t be sure.

    At this moment, he suddenly thought that when Yin Mao followed him before, he had felt its presence several times. It seems that it was not idental, but intentional.

    Clearly, it can hide perfectly, but it chooses to reveal its presence, but not too obviously. Does it want him to discover it or not?

    This Yin Mao¡¯s personality seems a bit tsundere, doesn¡¯t it?

    "Now that the firstyer ispleted, you can try to separate your soul from your body." At this time, Yin Mao¡¯s voice sounded in his sea of consciousness again.

    "The technique says that when the firstyer ispleted, it is only the stage of stabilizing the sea of consciousness. Is it too risky to separate the soul from the body now?" Yuan Ming hesitated when he heard this.

    "Are you questioning me?" Yin Mao nced at him sideways, and his voice turned cold.

    "Okay, you have the final say." Yuan Ming secretly muttered in his heart.

    After that, he put away the censer, closed his eyes, pinched a hand seal with both hands, and suddenly shouted:

    "Rise!"

    In an instant, the Yin wind in the room suddenly became several times stronger, causing the surrounding airflow to fluctuate slightly, turning into a whirlwind spreading from his body.

    A transparent figure suddenly flew out from the top of Yuan Ming¡¯s head and floated in mid-air. It was his soul.

    "Is this the feeling of soul separation? Why does it feel somewhat familiar?" Yuan Ming nced at his motionless body below, and then looked at his illusory hands, murmuring.

    The feeling of the soul ispletely different from the physical body. His eyes can easily see through the darkness, almost no different from daylight. His ears can also hear sounds, but his sense of touch and smell arepletely lost.

    He pressed his hands down, as if driving the airflow, and the soul floated upwards.

    Even when his head hit the roof, it didn¡¯t stop. Instead, it directly rushed out of the roof and came outside.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s soul figure was illusory, with half of his body poking out of the roof and the other half still inside the room, feeling extremely strange.

    His gaze swept towards the distance, and even in the darkness, his line of sight was not affected, and he could still see the faint light from the fire workshop behind.

    In the front yard, many people were still awake. Under the reflection of the lights on the windows, their silhouettes could be seen.With a thought, Yuan Ming wanted to fly to the front yard to take a look. However, just as he had barely taken off from the rooftop, a gust of night wind came, instantly blowing him off course, causing him to involuntarily drift towards the back.

    He had only flown a distance of about forty to fifty feet when Yuan Ming suddenly felt a bone-chilling cold, which sent a wave of panic through him.

    This feeling of coldness was not the external cold felt by the body, but a chill emanating from the depths of his soul, apanied by a strong sense of fear.

 Chapter 95: Fully paid back

    Chapter 95: Fully paid back

    Yuan Ming immediately realized that something was wrong. With a thought, his divine soul flew towards the direction of the room, trying to return to his physical body.

    But at this moment, a gust of night wind blew again, blowing Yuan Ming¡¯s divine soul out once more.

    This time, his divine soul drifted even further, already reaching a distance of seven or eight zhang. The bone-chilling cold sensation became even stronger, and Yuan Ming felt even more fearful.

    He tried to return to his physical body with his thoughts, but this time he was shocked to find that the connection between his thoughts and his physical body had be extremely weak. His divine soul couldn¡¯t return.

    After realizing this, Yuan Ming was immediately rmed. He frantically waved his hands in the air, trying to go back.

    However, this action did not have the slightest effect on his divine soul. It was as if a drowning person desperately trying to save themselves but being unable to do so.

    A breeze brushed past, causing his divine soul to drift further away.

    To Yuan Ming¡¯s even greater horror, he suddenly discovered that as the connection between himself and his physical body weakened further, his divine soul was gradually bing fainter, and his soul seemed to be on the verge of dispersing.

    Just then, a gentle force suddenly surged from the direction of the room, enveloping his divine soul and halting its dispersal.In the next instant, he felt his divine soul being pulled by this force. After a moment of dizziness, his vision instantly returned to his physical body.

    Yuan Ming suddenly opened his eyes, gasping for breath, his hands clutching his shoulders. His body trembled, and he still felt the lingering cold sensation.

    "It seems that your divine soul can only leave your body for a maximum of seven zhang. If it goes any further, it will lose control and there is a danger of dispersing." The voice of the silver cat sounded in his sea of consciousness, without any emotional fluctuations.

    "I almost had a soul-scattering experience just now, and you were only testing the distance my divine soul can leave my body?" Yuan Ming was instantly annoyed.

    "Understanding the state of your divine soul is the most basic cultivation for a soul cultivator." The silver cat didn¡¯t care at all.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming had no time to argue with the other party. He closed his eyes and calmed himself, practicing the Death Moon method for a moment before the cold sensation finally disappeared.

    When he opened his eyes again, he found that the silver cat was still squatting on the table, not only did it not leave, but its form and posture hadn¡¯t changed at all.

    "Do you... have something to find me?" Yuan Ming had already calmed down and asked.

    Without any action from the silver cat, a sh of silver light suddenly appeared in front of it, and a brown animal skin floated up andnded in front of Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming picked it up and saw a few names written in Central ins characters: "Ghost Face Grass, Purple Core Pollen, ck Scale Fruit, Yin Marrow Fluid."

    Yuan Ming was familiar with Ghost Face Grass and Purple Core Pollen. He had seen them in the Hundred Herbs Collection before and had even collected some Ghost Face Flowers to sell to Zhao Tong. He had never seen thetter two, but they should be some kind of spiritual materials.

    "What is this again?" Yuan Ming frowned and asked.

    "I¡¯ll tell you when you collect them." The silver cat finished speaking and didn¡¯t wait for Yuan Ming to respond. It turned around on its own and disappeared into the hazy night.

    Yuan Ming opened his mouth, feeling speechless about the silver cat¡¯s personality, but he could do nothing about it. He forcefully suppressed his doubts andints.

    After resting for a while, he once again practiced the Death Moon method, trying to experience the feeling of his divine soul leaving his body.

    But this time, he learned his lesson and didn¡¯t let his divine soul fly out of the house. Instead, he stayed inside his own room, not going beyond the limit of seven zhang, carefully experiencing this special sensation.

    Speaking of which, understanding the limit of his divine soul leaving his body seemed... quite important.

    ...

    The next day, Yuan Ming arrived early at the Embryo Refining Hall.

    Fang Ge stood by the side, guiding him with more embryo refining techniques and how to forge suitable shapes.

    He had thought that Yuan Ming, who seemed to have average talent, would have a hard time making progress, but now he was bing more and more satisfied with his progress.

    Yuan Ming also lived up to his expectations and became more skilled in the art of embryo refining.

    After having lunch in the dining hall, Yuan Ming left the Refining Hall and headed straight to the Repository Pavilion.

    During this period of time, in addition to practicing the Death Moon method, he had also made considerable progress in mastering the art of beast taming. Now, he onlycked an opportunity for practical training.

    Usually, disciples of the Beast Taming Hall would undergo practical assessments by taming the spiritual beasts bred in the beast garden within the sect. As a disciple of the Embryo Refining Hall, Yuan Ming naturally didn¡¯t have this opportunity.

    Of course, if he was willing to spend money to buy spiritual beasts, he could also buy tamed spiritual beasts from the Beast Taming Hall. These spiritual beasts only needed to be controlled by beast-taming talismans and could be easily controlled.

    But Yuan Ming didn¡¯t want to spend the money, and he wanted to master the art of beast taming himself, so he naturally wouldn¡¯t buy them.

    His n was to personally capture a spiritual beast in the wild and tame it himself.

    The difference between spiritual beasts and fierce beasts was only one word, but in essence, they were the same. The tamed fierce beasts were also a type of spiritual beast.

    Capturing spiritual beasts and hunting fierce beasts seemed simr, but the actual difficulty was worlds apart. For this reason, Yuan Ming nned to learn one or two techniques from the Repository Pavilion to increase his chances of sess.

    The night before, he had asked about the technique of concealing his aura from the silver cat, which was also for this purpose.

    Capturing spiritual beasts, especially if he wanted to capture them alive, would be much more convenient if he could conceal his presence.

    Arriving at the Repository Pavilion, Yuan Ming went straight to the second floor.

    After seeing the middle-aged steward, Yuan Ming went straight to the point and asked, "Elder, I want to borrow a technique that can conceal my presence. Can you rmend one or two?"

    "Oh, it¡¯s you..." The middle-aged steward raised an eyebrow slightly when he saw Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming had previouslye to borrow the "Drive Away Technique," so the steward still had some impression of him.

    It wasn¡¯t because of his slightly Central ins appearance, but because he had borrowed the book for three hours but only read it for half an hour before leaving.

    Since he took over as the steward of the second floor of the Repository Pavilion, he had never seen a disciple who treated money so lightly.

    "Do you know me?" Yuan Ming looked surprised."Cough, it¡¯s nothing. You want to borrow a technique that can conceal your figure. Currently, we only have two suitable concealment techniques for Qi Refining cultivators in our Gui Cang Pavilion, namely Yuan Shui Technique and Mu Yin Technique. Which one do you want to borrow?" The middle-aged steward coughed lightly and waved his hand as he spoke.

    "What¡¯s the difference?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "The Yuan Shui Technique is a water attribute technique. It works best in environments with abundant water vapor, especially waterfalls, rivers,kes, etc. As for the Mu Yin Technique, it naturally works best in forests. It mainly depends on your spiritual root attribute and personal needs." The middle-aged steward exined.

    "Mu Yin Technique." Yuan Ming didn¡¯t hesitate, took off his waist tag, and ced it on the table.

    "Ten contribution points." The middle-aged steward nced at him.

    "No rush, I also heard about a wood attribute technique that Qi Refining disciples can learn, called ¡¯Mu Lao Technique¡¯. I want to exchange for that too." Yuan Ming spoke up.

    "Yes, that¡¯s fifteen contribution points." The middle-aged steward nodded.

    "I want both, thank you." Yuan Ming said.

    "You want to exchange for two techniques at the same time?" The middle-aged steward was surprised.

    Usually, disciples only exchange for one technique at a time, as they can¡¯t memorize everything at once and need toe back multiple times. He had never seen anyone exchange for two techniques at once. After all, memorizing andprehending a technique consumes a lot of mental energy. How could one possibly remember two at once?

    "That¡¯s right." Yuan Ming nodded.

    "Wait a moment." The middle-aged steward frowned but didn¡¯t say anything else. He picked up the waist tag, got up, and walked into the room behind him.

    Soon, he returned with two thin, green books.

    "You can only read these books on the second floor, and you can¡¯t take them out. For two books... you have six hours." The middle-aged steward ced the waist tag and books on the table, reminding him as he didst time.

    After thanking him, Yuan Ming took his waist tag and the two books, ¡¯Mu Lao Technique¡¯ and ¡¯Mu Yin Technique¡¯, and found a quiet ce to sit down and start reading.

    He continued at his own pace, flipping through the pages one by one, neither too fast nor too slow.

    The Mu Yin Technique didn¡¯t have many mantras, and the difficulty of the technique didn¡¯t seem too high. The limitations of its effects were also very clear.

    It could only be used in ces with trees. The more lush the forest, the more spiritual energy it could draw from, and the better the concealment effect. It was indeed very suitable for Yuan Ming¡¯s needs.

    The ¡¯Nine Yuan Jue¡¯ he was practicing was a wood attribute technique, so he had a natural advantage in learning the Mu Yin Technique.

    About half an hourter, Yuan Ming put down the ¡¯Mu Yin Technique¡¯, closed his eyes as if to rest, and after a while, he picked up the ¡¯Mu Lao Technique¡¯ and started reading carefully.

    The middle-aged steward couldn¡¯t help but nce at him from time to time.

    After about another half an hour, Yuan Ming got up and returned to the steward¡¯s desk.

    "Do you want to return the books?" The middle-aged steward asked, somewhat puzzled.

    "Yes." Yuan Ming nodded.

    With that, he ced both books on the desk.

    He had returned them all in less than an hour and a half?

    "Young friend, don¡¯t me me for being nosy, but it¡¯s not easy to umte contribution points in the sect, and the opportunity to learn techniques is even more precious. You should cherish it." The middle-aged steward advised earnestly.

    "Thank you for your kindness, elder. I have finished reading. Also, I want to ask, besides the books about spiritual medicine and materials on the first floor, are there any other materials on this topic on the second floor? I want to look it up." Yuan Ming bowed to him and asked.

    After pondering for a while, the middle-aged steward said, "There are some notes from the elders. If you need them, each volume only requires about three contribution points to read."

    "Thank you." Yuan Ming quickly nodded.

    "In that case, I suggest you read the Second Cave Master¡¯s herb gathering notes. The content is the richest, and it only requires five contribution points." The middle-aged steward suggested.

    Without hesitation, Yuan Ming handed over his waist tag again.

    (Dear Daoist friends, the prequel has been updated four times, detailing some experiences of the protagonist before he lost his memory. When you go to read it, don¡¯t forget to vote for the immortal ^^)

 Chapter 96: Revisiting the Island in the Mist

    Chapter 96: Revisiting the Ind in the Mist

    The middle-aged steward took the waist token handed over by Yuan Ming with aplicated expression, then turned around and entered the room again. He soon brought out a rough, gray-brown animal skin-covered booklet.

    After Yuan Ming took it, he immediately found a ce to read it.

    This time, he read it even faster, but because of the rich content, it took him more than an hour to finish reading it all.

    In this booklet of the Second Cave Master¡¯s medicinal collection, he found the descriptions of the ck Scale Fruit and Yin Marrow Liquid as he wished. The former is a ck fruit that grows on some shady cliffs in the Ten Thousand Mountains.

    Thetter is the spinal fluid that needs to be extracted from specific poisonous insects, which are special spiritual materials used for refining pills.

    The medicinal materials recorded in this booklet are even rarer and more valuable than the "Hundred Herbs Collection," greatly enriching Yuan Ming¡¯s knowledge in this area.

    After he finished reading the booklet, he left the Storage Pavilion amidst the puzzled eyes and sighs of the middle-aged steward.

    Coincidentally, on his way back to the Fire Refining Hall, Yuan Ming saw a familiar figure from afar, it was Wu Lu.

    Thetter also noticed him and instead of avoiding him, he actively walked towards him."Brother Yuan, long time no see." Wu Lu greeted him with a fist and a smile on his face.

    "Wu Lu, why are you here?" Yuan Ming looked around and didn¡¯t see Kun Tu.

    "Oh, I just came back from a mission and was about to return to the Beast Taming Hall. Shall we go together?" Wu Lu smiled and said.

    Yuan Ming nodded, and the two walked side by side towards the direction of the Fire Refining Hall and the Beast Taming Hall.

    "Speaking of which, I envy you, Brother Yuan. You are really lucky to be appreciated by the Third Cave Master." Wu Lu took the initiative to speak.

    "Compared to me, you are even more curious. How did you suddenly enter the Bi Luo Cave?" Yuan Ming smiled, didn¡¯t answer, and instead changed the topic to the other person.

    When he saw the other personst time, he was still following Kun Tu, and there were some topics that he couldn¡¯t and didn¡¯t want to talk about.

    Wu Lu didn¡¯t hide it and said frankly, "Kun Tu appreciates me. After he became an inner disciple, he used his power to make me his servant and follow him as ackey."

    Hearing the term ckey," Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    "Just now you mentioned that you came back from a mission, but... servants shouldn¡¯t be able to take on tasks from the Execution Hall, right?" Yuan Ming asked in confusion.

    Upon hearing this question, Wu Lu clearly hesitated for a moment.

    He looked around and found that there was no one around, so he leaned close to Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming found his sudden action strange, but he didn¡¯t dodge and instead leaned his ear closer.

    "This is not a task from the Execution Hall, it¡¯s a task from the Beast ve Hall." Wu Lu¡¯s voice lowered as he said.

    A task from the Beast ve Hall?

    Yuan Ming was puzzled at first, but soon realized.

    "You mean the task of capturing wild humans?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "Do you know?" Wu Lu looked surprised.

    "Hehe, Wu Lu, have you forgotten? How did we be Beast ve Handlers?" Yuan Mingughed.

    Wu Lu pped his forehead and suddenly realized, "I almost forgot. We were captured together with the wild humans, and it seems that only the two of us are still alive."

    Hearing this, Yuan Ming vaguely felt something was off, but couldn¡¯t remember for a moment.

    "No, there is also that guy with the dual spiritual roots. If I remember correctly, his name seems to be Yi Guo?" Yuan Ming said.

    "Yes, him... but his situation is different from ours. He is probably already an inner disciple by now." Wu Lu sighed.

    "Why did you take on a task from the Beast ve Hall?" Yuan Ming asked.

    He didn¡¯t forget that the Silver Cat asked him to find out the reason for capturing wild humans in the Bi Luo Cave.

    "It was arranged by Kun Tu. He said he wanted to find a way to make me a named disciple." Wu Lu said.

    "He really values you." Yuan Ming said.

    "Just raising a useful dog." Wu Lu self-mockingly smiled and said.

    "When we were captured back then, I was curious. Why did they capture these wild humans?" Yuan Ming asked tentatively.

    Wu Lu looked deeply at Yuan Ming, seeming a little hesitant, and asked in return, "Isn¡¯t it to select Beast ve Handlers?"

    "But there¡¯s no need to kill all those wild humans without spiritual roots, right?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "I don¡¯t know about that." Wu Lu shook his head.

    After saying that, he looked at Yuan Ming with a smile and said, "If you really want to find out, you might as well go to the Beast ve Hall and take on a task. The rewards are quite high."

    "I was just asking casually. I don¡¯t have that much time now." Yuan Ming smiled.

    As they spoke, the two had already arrived at the foot of the mountain. They bid farewell to each other and went their separate ways towards the two peaks.

    ...

    In the following days, Yuan Ming began to diligently practice the Wooden Prison Technique and the Wooden Concealment Technique.

    He had alreadypleted the firstyer of the Death Moon method. With the blessing of his powerful soul, he only took half a month to initially master the two spells.

    At night, the cold moonlight shone through the window.

    Yuan Ming activated the Death Moon method, slowly stopped cultivating, and opened his eyes.

    Since he reached the bottleneck in the cultivation of the Death Moon method, hepletely stopped making progress these past two days. The four spiritual materials that the Silver Cat asked him to find might be the key to breaking through the bottleneck. He needed to gather them as soon as possible. He murmured to himself.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t get up but checked his mana situation.

    Since he discovered the issue with the Nine Elements method¡¯s attributes, he would try to find ces with abundant vegetation for cultivation every day. His cultivation speed had returned to its previous state, and his mana was advancing rapidly. He was not far from reaching the sixth level of Qi Refining.

    Capturing a fierce beast and killing a fierce beast were twopletely different difficulties. He might even face unexpected situations. Although Yuan Ming had many means, his cultivation level at the fifth level of Qi Refining was rtively low among the named disciples. It would be better to break through to the sixth level of Qi Refining before proceeding.With the extraordinary cultivation speed of the Nine Elements Technique, Yuan Ming could reach the sixth level of Qi Refining in just one more month. However, he had already prepared for taming beasts, and waiting for another month seemed like a waste of time.

    Gritting his teeth, Yuan Ming took out a juicy immortal peach, the very red peach he had picked from the Misty Ind.

    He had found out that this peach was called the Red Heart Spirit Peach, a rather rare fruit for strengthening the foundation and cultivating the spirit. Judging from its appearance, it was almost a hundred years old. It could be used to refine elixirs, or it could be consumed directly like the Meat Lingzhi.

    Given his current status, he naturally had no means or capital to refine it into an elixir.

    Yuan Ming bit into the peach and swallowed it in a few bites.

    The fruit quickly turned into a stream of juice flowing into his stomach, and a surge of abundant spiritual power began to circte throughout his body.

    Yuan Ming closed his eyes and circted the Nine Elements Technique, absorbing the spiritual power. His mana fluctuated and gradually rose.

    A day and a night passed quickly.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s aura suddenly soared, his clothes fluttered without wind, and the nearby air also vibrated. It took a while for everything to return to calm.

    He opened his eyes, a smile on his lips.

    The nearly hundred-year-old Red Heart Spirit Peach indeed had a strong medicinal power. Even without refining it into an elixir, the abundant spiritual energy it contained surprised him greatly, allowing him to break through to the sixth level of Qi Refining as he wished.

    With this, his confidence and self-protection ability for taming spiritual beasts increased a bit more.

    The next day, Yuan Ming greeted Fang Ge, then applied for a leave token and left the Bi Luo Cave.

    If disciples of Bi Luo Cave wanted to tame spiritual beasts on their own, they would go deep into the Hundred Thousand Mountains, where there were many fierce beasts, and they could find suitable targets.

    However, the Hundred Thousand Mountains were vast, and finding a suitable spiritual beast was a matter of luck. Many people searched for several months and still couldn¡¯t find the beast they desired. It was not only time-consuming andborious but also involved great risks.

    For this reason, most disciples bought their spiritual beasts from the Beast Taming Hall, and very few chose to find them on their own.

    However, Yuan Ming was not worried about this. When he first learned beast taming from the Third Cave Master, he had already decided where to find his target: the Misty Ind.

    The ind was full of strange and fierce beasts. Catching any one of them would make a good spiritual beast.

    The only trouble was the ck water monster around the ind. But now he was different from before, and he had prepared some countermeasures.

    Yuan Ming left the sect and quickly arrived at the shore of Thousand Reed Lake.

    Instead of tying another raft, he waved his hand towards theke, and a small boat appeared andnded on the water.

    This was a boat Yuan Ming had asked a brother in the sect who was good at craftsmanship to make. Its speed on the water was much faster than the previous raft.

    He jumped onto the boat, rowed the oars, and headed towards the Misty Ind.

    An hourter, Yuan Ming arrived at a ce where the fog was particrly thick.

    Relying on his memory and several times of flying up to search with the help of the incense burner, he finally found the Misty Ind again.

    Yuan Ming was lucky this time, he didn¡¯t encounter the ck water monster. But to be safe, he put away the boat from a distance and used the incense burner to fly directly onto the ind,nding in a purple forest.

    "It¡¯s not the ck Pine Forest..." He was quite disappointed.

    The Red Heart Spirit Peach had a significant effect. He originally thought he couldnd from the side of the ck Pine Forest and pick all the Red Heart Spirit Peaches, but it seemed impossible now.

    He would look for that fruit tree after he finished his business.

    Yuan Ming looked around at the environment and the nearby purple trees. The leaves of these trees were palm-shaped, simr to maple leaves, and emitted a faint fragrance.

    He had crammed a lot of knowledge about the Hundred Thousand Mountains in this period, including the trees and vegetation. However, he had never seen these purple maple trees in the books, nor the ck pines he had seen before.

    Looking at the other nts, they were all unfamiliar to him.

    "This ind is quite strange. The vegetation seems to bepletely detached from the Hundred Thousand Mountains. Is it because it¡¯s surrounded by water?" He muttered to himself.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t immediately go into the ind. Instead, he found a safe ce in the maple forest to fully recover his mana before heading into the ind.

    There seemed to be no fierce beasts in this purple maple forest. He walked out of the forest without encountering any danger.

    He continued to move forward. The fog in front became sparse, and a vast swamp appeared in front of him. With his eyesight, he could see about ten or so feet away.

    The swamp was full of green-ck mud. Looking around, there were lush water nts everywhere, with a few trees standing here and there. The air was filled with the smell of decay.

 Chapter 97: First Taming Beast

    Chapter 97: First Taming Beast

    Yuan Ming stood still, his gaze fixed on the swamp and the purple maple forest, his eyebrows raised.

    It was just an ind, yet the environment was soplex and ever-changing. The terrain and vegetation in each area werepletely different. If it was naturally formed, it would be too coincidental.

    "It seems that someone did this intentionally. Could it be Master Heimu?"

    Master Heimu¡¯s remains were on this ind. With his abilities, he could indeed do such a thing. Moreover, ording to the records in that manual, he was indeed a person with extraordinary imagination.

    Thinking deeper, those fierce beasts on this ind were probably captured by Master Heimu. No wonder they were so rare.

    Yuan Ming quickly shook his head and moved forward.

    Whether it was done by Master Heimu or someone else, it had nothing to do with him. He just wanted to capture a suitable spirit beast.

    After walking through the swamp for a while, Yuan Ming found it difficult to move due to the muddy ground. He took out the skin of a toad and used the Fur Transformation technique to transform into a toad form.

    During these days, he had already investigated the origin of this toad skin. It came from a water-dwelling fierce beast called the ck Vein Poison Toad, which was more suitable for moving in this damp and muddy environment than transforming into a white ape.Since reaching the first level of the Death Moon method, his resistance to the bacsh of the Fur Transformation technique had greatly increased. He no longer needed to be as cautious as before, and the aura caused by transforming into a ck toad was much weaker than that of the white ape skin.

    After transforming into the form of a ck toad, Yuan Ming¡¯s movements became much more agile. His feet were no longer stained with mud, and he could easily pass through water puddles.

    He was quite satisfied and quickened his pace.

    At this moment, somerge-leaved green nts appeared in front of him, with several pink bowl-shaped flowers blooming in the middle. They looked like lotus flowers, and a faint fragrance wafted in the breeze.

    Yuan Ming was about to get closer to take a look when suddenly his head felt dizzy, and his legs became weak.

    "The flower fragrance is poisonous!"

    His heart trembled, and he immediately stepped back.

    A green shadow shot out from under the green lotus leaves and bit his calf. It was a t-headed green snake.

    Yuan Ming forcefully leaped backward, barely avoiding the snake¡¯s attack, and pointed his right hand to cast a spell.

    Threads of green light appeared on the nearby nts, and the stems suddenly came to life, pouncing towards the green snake.

    The green snake was also startled and hurriedly dodged left and right. The stems surrounded it from all sides, and the green snake had nowhere to escape. It was soon entangled.

    The stems intertwined and formed a cage in the blink of an eye, imprisoning the green snake inside.

    The green snake had spiritual power fluctuations and was not weak, but these stems were no thicker than a finger. In theory, they should break with a single struggle. However, no matter how the green snake twisted its body, it couldn¡¯t break free. Instead, it was entangled tighter and tighter,pletely immobilized.

    Yuan Ming retreated a considerable distance,pletely away from the pink lotus flowers, and sat down cross-legged, circting the Nine Elements technique, trying to neutralize the toxin.

    After reaching the sixth level of Qi Refinement, his mana had be more abundant, and it could prate into his internal organs. As his mana circted, the dizziness and weakness quickly subsided, and he soon recovered.

    Only then did Yuan Ming stand up and look at the immobilized green snake, his gaze flickering.

    This cage was the Wood Prison technique, and it was the first time he had used it in actualbat.

    Unlike the Wood Thorn technique, the Wood Prison technique relied on nearby nts to imprison the enemy. Therefore, the power of this spell depended to some extent on the type of nts used.

    These stems were fragile, yet they were able to trap the green snake. If other sturdy trees were used to cast the Wood Prison technique, the imprisonment would undoubtedly be stronger.

    Yuan Ming raised his hand, and several wooden thorns emerged from near the pink lotus flowers, crushing the flowers into pieces. The fragrance in the air quickly dissipated.

    He waited for a while in ce before walking over, grabbing the green snake¡¯s head, and chanting a spell.

    Strands of ck energy surged out from his palm, growing more and more, gradually engulfing the green snake¡¯s head.

    At the same time, faint silver patterns appeared on Yuan Ming¡¯s forehead, quickly spreading towards his arm.

    With a light sound of "pu," the ck energy in his palm danced wildly, transforming into ck tentacles that drilled into the green snake¡¯s head.

    The green snake suddenly showed a painful expression and kept struggling.

    However, Yuan Ming¡¯s hand was like an iron mp, firmly holding the green snake. The ck energy in his hand became denser, drilling into the green snake¡¯s head faster.

    The green snake¡¯s painful expression intensified, and it let out a hoarse cry.

    As time passed, there was a sudden light sound of "peng" from the green snake¡¯s head, as if something had burst open. Its body became limp and lifeless.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s expression froze, and he let go of his hand.

    "The Beast Taming technique is indeed difficult. I have been as careful as possible, but I still destroyed this snake¡¯s soul." He sighed.

    During these days, he had been practicing secretly and believed that he had be extremely proficient in the Beast Taming technique. Unexpectedly, when he actually tried to use it, he found that it waspletely different.

    The key to the Beast Taming technique was to subdue the beast¡¯s consciousness, but the soul was inherently fragile. A slight carelessness would result in it being directly killed.

    "It seems that I need more practice." Yuan Ming thought to himself and continued forward.

    Half a dayter, in a ce in the swamp where the water and grass were lush.

    Yuan Ming used the Wood Prison technique to imprison a half-human-tall gray fox fierce beast. He pressed his palm on the fox¡¯s head, and ck energy rushed into it.

    The gray fox cried out in pain, trembling uncontrobly.

    Yuan Ming paid no attention and continued chanting the spell.

    This was his fifth attempt to tame a fierce beast. The previous four attempts had all failed, and the fierce beasts¡¯ souls had burst open.

    However, with each failure, Yuan Ming would summarize his experience and be more skilled in using the Beast Taming technique. He felt that sess was getting closer and closer.

    Time quickly passed for fifteen minutes, and the gray fox was still struggling in pain, but its soul had not burst open.The ferocity in its eyes gradually weakened, and after a while, it finally let out a low growl, conveying a sense of submission.

    "Finally, it¡¯s done!" Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes lit up with joy, but he suddenly stopped his spellcasting, withdrew his palm, and the wooden cage that had trapped the grey fox also dispersed.

    The grey fox regained its freedom, and after a moment of confusion, it turned and fled into the distance, disappearing into the depths of the swamp in the blink of an eye.

    Yuan Ming watched the grey fox escape without making any move.

    ording to the bone script given to him by the Three Caves Master, controlling a spirit beast with the Beast Taming Technique involved the power of the soul. Qi Refining cultivators had weak souls and could only control one spirit beast.

    This grey fox was just a mid-level first-grade fierce beast with no special abilities, so Yuan Ming naturally wouldn¡¯t choose it as his spirit beast.

    He continued to move forward, searching for a fierce beast that suited his preference.

    The swamp was muchrger than the previous Purple Maple Forest and ck Pine Forest, and it was home to many fierce beasts. Unfortunately, their strength was quite average, all at the lower and middle levels, far inferior to the Four-Eyed Golden Ape, the ck Giant Crow, and the Earth Traveling Demon he had encountered before. They were not worth being tamed as spirit beasts.

    Until nightfall, Yuan Ming was unable to find a suitable target for taming.

    He was not in a hurry, nor did he leave the ce. He took out a tent and set up camp in a rtively dry area to rest.

    Because he was in a strange environment, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t sleep that night. He meditated with his eyes closed, and nothing unexpected happened.

    The next day, Yuan Ming set off again.

    The number of puddles in the swamp ahead was decreasing, and the dry areas were increasing.

    "I¡¯m finally leaving this area." Yuan Ming¡¯s face rxed slightly, and he quickened his pace.

    The swamp was full of mud and stench, and the environment was extremely harsh. He was quite happy to be able to leave here.

    After walking about a mile, Yuan Ming suddenly stopped.

    Ahead was a patch of green lotus leaves, dotted withrge pink flowers. It was the highly poisonous lotus he had encountered before.

    Unlike the few green lotuses he had seen before, the area of this lotus patch was unusuallyrge, upying the entire area ahead. Even with Yuan Ming¡¯s vision, he couldn¡¯t see the end. Thousands of pink lotus leaves stood tall among them, swaying in the wind.

    Yuan Ming stopped in his tracks when he saw the pink lotuses from afar.

    With so many lotuses gathered, the concentration of the flower¡¯s poison would undoubtedly be much higher than before. It would be troublesome if he was affected.

    Yuan Ming decided to go around the lotus patch.

    Just then, a "hiss" sound came from the lotus patch, followed by dozens of green snakes slithering out. They were the same green snakes he had encountered before, and they all rushed towards Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s face changed slightly, but he didn¡¯t take it too seriously and turned to retreat into the distance.

    With such a wide distance, the green snakes couldn¡¯t possibly catch up with him.

    Sure enough, the green snakes chased him for a while and then stopped. They hissed at Yuan Ming for a while and then returned to the lotus patch.

    Yuan Ming raised an eyebrow. The hissing of the green snakes just now seemed to carry a threatening message, as if warning him not to approach.

    "I was quite far from the lotus patch just now. I shouldn¡¯t have entered the attack range of those green snakes, but they were so alert. Could there be something in the lotus patch?" A hint of curiosity arose in his heart.

    After thinking for a moment, Yuan Ming shook his head and gave up the idea of investigating.

    The lotus patch was full of flower poison and those green venomous snakes. He had no means to deal with these dangers, so it was better not to meddle.

    Yuan Ming walked along the edge of the lotus patch and moved forward.

    Caw, caw, caw...

    A harsh cry came from the swamp behind him. It sounded like some kind of bird, sharp and long. The caller was obviously not small.

    "A bird-type fierce beast!" Yuan Ming frowned and quickly hid in a nearby dense grass patch.

    In the Hundred Thousand Mountains, any movement could not be underestimated. A powerful beast might suddenly appear. Besides, he had an incense burner in his hand, which could allow him to fly away at any time. He was not afraid of ordinary terrestrial fierce beasts, but he was quite wary of bird-type fierce beasts.

    Just as Yuan Ming had hidden himself, a huge white figure flew out from the depths of the swamp, passing right over his head.

    Yuan Ming saw that the white figure was a giant eagle several tens of feet long. Its eyes were as big as copper bells, its ws were ck, and its feathers were snow-white. Its size was not inferior to the ck Giant Crow he had seen before. It was obviously a kind of raptor fierce beast.

    The giant white eagle nced at the grass patch where Yuan Ming was hiding with its pale yellow eyes, but it didn¡¯t pay any attention to him. It headed straight for the center of the lotus patch and disappeared in an instant.

    Yuan Ming stood up from the grass patch and looked up at the sky.

    "That white eagle seems quite strong, and its vision is also very good. It could spot me even through the mist. It seems like a good spirit beast, but it¡¯s too fast. Even with the incense burner, I couldn¡¯t catch up with it, let alone subdue it."

 Chapter 98: Take advantage

    Chapter 98: Take advantage

    Yuan Ming shook his head and was about to continue forward when suddenly, from deep within the flower bushes, came the hissing of a group of snakes and a cacophony of bird cries. It seemed that the white eagle and the green snake in the flower bushes were fighting, causing the mist in the bushes to surge.

    However, the location of the eagle-snake battle seemed to be deep within the flower bushes, quite far from the outside, making it difficult to see the specific situation.

    "It seems that the white eagle is heading straight for the flower bushes. Could it be that it wants to catch a few green snakes to fill its stomach?" Yuan Ming squinted his eyes, activated the Death Moon method, and projected his soul out of his body, floating towards the depths of the flower bushes.

    The soul is a Yin entity, and it is quite ufortable to leave the body during the day. However, if the distance is not too far, it can still withstand it.

    It was rare to encounter a good fierce beast, and missing the opportunity always left a sense of regret.

    The pollen of the flowers is harmful to the human body, but it has no effect on the soul. Yuan Ming¡¯s soul arrived at the deeper part of the flower bushes without any impact and stopped.

    This was already the limit of projecting his soul, unable to continue forward. Fortunately, he could already see the white eagle and the green snake.

    As he focused his gaze, he couldn¡¯t help but exim softly.

    The white eagle was circling in the low sky, asionally diving down.On the ground, the green snakes gathered, forming a group of hundreds, confronting the white eagle.

    Among the snake group, there was a green giant python that was several timesrger than the other green snakes. Its whole body was covered in armor-like bright green scales, and it had a green fleshy lump resembling a horn on its head, seemingly the snake king.

    The snake king coiled into a snake cake, lying horizontally over a not-so-small pit, inside of which were dozens of green snake eggs.

    The target of the white eagle seemed to be these snake eggs. Every time it dove down, it went straight for the pit, while the snake king and the other green snakes desperately blocked it.

    The snake king had tough scales, great strength, and exceptional speed. It blocked most of the white eagle¡¯s attacks, and the remaining attacks were taken over by the other green snakes. It was temporarily unclear who would win or lose.

    Seeing this scene, Yuan Ming suddenly had an idea. His soul quickly returned to his body.

    He muttered some words, and a faint green color appeared on his skin. His aura also began to converge, quickly blending him into the surrounding grass, making it difficult to perceive even if someone stood nearby.

    As for his magical aura, it waspletely concealed, thanks to the effect of the Wood Concealment technique.

    A yellow rabbit ran over from nearby and started nibbling on a wild grass simr to green vegetables in the grass.

    Yuan Ming raised his eyebrows and waved his hand at the yellow rabbit. Surprisingly, the usually alert rabbit didn¡¯t notice him at all.

    "The effect of the Wood Concealment technique is quite good." He nodded secretly, held his breath, and walked towards the flower bushes.

    The yellow rabbit heard the sound and finally noticed Yuan Ming¡¯s presence, quickly fleeing.

    Yuan Ming ignored it and soon arrived at the edge of the flower bushes, stopping his steps.

    As far as he knew, ordinary flower pollen toxins enter the human body through breathing, causing poisoning. However, these pollen lotuses didn¡¯t seem to be ordinary toxins, so he needed to test if holding his breath could iste them.

    After a few breaths, his body showed no abnormalities, and his tense heart finally rxed. He quickly held his breath and entered the flower bushes.

    It seemed that all the venomous snakes in the flower bushes had been lured away by the white eagle. Yuan Ming didn¡¯t encounter a single one as he quickly arrived at the spot where his soul had stood before, looking towards the ongoing battle.

    The white eagle dived down once again but was still blocked by the snake king and the other green snakes.

    The white eagle let out a sharp cry, seemingly angered. Itsrge wings suddenly pped violently, causing a hurricane-like wind to rise around it. Many lotus flowers bent down and broke with a cracking sound, and many green snakes were blown away. The snake king was also blown away from the pit.

    The white eagle¡¯s ws turned into two ck shadows and went straight for the snake eggs in the pit.

    The snake king became furious, opening its blood-filled mouth and biting directly at the white eagle¡¯s ws. Its tail also whipped towards the white eagle¡¯s body.

    With a loud bang, the white eagle¡¯srge body was sent flying by the snake¡¯s tail. Large feathers shattered and fell, and the area where it was hit visibly sank, indicating that it was seriously injured.

    But the white eagle¡¯s ws also broke through the snake king¡¯s obstruction and sessfully grabbed two snake eggs, pping its wings and flying high.

    Yuan Ming was waiting for this moment. He formed a hand seal with his right hand.

    Suddenly, several lotus stems near the pit rose from the ground, elongating in the wind and entwining around the white eagle¡¯s body, causing its soaring momentum toe to a halt.

    The snake king, who was originally in a state of shock and anger, saw this scene and immediately let out a hissing sound from its mouth. Its snake body leaped upwards and, taking advantage of the white eagle¡¯s unstable figure, wrapped around its body, firmly binding one of its wings.

    The white eagle, caught off guard, fell to the ground.

    The snake king opened its blood-filled mouth and bit down on the white eagle¡¯s neck. Other nearby green snakes also pounced.

    The white eagle struggled in anger, but with its wing restrained by the snake king, it couldn¡¯t stop so many green snakes. Its body was quickly submerged by the snake group.

    Seeing this scene, Yuan Ming¡¯s expression changed slightly.

    He interfered with the white eagle to let it be injured by the group of snakes so that he could seize the opportunity to tame it. Unexpectedly, the snake king reacted so quickly and instantly trapped the white eagle.

    If he let this eagle die here, all his ns would be in vain.

    Yuan Ming formed another hand seal, this time using the Wood Thorn technique.

    With a "tter" sound near the pit, five sharp wooden thorns suddenly emerged from the ground, piercing through the snake group and piercing through the bodies of more than a dozen green snakes. Two of the wooden thorns even pierced the snake king¡¯s body.

    The snake king didn¡¯t expect another attack at this moment. It screamed in pain, and its entwined body with the white eagle loosened.

    The nearby lotus stems extended once again, but this time their target was the snake king, entwining its body.

    The white eagle escaped from death and immediately disyed the Wind Drum technique it had used before, rapidly pping its wings and creating afterimages.

    A gust of wind suddenly erupted, blowing away all the surrounding green snakes. The snake king was also blown several feet away.

    Taking advantage of this opportunity, the white eagle pped its wings and flew unsteadily, rushing towards the depths of the swamp.The Serpent King roared at the white eagle, but did not futilely pursue it. The figure of the white eagle quickly disappeared into the mist.

    Not far away, in a cluster of flowers, Yuan Ming¡¯s figure also vanished.

    The white eagle struggled to p its wings, flying towards its nest deep in the swamp.

    It often preyed on various poisonous snakes in the swamp, especially the green-spotted snakes in the pink lotus cluster, and had developed a certain resistance to snake venom. However, this time it fell into a swarm of snakes and was bitten by countless green-spotted venomous snakes. The venom of the Serpent King was particrly potent, causing the white eagle¡¯s body to be weak and its flying speed to be less than half of what it was before.

    The white eagle was quite powerful, its intelligenceparable to that of an ordinary human. A hint of human-like hatred shone in its eyes. It had almost died in the swarm of green-spotted snakes, and it vowed to take revenge once it had recovered from its injuries.

    However, the strange movement of the lotus stem just now was quite peculiar. To its knowledge, those green-spotted venomous snakes did not possess the ability to control nts.

    The white eagle suddenly remembered the cultivator who had been hiding in the grass before entering the flower cluster. Could it have been his doing?

    At that moment, a green shadow shed through the nearby mist. A green long sword shot out, aiming straight for the white eagle¡¯s chest.

    The white eagle was startled and quickly dodged to the side, barely avoiding the sword¡¯s de.

    The long sword, which should have passed by, suddenly changed direction as if driven by an invisible hand. With a "puff", it pierced one of the white eagle¡¯s wings, passing right through.

    The white eagle, already struggling to fly, was severely injured by this attack and immediately plunged downwards.

    Yuan Ming, holding an incense burner in one hand, appeared following the green long sword and pursued the eagle.

    Seeing Yuan Ming, the white eagle was first taken aback, then filled with rage, realizing that the previous anomalies were all his doing.

    Its uninjured wing suddenly spread out, and a blue light surged from its surface.

    Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

    Over a dozen feathers shot out, emitting piercing shrieks as they aimed for Yuan Ming.

    These feathers were not shot out randomly; each one had a clear target. Although there were only a dozen or so, they blocked all of Yuan Ming¡¯s possible escape routes.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s face darkened. Sensing the direction of the feathers with his soul power, he immediately interrupted his object control technique.

    The green light on the incense burner suddenly disappeared, and he, along with the incense burner, began to fall.

    The white eagle had calcted all of Yuan Ming¡¯s possible evasion routes, but it had not expected him to suddenly plummet, causing all of its feathers to miss their target.

    Yuan Ming once again used the object control technique, and the green light on the incense burner reappeared, stabilizing his body.

    The white eagle was both shocked and furious. Just as it was about to attack again, a green shadow shot out from another direction. It was the Green Fish Sword, which with a "puff", pierced through the eagle¡¯s uninjured wing.

    With both wings injured, the white eagle could no longer maintain its bnce and fell downwards,nding with a ssh in a water pit, causing arge ssh.

    A green light shed in a nearby bush, and numerous branches quickly extended, wrapping around the white eagle¡¯s body and forming a cage of branches in an instant.

    The white eagle was both shocked and furious, struggling desperately to break free.

    The eagle¡¯s strength far exceeded that of the green snakes and the grey fox from before. The cage of branches shook violently, but it was much sturdier than the previous grass cage. Despite the shaking, there was no sign of damage.

    Yuan Ming floated down from mid-air andnded in front of the white eagle. He ced one hand on the eagle¡¯s head and began to use the beast control technique.

    ck energy surged from his palm, like a hungry wolf seeing delicious food, and all of it entered the white eagle¡¯s head.

    The white eagle¡¯s body shook violently, and it let out a painful cry, struggling even more fiercely.

    However, in its current state, such struggles were meaningless. It was impossible to break free from the tree cage.

    Yuan Ming focused on using the beast control technique, and soon a quarter of an hour had passed.

    The white eagle showed no signs of submission, its will to resist seemed even stronger than before.

    Yuan Ming was not surprised. Judging from its previous confrontation with the swarm of snakes, the eagle¡¯s strength was definitely at the upper level of the first rank. It would not be easy to subdue.

    However, he was not overly worried. His mana had reached the sixthyer of Qi Refining, and afterpleting the firstyer of the Death Moon method, his soul power far exceeded that of his peers. As long as there were no external factors interfering, he could barely manage to use the beast control technique continuously for an hour.

    Such a long duration of casting was beyond the capabilities of a Qi Refining cultivator. Yuan Ming did not believe that any first-rank fierce beast could withstand it.

    The only thing he needed to be careful of was the intensity of his casting. He must not identally destroy the white eagle¡¯s soul, or all his previous efforts would be wasted.

 Chapter 99: Demonic vine

    Chapter 99: Demonic vine

    A surge of ck energy surged out of Yuan Ming¡¯s palm, seemingly endless, continuously injecting into the mind of the white eagle.

    As time passed, the consciousness of the white eagle gradually began to deteriorate, and the resistance became weaker and weaker.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s mouth curled up, continuing to operate the Beast Taming Technique, intending topletely subdue this white eagle.

    From the current situation, there was a great chance of sess this time.

    At this moment, a sudden change urred!

    The ground beneath Yuan Ming¡¯s feet suddenly cracked open, and a purple-ck vine shot out, swiftly entwining around his legs.

    This vine was only as thick as a finger, with smooth skin and slender leaves. The vine and leaves were adorned with purple spots, looking quite beautiful.

    However, despite its slender and beautiful appearance, the power contained within this vine was astonishing. Yuan Ming¡¯s legs were instantly tightened, unable to move at all, as if they were locked by iron chains.

    Although Yuan Ming was surprised, he did not panic. He didn¡¯t even give up on subduing the white eagle. He pointed his finger at the Green Fish Sword beside him.The Green Fish Sword leaped up and turned into a fan-shaped green shadow, shing at the purple-ck vine.

    With a light sound of "bang," a shallow crack appeared on the vine, but it was less than one-third of the vine¡¯s body.

    A hint of surprise finally shed across Yuan Ming¡¯s face.

    Although the Green Fish Sword was only a semi-magic weapon, as his cultivation improved, the power it disyed became stronger and stronger. It could easily cut through a tree trunk as thick as a water bucket, yet it couldn¡¯t do anything to a slender vine?

    The purple-ck strange vine twisted like a snake, quickly drilling out from the ground and entangling Yuan Ming¡¯s upper body.

    Yuan Ming hurriedly drove the Green Fish Sword again, shing at the crack in the strange vine.

    However, the strange vine seemed to have consciousness. It quickly twisted and shook.

    With a sound of "bang," the Green Fish Sword struck the strange vine, but it hit another ce. The previously cracked area emitted a faint purple-ck light, healing at a visible speed.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s pupils contracted, and he quickly gave up on subduing the white eagle, retracting all his spiritual power.

    Without his spiritual power sustaining it, the tree prison that imprisoned the white eagle also disintegrated. The white eagle escaped from death and immediately struggled to fly away without looking back.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t have time to pay attention to the white eagle. He activated all his spiritual power and infused it into the Green Fish Sword. A hazy green light rose from the sword, fiercely shing at the root of the purple-ck strange vine close to the ground.

    With a light sound of "pu," the strange vine was cut off by more than half, and purple liquid sprayed out from the cut.

    Yuan Ming was delighted to see this and immediately urged the Green Fish Sword again, intending topletely cut off the purple vine.

    But at this moment, the ground cracked open again, and a slightly thinner purple vine emerged, swiftly wrapping around the Green Fish Sword, entangling it several times like lightning.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t expect this to happen and hurriedly tried to free the Green Fish Sword.

    However, the Green Fish Sword was only a semi-magic weapon after all, with no essential difference from an ordinary sword. It had to elerate a certain distance to exert the power of its de, and it couldn¡¯t cause much damage to the things entangled on it. No matter how hard Yuan Ming swung the sword, he couldn¡¯t shake off the strange vine.

    Not only that, more and more vines drilled out from the ground, entangling Yuan Ming¡¯s body.

    His upper body was soon entangled by the strange vines, not only rendering his hands immobile, but also causing his face under the frog skin to turn red.

    The power of these strange vines was astonishing, squeezing his bones until they made a cracking sound, making it almost impossible for him to breathe.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s heart sank. He knew that he couldn¡¯t deal with these strange vines with the ck Toad Transformation.

    But now his whole body was entangled by the purple-ck strange vines, and he couldn¡¯t even change into the White Ape Transformation.

    "Right! Since these vines are nts, they should not be able to withstand the erosion of the Toad Poison Arrow." Yuan Ming suddenly remembered something and activated his spiritual power, injecting it into the poison sac on his back.

    Several strands of ck venom shot out and hit the purple-ck strange vine.

    With a sizzling sound, the purple vine that came into contact with the venom quickly withered.

    The purple-ck strange vine writhed violently, emitting a rustling sound, as if it was in pain.

    The strange vines on Yuan Ming¡¯s body loosened a lot, and his breathing became smooth again.

    He breathed a sigh of relief and continued to spray venom to corrode the strange vines, while trying to break free.

    But at this moment, Yuan Ming¡¯s calf suddenly throbbed, as if it had been stabbed by a knife.

    He quickly looked down and his face changed.

    He saw that the top of the purple vine had somehow easily reached his calf, and it had be sharp, piercing through the skin of the ck Toad and drilling into his flesh.

    The situation was critical now, and Yuan Ming didn¡¯t have time to think. He attached himself to the top of the strange vine, pulling it outward with all his strength.

    However, the ck Toad Transformation did not enhance his arm strength. He couldn¡¯t pull out the strange vine. Moreover, the strange vine in his calf was drilling into his body, causing the nearby muscles and skin to swell rapidly.

    "What the hell is this!" Yuan Ming cursed loudly, continuing to exert all his strength to hold onto the strange vine.

    At the same time, a surge of ck energy emerged from his right hand, pouring into the interior of the strange vine. It was the Beast Taming Technique.

    This strange vine looked like a nt, but its series of bizarre actions made Yuan Ming have to treat it like a fierce beast, just like he did with the white eagle, and try to use the Beast Taming Technique as ast resort.

    Sure enough, as the ck energy of the Beast Taming Technique entered the strange vine, the movements of the purple-ck strange vine suddenly stiffened.

    Yuan Ming was delighted and fully activated the Beast Taming Technique, continuing to disturb the strange vine.The poison sac on his back continued to shoot out venom, and the ck venom almost covered the strange vines on his body. Large patches of purple vines began to wither.

    Under this double attack, the range of the purple-ck strange vines¡¯ attacks became smaller and smaller.

    With a "whoosh" sound, a thick root with ck tentacles emerged from the ground, with a lot of mud sticking to it.

    Through the roots and mud, one could see several wrinkled mouths growing at the base of the strange vines, forming a wriggling and ugly face.

    "Monster vine!" Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but widen his eyes.

    He had seen it in the records of the Bi Luo Cave¡¯s storage pavilion. The fierce beasts in the Ten Thousand Mountains were not only tigers, leopards, wolves, and bears. If some trees and nts coincidentally gained spiritual wisdom, they could also absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and transform into fierce beasts.

    The vine roots swung up and made a dull whistling sound, then "bang," it hit Yuan Ming¡¯s back, which he couldn¡¯t avoid.

    Yuan Ming was hit like a heavy blow, and his whole body was knocked to the ground. He spewed out a mouthful of blood, and his beast taming technique was interrupted.

    Without the suppression of the beast taming technique, the stiff and motionless purple-ck monster vine regained its ability to move and firmly bound Yuan Ming again.

    Dozens of ck roots on the vine suddenly lengthened in the wind, swiftly like arrows, and pierced into Yuan Ming¡¯s back.

    All the poison sacs on the frog¡¯s back were pierced by the roots, and the swollen poison sacs became deted like deted balls, and the venom sprayed out immediately stopped.

    Not only that, the ck roots also emitted a strange suction force. Yuan Ming¡¯s blood began to boil, and it flowed towards the ck roots.

    Yuan Ming felt his strength and blood continuously draining away. He quickly flipped over and jumped up, gathering his scattered mana, and once again disyed the beast taming technique.

    This time, he used all the mana and soul power in his body without reservation, madly urging the beast taming technique.

    With a "boom," a ck gas several times denser than before emerged from Yuan Ming¡¯s hands and poured into the purple-ck monster vine.

    The movements of the purple-ck monster vine once again froze, but the blood-sucking of the ck roots did not stop. The originally ck roots turned blood-red, and other areas of the monster vine also showed traces of blood.

    The damaged vine body that was eroded by the venom began to heal rapidly.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s face darkened, but he did not distract himself to stop the roots from sucking blood. All of his mana was still used to disy the beast taming technique, relentlessly impacting the consciousness of the purple-ck monster vine.

    His mana and soul power were almost depleted, and if they were further dispersed, it would be even more difficult to achieve anything.

    The only thing he could do now was to go all out and destroy the consciousness of the monster vine with the beast taming technique, or there might be a glimmer of hope.

    One person and one vine were locked in a stalemate.

    Time passed bit by bit.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s face turned pale, and his body was swaying, looking extremely weak.

    His mana and soul power had already reached their limit, and most importantly, more than half of his blood had been sucked away by the monster vine. He felt dizzy, and if it weren¡¯t for his strong physique, he would have fainted by now.

    The state of the purple-ck monster vine was not much better. After enduring the impact of the beast taming technique for so long, its will was already on the verge of copse, and most of the vines entwined around Yuan Ming had fallen off.

    "The situation is not good! Although the consciousness of this monster vine has greatly weakened, it can still hold on for a while. But my condition is too poor, and my mana and soul power are almost exhausted. I could copse at any time!" Yuan Ming felt anxious and nced at his right arm.

    With a slight grit of his teeth, he released a strand of mana and soul power and injected it into the incense burner mark on his right arm.

    Based on past experience, every time his spiritual power was greatly depleted or his spiritual power was attacked, the incense burner would emit a heat flow simr to his spiritual power, giving him a helping hand.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s spiritual power was greatly depleted at the moment, but the incense burner remained motionless. Helpless, he took the risk and tried to activate it.

    The mark emitted a faint blue light, and the blue incense burner shed and flew to the top of Yuan Ming¡¯s head, stopping at the Baihui acupoint.

    Yuan Ming was stunned when he saw this scene.

    Except for the time when his spiritual power possessed the young emperor, every time the blue incense burner was summoned, it obediently followed hismand. This situation had never urred before.

    Before he could think further, a thick heat flow gushed out from the incense burner, passed through the Baihui acupoint, and entered his sea of consciousness.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s exhausted spirit suddenly revitalized, and he quickly operated the Death Moon method to absorb the heat flow. The almost dried-up spiritual power in his sea of consciousness began to recover.

    However, the heat flow emitted by the incense burner this time was too much, and the Death Moon method couldn¡¯t absorb it in time. Nearly half of the heat flow was directly injected into the beast taming technique.

    The ck gas produced by the beast taming technique suddenly increased several times, like a ck raging dragon, rushing into the body of the purple-ck monster vine.

    The purple-ck monster vine trembled violently, and its resistance weakened.

    Perhaps sensing that Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t absorb it, the heat flow emitted by the incense burner suddenly split in half. Most of it still entered Yuan Ming¡¯s sea of consciousness, while the other half entered the ck toad¡¯s skin.

    A strange ck light appeared on the ck toad¡¯s skin, and the frog¡¯s phantom appeared again, looking much clearer than before. There were also many green spots on its surface, which seemed to be the same color as the incense burner.

    The frog phantom opened its mouth and spewed out a ck light, which merged into the heavily wounded frog¡¯s back.

    The poison sacs that were pierced by the monster vine¡¯s roots slowly wriggled, and ck venom overflowed once again, enveloping the roots of the purple-ck monster vine.The ck toad venom had undergone some changes, its color had lightened significantly, and it was now interspersed with specks of green, mirroring the situation of the frog shadow.

    Although the color of the venom had lightened, its power had greatly increased. The moment the demonic vine¡¯s roots came into contact with it, they immediately began to dissolve rapidly. The entire root system of the demonic vine was slowly sinking, as if it was about to be corroded and swallowed by the ck toad venom.

    The purple-ck demonic vine was under attack from both sides, causing its will to copse even faster.

    Just as Yuan Ming gritted his teeth, preparing to continue to stimte the beast control technique andunch the final fierce attack, the green incense burner suddenly trembled, and its surface shed with a green light.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s mind exploded with a loud bang, as if a thunderbolt had exploded, his vision instantly turned pitch ck, and he passed out.

 Chapter 100: Wisteria and Toad

    Chapter 100: Wisteria and Toad

    After an unknown amount of time, Yuan Ming gradually regained consciousness and slowly sat up from the ground.

    The surrounding mist swirled and floated, and he couldn¡¯t see the sun even when he looked up, making it impossible to determine how long he had been unconscious.

    His mind was still a bit foggy, but after shaking his head, he remembered what happened before he passed out and quickly looked around.

    Although he had suppressed the will of the purple-ck demon vine with his beast taming technique, given its tenacity, it might not be dead.

    The surroundings were quiet, not even a single bug could be seen, let alone the demon vine.

    The Qingyu Sword was nted and inserted into the ground nearby, with a faint glow at the de.

    "If I didn¡¯t see the body of the demon vine, it means that it really didn¡¯t die. Could it have escaped underground?" Yuan Ming muttered to himself.

    He had just fallen into aa, so if the demon vine was still alive, why didn¡¯t it take the opportunity to kill him? Could it be that it was scared off by the beast taming technique?

    He pped his cheeks hard and stood up."Huh!" Yuan Ming suddenly noticed another anomaly. He didn¡¯t know when he had released the beast transformation technique, and the ck toad beast skin was nowhere to be found.

    "It¡¯s one thing for the purple-ck demon vine to be missing, as it could have escaped on its own. But why would the ck toad beast skin disappear? Could someone havee just now?" Yuan Ming thought of a possibility and quickly checked his belongings.

    Everything in his storage bag was still there, nothing was missing. The mysterious incense burner had turned into an imprint and was quietly residing in his right arm, showing no abnormalities. Even the conspicuous Qingyu Sword was not lost. It didn¡¯t seem like someone hade.

    Yuan Ming silently picked up the Qingyu Sword and was about to search the nearby area when his expression suddenly changed, and he looked in a certain direction.

    There seemed to be something there that was connected to his mind, but the connection was very weak, and he couldn¡¯t sense it clearly.

    "What is it?" Yuan Ming was quite surprised.

    Something that could establish a mental connection must be a profound secret technique, simr to the beast taming technique, or a blood-contracted artifact.

    His beast taming technique had not yet tamed any spirit beasts, and the only thing he had blood-contracted with was the mysterious incense burner, which was now peacefully residing in the incense burner imprint on his right arm. What else could establish a mental connection with him?

    Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t figure it out, but soon stopped thinking about it and started searching for the ck toad skin in the vicinity, but found nothing.

    "Forget it, the ck toad skin is just an auxiliary item. If it¡¯s lost, it¡¯s lost." He sighed and sat cross-legged, circting the Nine Elements Technique to restore his mana.

    After a while, Yuan Ming¡¯s mana was fully restored, and his strength returned to his body.

    However, he had lost nearly half of his blood and his muscles and bones were a bit weak, but fortunately, it didn¡¯t affect his movements.

    Yuan Ming took out the white ape skin, but instead of using the beast transformation technique, he wrapped it around his waist and ran towards the distance.

    The anomaly there had always been tugging at his mind, so it was better to investigate it clearly.

    Fifteen minutester, Yuan Ming arrived at a swampy water pool several acres in size, and the object that was connected to his mind was in the water.

    As he got closer, the mental connection between him and the water pool became stronger, and he could already sense what it was.

    "No way!" Yuan Ming was somewhat incredulous. This matter was too unbelievable.

    Just at this moment, the water pool suddenly exploded, andrge waves rolled violently. A gray fierce creature emerged from the water, turning out to be a several-zhang-long gray fierce crocodile.

    The head of this crocodile was actually dark red, especially its eyes, which were blood-red and exceptionally fierce.

    "Not good, it¡¯s an adult Bloodhead Crocodile!" Yuan Ming recognized this beast.

    An adult Bloodhead Crocodile had at least the peak strength of the Intermediate Rank 1, with extremely tough scales, immense strength, and excellent waterbat abilities. It was one of the most powerful Intermediate Rank beasts.

    However, this Bloodhead Crocodile was currently in a panic, quickly twisting its body and fleeing in a hurry.

    Before it could escape far, a slender purple-ck object broke through the water, wrapped around the body of the Bloodhead Crocodile, and swiftly coiled around it. It was a purple-ck vine.

    The vine waspletely bare, without a single leaf, and its body was crystal clear, with faint bloodlines visible inside, giving it an eerie and strange appearance.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s pupils suddenly contracted.

    Although the appearance of this purple-ck vine had changed, he could tell that it was the same purple-ck demon vine that had almost taken his life before!

    The Bloodhead Crocodile struggled desperately, but the purple-ck demon vine was extremely tenacious. No matter how the Bloodhead Crocodile struggled, it couldn¡¯t break free.

    The vine made a sharp "sizzling" sound, bing sharp, and then suddenly shot out, piercing the tough skin of the Bloodhead Crocodile.

    With a light "pu" sound, the demon vine easily pierced through its tough skin and entered its body.

    The Bloodhead Crocodile let out a miserable scream, its long and thick body trembling violently, but the amplitude became smaller and smaller.

    After a few breaths, the crocodilepletely lost its breath, and its swollen body floated on the water¡¯s surface.

    With a "ssh" sound, a ck shadow slowly emerged from the water. It was a fist-sized ck toad with a round and bulging purple-ck drum on its back, which looked like several leaves of a certain nt folded together. It had more than a dozen poison sacs around it, and its cold eyes looked at the Bloodhead Crocodile.

    Yuan Ming tried to maintain a calm expression on his face, but the astonishment in his eyes couldn¡¯t be concealed no matter what.

    This ck toad, both in terms of skin color and appearance, was exactly the same as his toad beast skin, just smaller in size.

    A piece of beast skin actually resurrected out of thin air. Such a miraculous thing actually existed in the world!The dark purple vine shot out from a bulge on the toad¡¯s back, a stream of blood-red light quickly flowed back along the vine to the toad¡¯s back. The toad¡¯s body glowed with a faint blood light, which quickly dissipated, but its body subtly erged.

    The dark purple vine flew back and disappeared into the bulge on the toad¡¯s back.

    The toad seemed to sense something, turned its head to look at Yuan Ming nearby, a trace of surprise in its eyes, and turned to flee.

    "Come here!" Yuan Ming¡¯s face darkened slightly, he shouted coldly, his right hand forming a spell, the tip of his finger flickering with ck light.

    The toad¡¯s body trembled, but it didn¡¯t move.

    A look of surprise crossed Yuan Ming¡¯s face. He pushed his beast taming technique to the maximum, and the toad reluctantly turned around and swam over, hopping in front of Yuan Ming.

    He raised his hand and pressed it on the toad¡¯s head, a thick ck aura surged from his palm, rolling into the toad¡¯s body.

    After a moment, he withdrew his hand, aplex look on his face, surprise, joy, but mostly confusion.

    Yuan Ming had just used the beast taming technique,bined with the power of his soul to check, the original ck toad¡¯s skin had indeed grown internal organs for some reason, and there were soul fluctuations within its body, it had be a living creature.

    The dark purple vine, through the bulge on the toad¡¯s back, grew together with its internal organs, bing an organ-like existence within its body. Each time the heart beat, the toad¡¯s blood could be transmitted to various parts of its body through the dark purple vine, in addition to its blood vessels.

    The ck toad in front of him looked like a ck-patterned poison toad, but in fact, it was a freak formed by the fusion of twopletely different creatures.

    Inside the dark purple vine resided a rune mark, which was a beast taming rune, containing Yuan Ming¡¯s soul power, it looked like it was condensed from his soul.

    Yuan Ming had just sensed a connection between himself and this beast taming rune, but he found it hard to believe, yet the fact was right in front of him, he had no choice but to doubt.

    Anyway, he had identally tamed a spirit beast.

    With his current cultivation in the Qi Refining stage, he could no longer tame a second spirit beast, unless he killed the vine and destroyed the beast taming rune within it.

    "Forget it, let the vine be. Its abilities are quite good, and now it has merged with this ck toad, maybe it will develop some special powers?" After weighing the pros and cons, he decided to keep the vine.

    Yuan Ming sat cross-legged in front of the ck toad, continuing tomunicate with it using the beast taming technique, probing its internal condition.

    More importantly, he needed to understand the current abilities of the ck toad.

    Half a dayter, he stopped casting spells, a hint of joy in his eyes.

    As he had guessed earlier, after the ck toad and the vine merged, their powers had changed greatly. The most notable point was that the powers of the two began to merge. Now the vine also contained the ck toad¡¯s venom, which greatly increased the attack power of the vine in battle.

    The reason why the dark purple vine could easily pierce the skin of the Blood Head Crocodile was because of this.

    Furthermore, the ck toad also had the same powerful self-healing ability as the vine. Combined with the vine¡¯s blood-sucking characteristic, its self-healing ability had reached a monstrous level. As long as it didn¡¯t suffer fatal damage, it could heal quickly.

    "Follow me well from now on!" Yuan Ming exhaled lightly. This ck toad had be a monstrous existence, and it might not be a bad thing for him to keep it as a spirit beast.

    The ck toad looked at Yuan Ming and didn¡¯t move.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming slightly increased his mana to drive the beast taming technique, and the ck toad reluctantly croaked, jumped onto his shoulder, and squatted there.

    "This ck toad was born from mutation, and the beast taming rune I applied is engraved inside the vine. I don¡¯t know how effective it is in restraining this beast... But this little thing is so ck that it¡¯s hard to be noticed when it hides." He thought to himself.

    Yuan Ming quickly moved on. Now that the matter of taming the spirit beast was over, and with this ck toad by his side, his strength had increased a lot. He nned to continue exploring this ind.

    Most importantly, he wanted to find that Four-eyed Golden Ape.

    The effect of those Red Core Spirit Peaches was unforgettable to Yuan Ming. If he could find them,bined with the miraculous effect of the Nine Revolutions Technique, he could quickly advance his cultivation to the eighth or even ninth level of Qi Refining.

    ......

    Two dayster.

    Yuan Ming arrived at a low mountain area on the ind. The low mountains here were gray-ck, and the stones in the mountains exuded a strong yin energy. The air was also filled with a sense of coldness, making people feel quite ufortable.

    The vegetation inside the low mountains was also very sparse, obviously unable to withstand the oppressive yin energy of this ce.

    Yuan Ming took the ck toad into it and began to search around.

    In the past two days, he had searched all over the ind. Although he hadn¡¯t been able to find the area where the Four-eyed Golden Ape was, he had made quite a few discoveries, finding seven or eight precious spirit materials. If he took them to the sect to exchange, he could get quite a few contribution points.

    However, this ind was astonishinglyrge. He had been searching for three days and still hadn¡¯t found the ce where he hadndedst time.

    This made him a little anxious. The time he had applied for to leave the sect was only five days, and now there wasn¡¯t much left. If he couldn¡¯t find it, he would have to wait until next time.

 Chapter 101: Assist

    Chapter 101: Assist

    Yuan Ming stopped his steps as he walked around a rock and came to a halt.

    Beside a mountain wall in front of him, there grew a withered old tree. The bark had long fallen off, revealing a shriveled trunk with numerous decayed holes. It seemed to have died many years ago.

    Yuan Ming ignored the other parts of the dead tree and looked towards the bottom. On a low branch of the tree, there grew a ck Lingzhi mushroom the size of a palm. It had a silver pattern on the edge, clearly indicating that it was not an ordinary object.

    "Sure enough, it¡¯s the Yin Yuan Lingzhi!" Yuan Ming squatted down and carefully examined it, his face filled with joy.

    ording to the records in the "Bai Cao Ji," this was a rare Yin attribute spiritual material. Although it couldn¡¯t be directly consumed like the flesh Lingzhi or the red core Ling Tao, it could be used to refine Yin attribute pills.

    Yuan Ming had seen a reward of five contribution points in the Execution Hall for finding this Yin Yuan Lingzhi. He didn¡¯t know if anyone hadpleted this task.

    He carefully picked the Lingzhi and put it into a jade box, storing it away.

    This Yin Yuan Lingzhi was the most valuable spiritual material he had encountered so far. If he could find a few more, even if he couldn¡¯t find the red core Ling Tao, this trip would not be in vain.

    Yuan Ming continued on his way after standing up. He hadn¡¯t walked far when his gaze suddenly froze, looking towards the mountain wall ahead.In a shady spot on the mountain wall, there grew a ck spiritual grass. It was only two feet tall and had oval-shaped leaves, emitting a faint ck spiritual light.

    Yuan Ming looked towards the top of the spiritual grass, where a ck spiritual fruit was growing.

    The fruit was the size of a pigeon egg, with fine patterns on its surface. It looked like many scales closely packed together, and a faint fragrance wafted through the air.

    "Huh, isn¡¯t this the ck scale fruit that Silver Cat asked me to find?" Yuan Ming felt delighted.

    There was a drawing of the ck scale fruit in the herbal collection of the Second Cave Master. It was exactly the same as the one in front of him, with no difference in appearance or description. The age was also sufficient, and his luck was indeed good.

    He quickly walked over and prepared to pick the fruit.

    "Croak croak!" Suddenly, the ck toad beside him let out an urgent cry.

    Yuan Ming immediately stopped in his tracks, and his expression changed slightly. He used the Shadowless Step to swiftly move backward.

    A ck shadow fell from the sky and heavilynded where Yuan Ming had just stood, creating arge pit in the ground. Arge number of broken stones shot in all directions.

    Yuan Ming continued to swiftly move backward, dodging the flying stones. Only then did he see the ck shadow clearly.

    It was a fierce beast resembling a lion, with gray-white long fur on its head and neck, and thick scales on its back and abdomen. It stood in front of the ck scale fruit, growling at Yuan Ming. It seemed to be guarding the fruit.

    "This beast looks like the Lion Scale Beast from the Ten Thousand Mountains, but the fur and scales of the Lion Scale Beast are red. This one is gray-white..." Yuan Ming thought to himself, taking out the White Ape¡¯s skin and using the Fur Transformation Technique to transform into a White Ape.

    Seeing that Yuan Ming didn¡¯t intend to leave, but instead transformed into a White Ape to provoke it, the Lion Scale Beast immediately roared and pounced towards him.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t engage in battle and used the Shadowless Step to swiftly dodge to the side, while pointing backwards with a finger.

    The ground in front of the Lion Scale Beast cracked, and five thick wooden spikes emerged, aiming for its neck.

    The Lion Scale Beast paused its steps slightly and swept its front paw, easily breaking the five wooden spikes.

    Yuan Ming wasn¡¯t surprised by this. The Lion Scale Beast in the Ten Thousand Mountains was a first-level fierce beast. Although the one in front of him had a different color, it was no different in terms of aura, size, and shape. It was most likely also a first-level fierce beast. It couldn¡¯t be easily injured by the Wood Spike Technique.

    He took out the Blue Fish Sword and his right arm suddenly became several times thicker, with bulging blue veins. This was the "umte Yuan Arm" technique.

    "Go!" Yuan Ming shouted, swinging his arm forcefully. The Blue Fish Sword turned into a blue shadow and flew straight towards the Lion Scale Beast¡¯s chest.

    The Lion Scale Beast opened its mouth and spewed out a gray fireball the size of a human head. Its speed was no slower than the Blue Fish Sword, and they collided head-on.

    With a loud bang, the gray fireball exploded, creating a visible shockwave that directly sent the Blue Fish Sword flying.

    Yuan Ming had anticipated this and pointed a finger, causing the flying Blue Fish Sword to immediately stop and circle around before continuing to sh towards the Lion Scale Beast.

    The Lion Scale Beast¡¯s four hooves emitted a gray-white light, increasing its speed and easily dodging the attack of the Blue Fish Sword. It continued to pounce towards Yuan Ming.

    At this moment, the ground beneath it cracked again, and a purple-ck vine emerged, entwining its two front limbs and chest. It was the Purple-ck Demon Vine.

    Behind arge stone about thirty feet away, the ck toad quietlyy in the shadow. The Purple-ck Demon Vine shot out from its back and disappeared into the ground.

    The Lion Scale Beast was greatly rmed. It forcefully kicked the ground with its strong limbs and leaped to the side, intending to use brute force to break the demon vine. However, the length of the vine exceeded its expectations and quickly emerged from the ground.

    Even though the Lion Scale Beast jumped seven or eight zhang away, the Purple-ck Demon Vine still didn¡¯t straighten out.

    More and more vines emerged from the ground, twisting and entangling the Lion Scale Beast¡¯s hind legs tightly.Chi chi...

    The demonic vine secreted ck venom, infecting the Lion Scale Beast¡¯s body. The Lion Scale Beast¡¯s flesh and skin directly melted, revealing white bones in many ces. The blood that flowed out also had a ck-red color, and the scales were eroded and pitted.

    The Lion Scale Beast was both shocked and angry. It opened its mouth and spewed out a gray fireball, disregarding the harm it would cause to itself, hitting the demonic vine that was entangling its body.

    With a loud explosion, arge number of demonic vines were sted apart. The Lion Scale Beast broke free from most of them, and it seemed like it was about topletely escape from the entanglement.

    Ayer of green light suddenly lit up around the Lion Scale Beast, and numerous demonic vines swiftly weaved in and out, forming a purple vine cage in the blink of an eye, firmly imprisoning the Lion Scale Beast, making it unable to move at all.

    It was the "Wooden Prison Technique".

    After Yuan Ming finished casting the spell, his figure flew over. In his hand, a crimson light shed, and an additional dark red hammer appeared. It was the one he obtained from this ind.

    He infused his mana into it, and therge hammer emitted a dazzling red light, like a ball of crimson mes.

    Feeling the astonishing aura emitted by the dark red hammer, the Lion Scale Beast was both shocked and fearful, opening its bloody mouth wide.

    A gray-white fireball the size of a millstone flew out and hit the surrounding purple vine cage.

    With a loud boom, a gray-white mushroom cloud rose!

    The purple vine cage trembled violently, and several demonic vines were sted apart, but the entire cage was almost undamaged, still firmly imprisoning the Lion Scale Beast.

    The power of the Wooden Prison Technique depended to arge extent on the type of tree that formed the wooden prison. The purple-ck demonic vines were originally sturdy, and the wooden prison formed by them had immense power. It was already difficult for a Qi Refining stage fierce beast to break free.

    A red shadow of a hammer whistled down and struck the Lion Scale Beast¡¯s head.

    The Lion Scale Beast¡¯s head exploded with a sound, and countless red and white substances scattered in all directions. It didn¡¯t even have a chance to let out a miserable cry before it fell to the ground.

    The purple-ck demonic vines shot out and pierced into the Lion Scale Beast¡¯s wounds, rapidly absorbing its blood.

    Yuan Ming ignored the actions of the purple-ck demonic vines and looked at the lifeless body of the Lion Scale Beast, feeling somewhat dazed.

    Through the previous battle, he deeply experienced the terror of this gray-white Lion Scale Beast. It was definitely not inferior to the Four-Eyed Golden Ape and the ck Giant Crow he had encountered before.

    He had previously escaped in a sorry state from the Four-Eyed Golden Ape and the ck Giant Crow, but now he could easily kill a fierce beast of the same level. It had to be said that the ck Toad and the demonic vine yed an indispensable role.

    He didn¡¯t expect that the help of a capable spirit beast could be so significant.

    Yuan Ming took a few steps forward and picked up a broken vine from the ground, furrowing his brows.

    Although this demonic vine was tough, it was ultimately a wood attribute object. It was greatly restrained by attacks of the fire attribute.

    Fortunately, the purple-ck demonic vine had strong self-healing abilities. Now that it had merged with the ck Toad, as long as it had enough blood, it could quickly recover from this level of damage.

    Yuan Ming threw away the vine in his hand, ignoring the body of the Lion Scale Beast. He turned around and came to the ck Scale Fruit, carefully picking it and storing it away.

    At this moment, the purple-ck demonic vine had absorbed all the blood of the Lion Scale Beast. Instead of nourishing the ck Toad¡¯s body this time, it repaired its own injuries. The broken vines quickly grew back, and within a few breaths, they had recovered more than half.

    Yuan Ming continued forward, and the sound of rushing water came from ahead.

    He turned around a small hill, and a gray-white stream stretched across in front of him. The Yin energy in the stream was heavy, and it could be clearly sensed from a distance.

    Yuan Ming was taken aback, then revealed a pleased expression.

    This was exactly the stream he had encountered when he first arrived on the ind.

    Finding this ce made things much easier. He followed the memories in his mind and walked upstream along the stream. A small mountain appeared in front of him, which was the peak where Master Heimu¡¯s hidden cave was located.

    The entrance to the cave was still wide open, and the footprints from before appeared on the ground at the entrance. Everything remained the same as before.

    Yuan Ming entered the cave, with the ck Toad closely following by his side, alert for any underground demons they had encountered before.

    The cave remained unchanged as well. He searched every corner of the cave once again and even used his spiritual sense to check if there were any secret rooms orpartments in the surrounding walls. Unfortunately, there were no more secrets here.

    Yuan Ming felt quite disappointed and came to the forge.

    The only valuable thing left here was this forge. Last time, when he encountered the underground demon, he left in a hurry and didn¡¯t have time to take it away. This time, he wouldn¡¯t miss the opportunity.

    He activated the ck storage bag and tried to collect the forge.

    However, after casting the spell, the forge remained motionless in its original ce.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s face showed a look of surprise. The space inside the ck storage bag wasrge enough to hold this forge.

    With a hint of puzzlement, he began to inspect the forge and quickly discovered the reason.

    A circle of densely packed red runes was engraved on the ground around the forge. It looked quiteplex and seemed to have a special connection with something underground. Unless these runes were destroyed, it would be impossible to move the forge.

    Yuan Ming pondered for a moment, took out the Blue Fish Sword, and shed at the runes on the ground.Before the sword could touch the rune, ayer of red light suddenly surged, sending the Green Fish Sword flying away.

    "Could it be a formation?" Yuan Ming¡¯s face showed a look of surprise. After pondering for a moment, he gave up on retrieving it.

    He had heard from Senior Brother Fang Ge that some skilled artifact refiners also used furnaces simr to magical tools, which contained special runes that provided special benefits during artifact refining.

    Even more skilled refiners would further enhance the capabilities of the furnace in all aspects by inscribing formations, providing even greater benefits to artifact refining.

    Since Master Heimu had left such a formation and furnace here, he must have had his reasons. If he recklessly destroyed the formation, it would be equivalent to destroying half of the furnace. It would be better to wait until his cultivation was sufficient in the future.

 Chapter 102: Lost

    Chapter 102: Lost

    Yuan Ming closed the stone room mechanism and blocked the entrance of the cave with arge stone. Then he looked around disappointedly, as the Earth Traveling Demon still hadn¡¯t appeared.

    The Earth Traveling Demon was different from the previous Lion Scale Beast. It contained a piece of earth stone that could be used to refine some underground treasures, which were quite valuable.

    He continued upstream along the stream and soon arrived at the ck Pine Forest.

    Yuan Ming knew nothing about the ck giant crow and didn¡¯t know if it had any spiritual materials that could be collected. He didn¡¯t want to provoke it rashly, so he used the Wood Concealment Technique to hide his tracks and carefully crossed the forest.

    He was lucky today and didn¡¯t encounter the ck giant crow. He smoothly arrived in the area where the Four-Eyed Golden Ape was located.

    He had encountered the Red Core Peach Tree by chancest time, but he couldn¡¯t remember where the peach tree was now. He had to continue using the Wood Concealment Technique and try to find it.

    "Ribbit ribbit..." Suddenly, the ck toad on Yuan Ming¡¯s shoulder let out a low croak.

    Yuan Ming stopped his movements, startled.

    Because the ck toad transmitted a somewhat blurry message through their mental connection, roughly meaning that there was a bloody smell ahead.The Purple-ck Demon Vine was able to suck blood and was extremely sensitive to the smell of blood.

    Yuan Ming followed the direction indicated by the ck toad and slowly approached. He soon arrived at a lush grassy area in the distance and reached out to push aside the wild grass, his expression changing slightly.

    Two tall bodies were lying here, one of them being the Four-Eyed Golden Ape, and the other was the ck giant crow.

    There was arge hole in the chest of the Four-Eyed Golden Ape, obviously a fatal wound. It seemed to have been caused by a weapon like a sword or a knife.

    In addition to this chest wound, all four eyes of the golden ape had been gouged out, leaving behind four bloody and blurry holes.

    The ck giant crow also died with a hole pierced through its chest. Its ws and head were cut off, but there was no trace of them around, obviously taken away by someone.

    "No wonder I didn¡¯t encounter the ck giant crow just now. It turns out it has already been killed. From the wounds, both the Four-Eyed Golden Ape and the ck giant crow were killed by cultivators! Someone else has been here!" Yuan Ming muttered to himself.

    He wasn¡¯t surprised that someone else had found this ce. If he could find this ind, others could too.

    From the condition of the Four-Eyed Golden Ape¡¯s wounds, it hadn¡¯t been killed long ago, probably only two or three days.

    Apart from the chest and eye wounds, the golden ape had no other injuries. The four eyes were most likely gouged out afterwards. The ck giant crow was the same, with only one fatal wound.

    There were no signs of a fight around, which meant that both the Four-Eyed Golden Ape and the ck giant crow were killed with a single blow. It was probably impossible for a Qi Refining cultivator to do this.

    Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but feel a little scared. Immortal cultivators were mostly covered in blood. This ind was rich in resources, and coupled with Master Heimu¡¯s cave, it could be considered a treasure trove. If the person who killed the Four-Eyed Golden Ape found his tracks, he would most likely be killed to keep him quiet.

    Yuan Ming suppressed his anxious feelings and quickly called the ck toad, heading towards the direction of theke.

    Although he didn¡¯t know if that person had already left, he needed to leave as soon as possible.

    Not long after walking, the trees in front suddenly became sparse, and a peach tree stood quietly in the open space. It was the Red Core Spirit Peach Tree.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He had already nned to leave, but unexpectedly stumbled upon this tree.

    But when he took a closer look, the joy on his face disappeared.

    There were only peach leaves left on the tree, and all the spirit peaches were gone. Most likely, they had been taken by the person who killed the Four-Eyed Golden Ape.

    Yuan Ming sighed inwardly, didn¡¯t dy, and quickly arrived at thekeside.

    Using the same method as before, he flew away with the incense burner, trying to stay as far away from the ind as possible and avoid the water monster. Then he took a small boat to leave.

    Fortunately, the journey was calm and he didn¡¯t encounter the ck water monster.

    After getting far away from the ind, although the surroundings were still filled with white mist, Yuan Ming finally breathed a sigh of relief.

    At this point, he was basically safe.

    "I wonder who that person who arrived before me is? Could it be an elder from the Biro Cave or someone from another sect?" he muttered to himself.

    Qianlu Lake was closest to the Biro Cave, so it was unlikely that people from other sects woulde here.

    If it was an elder from the Biro Cave, he had to be careful. He should avoiding here again if possible.

    Although he had covered the entrance to Master Heimu¡¯s cave, the disguise was easy to see through for someone familiar with Master Heimu. Although he had taken most of the things in the cave, the casting furnace was still there.

    If someone familiar with Master Heimu found clues on that furnace, it would be too dangerous toe to this ind again.

    "Anyway, I have already tamed the spiritual beasts. If they don¡¯te, they don¡¯te." Yuan Ming made up his mind.

    He took out apass, determined the direction, and arrived at thekesidend half a dayter.

    Yuan Ming rested in a hidden ce by theke, quickly restoring his mana, and then returned to the sect.

    For the next two days, he didn¡¯t go out and worked diligently in the Fire Workshop, practicing step by step.

    Everything in the sect was calm as usual, and there was nothing unusual in the Fire Workshop.

    Yuan Ming paid close attention to Fang Ge, Chen Wan, and others, but they didn¡¯t show any abnormal behavior.

    Yuan Ming was quite surprised. If Master Heimu¡¯s cave had really appeared in the world, the Fire Workshop shouldn¡¯t be so calm.

    "It seems that I guessed wrong. Maybe that person didn¡¯t find it, or maybe he¡¯s not an elder from the Biro Cave?" Yuan Ming secretly said to himself, feeling relieved.With the matter of the spirit beast settled, it was time to start searching for the other three spiritual materials besides the ck Scale Fruit.

    ¡­¡­

    Three dayster, in Toad Valley.

    Yuan Ming, who hadn¡¯t been here for a long time, looked at the deste scene in the valley, feeling somewhat dazed.

    Although it hadn¡¯t been long since he had shed his status as a beast ve, recalling those days now felt like a lifetime ago.

    He made his way to the entrance of a stone house, where he immediately spotted Zhao Tong, who was lounging on a recliner with his legs crossed.

    In his hands, he held a ratherrge thread-bound book. On its gray-green cover, a beautiful line drawing was depicted in dark gold, with the title "Warm Pavilion, Warm Jade" written in Central ins script next to it.

    "You¡¯ve got the deluxe illustrated edition. Must have cost you quite a few contribution points, huh?" Yuan Ming asked.

    The book slowly lowered, revealing a smiling face behind it. "Heh, what¡¯s this? Have you finally developed a taste for the finer things?"

    "If the Hall of Laws didn¡¯t allow the reading and distribution of erotic literature, you¡¯d be the first one to get a beating," Yuan Ming joked.

    "What brings you here?" Zhao Tong sat up and asked.

    "I need to buy some things from you," Yuan Ming replied.

    "What things?" Zhao Tong frowned.

    "Ghost Face Grass, Purple Heart Pollen, and Yin Marrow Fluid," Yuan Ming said.

    "Are you nning to refine pills?" Zhao Tong asked, puzzled.

    "Just tell me if you have them or not," Yuan Ming didn¡¯t exin.

    "I have plenty of Ghost Face Grass. As for the Purple Heart Pollen... I think I still have some left from my previous collection. But I don¡¯t have any Yin Marrow Fluid. You might be able to buy some from the Refining Hall," Zhao Tong thought for a moment before replying.

    "Give me a price," Yuan Ming said straightforwardly.

    "Ghost Face Grass and Purple Heart Pollen aren¡¯t exactly rare. You can exchange each for two contribution points," Zhao Tong said.

    "I knew it¡­" Yuan Ming¡¯s mouth twitched.

    "Knew what?" Zhao Tong asked, puzzled.

    "I went to the Refining Hall first. Guess how they priced these two items?" Yuan Ming said.

    "Knowing those guys, they probably doubled the price," Zhao Tongughed.

    "They wanted five contribution points from me. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that the season for collecting Purple Heart Pollen had passed, I could have just gone into the mountains and gathered these two items myself," Yuan Ming said, somewhat disgruntled.

    "Considering the timing, it¡¯s possible that the Purple Heart Pollen they¡¯re selling includes some that you collected previously," Zhao Tongughed even harder.

    "The Refining Hall is also out of Yin Marrow Fluid... Do you have any other sources? Can you get it?" Yuan Ming asked seriously, his smile gone.

    Zhao Tong rubbed his chin, pondering for a moment before saying, "Elder Wu Meng from our Hall of Laws once asked me to run an errand for him to buy Yin Marrow Fluid. He might still have some left. I can ask for you."

    "Really?" Yuan Ming was overjoyed.

    "Don¡¯t get your hopes up too high. That was half a year ago. Whether he still has any is uncertain. And even if he does, the price won¡¯t be low," Zhao Tongughed.

    "Just help me ask," Yuan Ming said.

    "Let¡¯s meet again in three days. We¡¯ll know by then whether it¡¯s avable," Zhao Tong said.

    "Three days?" Yuan Ming frowned.

    "Why are you in such a hurry? What are you up to?" Zhao Tong¡¯s curiosity was piqued again.

    "I¡¯m preparing a body-refining elixir," Yuan Ming made up an excuse.

    "No wonder," Zhao Tong sighed, not doubting him.

    After they parted ways, Yuan Ming had just returned to the Refining Hall when he saw Chen Wan rushing towards him.

    As soon as she reached him, she asked with a furrowed brow, "Where have you been?"

    "What¡¯s wrong? Is something the matter?" Yuan Ming asked, surprised.

    "Where¡¯s Fire Glutton? Is it with you?" Chen Wan asked, looking at the spirit beast bag at his waist.

    "Did that little guy run off again?" Yuan Ming frowned.

    "Isn¡¯t it with you? Master had something to do today and left it with me for half a day. But not long after she left, Fire Glutton ran off," Chen Wan said, disappointment and urgency in her voice.

    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll go back and see if it¡¯s at my ce," Yuan Ming said.

    "I¡¯ll go with you," Chen Wan quickly said.

    "Alright."

    The two of them quickly returned to Yuan Ming¡¯s residence.

    As soon as the door was opened, Chen Wan saw a thick stack of white paper on the table and a mountain of crumpled paper balls beside it.

    She had known that Yuan Ming hadpleted his embryo refining and was learning to draw talismans from Elder Brother Ah Mu, but she hadn¡¯t expected that he had practiced so much.

    In addition to the white paper, there were manypleted talisman drawings on the table, which looked quite impressive at first nce.

    She hadn¡¯t expected that the once unremarkable beast ve was now almost catching up with her.

    Of course, Yuan Ming had no idea what she was thinking. He searched the room, even turning over the mountain of crumpled paper balls, but found no trace of Fire Glutton.

    Just then, he noticed a few messy little footprints on a piece of white paper by the window. They were unmistakably Fire Glutton¡¯s.

 Chapter 103: Angler

    Chapter 103: Angler

    "That guy dide to my ce, but he must have left through the window crack when he saw that I wasn¡¯t there." Yuan Ming picked up the paper and handed it to Chen Wan.

    "What should we do now? Do you know where it might have gone?" Chen Wan nced at it and quickly asked.

    "I¡¯ve only been with it for a month and a half, so I can¡¯t say I fully understand its habits. I can only try to help you find it." Yuan Ming sighed and said.

    "Then I¡¯ll trouble you, Junior Brother Yuan." Chen Wan expressed her gratitude.

    "Alright, you go search in front of the Fire Refining Hall, and I¡¯ll go in the direction of the back mountain. Shout a few times when you¡¯re in the woods, maybe it will hear my voice ande back." After thinking for a moment, Yuan Ming said.

    "Okay." Chen Wan quickly agreed.

    After Chen Wan left, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t rush to the back mountain. Instead, he went outside and searched around the window sill.

    Sure enough, after a while, he found the traces left by Huo Chan¡¯er.

    "Afterpleting the first level of the Death Moon method, my insight has improved a lotpared to before. This feeling is really good." Yuan Ming praised in his heart.With the support of his spiritual power and his experience in hunting fierce beasts, Yuan Ming followed the traces of Huo Chan¡¯er and searched along the way.

    The little guy came out of his room, climbed up the nearby ancient pine tree, and then climbed over the courtyard wall towards the back mountain.

    Yuan Ming followed the traces and came to the bamboo forest where the Third Cave Master lived.

    Just when he thought that the little guy had already returned home, he suddenly found that its traces changed and bypassed the courtyard of the Third Cave Master, following a small path along the back mountain and heading downhill.

    Yuan Ming followed the traces all the way until he reached the foot of the mountain, but he couldn¡¯t see the little guy, so he continued to track it.

    Unknowingly, Yuan Ming followed its footsteps to a valley.

    As soon as he entered the valley, Yuan Ming smelled a strange fragrance. When he came to his senses, he found that not far ahead, there was arge field with various nts growing in it.

    Theplex and strange fragrance came from that field.

    Yuan Ming focused his gaze and immediately saw a clump of nts growing in the field, with a furry red tail sticking up from the side.

    Yuan Ming quickly rushed over.

    Sure enough, Huo Chan¡¯er was digging something with its head buried in the ground.

    Yuan Ming was stunned and looked around at the terrain. He suddenly realized that he was in the valley between the Fire Refining Hall Peak and the Refining Furnace Hall Peak, and the colorful field in front of him was most likely a medicinal field belonging to an elder of the Refining Furnace Hall.

    "You little glutton!"

    Yuan Ming felt a headache and quickly grabbed Huo Chan¡¯er¡¯s tail, lifting it up.

    However, Huo Chan¡¯er struggled violently and refused to let go of the spiritual medicine on the ground. When Yuan Ming exerted force to lift it up, the spiritual medicine was pulled out along with it.

    Huo Chan¡¯er was hanging in the air by its tail, ready to get angry, but when it saw that it was Yuan Ming, it immediately calmed down and held the spiritual medicine in its hands to show Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming looked at the fiery red color at the root of the spiritual medicine and the me-like roots, and immediately recognized it as a fire attribute spirit herb called "Fire Earth Root".

    He wanted to snatch it from Huo Chan¡¯er and bury it back.

    However, the little guy became anxious, opened its mouth, and took a big bite. It quickly chewed it a few times and swallowed it.

    "You..." Yuan Ming felt speechless and could only look around guiltily.

    At this moment, he noticed that on the other side of the medicinal field, there was a not-toorge pond, and next to it was a wooden and thatched house.

    Next to the house, sitting by the pond, was a person wearing a bamboo hat, fishing with a fishing rod.

    "Damn it." Yuan Ming muttered to himself, wanting to leave with Huo Chan¡¯er.

    Unexpectedly, this guy had no sense of being a thief at all. While taking big bites of the Fire Earth Root, it let out a loud fart.

    Yuan Ming wished he could cover its backside, but it was toote.

    When he looked at the person by the pond, the person had already turned his head and looked over. Their eyes met, and it was indeed awkward.

    At this moment, Huo Chan¡¯er seemed to realize that it had caused trouble and broke free from Yuan Ming¡¯s hand, running away in a sh.

    Yuan Ming stood in ce, unsure whether to run or stay, feeling torn.

    "That young friend,e over and chat?" The person with the bamboo hat called from a distance.

    Yuan Ming hesitated for a moment, but still walked over with a stiff expression.

    When he approached, he saw that the person under the hat had white hair, indicating old age, but he looked spirited and didn¡¯t show any signs of being old."Senior Fisherman, I apologize for the trouble caused by Huo Chan¡¯er." Yuan Ming felt that this old man had an extraordinary demeanor, most likely the owner of this medicinal field, rather than a leisurely fisherman watching over it.

    "No harm done. I¡¯m alone here and it¡¯s quite boring. Its asional visits help to alleviate my boredom. You know, this little fellow is quite clever. Sometimes it discovers mature spiritual herbs before I do." The fisherman said with a chuckle.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t know how to respond, so he justughed awkwardly.

    "Senior Fisherman, you¡¯ve had quite a harvest today." He nced at the fish basket at the old man¡¯s feet, where seven or eight fish with colorful scales were piled up.

    "These Silver Scale Rainbow Fish are good stuff, very nourishing. Later, I¡¯ll stew a pot for you to taste." The fisherman said with a self-satisfied smile, without any hesitation.

    "I appreciate your kindness." Yuan Ming, feeling guilty, didn¡¯t refuse.

    The fisherman seemed to be a straightforward person. While talking, he had already stood up and brought out a red y stove, ced a ck iron pot on it, and added water.

    Without doing much, he simply cleaned two plump Silver Scale Rainbow Fish and threw them into the pot.

    The fire rose, and the "gurgling" sound quickly followed. The milky white fish soup in the pot began to boil.

    A rich aroma entered Yuan Ming¡¯s nostrils.

    "It smells so good..." He couldn¡¯t help but exim.

    "The scales of this fish are special. After boiling, they will melt on their own. The aroma is not from the fish meat, but from the scales. Try it..." The fisherman said, handing over a wooden spoon.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t stand on ceremony, took the spoon, and began to drink.

    The soft fish soup entered his mouth, and the aroma instantly rushed to his brain, making him feel refreshed, as if his mind had be clearer.

    Something was off, this fish was too unusual.

    Yuan Ming raised an eyebrow, his eyes brightening a bit.

    "Friend Yuan, you have a discerning pte, can you taste the difference?" The fisherman said with a smile.

    "This fish soup contains spiritual power, which can nourish the mind." Yuan Ming immediately nodded and said.

    "Hehe, fish from other ces don¡¯t have this taste. It¡¯s all thanks to the good soil and water of this medicinal field, and the asional spiritual herb seeds falling into the pond, that such delicious fish can be raised." The fisherman said.

    "I¡¯m ashamed to have received such hospitality from you, senior." Yuan Ming said.

    "Ah... Meeting is fate. I¡¯m just an old man with nothing much to do all day. Having someone to talk to is very good." The fisherman waved his hand and said with a smile.

    "Looking at you, you don¡¯t seem to be from the Southern Border, but more like from the Central ins. How did you end up in the Bi Luo Cave?" He asked.

    Yuan Ming pondered for a moment, then briefly told the fisherman about his experience as a beast ve, omitting some details.

    The fisherman listened with a frown, eximing, "So it seems, your experience is quiteplicated. I also went to the Central ins in my early years, but I didn¡¯t expect so many years to have passed."

    Hearing this, Yuan Ming immediately perked up.

    "Senior, you¡¯ve been to the Central ins, what kind of ce is it?" Yuan Ming asked eagerly.

    "It¡¯s bustling and lively, very different from the Southern Border. Especially the women of the Central ins, they¡¯re different from those in the Southern Border. Their bodies are soft as if they have no bones, their skin smooth as silk... Ahem, it¡¯s hard to look back on the past..." The fisherman coughed twice, stopping his reminiscences.

    "Everyone should enjoy their youth. I suppose senior must have had your share of adventures in the world... The Central ins and the Southern Border are thousands of miles apart, with a hundred thousand mountains in between. It must have been quite difficult to get there, right?" Yuan Ming asked.

    In fact, what he wanted to know was how the fisherman had managed to get to the Central ins.

    "Things were different back then. There was a lot of trade between the Central ins and the Southern Border. I went with a caravan. Although there were many difficulties along the way, with the caravan leading the way and mercenaries for protection, it wasn¡¯t too hard." The fisherman said.

    "Is it not the case now?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "s, the Southern Border has been in turmoil for many years, and trade with the Central ins is not what it used to be. Many mercenary organizations now take on jobs to rob caravans rather than protect them. It¡¯s not so easy to go to the Central ins." The fisherman continued.

    Yuan Ming was somewhat disappointed upon hearing this.

    The fisherman noticed his disappointment andughed, "Friend Yuan, don¡¯t be too disheartened. You¡¯re a cultivator, with your own abilities to rely on. Once your cultivation is sessful and you can protect yourself, why worry about not being able to return to the Central ins?"

    "Senior, you¡¯re joking. Life in the sect is already good, and today I¡¯ve had the pleasure of meeting you. Why would I want to return to the Central ins? It¡¯s just that my memories are vague, and I¡¯m a bit curious." Yuan Mingughed and said.

    "No problem, if you want to hear about the Central ins in the future, juste and find me. I¡¯ll stew fish for you. But next time, don¡¯te empty-handed. Bring some meat and wine, that would be even better, haha..." The fishermanughed heartily.

    Yuan Mingughed and agreed. Both host and guest were happy, and he left when the fun was over.

    In the evening, when Yuan Ming returned to his residence, he found Huo Chan¡¯er squatting on his desk.

    Seeing him enter the room, the little fellow approached him guiltily, rubbing his trouser leg with its head, as if apologizing for abandoning him and running away earlier that day.

    Yuan Ming flicked his toe, grabbed it by the back of its neck, and handed it back to Chen Wan like a misbehaving child.

 Chapter 104: Soul refining

    Chapter 104: Soul refining

    Three dayster, Yuan Ming arrived at the Toad Valley on time. In the first stone house in the valley, he found Zhao Tong, who was lying down and reading a book with great interest.

    "Senior Zhao, did you get the Yin Marrow?" Yuan Ming asked as soon as they met.

    Zhao Tong nced at Yuan Ming and closed the book reluctantly. He stretched and yawnedzily, then took out a transparent ss bottle from his pocket. Inside the bottle was a sticky ck liquid that slid back and forth on the bottle wall.

    "Don¡¯t worry, I got it. But it costs 200 contribution points, and the deal is done. No tricks." Zhao Tong said with a smirk.

    "Swindler!" Yuan Ming frowned and muttered to himself, then tentatively asked, "Isn¡¯t that too much... How about you lend me 200 first, and I¡¯ll pay you back when I have it?"

    As expected, Yuan Ming received a disdainful look from Zhao Tong.

    "Lend you 200? Are you kidding? It¡¯s better to just rob me directly! My shop doesn¡¯t offer credit! Think about whether you have anything valuable to mortgage." Zhao Tong said impatiently.

    Yuan Ming frowned and pondered. Besides the incense burner, he did have some valuable items, such as the spiritual herbs he recently obtained from the misty ind. Even if he exchanged them for contribution points, there was still a considerable gap from 200 points.

    Apart from that, there were also some treasures left by Master Heimu."I think your storage bag is pretty good. Why not mortgage it first and redeem it when you have enough contribution points?" Zhao Tong raised an eyebrow and suggested.

    "If you can get the Yin Marrow from Elder Wumong, you must have already settled the ount. I bet you¡¯ve been eyeing my storage bag for a long time, haven¡¯t you?" Yuan Ming said with a stern look.

    "If you have other valuable things, just exchange them. What¡¯s the use of saying so much?" Zhao Tong said indifferently.

    "The storage bag was temporarily lent to me by the Third Elder. It can¡¯t be used as coteral." Yuan Ming shook his head.

    Naturally, he hid the storage bag left by Master Heimu and didn¡¯t dare to reveal it in front of others.

    "In that case, just save up and think about it. It¡¯s my bad luck if this thing ends up rotting in my hands." Zhao Tong shrugged helplessly.

    "Take a look at this." Yuan Ming said, raising his hand and touching the storage bag at his waist.

    A piece of Fire Jade Marrow appeared in his hand.

    "Wow, Fire Jade Marrow! This is a good thing. Where did you get it?" Zhao Tong¡¯s eyes lit up and he immediately eximed.

    "I got lucky and found it while doing a mission outside." Yuan Ming said casually.

    "Found it? What kind of luck do you have to find such a treasure? Can you find another one for me?" Zhao Tong eagerly asked.

    "Are you going to exchange or not?" Yuan Ming gained confidence when he saw the greed in Zhao Tong¡¯s eyes.

    "Of course I want to exchange!" Zhao Tong immediately smiled.

    "What¡¯s with that swindler face of yours?" Yuan Ming pretended to frown.

    Zhao Tong restrained his smile and solemnly ced the Yin Marrow in Yuan Ming¡¯s hand. "Mr. Yuan, you need to refine the Body Tempering Liquid, don¡¯t waste your precious time. I can¡¯t afford to dy it!"

    "And give me the Ghost Face Grass and Purple Core Pollen." Yuan Ming said.

    "I¡¯ve prepared them already." Zhao Tong immediately bent down and picked up a cloth bag from his feet, handing it to Yuan Ming.

    After receiving it, Yuan Ming handed him the Fire Jade Marrow without hesitation and turned around to leave.

    "Hey, did you forget that you still owe me 2 contribution points?" Zhao Tong quickly reminded.

    "What did you say? I can¡¯t hear you because of the strong wind..." Yuan Ming¡¯s voice drifted away as he quickly ran towards the valley entrance.

    ...

    At night.

    Yuan Ming looked at the Ghost Face Grass, Purple Core Pollen, ck Scale Fruit, and Yin Marrow on the table and asked, "Can you tell me now what these things are for?"

    In front of him, a silver cat sat elegantly on the table, its gaze lowered.

    "How does it feel to have an out-of-body experience?" The cold and ethereal voice of the silver cat echoed in Yuan Ming¡¯s mind, but it didn¡¯t answer his question.

    "I tried it once before, and it felt good. I had a surreal feeling, but I couldn¡¯t stray too far from my body. It didn¡¯t seem very useful." Yuan Ming honestly replied.

    "If you stray too far from your body, you would have already lost your soul." Although the silver cat wasmunicating through telepathy, its tone was full of sarcasm.

    "I wanted to askst time, why is that?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "The soul in the Qi Refining stage is intangible and fragile, unable to withstand the external Gang winds, especially in autumn." The silver cat exined.

    "Why is that?" Yuan Ming was puzzled.

    These things were not mentioned in the information he had read about soul cultivation before.

    "Autumn belongs to the Metal element. Figure out the rest yourself." The silver cat¡¯s tone seemed a little impatient.

    "Oh, I understand. Wind belongs to the Water element, and Metal generates Water. That¡¯s why there are often executions after autumn in the Central ins. Perhaps it¡¯s because the Gang winds are strongest after autumn, which can quickly dissipate the souls of the deceased and prevent lingering spirits from harming the living. But why..." Yuan Ming said thoughtfully.

    "Shut up, I didn¡¯te here to exin these things to you." Yuan Ming¡¯s words were interrupted by the silver cat¡¯s impatience.

    "You were the one who mentioned the out-of-body experience. But if being out of the body weakens the connection with the main body and is limited by Gang winds, what¡¯s the use of it?" Yuan Ming said.

    "To astral project, you need something to anchor yourself, and use secret techniques to help your soul refine its form. The spiritual materials you¡¯ve gathered are for concocting the most basic body-refining elixir," the Silver Cat exined.

    "Now that everything is here, tell me, what should I do next?" Yuan Ming¡¯s heart skipped a beat at the mention of soul refining, and he asked.

    The Silver Cat didn¡¯t respond, but lifted a paw and lightly scratched the table. A streak of silver light shed, and a droplet-shaped white porcin vial appeared on the table.

    "What is this?" Yuan Ming asked, frowning.

    "It¡¯s the essence blood of a White Feathered Carrion Crow," the Silver Cat replied.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming was filled with confusion.

    He knew of the White Feathered Carrion Crow. Despite its name, it was not white but covered in ck feathers, with only a tuft of white feathers at the center of its forehead. It was one of the mostmon birds in the Hundred Thousand Mountains, a scavenger with virtually no offensive power, but it was extremely numerous.

    "My soul refining is rted to this creature? Could it be that the creature for refining is this bird? That¡¯s too ordinary!" Yuan Ming had a bad feeling about this.

    The Silver Cat didn¡¯t respond, just stared at Yuan Ming with its heterochromatic eyes.

    "Does it have to be this creature?" Yuan Ming asked, unwilling to ept this.

    "Any beast¡¯s essence blood can be used. It determines the form your soul will take when it manifests. Even if it strengthens in the future, the basic form cannot be changed," the Silver Cat exined.

    "Do you mean that my soul will undergo a permanent change? Or is it only when the soul manifests that it will take the form of the refined creature, and when it returns to the body, it will revert to human form?" Yuan Ming asked cautiously.

    "Thetter," the Silver Cat replied.

    Seeing the Silver Cat¡¯s growing impatience, Yuan Ming quickly asked, "Onest question, there are plenty of beasts in the Hundred Thousand Mountains, why not choose a more powerful beast¡¯s essence blood, but choose this extremely ordinary White Feathered Carrion Crow?"

    "Powerful? The truly powerful beasts, or rather, demon beasts, in the Hundred Thousand Mountains are not something you can hunt. As for the beasts you can hunt, in my eyes, they are no different from the White Feathered Carrion Crow, and may even be inferior," the Silver Cat said, not hiding its mockery, and unusually spoke at length.

    "Sorry, this matter concerns my future cultivation. Please clearly tell me why you chose the White Feathered Carrion Crow, otherwise I cannot ept this arrangement," Yuan Ming said firmly after a moment of thought.

    The Silver Cat stared at Yuan Ming for a long time, seeing that he was unmoved, it finally patiently exined again.

    "Although your soul is stronger than those of the same level, your cultivation aptitude is too poor. For a considerable time in the future, you must first consider self-preservation. Strong detection ability is the first choice," the Silver Cat didn¡¯t hide its intention of training Yuan Ming.

    "So, smaller birds are more suitable for reconnaissance than beasts like wolves, tigers, and leopards. I think there must be more reasons than this, right?" Yuan Ming asked after a moment of contemtion.

    "The White Feathered Carrion Crow, although weak, is extremely sensitive. Unlike other birds, it has a natural intuition for death. As for what changes will ur and what abilities will be gained after the fusion and refining, it depends on your luck," the Silver Cat added.

    "Do you mean that there are many uncontroble factors after the soul refining?" Yuan Ming asked, his heart pounding.

    "The result will be determined by the characteristics of your soul and the characteristics of the refined creature. Generally, it will enhance perception and provide early warning of danger. As for what it will ultimately be, you will know after it ispleted. That¡¯s all I have to say, how you choose is up to you," the Silver Cat said, its patience clearly worn thin after speaking so much today.

    After a long hesitation, Yuan Ming nodded and said, "In that case, let¡¯s get started!"

    "Take your things and follow me," the Silver Cat¡¯s voice rang out.

    With that, it turned and jumped out of the window, heading towards the outer wall of the courtyard.

    Yuan Ming quickly packed up his things and followed.

    Along the way, the Silver Cat moved through the trees and bushes, often disappearing among the leaves and gaps in the forest.

    At first, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t notice anything amiss, but after a while, he noticed something strange.

    Before leaving the Fire Refining Hall¡¯s territory, Yuan Ming encountered many fellow disciples and servants on the mountain. Most of them noticed him and greeted him, but it seemed that none of them noticed the Silver Cat¡¯s presence.

    Even when the Silver Cat was just a few feet above his head on a tree branch, they didn¡¯t notice it at all.

    If Yuan Ming hadn¡¯t been following the Silver Cat from the beginning and knew of its existence, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to detect it at all.

 Chapter 105: Three crows

    Chapter 105: Three crows

    In this way, Yuan Ming followed the Silver Cat and rushed westward, entering the territory of the Hundred Thousand Mountains.

    When night fell, the Silver Cat led him to a valley and stopped at a spacious stone tform.

    "Is this where we prepare the body-refining elixir?" Yuan Ming asked.

    The Silver Cat looked up at the hazy moon that had just risen in the sky, and its voice echoed in Yuan Ming¡¯s sea of consciousness: "The soul belongs to Yin, and this ce is rich in Yin energy, which is suitable for soul refinement."

    Yuan Ming nodded and took out the four spiritual materials.

    The Silver Cat waved its paw, and several items appeared on the ground.

    Yuan Ming took a look and found a set of alchemy tools, a silver knife, a medicine cauldron, and a jade bowl.

    "Follow the instructions on here to process the spiritual materials," the Silver Cat said, then raised its front paw and a piece of paper flew towards Yuan Ming. It then ran to the side,y down, and closed its eyes.

    Yuan Ming reached out and took the paper, unfolded it, and followed the instructions to extract the Ghost Face Grass, cut it into pieces with the silver knife, and grind it into powder in the mortar.Then, he ttened the ck Scale Fruit with the knife, squeezed out the brown juice, and didn¡¯t do much with the Purple Core Flower pollen, just mixed it with water to form a sticky paste.

    Finally, Yuan Ming put everything, including the Yin Marrow, into the medicine cauldron, added water, lit a fire, boiled it, and simmered it into half a bowl of ck medicinal juice.

    After a while, the medicinal juice cooled down and turned into a semi-viscous state, shimmering with a faint fluorescence.

    Yuan Ming gently sniffed and smelled a faint herbal scent.

    "How is it?" Yuan Ming looked at the Silver Cat.

    The Silver Cat opened one eye, carefully examined the ck medicinal juice, andzily nodded.

    Yuan Ming breathed a sigh of relief. He only had one set of spiritual materials and no second chance.

    After calming himself down, Yuan Ming continued to follow the instructions on the paper and took out the small white dropper bottle. He removed the stopper, and a faint bloody smell immediately emanated from it.

    It was the essence blood of the White Feather Raven.

    He carefully tilted the dropper bottle and dripped three drops of essence blood into the ck medicinal juice.

    As soon as the essence blood touched the previous liquid without being stirred, it immediately made a "sizzling" sound, as if cold water was sshed on a red-hot iron, bubbling up.

    Yuan Ming quickly stirred it with the silver knife in the jade bowl.

    Soon, the essence blood mixed with the medicinal liquid, and therge bubbles disappeared, reced by ayer of fine small bubbles.

    Yuan Ming held the jade bowl in his palm and carefully infused mana into it.

    As his mana flowed in, a faint light appeared on the jade bowl, and aplex array of runes appeared on the inner wall of the bowl, creating a strange fluctuation.

    Yuan Ming immediately felt a cold and hot sensation in the bowl, as two energies chased each other.

    This processsted for about the time it takes to brew a cup of tea before finally stopping. The ck medicinal juice in the jade bowl quickly faded in color and turned deep blue. Countless shadow-like ck flules swam in the medicinal juice, looking like living creatures, appearing extremely magical.

    With just a nce, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t need the Silver Cat to speak. He knew that the body-refining elixir had been sessfully refined.

    "Now stick this Soul Fusion Talisman on your forehead," the Silver Cat, who knows when it woke up, said. It scratched the ground with its paw, and a dark red talisman paper fell in front of Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming picked it up and found that the talisman paper was less than two inches long, with a delicate golden pattern drawn on it.

    He naturally didn¡¯t recognize the rune on the talisman, but from the smooth and intricate lines, he could tell that it was much more advanced than the ones he learned for refining tools.

    But looking at the talisman, he hesitated.

    "Didn¡¯t you beg me to teach you the Soul Cultivation Technique back then? Why, are you afraid now?" The ethereal voice of the Silver Cat sounded in his mind, with its usual mocking tone.

    Yuan Ming smiled, raised his hand, and stuck the talisman on his own forehead.

    In the next instant, he felt a heat in his forehead, and the talisman burned on its own, turning into ashes.

    But the rune was imprinted on his forehead.

    "Why aren¡¯t you activating the Death Moon method to absorb it?" The voice of the Silver Cat sounded again.

    Yuan Ming no longer hesitated, lifted the jade bowl, and drank it in one gulp.

    Then, he immediately sat cross-legged, formed hand seals, held the incense burner, and started to cultivate the Death Moon method.

    The Silver Cat narrowed its eyes, staring at the incense burner in his arms, twisted its neck, and a rarefortable expression appeared in its eyes. Then, ity down not far from Yuan Ming.

    The moonlight poured on the man and the cat, covering them with a hazy veil.

    As the medicinal liquid entered his body, a hot and cold liquid flowed down his throat and entered Yuan Ming¡¯s abdomen.

    Boom!

    Yuan Ming felt a muffled thunderous sound in his body and suddenly opened his eyes.

    Immediately after, a steam-like heat rose from his lower abdomen, sweeping through all the meridians in his upper body and converging towards his head and face.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s body couldn¡¯t help but tremble, and his vision began to blur, making it impossible to see clearly.

    But his divine sense involuntarily sank into his sea of consciousness and opened internal vision.

    Yuan Ming immediately saw that in his sea of consciousness, streams of warm energy were constantly gathering and merging with his soul power, causing his soul to expand like an inted balloon, almost bursting his head.

    "Guard your divine sense, cultivate the Death Moon method, absorb the power of the elixir!" The voice of the Silver Cat resonated in his sea of consciousness like a bell, shaking.

    Yuan Ming immediately gathered his divine sense and silently recited the mantra, cultivating the Death Moon method.

    The power of his soul in his mind began to circte, forming a vortex of soul power, quickly refining the surging heat.

    As the rolling heat flowed in, his soul power turned into a huge blue mist ball, inside of which white light could be seen absorbing the ck cotton-like objects, while those ck cotton-like objects struggled to break free from the mist ball.

    While those ck cotton-like objects struggled and collided, Yuan Ming also felt the pain of his soul being torn apart.

    The pain was sharp and intense, and it was unbearable.

    But relying on the strong mental strength he had developed through years of being bacshed by the Beast Transformation Technique, Yuan Ming forcibly endured it.His divine sense was focused on the foggy sphere in his sea of consciousness, the more he looked at it, the stranger it seemed.

    Those ck cotton-like strands that were struggling to break free, they actually looked like ck crows pping their wings in a desperate struggle.

    "The Silver Cat said it was about merging with a white-feathered crow, but why are there so many?" A strange thought emerged in Yuan Ming¡¯s mind.

    However, he couldn¡¯t afford to be distracted at this moment. He could only endure the intense pain and fully operate the Death Moon method.

    At the same time, the rune on his forehead lit up, turning into a soft golden light that gradually disappeared into his forehead.

    Yuan Ming felt a sudden relief of pressure, his state of mind gradually bing serene, and the refining process became smoother.

    Time trickled by, and the full moon gradually moved to the zenith.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s body was already soaked in sweat, he looked as if he had just been fished out of a bucket of water.

    But at that moment, his eyes suddenly opened, two bright lights shot out, like two bolts of lightning in the dark night.

    A ck light sphere floated in his sea of consciousness, suddenly swelling up, and a ck shadow flew out.

    Then the second, and the third followed.

    From Yuan Ming¡¯s forehead, three ck crows with white feathers also flew out one after another, circling above his head, fluttering up and down.

    "It actually seeded..."

    The Silver Cat looked up at this scene, surprise emerging in its unusual pupils.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming felt even more amazed. It was as if three parallel scenes were projected in his sea of consciousness, the images inside were from the perspectives of the three crows.

    With a thought, the three crows immediately flew up and went in different directions.

    The scenes appearing in his sea of consciousness immediately zoomed out and showed differentndscapes.

    This feeling was very peculiar, Yuan Ming was a bit unustomed to it for a while, always feeling overwhelmed, as if he didn¡¯t know where to look.

    As the three crows flew further and further away, the area Yuan Ming could see becamerger andrger, as if his soul was flying out, but without the feeling of being blown away at any moment like when his soul was out of his body.

    Only then did he understand what it felt like for the soul to need a vessel.

    However, after only a short while, Yuan Ming felt a wave of fatigue. The vision of the three crows that had flown out became increasingly blurry, as if they were about to fall asleep.

    Yuan Ming quickly gathered his energy and called all three crows back.

    When all three crows had re-entered his forehead, the feeling of splitting his attention into three different perspectives gradually disappeared, and the previous feeling of fatigue also eased a lot.

    Yuan Ming took a light breath, rubbed his forehead, and slowly opened his eyes.

    "How does it feel?" The Silver Cat¡¯s voice echoed in his mind.

    "Those blood essences didn¡¯te from a single white-feathered crow, did they?" Instead of answering, Yuan Ming asked.

    "Of course not. I originally thought you could at most refine one sessfully, but I didn¡¯t expect it to be three." The Silver Cat looked at him and said.

    "Is there any difference?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "Spreading out more perspectives can bring a broader field of vision. But at the same time, the consumption of soul power is also tripled." The Silver Cat replied.

    "No wonder I felt tired after just a short while." Yuan Ming said.

    "Remember, although the soul crows can regenerate with your soul power, if they are killed, it will also harm your soul. If all three are destroyed at the same time, your soul is in danger of shattering." The Silver Cat exined carefully as it concerned soul cultivation.

    "Thank you." Yuan Ming took note of this. Considering his experience just now, it seemed that with his current soul power, unless necessary, it would be better to only use one crow, and if any problems were detected, it should be recalled in time to avoid idents.

    "Your soul has sessfully taken shape, see what abilities you have awakened." The Silver Cat paused, then said.

 Chapter 106: Capture wild man

    Chapter 106: Capture wild man

    Yuan Ming heard the words of the Silver Cat and began to close his eyes to sense the Raven of the Soul in his mind. After a while, an expression of surprise involuntarily appeared on his face.

    The Silver Cat was slightly surprised to see the change in his expression.

    Having been with Yuan Ming for a long time, it knew that Yuan Ming had a calm personality and was not someone who easily showed his emotions. If he lost control of his expression, it was mostly because he had gained a remarkable ability.

    After a moment, Yuan Ming opened his eyes and his expression returned to calm.

    "How is it?" the Silver Cat asked.

    "Far Travel..." Yuan Ming said.

    With this ability, his Soul Raven could take the form of a raven and travel far away from his body. ording to Yuan Ming¡¯s estimation, the distance was about ten miles, which was very convenient for investigating the enemy¡¯s situation.

    Unlike projecting his soul, when using Far Travel, it did not affect his physical body¡¯s actions.

    Furthermore, his Soul Raven was almost indistinguishable from a real White Feather Raven, except for powerful high-level cultivators who could quickly detect it. It was extremely difficult for others to notice."Is that all?" the Silver Cat asked in surprise.

    "There is one more, Soul Collision," Yuan Ming continued.

    This was the only attacking ability of the Soul Raven, which involved rushing into the opponent¡¯s Sea of Consciousness and impacting their soul. While his own Soul Raven would copse, it would also heavily damage the enemy¡¯s soul, resulting in a mutually destructive ability.

    However, the copsed Soul Raven only needed some time to recover and condense its soul power in the Sea of Consciousness.

    Upon hearing this, the Silver Cat¡¯s pupils shed with a strange light, and a questioning voice echoed in Yuan Ming¡¯s Sea of Consciousness:

    "If I¡¯m not mistaken, there should be one more ability, right?"

    "No, there isn¡¯t," Yuan Ming shook his head.

    "Hmph, with just those two abilities, it¡¯s not enough to make you unable to hide your joy," the Silver Cat sneered.

    "Alright, I knew I couldn¡¯t hide it from you. There is indeed one more ability, Soul Feeding," Yuan Ming hesitated for a moment upon hearing this, then smiled.

    Originally, he didn¡¯t want to tell the Silver Cat about this ability. He couldn¡¯t reveal everything to the other party.

    But obviously, the other party couldn¡¯t be easily fooled either.

    "So it¡¯s Soul Feeding, your luck is quite good," the Silver Cat couldn¡¯t help but exim.

    Soul Feeding bestowed Yuan Ming¡¯s Soul Raven with the ability to devour residual souls. By devouring the souls of the deceased, it could enhance and strengthen Yuan Ming¡¯s soul power.

    "Oh, really?" Yuan Ming said.

    "This is an ability that many evil soul cultivators dream of," the Silver Cat said yfully.

    Upon hearing these words, Yuan Ming¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Soul cultivators were not well-regarded because many of them resorted to devouring the souls of others in order to quickly improve their cultivation. This led them down a path of killing and cmity.

    "Could this ability have any hidden dangers?" Yuan Ming frowned and asked.

    "Of course, there are hidden dangers. When devouring the souls of others, one often absorbs the residual memories. Just think about the consequences," the Silver Cat¡¯s voice carried a warning tone.

    As Yuan Ming listened, his brows furrowed tighter. Indeed, there was no such thing as a free lunch, and the same applied to souls.

    He had read simr exnations in some ancient texts before. Memories that didn¡¯t belong to oneself would sh and confuse one¡¯s original memories. If too many were absorbed, the memories would be extremely chaotic, and one might even fall into madness.

    If he wasn¡¯t careful, he might end up mixing someone else¡¯s memories before he could even retrieve his own. At that time, he might not even remember his own name.

    "Overall, the three abilities are quite good," the Silver Cat¡¯s voice timely echoed in his mind.

    "I have to thank you for your help," Yuan Ming sincerely thanked.

    "Next, you can focus on cultivating the secondyer of the Death Moon method and continue to strengthen your soul power. All the power of soul cultivationes from the strength of the soul, this is the foundation," the Silver Cat advised.

    "I understand," Yuan Ming nodded.

    He immediately sat cross-legged, holding the incense burner, intending to continue cultivating under the moonlight. Suddenly, he heard the voice of the Silver Cat in his Sea of Consciousness:

    "Let me take a look at your incense burner."

    "You want to see it?" Yuan Ming picked up the incense burner, hesitating.

    This incense burner had saved his life several times and was the most precious thing he had.

    "What, afraid I¡¯ll take it away?" the Silver Cat sneered. If it really wanted to take the incense burner, it wouldn¡¯t have to wait until now.

    "How could that be?" Yuan Ming smiled and ced the incense burner in front of the Silver Cat.

    The Silver Cat maintained a squatting posture and raised one paw, gently resting it on the incense burner.

    A silver light suddenly shed in its paw fur.

    Yuan Ming blinked and finally saw that there was a delicate silver ring hidden in the fur of its paw, which was now worn on its paw.

    However, despite the silver light shing, nothing happened.

    In the Silver Cat¡¯s peculiar pupils, a hint of understanding shed, as if it had verified some spection.

    "Take it back, this is not an ordinary item, take good care of it," the Silver Cat then pushed the incense burner back to Yuan Ming.Yuan Ming quickly took it and held it in his arms.

    "Continue cultivating." The silver cat said.

    Yuan Ming collected his scattered thoughts and began to cultivate the "Death Moon Method". Ayer of moonlight enveloped his body, and the incense burner in his arms emitted a faint and imperceptible light.

    Seeing this scene, the silver cat immediately ced its paw on its head, lying next to Yuan Ming with its eyes closed.

    A faint silver light also enveloped its body, fluctuating like tides.

    ...

    A few dayster.

    In a forest in southern Jiang, seven or eight burly men wearing animal skins and carrying curved knives made of ox horns sat among scattered rocks under the scorching sun.

    Their skin was reddish-brown, and their muscles were swollen, resembling the "strongmen" in temple murals.

    Among them, the leader was particrly burly, with a fierce appearance and a bare upper body.

    "Hu Zha, why haven¡¯t we set off yet? Who are we waiting for?" A man with dark blue tattoos on his face asked impatiently.

    The fierce man was none other than the one who captured Yuan Ming and brought him into the Bi Luo Cave.

    "I heard that there is a named disciple from the Fire Refining Hall who also took on a mission with us." Hu Zha said.

    "These pampered guys, how could they take on a mission from our Beast ve Hall? They usually look down on us, not taking us seriously." The man with tattoos on his face wondered.

    "Who knows what¡¯s wrong with them." Hu Zha shrugged and looked impatient.

    "In my opinion, we can handle this task ourselves. Why bother assigning it? It¡¯s just making trouble for ourselves." The man with tattoosined.

    "You can¡¯t say that... After all, what we do is dirty work that can¡¯t be seen. We can¡¯t use the name of the sect. We might be targeted at any time. If we identally encounter an ambush, having a named disciple with us will be very useful." Hu Zha grinned and said.

    "That¡¯s true..." The man with tattoos smiled foolishly.

    "Remember, be polite when you see that named disciple. You never know when you might need him..." Hu Zha hadn¡¯t finished speaking when he saw a figure walking towards the end of the path in the forest.

    The person was not wearing the attire of a named disciple of the Bi Luo Cave, and there was no waist badge to prove his identity. He wore a bamboo hat on his head, covering most of his face.

    When he approached, he suddenly took off his bamboo hat and smiled, "Captain Hu Zha, long time no see."

    "You are..." Hu Zha was stunned when he heard this, and for a moment, he couldn¡¯t recognize the person in front of him.

    He thought for a long time before finally matching the handsome young man in front of him with the somewhat weak figure in his memory, but he still wasn¡¯tpletely sure.

    "You are that beast ve..." He couldn¡¯t remember the name of the young man in front of him, and of course, he had never cared.

    "Yuan Ming." The young man smiled.

    "Yes, yes, yes... Yuan Ming, it¡¯s really you?" Hu Zha couldn¡¯t hide his surprise anymore and pointed at Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming nodded.

    "You are the disciple of the Fire Refining Hall?" Hu Zha asked.

    "Yes, I entrusted Captain Hu Zha to give me more guidance for this mission." Yuan Ming said.

    "Why did you take on this mission?" Hu Zha looked at Yuan Ming, feeling a hint of caution.

    He knew Yuan Ming¡¯s background better than anyone else. It was he who personally captured Yuan Ming and a group of wild people and brought them to the Ten Thousand Mountains.

    "Naturally, it¡¯s for the twenty contribution points. Why, Captain Hu Zha, don¡¯t you wee me?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "How could that be, just..." Hu Zha hesitated.

    "Captain Hu Zha, are you afraid that I mind the past? Then you are worrying too much. I still remember what you said when you sent me to Elder Hu Huo." Yuan Ming smiled, showing no signs of concern.

    At that time, he had said that if Yuan Ming and the wild people could embark on the path of cultivation, they shoulde back and thank him as their guide.

    "Oh, those were just nonsense. You don¡¯t have to take it seriously." Hu Zha couldn¡¯t help but feel a little flustered.

    "Captain Hu Zha, don¡¯t doubt it, I sincerely thank you from the bottom of my heart. Without you leading me into the sect, I¡¯m afraid I would have remained an ignorant wild person until death." Yuan Ming smiled warmly and spoke sincerely, even he almost believed it himself.

    "You¡¯re wee, you¡¯re wee." Hu Zha saw that the other party¡¯s words didn¡¯t seem fake, and finally felt a little relieved.

    "Captain Hu Zha, rest assured, if there is any danger on this journey, I will do my best to deal with it." Yuan Ming said.

    "Haha, you worry too much. It¡¯s just dealing with some savage wild people. Even if they have great strength, you don¡¯t need to do anything. You just need to rx and enjoy the scenery along the way." Hu Zhaughed.

    "Alright, let¡¯s not waste any more time. Let¡¯s set off." Yuan Ming said.The group, led by Hu Zha, set off into the forest.

    Along the way, Yuan Ming and Hu Zha chatted intermittently. Neither of them brought up the incident of Yuan Ming¡¯s capture, and they gradually became more familiar with each other.

    "Captain Hu Zha, what¡¯s the process for capturing savages? Surely we¡¯re not just searching aimlessly?" Yuan Ming asked.

    Hu Zha chuckled, "How could that be? You should know, this business of capturing savages is a trade. If we have a demand, naturally there will be suppliers."

    "What do you mean?" Yuan Ming asked, puzzled.

 Chapter 107: Not enough

    Chapter 107: Not enough

    "We can pay for information, and someone will naturally find it for us. It only takes a small price to find the gathering ce of the wild people," Hu Zha said with a smile.

    "I see, it is indeed a time-saving and effortless method," Yuan Ming sighed.

    "But now it¡¯s not possible anymore. The wild people have been captured a lot, and they have be smarter, hiding deeper and bing harder to find," Hu Zha sighed lightly.

    While they were talking, a clear chirping of birds came from the sky.

    Hu Zha immediately looked up and took out a stone talisman from his pocket, holding it in his hand.

    The stone talisman lit up, and a bird flying high in the sky immediatelynded on his arm.

    "A messenger bird used formunication, the lowest-level spiritual beast from the Beast Taming Hall," Hu Zha exined when he saw Yuan Ming¡¯s puzzled expression.

    He then took a piece of cloth from the bird¡¯s ankle, nced at it, and smiled.

    "I found it. It¡¯s in a valley about 120 miles southwest from here," Hu Zha said, marking it on a beast skin map."Speed up," he ordered.

    The whole team started to elerate and chased after the southwest direction.

    "These wild people think they¡¯re clever, not escaping deep into the Ten Thousand Mountains but getting closer to the densely popted areas of the Southern Border Viges. They want to hide in in sight. How foolish," Hu Zha mocked while running.

    Yuan Ming smirked slightly but did not agree.

    After about an hour, the group arrived at the entrance of a valley.

    At the entrance, there was already a thin man wearing a blue robe and a ck cloth wrapped around his head waiting.

    His skin was dark, and his face was covered in traces of wind and sun.

    As soon as Hu Zha and the others appeared, the man¡¯s eyes lit up, and a look of joy and fear appeared on his face as he hurried over.

    "Sir, I have been following those wild people for several days. They have been circling in the mountains until today when they finally stopped in this valley," the thin man said.

    Yuan Ming could tell at a nce that the man was just an ordinary person.

    "You did well. Here is your reward," Hu Zha nodded in satisfaction and took out a piece of silver from his pocket, weighing about three or four coins, and threw it to the man.

    The thin man immediately caught it and thanked him profusely, almost wanting to kneel down and kowtow.

    Hu Zha didn¡¯t pay much attention and, with his men, drew his curved knife and headed straight into the valley.

    Yuan Ming hesitated for a moment and did not follow.

    He sympathized with the wild people who were about to face misfortune but couldn¡¯t change their fate.

    His strength was still not enough to support even a trace of kindness in saving others. Even if he had the strength, he couldn¡¯t rashly intervene and risk putting himself in danger for other people¡¯s business.

    Soon, the sounds of killing and crying came from the valley.

    Yuan Ming looked at the thin man who led the way. The man seemed to be ustomed to the sounds of killing and crying and didn¡¯t show any reaction. Only when he noticed Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze did a somewhat awkward smile appear on his rugged face.

    If no one knew what he had done, anyone would just take him as an honest farmer from the Southern Border.

    After a while, Hu Zha and the others returned, escorting seven or eight figures to the valley entrance.

    Yuan Ming took a nce and saw that they were all wild people with disheveled hair, wearing handcuffs and shackles, and covered in dirt. The oldest was no more than forty years old, and the youngest was probably only ten.

    "Damn it, this old man lied to us. He said there were about two hundred of these wild people, but there¡¯s not even half of that,"ined the tattooed man from afar.

    Yuan Ming frowned. They only brought out a few dozen people out of nearly a hundred?

    The fate of those who were not brought out was self-evident.

    Yuan Ming nced at the thin man and couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of sorrow. Dozens of lives were only worth a few coins of silver?

    "This is definitely not enough. It¡¯s far from the target we set for this trip," Hu Zha also frowned.

    "What¡¯s going on?" Yuan Ming asked when they approached.

    "We don¡¯t have enough people," Hu Zha said.

    "What do you mean by not enough people?" Yuan Ming continued to ask.

    "Probably not enough people with spiritual roots, and not enough dead souls," Hu Zha exined.

    "How many more do we need?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "At least half. We must find another group of wild people of simr size; otherwise, we won¡¯t meet the requirements," Hu Zha said.

    "We still need so many. Where can we find them?" Yuan Ming asked.

    Hu Zha walked to the side of the thin man, grabbed his clothes, and lifted him up.

    "The number of people here doesn¡¯t match your intelligence. Do you know where other groups of wild people are?" Hu Zha asked fiercely.

    "S-sir, I don¡¯t... I don¡¯t know. This is the only group we found recently," the thin man stammered, terrified.

    Hu Zha¡¯s brow furrowed, and he pondered.

    But after a moment, his brow rxed, and he smiled, "If I remember correctly, your vige seems to be nearby. Tell me, how many households and people are there in your vige?"

    The thin man stiffened at the words, his face turning extremely pale.

    After Hu Zha threw him down, he immediately knelt in front of Hu Zha, begging and kowtowing repeatedly, "Sir, please, please don¡¯t... I will help you find more. Please give me some time... I beg you."

    Hu Zha sneered, looking at him without any mercy.

    The other Beast Taming Hall men surrounded them, their faces full of mockery, as if they were looking at a miserable dog.

    The thin man saw this and realized that only Yuan Ming had no smile on his face and didn¡¯t look at him.

    He clung to Yuan Ming like a drowning man clutching at a straw, struggling to throw himself at Yuan Ming¡¯s feet, kowtowing and begging for mercy.

    "Please, please help me. I can definitely find more. Just give me one day... no, give me half a day. I beg you," he cried, tears streaming down his face, extremely miserable.

    However, Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze fell on the wild people, not even ncing at the thin man.

    Heaven and earth are ruthless, treating all things as straw dogs.In this harshnd of the Southern Border, who isn¡¯t a fish on the chopping board?

    Soon, the wailing man was dragged back by the cor, a blood-stained curved de held against his neck.

    "Lead us to your vige, or I¡¯ll chop you up and feed you to the dogs right now," Hu Zha threatened with a malicious grin.

    The gaunt man was already scared out of his wits, only fear remained.

    He could feel the icy de cutting into his neck, his blood vessels even felt the chill, death was just a hair¡¯s breadth away.

    "I¡¯ll lead... I¡¯ll lead..."

    Those who could betray others¡¯ lives could also betray their own people sooner orter.

    Tears and snot mixed on his face, a mess, and his pants were already soiled.

    "Can you spare my family?" he pleaded with thest shred of hope.

    "We¡¯ve always had a good cooperation, I can agree to this condition," Hu Zhaughed.

    The gaunt man¡¯s face was ashen, the joy he had when he received the money was gone.

    "Junior Brother Yuan, you and the others wait here for us, I¡¯ll take two people over, we should be back in two hours at most," Hu Zha instructed Yuan Ming.

    The conversation along the way made him feel quite familiar with Yuan Ming, and he called "Junior Brother Yuan" very naturally.

    Yuan Ming nodded without saying a word.

    Even if Hu Zha didn¡¯t mention it, he would find an excuse not to go with them.

    Hu Zha immediately called out, took the tattooed man and another man with a scar on his face, and left with the gaunt man.

    Yuan Ming and the others, with the few savages, stayed in ce.

    The remaining men gathered around Yuan Ming, trying to curry favor with him.

    Their Beast Servant Hall¡¯s position in the Bi Luo Cave was always much lower than the other halls, almost all of them were practitioners who were not mainstream.

    After all, killing savages didn¡¯t require high cultivation.

    So, if they could climb up to the disciples of other halls, especially the inner disciples, the benefits would naturally be numerous.

    "How long have you been doing this kind of work?" Yuan Ming casually asked.

    The men answered in a flurry, some said three years, some said five years.

    The oldest one had been doing it for almost ten years.

    "Do you know why we are killing these savages?" Yuan Ming asked.

    The others were silent, not knowing the specific reason.

    Only the oldest one, after some hesitation, pointed to the sky and said, "It¡¯s required from above."

    "Above... the elders? Or the cave master?" Yuan Ming frowned.

    "We don¡¯t know that, we just follow orders, that¡¯s how we¡¯ve been doing it for so many years," the man said.

    Hearing this, Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes flickered, not knowing what to feel.

    His only memories of the Central ins were about a bustling city somewhere, which seemed much more peaceful and beautifulpared to these cultivators.

    And what he saw and heard in the Southern Border were mostly tragic human affairs.

    Yuan Ming only hoped to protect himself, steadily improve his cultivation, and one day return to the Central ins.

    Seeing that Yuan Ming was no longer interested in chatting, the others dispersed wisely. Some went to tease the savages, some went hunting, preparing to make some food when they returned.

    There were also two or three people sitting together, continuing to chat idly.

    Yuan Ming suddenly heard one of them say, "That kid Haku is really unlucky this time, ording to the captain¡¯s temper, he will definitely kill his whole family, even the entire vige will die."

    "Our mission this time is heavy, not to mention Haku¡¯s Miao Hua Vige, I think the few viges near Qing Bao Mountain might all be wiped out. I guess we won¡¯te hunting here for the next ten years," another replied.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s mind suddenly exploded, he turned his head and asked sharply, "What vige did you just mention?"

    The three men chatting were startled, they looked at each other, all a bit slow to react.

 Chapter 108: Beast Slave Hall

    Chapter 108: Beast ve Hall

    "Did I hear you mention the Miao Family Vige just now? Is it the Miao Family Vige near Tufang Mountain?" Yuan Ming realized that he had lost control of his emotions and quickly regained hisposure, asking.

    "You heard wrong. It¡¯s the Miao Flower Vige at the foot of the Qing¡¯ao Mountain. Ha Ku, who reported the news of the wild people to us, is from there." A big man chuckled and said.

    "Oh, my mistake then." Yuan Ming nodded with a smile.

    Although he appeared calm on the surface, his heart was already in turmoil. The ce that Hu Zha and the others were going to ughter was actually Ha Gong¡¯s hometown.

    "You guys stay here and keep watch. I¡¯m going out for a walk." Yuan Ming got up and bid farewell, leaving on his own.

    After leaving their sight, Yuan Ming immediately used his soul skill, Soul Travel. Three ck crows transformed from his soul quietly flew out from his brow in different directions.

    At the moment, Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t care less about the loss of his soul power. He just wanted to find the traces of Hu Zha and the others leaving as soon as possible.

    The three crows flew low, shuttling through the mountains and forests.

    After a while, one of the crows found a group of messy footprints in a forest. Among them, three pairs of footprints wererge and deep, while only one pair was small and shallow.This matched the description of the three Beast ve Hall men with the skinny man.

    While rushing in that direction, Yuan Ming called back the three crows.

    Fortunately, during his time as a Beast ve, he had umted a lot of skills in tracking and searching for ferocious beasts. He quickly followed the traces of Hu Zha and his group and caught up with them.

    After about half an hour of rushing, he finally saw a vige built with arge number of wooden railings in a hollow under a green mountain peak from a distance.

    They were several miles apart, but the sound of tragic cries had already drifted out.

    Hu Zha and the others had already started killing.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s heart tightened, and he quickly put on the white ape beast skin. With a running start, he leaped up and rushed towards them in the form of a wild beast, disregarding everything.

    If he were just an ordinary person from the Southern Region, Yuan Ming could still prioritize his own safety and force himself not to get involved. But when it came to Ha Gong¡¯s family, he couldn¡¯t care about these things anymore.

    A man¡¯s promise is worth a thousand pieces of gold. He had promised to take a look at Ha Gong¡¯s daughter, so naturally he couldn¡¯t just look and do nothing, especially when he knew she was in danger.

    The wind whistled in his ears as Yuan Ming rushed all the way to the entrance of the vige. From a distance, he saw a body hanging from an old tree outside the vige, pierced through the chest.

    Yuan Ming stopped and took off the white ape beast skin. Upon closer inspection, he found that the body was Ha Ku.

    His eyes widened, and on his twisted face, fear, regret, and unwillingness were frozen, but it was all toote.

    Yuan Ming had no sympathy for him and immediately rushed into the vige.

    The houses along the way had already started to catch fire, and there were broken and charred bodies everywhere.

    "Ding dong."

    Suddenly, the sound of a bell rang.

    Yuan Ming abruptly turned his head and ran towards the source of the sound.

    In a corner of the vige, under a tall kapok tree.

    The dpidated thatched cottage was already on fire, and billowing ck smoke rose like a demonic dragon, soaring into the sky.

    A woman wearing a blue coarse robe huddled under the tree, holding a six or seven-year-old girl in her arms, trembling all over.

    The woman¡¯s head was wrapped in a ck cloth, her skin was ck with a hint of red, not particrly good-looking, but her features were still delicate. In her pitch-ck eyes, fear had already taken over.

    She tightly hugged the girl in her arms, pressing her head against her chest, not letting her look outside.

    Just ten steps away from them, there were seven or eight male and female bodies piled up, blood flowing all over the ground.

    Hu Zha, with his upper body exposed, was holding a silver bell and shaking it.

    In the sound of "ding dong," he collected one lingering soul after another.

    There was no expression on his face, and his heart was equally unaffected. After doing this kind of thing many times, he felt that those dead people were no different from the snakes, insects, rats, and ants on the roadside.

    Hu Zha nodded at a person beside him, indicating that he should also kill the mother and daughter under the tree.

    As he ran over, the big man carried a curved knife and arrived under the tree without saying a word. Without any hesitation, he raised the knife to strike.

    Just as he was about to strike, a desperate shout came, "Don¡¯t..."

    The big man was stunned by the words, and he turned his head along with Hu Zha, only to see Yuan Ming running towards them quickly.

    "Junior Brother Yuan, what are you doing?" Hu Zha asked curiously.

    "For now, don¡¯t kill them. I have something to ask." While shouting, Yuan Ming had already arrived by Hu Zha¡¯s side.

    Hu Zha was puzzled and asked, "What does it have to do with these guys..."

    Before he could finish his sentence, he saw Yuan Ming¡¯s hand on his shoulder suddenly emit a cold light.

    Immediately after, a bronze longsword suddenly appeared.

    Hu Zha thought that Yuan Ming was going to pat him on the shoulder, so he didn¡¯t have any defenses.It was toote for him to realize that something was wrong. The cold light of the Green Fish Sword swept across his neck.

    He only felt a coolness in his throat, and his head had already flown away.

    Arge amount of blood gushed out like a spring, turning into a rain of blood and falling down.

    "What did you do?" The scar-faced man who was following not far away eximed in shock.

    Before he could finish his words, he had already fled in panic.

    Yuan Ming had already used the Shadowless Step and appeared behind him in a sh. He kicked him in the back, sending him flying and falling to the ground.

    He caught up with him in one step and stepped heavily on the scar-faced man¡¯s back.

    The scar-faced man felt a bitter taste in his throat, as if his bile had been squeezed out. He hurriedly begged for mercy, "Don¡¯t, don¡¯t kill me..."

    "What about the other person?" Yuan Ming asked sternly.

    "He... couldn¡¯t hold back and went to have fun with two women." The scar-faced man answered in a hurry.

    "Where?" Yuan Ming asked.

    The scar-faced man tremblingly raised a hand and pointed to the other side of the vige in the distance.

    "I¡¯m asking you, what did your Beast ve Hall do with the souls you collected after killing people?" Yuan Ming continued to ask.

    "They... were all handed over to the sect." The scar-faced man quickly said.

    "Don¡¯t y dumb, I¡¯m asking what the sect used them for?" Yuan Ming shouted.

    "I... I don¡¯t know, every time Captain Hu Zha personally delivered them, we just followed him to do the work outside and didn¡¯t know what happened afterwards." The scar-faced man said bitterly.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming stabbed his long sword downwards, piercing the scar-faced man¡¯s heart.

    Then, he swung his sword and shook off the blood that stained it.

    Yuan Ming nced at the vige in the distance, then at Hu Zha¡¯s corpse. After a moment of hesitation, he walked to Hu Zha¡¯s body first.

    The mother and daughter who were huddled under the kapok tree, already frightened, couldn¡¯t help but cry even more when they saw Yuan Ming approaching with a sword.

    Yuan Ming immediately put away his sword and gestured for them to be quiet.

    The woman with a somewhat haggard face could only suppress her fear and cover her daughter¡¯s mouth.

    Yuan Ming came to Hu Zha¡¯s head, grabbed the braid on top of his head, and lifted it up.

    Then, his gaze condensed, and a ck light appeared on his forehead. A raven¡¯s head emerged from it and pecked lightly at the empty space in front of it.

    Immediately after, its head was pulled back, and an invisible thread was pulled out from Hu Zha¡¯s forehead.

    A hazy figure floated out, swaying in the air like a rootless duckweed. Judging from its appearance, it was indeed Hu Zha.

    After this soul was pulled out, the mountain wind blew and it immediately trembled like it was shivering. The gray mist on its body seemed to be blown away, and its figure quickly became faint.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming immediately activated his soul power and fed the soul.

    The raven on his forehead blurred for a moment, turning into a ck vortex. From it, a twisted attracting force emanated, dragging Hu Zha¡¯s remnant soul into a ck mist and flowing into it.

    Then, the ck mist disappeared.

    In Yuan Ming¡¯s sea of consciousness, a ck mist appeared out of thin air and condensed into a vaguely shaped figure.

    With a thought, the power of his soul in his sea of consciousness split into three ck ravens, pouncing on the hazy figure. In just a few moments, they tore it apart and devoured itpletely.

    As Hu Zha¡¯s remnant soul was devoured, fragments of memories began to appear in Yuan Ming¡¯s sea of consciousness.

    In the chaos, Yuan Ming¡¯s consciousness merged with Hu Zha¡¯s body, as if they had be one. However, his consciousness could not control the body, but could only watch its actions from Hu Zha¡¯s perspective.

    In one of the fragments, Hu Zha held a curved knife in the flickering darkness, cutting off one wild person¡¯s head after another, shaking a silver bell and taking away their souls.

    In another fragment, Hu Zha and the disciples of the Beast ve Hall held bowls and drank heartily, embracing smooth-skinned naked girls in their arms,ughing wantonly.

    Yuan Ming pushed aside the dense fog, trying to find the memories he was looking for.

    Suddenly, he felt his consciousness being pulled by something, rushing out and crashing into a fragment.

    Then he saw a familiar figure in the memory, Elder Sa Ren.

    He was the supervisor elder of the Beast ve Hall.

    "The souls collected this time, you will deliver them to the Refining Hall and personally hand them over to the Second Cave Master, without any mistakes." In a hall, Elder Sa Ren stood with his hands behind his back, giving him instructions.

    "Yes." After Hu Zha agreed, he turned and left.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s consciousness followed Hu Zha¡¯s body and headed towards the mountain peak where the Refining Hall was located.

    Along the way, he held Elder Sa Ren¡¯s token, unimpeded and smoothly arrived at the back mountain of the Refining Hall.

    There stood an independent courtyard, simr to the Bamboo Forest Courtyard of the Third Cave Master, but more magnificent. Outside the gate, there was a stone tablet with the words "Dan Lu" written on it.Just as Yuan Ming¡¯s thoughts were about to follow Hu Zha into the courtyard, the memory fragments he saw before his eyes immediately began to shatter one by one. All the images scattered like snowkes, until they disappearedpletely.

    All of Hu Zha¡¯s memory fragments dissipated, leaving no trace behind.

 Chapter 109: Ambush

    Chapter 109: Ambush

    With the copse of Hu Zha¡¯s memory, Yuan Ming inexplicably felt a sense of loss.

    This feeling was difficult to describe, as if his own memory had been hollowed out, and an overwhelming sense of loss and emptiness surged uncontrobly.

    But soon, he remembered the warning from the Silver Cat earlier.

    When using soul abilities like the Soul Feeding, one must avoid immersing oneself in emotions, otherwise, over time, memory confusion is likely to ur.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s heart trembled, immediately calming his emotions, closing his eyes and silently operating the Death Moon method to eliminate the chaotic thoughts and negative emotions from Hu Zha¡¯s memories.

    After a while, Yuan Ming opened his eyes again and let out a long breath.

    In the next moment, he keenly sensed a slight change happening to himself. After devouring Hu Zha¡¯s soul, his soul power seemed to have grown slightly.

    He didn¡¯t feel too happy about this, instead reminding himself, "As good as the Soul Feeding is, I shouldn¡¯t indulge too much."

    Just then, he turned his head and saw the tattooed man from the Beast ve Hall, who had already arrived here. Their eyes met, and the man¡¯s eyes were filled with shock.Since the man didn¡¯t see Yuan Ming holding a weapon or bloodstains on his clothes, he couldn¡¯t react for a moment.

    "What... what¡¯s going on?" the tattooed man eximed in fear.

    "Oh, I just arrived. It seems like they were ambushed... Where were you?" Yuan Ming suddenly changed his tone and scolded angrily.

    "I, I..." The tattooed man was already guilty, and now he was intimidated by Yuan Ming.

    "Come here, I have something to ask you." Yuan Ming ordered.

    The tattooed man had no choice but to step forward. Before he could get close, Yuan Ming smelled a strong scent of powder.

    "You damn thing, can¡¯t even control yourself at any time!" Yuan Ming pretended to scold, taking a step closer.

    The tattooed man was about to beg for mercy, but before he could speak, a sh of sword light suddenly appeared before his eyes. He felt a coolness on his neck, and then his whole body flew up into the air. Everything spun around, and then he knew nothing.

    As the tattooed man¡¯s headless body separated, warm blood sprayed from his neck, and the scent of powder seemed to be intensified by the smell of blood.

    Yuan Ming kicked away the headless body of the tattooed man,posed himself, rubbed his cheeks, changed to a gentle expression, and approached the mother and daughter who had escaped death.

    The mother tightly held her child, protecting her in her arms, her eyes still filled with fear.

    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m here to save you." Yuan Ming said in the Southern Border dialect.

    The woman raised her head slightly, not daring to look too much, just nced at Yuan Ming and quickly looked away.

    She couldn¡¯t believe that someone hade specifically to save them.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t mind, checked and found that there were no obvious injuries on the mother and daughter, and breathed a sigh of relief.

    "Tu Ya..." he called out to the girl in the woman¡¯s arms in a low voice.

    The girl¡¯s body trembled slightly. Ignoring her mother¡¯s suppression, she slowly turned her head, revealing a round and tender face.

    At that moment, Yuan Ming was certain that this child must be Tu Ya.

    Her facial features were 70% simr to Ha Gong¡¯s.

    Although the girl was already seven years old, she looked like a four or five-year-old child, with slightly yellowish hair and a malnourished appearance.

    Especially her pair of round ck eyes, filled with 70% fear and 30% doubt, looked like a frightened little animal, evoking pity in people¡¯s hearts.

    "Daddy..."

    The girl suddenly called out, and both Yuan Ming and the woman were stunned.

    Yes, in the eyes of a child who had just escaped from the brink of death, the one who coulde to save her must be her long-awaited father, right?

    "I... I¡¯m not..." Yuan Ming opened his mouth, not knowing how to exin.

    Just as he was organizing his thoughts and about to speak, he suddenly felt a sharp pain like a knife twisting in his lower abdomen, and a cold force spread from his dantian.

    "Poisoned, when did it happen?" Yuan Ming was shocked.

    He recalled the strong fragrance from the tattooed man earlier and suddenly understood that the poison must have emanated from him.

    But who was the one who poisoned him?

    Yuan Ming¡¯s thoughts raced, immediately suppressing the painful expression, he tucked his hand into his sleeve, formed a seal, and secretly operated the Nine Elements method, trying to suppress the toxicity.

    But this poison was very peculiar. In the instant he activated his technique, it prated into his dantian.

    Yuan Ming immediately felt the chilling power in his dantian, as if it had been frozen. The twisting pain in his lower abdomen became even more unbearable, reaching a point where he could hardly endure it.

    "This is not right!"

    The person who poisoned him must still be hiding somewhere nearby. His situation suddenly became unfavorable.

    Gritting his teeth, Yuan Ming straightened his body, his hidden wrist turned, and he took out an object and held it in his hand. At the same time, his expression suddenly turned fierce.

    "I¡¯m in a good mood today, so I won¡¯t kill you. Get out of here." He scolded the woman and Tu Ya.

    The woman was startled, but when she heard that she should leave, she quickly picked up her daughter and was about to escape.

    Just as they were about to leave, footsteps suddenly sounded from the front, and five or six figures appeared, blocking their way."Yuan Ming, you really have a high tolerance, being able to keep a straight face even after being hit by the Cold Yin Frost. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen such a thing." The leaderughed out loud, expressing his amazement.

    "Kun Tu, you really are a persistent ghost." Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly as he spoke coldly.

    As he spoke, he sized up the people who hade from the opposite side. They were all familiar faces: Hu Huo, Ba Da, Wu Lu, and the one-eyed woman who had appeared when they tried to kill himst time.

    Behind Hu Huo, there stood two figures over ten feet tall, covered in white fur, with blood-red eyes and long ck ws on their hands. When they grinned, they revealed a set of jagged, white-glowing fangs.

    They were two humanoid demons!

    However, just as Yuan Ming was about to shift his gaze away, he noticed that these two humanoid demons were different from the ones he had seen before.

    There was no murderous intent in their eyes, only a dry, waveless deathly stillness, devoid of life. They were like two puppets, quietly following behind Hu Huo.

    As he locked eyes with one of the humanoid demons, Yuan Ming¡¯s pupils suddenly contracted.

    Despite theck of any emotional fluctuations in those eyes, and the absence of any distinctive features on its body, Yuan Ming had a strong intuition.

    That humanoid demon was Ha Gong.

    Yuan Ming subconsciously wanted to call out his name.

    "Wah¡­"

    Just then, a cry woke him up.

    Seven-year-old Tu Ya, in her mother¡¯s arms, cautiously turned her face to look at the people blocking the road. She was immediately frightened by the terrifying appearance of the humanoid demon and couldn¡¯t help but cry out.

    Yuan Ming nced at Tu Ya, then at the humanoid demon, and a wave of indescribable sorrow welled up in his heart.

    Their family of three, separated for seven years, had reunited under such circumstances.

    After the sorrow came an uncontroble anger.

    His experiences in the Hundred Thousand Mountains had somewhat numbed Yuan Ming. Even when he himself was persecuted, he had never felt such anger. His gaze even ignored Kun Tu and unconsciously locked onto Hu Huo.

    Hu Huo shivered, feeling a bit uneasy under Yuan Ming¡¯s terrifying gaze. At first, he didn¡¯t understand why Yuan Ming was looking at him like that, but after ncing at Ha Gong behind him, he suddenly realized.

    But soon, his expression steadied, and a mocking smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

    "Yuan Ming, Yuan Ming, we specifically followed you out this time, originally intending to kill you secretly. But who would have thought that you would harm your fellow disciples? This is great, we can kill you righteously, report the truth when we go back, and it will still be a merit." Kun Tu said with a smile.

    After entering the inner door, he had been nurtured by Elder Meng Shan and assisted by elixirs. His cultivation had soared, reaching the seventh level of Qi Refining. Naturally, he had full confidence when facing Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s expression remained unchanged, his gaze fell on Kun Tu, and he asked, "The tasks of the Beast Servant Hall are always carried out in secret. I have never publicized it myself. How did you know that I participated in this task?"

    "Hehe, I forgot to tell you, this smooth operation is all thanks to Wu Lu." Kun Tuughed.

    Yuan Ming frowned and looked at Wu Lu.

    "I¡¯m sorry, Brother Yuan. When you asked me about the Beast Servant Hall¡¯s taskst time, I found it a bit strange. So I reported it to Brother Kun Tu when I got back." Wu Lu said with a smile, showing no signs of guilt on his face.

    After all, in his view, Yuan Ming was doomed today.

    Upon hearing Wu Lu¡¯s words, Yuan Ming sneered in his heart, somewhat surprised.

    He didn¡¯t expect Wu Lu to notice such details.

    It seemed that after entering the Bi Luo Cave, his vignce was not enough, and because of some mistakes he shouldn¡¯t have made, he was now in a dangerous situation.

    "Speaking of which, it¡¯s all thanks to Brother Kun Tu¡¯s brilliant calctions. He guessed that you would participate in the Beast Servant Hall¡¯s task just by hearing me mention it casually. Then he kept sending people to watch, and sure enough, they waited for you." Wu Lu didn¡¯t forget to tter Kun Tu.

    "Yuan Ming, this time we¡¯re far outside the sect¡¯s territory. Let¡¯s see if anyone can save you now?" Kun Tu¡¯s face showed a smug expression as he sneered.

    "Every man for himself, and the devil takes the hindmost. Brother Yuan, after all, we¡¯ve known each other for a while. I have my own difficulties, so don¡¯t me me." Wu Lu said with a smile, slightly bowing to Yuan Ming.

    Just then, Yuan Ming suddenly groaned, his face turned pale, and he clutched his abdomen and copsed to the ground.

    Seeing this, Kun Tu couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud, "All this idle talk was just to wait for your poison to act. How does it feel? The Cold Yin Frost poison invading your Dantian, it¡¯s not veryfortable, is it?"

 Chapter 110: Turned back

    Chapter 110: Turned back

    "The cold yin frost poison can freeze the dantian, then erode the meridians. After the twelve regr meridians and the eight extraordinary meridians are all poisoned, one will experience numbness in the limbs, stiff muscles throughout the body, and even the inability to move the throat, making it impossible to speak." Before Yuan Ming could say anything, Ba Da had already walked out with a sense of self-satisfaction.

    "It¡¯s you again, you..."

    Before Yuan Ming could finish his sentence, his throat suddenly choked up, unable to make a sound. His raised hand also stiffened, with veins protruding on his arm, indicating that the poison had already spread through his meridians.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming felt regretful. He med himself for being too eager to save others and let his guard down, failing to notice when these people had followed them.

    Seeing that Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t move, Ba Da took out a sharp knife and turned to Kun Tu, asking, "Should I disable his tendons first, then pierce his corbone, leaving him a breath of air for you to slowly torture? Is that okay?"

    "Sure, he killed the people from the Beast ve Hall, and even the Third Hall Master can¡¯t protect him. We don¡¯t need to kill him secretly. Let¡¯s take him back to the sect. Maybe we can get some benefits." Kun Tu nodded and smiled.

    When Ba Da turned around, his face no longer had that harmless look. Instead, it was filled with resentment and hatred.

    "Yuan, if it weren¡¯t for you interfering, I would have controlled Chen Wan with medicine and made her my ve. Now that she has be an inner disciple, I have no chance anymore. It¡¯s all your fault." Ba Da approached Yuan Ming step by step, using him of his "crimes."

    Yuan Ming struggled to move his throat, seemingly wanting to say something, but he couldn¡¯t make a sound no matter how hard he tried."You deserve to die." Ba Da came to his side and cursed, leaning over.

    When the distance between the two of them was close enough, Ba Da suddenly heard a sigh. "Ah, I wanted to get rid of Kun Tu first, or at least Hu Huo. You unlucky fool brought this upon yourself."

    Ba Da¡¯s pupils suddenly contracted, quickly retreating.

    However, Yuan Ming, who was lying on the ground, suddenly pped the ground with his hand, and his whole body bounced up. The hand that had been hidden in his sleeve revealed itself, holding a crimson curved horn, which pierced Ba Da¡¯s throat.

    With a "chirp" sound, Ba Da didn¡¯t even have time to react. He was directly pierced through the throat by the crimson curved horn, and blood gushed out.

    He covered his throat with both hands, and blood continued to seep through his fingers. He took steps back, his mouth wide open in shock, wanting to say something, but his mouth was already filled with pink blood foam.

    He hurriedly took out a porcin bottle from his pocket, pulled out the stopper, and poured the powder inside onto the wound on his neck.

    The loss of arge amount of blood caused his hands to tremble violently. Arge amount of powder was scattered, but none of it fell on the horrifying wound.

    Yuan Ming calmly watched this scene, tightly gripping the crimson curved horn. He absorbed arge amount of pure yang energy from it, neutralizing thest trace of cold yin frost poison in his body. With a sword in his other hand, he stepped forward and beheaded Ba Da.

    This sudden change shocked Kun Tu and the others.

    None of them had expected that Yuan Ming had a method to quickly remove Ba Da¡¯s poison. They also didn¡¯t expect that everything Yuan Ming had shown before was just a deception.

    He had already removed the poison, but he pretended that the poison was intensifying step by step. If Ba Da hadn¡¯t acted first, any one of them who approached him would have been defeated.

    "Just with you useless people, you want to kill me? Have you ever considered your own abilities?" Yuan Ming kicked Ba Da¡¯s head away and looked at Kun Tu and the others.

    "You, very good!" Kun Tu narrowed his eyes, a murderous intent shing in his eyes.

    "Not bad, I¡¯m doing great now. By the way, Kun Tu, you better be able to kill me this time, otherwise I will definitely take your head as a chamber pot." Yuan Ming mocked, then suddenly turned around and ran towards the distant mountains and forests.

    Unable to bear Yuan Ming¡¯s provocation any longer, Kun Tu immediately patted the head of the green wolf under him, urging it to chase after Yuan Ming.

    Hu Huo also summoned his green falcon and jumped on it, flying into the sky, chasing after them.

    The one-eyed woman and Wu Lu didn¡¯t have their own spirit beasts, so they could only run as fast as they could, following behind.

    However, before Wu Lu left, he nced at Tu Ya and her daughter, shook his head, and said, "You¡¯re all doomed. Run as far as you can."

    Yuan Ming continuously used the Shadowless Step technique and quickly ran out of the vige. After his figure disappeared into the mountains, he released a sigh of relief. He then used the Wood Concealment technique, leaning against a lush ancient tree.

    At the same time, in the direction that the green wolf was chasing, a ck raven flew with a torn piece of cloth in its mouth. It flew towards a distance.

    After shaking off Kun Tu, Yuan Ming looked up and scanned the sky, but he didn¡¯t see the figure of Elder Hu Huo. He immediately wanted to go back.

    His purpose for this trip was to save Tu Ya and her daughter. He deliberately provoked Kun Tu to draw him away from them.

    However, before he could take a few steps, he heard the sound of chaotic footsteps. It was the one-eyed woman and Wu Lu chasing after him.

    "They just won¡¯t give up!"

    Yuan Ming cursed and immediately leaned back against a towering ancient tree. He silently recited a mantra and activated the Wood Concealment technique.Apanied by a burst of green light, his skin instantly revealed rough bark-like patterns. He seemed to merge with an ancient tree, bing one with it, disappearing into the forest.

    Before long, the one-eyed woman and Wu Lu appeared in Yuan Ming¡¯s line of sight, one after the other.

    Seeing only them and no one else, Yuan Ming immediately made a decision.

    When the two approached, he let the one-eyed woman in front pass, and attacked Wu Lu who was following behind.

    After killing Wu Lu, he would then catch up and kill the one-eyed woman.

    He hid his figure, held his breath, and observed their movements. Just as the one-eyed woman was about to pass by, Wu Lu, who was following behind, suddenly called out to her to wait for him.

    "Waste!" The one-eyed woman just nced back and muttered a curse, then continued on her way.

    Wu Lu stopped in his tracks at the insult, ring resentfully at the woman.

    "Hmph, running so fast, eager to die? And she dares to call me useless?" He muttered under his breath, then turned around and walked back the way he came.

    This left Yuan Ming somewhat unprepared.

    He had originally nned to kill Wu Lu first, but Wu Lu had turned back halfway.

    While he was hesitating, the one-eyed woman had already reached him.

    "Kill."

    Yuan Ming steeled his heart, formed a hand seal, and his magical power began to circte.

    As the one-eyed woman took a step, a yellow halo suddenly lit up on the ground beside her. Three sharp wooden spikes in a "Æ·" shape burst out from the ground, aiming straight at her body.

    Her reaction was extremely quick. With a flick of her wrist, the whip coiled around her waist shot straight into the sky, piercing a thick branch above with a "thud".

    Using the pull of the whip, she leapt up, avoiding the wooden spikes, and flew into the air.

    Just as she was about tond on the branch, the surrounding branches and vines suddenly came to life like snakes, coiling towards her.

    The one-eyed woman was already in mid-air, and the only thing she could use to leverage was the branch above.

    Unfortunately, before she could change direction, the branch above softened like a noodle, twisted around the whip, and lifted her up.

    Seeing the situation was unfavorable, she released her magical power from within her body. The barbs on the whip burst forth with a fierce power, instantly breaking the branch.

    She fell towards the ground.

    But before she couldnd, the surrounding vines and branches had already twisted together, forming a vine cage, trapping her in the center.

    Seeing this, the one-eyed woman immediately took out a round, ck iron ball from her sleeve. After infusing it with magical power, she threw it down.

    At the same time, she curled up, her body glowing with a dark yellow light, as if she had cast some earth-based spell.

    "Boom"

    The next instant, a ball of fire exploded from below.

    The converging vines had not yet fully formed the wooden cage when they were destroyed by this sudden burst of power, scattering in all directions.

    "Earth Fire Thunder?" Yuan Ming frowned. He had seen other senior brothers refining it in the Fire Refining Hall.

    The one-eyed woman was sted upwards by the force, then fell towards the ground.

    The yellow glow around her had long since dissipated, and her arms and back were burned to varying degrees, looking somewhat disheveled.

    The moment shended, sheshed out with her whip towards the empty space behind her, guarding against an attack from an unknown source.

    However, the whip hit nothing but air, making a "snap" sound!

    She didn¡¯t dare to linger and immediately tried to run back.

    But the moment she turned around, Yuan Ming¡¯s figure emerged from the ancient tree. With a light tap of his toes, he silently executed the Shadowless Step, chasing after the one-eyed woman.

    Thetter felt a chill run down her spine. Without turning her head, the ck wooden hairpin on her head was driven by magical power and shot back.

    Yuan Ming ducked and charged forward, avoiding the ck wooden hairpin. At the same time, a cold light shed in his hand, and the Green Fish Sword appeared. He gripped it and thrust it forward, aiming straight for the one-eyed woman¡¯s heart.

 Chapter 111: Unexpected

    Chapter 111: Unexpected

    Just as Yuan Ming¡¯s Qingyu Sword pierced the one-eyed woman, a yellow halo once again lit up around her, trying to protect her body.

    But the light was already dim. Seeing this, Yuan Ming took a step forward and unleashed his power to strike again.

    "Chi!"

    The yellow halo shattered, and the long sword pierced into the one-eyed woman¡¯s back.

    The one-eyed woman looked at the half of the sword de sticking out from her chest, a look of disbelief shed in her eyes. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out of her throat.

    She couldn¡¯t believe that the person who had been chased by them and ran all over the mountains before could now toy with her while she had no power to fight back.

    Yuan Ming twisted the long sword in his hand, instantly crushing the one-eyed woman¡¯s heart.

    Before the wooden hairpin, which had lost its power, could turn around, it fell to the ground with a "tter".

    After searching the one-eyed woman¡¯s body for a while, Yuan Ming only found a spiked whip and a broken yellow porcin que. It should be the item that emitted the yellow light to protect the one-eyed woman.However, it had beenpletely destroyed by the previous explosion of the earth fire thunder and Yuan Ming¡¯s heavy blow.

    Yuan Ming put away the whip and wooden hairpin without further investigation. He wanted to hurry back and take Tu Ya and her daughter away from here.

    Just then, a sharp cry suddenly came from above the mountains.

    "Hu Huo!" Yuan Ming gritted his teeth and turned his head, diving into the dense forest again.

    In the sky, a green falcon swooped down towards this direction, and Hu Huonded with two human xiaos.

    He nced at the corpse of the one-eyed woman, frowned, and then controlled the green falcon to chase after Yuan Ming in the direction he had left.

    After he left, Wu Lu slowly caught up from behind.

    Seeing the corpse of the one-eyed woman on the ground, he smirked and followed at a leisurely pace.

    On the other side, Hu Huo controlled the green falcon to fly in the sky, holding a cylindrical magical tool in his hand, scanning the surroundings in the mountains.

    Suddenly, he saw a white figure sh through a gap in the woods.

    "Found it." Hu Huo¡¯s eyes lit up.

    This time, he didn¡¯t call anyone over. One reason was that he was afraid of rming Yuan Ming and letting him escape again, and the other reason was that he had two human xiaos, including Ha Gong, with him. He wasn¡¯t worried about not being able to deal with Yuan Ming.

    So he controlled the green falcon and immediately chased after the white figure.

    However, Yuan Ming¡¯s speed was much faster than before. When he activated his White Ape Transformation, he was even more agile, making it extremely difficult to track him in the mountains.

    When Hu Huo finally caught up to a valley where the vegetation on both sides was slightly sparse, Yuan Ming¡¯s figure waspletely exposed.

    It seemed that he wanted to use the river to cover his tracks and scent, but before he could jump into the river, he was already caught up.

    Hu Huo sneered in his heart, pinched the slender gpole of a triangr g with two fingers, and lightly waved it towards Yuan Ming.

    "Hu!"

    The golden toad on the triangr g immediately came to life, opening its mouth and spitting towards Yuan Ming.

    In an instant, a surge of golden-red mes rushed towards Yuan Ming by the river.

    Yuan Ming felt the scorching heat approaching his back, turned his head and quickly plunged into the cold river water.

    The river was not too deep, unable topletely conceal his transformed tall figure as the White Ape. Just as he raised his head, he saw another surge of golden-red mes rushing towards him.

    Yuan Ming quickly dived into the water and drifted downstream along the river.

    Seeing this, Hu Huo took out a silver bell from his pocket and shook it lightly.

    "Ding dong!"

    Ha Gong¡¯s body suddenly trembled, and a hint of ferocity appeared in his lifeless eyes. Threads of ck mist emanated from his ears.

    Hu Huo controlled the green falcon tond by the river, pointing at the white figure drifting downstream in the river, and shouted:

    "Go!"

    Ha Gong immediately leaped off the back of the green falcon and chased after Yuan Ming in the river.

    His movements were stiff, but his speed was not slow. Even in the water, he continued to run instead of swimming,cking the instinctual feeling of action that ordinary human xiaos had, and not as agile as the Human Xiao King.

    Watching Ha Gong chase after him from a distance, Hu Huo was about to control the green falcon to take off again, but the green falcon suddenly let out an uneasy low chirp, struggling several times but failed to take off.

    Hu Huo immediately realized that something was wrong and jumped off the back of the green falcon with the remaining human xiao.

    He was in mid-air and turned his head to see that the green falcon¡¯s feet were entangled by thick vines, forming two vine cages that tightly bound its ws.

    At the same time, three wooden spikes suddenly protruded from the ground, piercing the vital parts of the green falcon.

    Hu Huo¡¯s heart sank, and he quickly waved the triangr g. A burst of mes erupted, burning the wooden spikes and vine cages.

    The green falcon let out a miserable cry as it broke free from the restraints and flew into the sky.

    Panic and pain made it instinctively want to get away from this ce, but before it could fly far, it was controlled by a stone talisman thrown by Yuan Ming, and flew back.

    Hu Huo realized that Yuan Ming was up to something. He didn¡¯t dare to stay too long and immediately shook the bell to summon Ha Gong back.

    "I¡¯m already here. Aren¡¯t you constantly talking about avenging Ha Gong? Are you not going to show yourself and settle this grudge?" Hu Huo looked around and taunted Yuan Ming, trying to provoke him to reveal himself.

    However, there was silence all around, without any response."If I were you, I¡¯d use all my tricks now. Once Ha Gong returns, you¡¯ll have to fight him. You wouldn¡¯t want to behead him yourself, would you? Isn¡¯t it easier to deal with me alone?" Hu Huo continued to shout.

    Just then, a figure quietly emerged from a branch of an ancient tree behind him, flipped down from above, and with a sh of cold light from the long sword in his hand, aimed directly at Hu Huo¡¯s head.

    Without turning his head, Hu Huo waved his hand, and the small triangr g immediately flew up. A golden toad phantom emerged from the shing light on the surface, forming a shield of hazy light above his head.

    The moment Yuan Ming¡¯s sword struck the light shield, it made a teeth-gritting sound, but the tip of the sword failed to pierce the light barrier.

    At this moment, the humanoid specter¡¯s eyes shed with a murderous light, and it leaped up in a rush, swinging its fist at Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming blocked with his sword, formed a seal with his other hand, and shouted, "Rise!"

    As his voice echoed, he was sent flying by a punch.

    At the same time, the ground beneath Hu Huo cracked, and ck vines broke through the soil, wrapping around him.

    Sensing danger, Hu Huo leaped up, grabbed the triangr g above him, and swung it towards the ground. A burst of golden-red mes spewed out, igniting all the vines.

    However, from the rolling mes, a slender ck vine suddenly pierced through, aiming straight for Hu Huo¡¯s throat.

    Feeling the danger, Hu Huo quickly retreated, creating distance between him and the ck vine.

    Just as he thought he had escaped the range of the ck vine¡¯s attack, a surprising scene unfolded.

    From within the mes, a small ck toad leaped out, heading straight for his face. The bulge on its back was connected to the slender ck vine.

    As the distance between them closed, the slender ck vine gathered strength for another thrust, aiming straight for his throat again.

    Just as the ck vine was about to hit Hu Huo, a white figure suddenly leaped in front of him, blocking the attack. It was the humanoid specter.

    The ck vine pierced through the specter¡¯s upper abdomen, surprisingly prating its tough skin.

    A stream of poison quickly flowed into its body.

    The specter¡¯s abdomen was quickly corroded by the poison, and it soon fell to the ground.

    Seeing this, Hu Huo was shocked and a series of questions arose in his mind, "That little ck thing... could it be a spirit beast? When did Yuan Ming acquire such a creature?"

    As this thought arose, he quickly waved the triangr g, and the rolling mes immediately surged towards the ck toad.

    However, the sessful ck toad had already returned to Yuan Ming¡¯s side at his summon.

    At this moment, a white figure swam against the current in the river. It was Ha Gong.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming immediately jumped into the river with the ck toad, swam past Ha Gong, and headed downstream.

    Earlier, he had used a vine-woven dummy to float downstream with the white ape¡¯s skin, fooling Hu Huo into thinking that the skin-changing technique was still his only reliance.

    "This kid is getting harder and harder to deal with." Watching Yuan Ming¡¯s retreating figure, Hu Huo frowned again.

    He shook the bell in his hand, sending Ha Gong after Yuan Ming again, while he nned to meet up with Kun Tu.

    ...

    Yuan Ming quickly found the white ape¡¯s skin on a shallow beach. After he got ashore, he looked back and then looked up at the sky.

    "Hu Huo didn¡¯t catch up?" He thought to himself.

    At this moment, a ck shadow circled back in the night sky. It was the soul crow that had led Kun Tu away by grabbing the corner of his clothes.

    The soul crow flew into Yuan Ming¡¯s forehead, returning to his sea of consciousness.

    He had basically mastered Hu Huo¡¯s methods and could handle them with ease. Now, what worried him more was Kun Tu.

    This man¡¯s cultivation was profound, and he possessed a medium-grade magical weapon. After bing an inner disciple, his strength must have increased, so he needed to be cautious.

    Yuan Ming pondered for a moment, then cast the Wood Concealment Technique.

    After his soul transformed, his control over mana became more acute, and the effect of the Wood Concealment Technique improved. The nearby birds, beasts, and insects werepletely unaware of his presence.

    Yuan Ming was very satisfied with this. He took a detour back to Miao Hua Vige to check on Tu Ya and her mother.

    The Wood Concealment Technique worked extremely well, and he returned to Miao Hua Vige without any mishaps. However, Tu Ya and her mother were nowhere to be found.

    There were no signs of a fight in the surroundings, and he could vaguely see two sets of footprints in the grass. It seemed that they had escaped on their own.

 Chapter 112: The cost of soul collision

    Chapter 112: The cost of soul collision

    "Quite clever."

    Yuan Ming muttered to himself, following the direction of the footprints and using his supernatural power, "Far Travel," to release all three Soul Crows to search for the whereabouts of Tu Ya and her daughter.

    The speed of the Soul Crows was faster than that of horses, and there were no obstacles in the air. They quickly found the trace of Tu Ya and her daughter. The two of them were hurriedly fleeing along a mountain path.

    Tu Ya¡¯s mother seemed to have injured her leg and was limping, unable to walk fast at all.

    Moreover, perhaps due to their panic, the two of them did not escape towards the outside of the mountain, but instead headed deeper into the Qingao Mountain.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s expression rxed slightly as he continued to chase after them.

    ...

    On a thorny path leading deep into Qingao Mountain, Tu Ya was helping her mother walk slowly.

    Tu Ya¡¯s mother was just an ordinary vige woman who had no idea where to go. All she wanted at this moment was to protect her daughter and stay away from those murderous demons."Ah!" Tu Ya eximed in surprise as she tripped over a tree root and fell to the ground.

    Tu Ya¡¯s mother hurriedly turned around to help her daughter up. At that moment, a figure jumped out of the forest ahead with a rustling sound.

    "Don¡¯t... don¡¯te any closer!"

    Tu Ya¡¯s mother shouted in fear, holding her daughter in her arms and copsing to the ground.

    "You don¡¯t need to be afraid, I have no intention of harming you!" the figure said, and it was Yuan Ming.

    "What do you want?" Tu Ya¡¯s mother recognized Yuan Ming, but her terrified expression did not diminish in the slightest.

    "Follow me, I¡¯ll take you to a safe ce," Yuan Ming urgently said.

    Tu Ya¡¯s mother looked at Yuan Ming fearfully, not speaking or moving.

    Yuan Ming was taken aback, then understood that he was also a murderous demon in the eyes of the two of them.

    "Do you want to save yourself and your daughter?" He coughed and asked again as gently as possible.

    Tu Ya¡¯s mother either saw that Yuan Ming had no ill intentions or was too scared, and nodded subconsciously.

    "Then follow me, I¡¯ll take you to a safe ce," Yuan Ming said.

    "Who are you? Why do you want to help us?" Tu Ya¡¯s mother hesitated for a moment and asked.

    "There¡¯s no time to exin now, if you want to survive,e with me," Yuan Ming said, walking towards the outside of Qingao Mountain.

    Tu Ya¡¯s mother hesitated, not knowing whether or not to listen to the person in front of her.

    Although Yuan Ming had helped them before, she could tell that it was Yuan Ming¡¯spanions who had destroyed the Miao Flower Vige.

    If they stayed here and encountered other murderous demons, as orphans and a widow, it would be extremely difficult for them to survive.

    Tu Ya¡¯s mother quickly made up her mind and pulled Tu Ya along to follow.

    Yuan Ming stopped in his tracks and then turned back.

    "What... what are you going to do?" Tu Ya¡¯s mother showed a nervous expression again.

    "You¡¯re too slow," Yuan Ming said without further exnation, grabbing the two of them and using Shadowless Steps to swiftly move forward.

    Tu Ya and her mother only felt the wind whistling past their ears, and everything in their vision quickly retreated. Before they could react, they found themselves at a three-way intersection in the northwest of the Miao Flower Vige.

    One of the roads was quite spacious, enough for two carriages to pass side by side, winding towards the distance.

    When Yuan Ming came to the Miao Flower Vige, he had walked on this road. There was a town about twenty miles ahead, located on a major transportation route, and it was quiterge.

    The Biluo Cave only targeted small remote tribes and would not attack prosperous towns.

    Yuan Ming put down Tu Ya and her mother and told them the location of the town.

    "...Once you reach there, you¡¯ll be safe. This road is a trade route, and you won¡¯t encounter any enemies. You can rest assured," Yuan Ming said finally.

    "Thank you. Aren¡¯t youing with us?" Tu Ya¡¯s mother felt slightly relieved and asked.

    Yuan Ming shook his head. He had defied the orders of the Biluo Cave by attacking Hu Zha and the others. If he couldn¡¯t eliminate Hu Huo and Kun Tu, even if he managed to escape, he would face endless pursuit from the Biluo Cave. Helping Tu Ya and her mother to this extent was already the limit.

    "Go quickly, it¡¯s gettingte..." he said.

    Before he finished speaking, a breeze blew in from the distance, sweeping through the trees and forests.

    Yuan Ming frowned. The breeze seemed to carry the aura of some fierce beasts.

    He quickly controlled the three Soul Crows to investigate nearby, and his expression changed slightly. He took out the White Ape Skin and transformed into the form of a white ape.

    After Yuan Ming had finished all this, a figure suddenly leaped out of the nearby forest with a rustling sound. It was Ha Gong in his human form.

    Tu Ya trembled when she saw this monster, and Tu Ya¡¯s mother also showed a fearful expression,pletely unaware that the monster in front of her was Ha Gong.

    "You two, step back," Yuan Ming summoned the ck Toad and said in a deep voice.

    Tu Ya¡¯s mother had experienced drastic changes and was no longer as timid and fragile as before. She hurriedly protected her daughter and fled to the side.

    Ha Gong ignored Tu Ya and her mother, his blood-red eyes fixed on Yuan Ming as he roared and pounced.

    Yuan Ming quickly made a hand seal. Five wooden spikes emerged from the ground in front of Ha Gong, aiming for his abdomen, but Ha Gong agilely dodged them.

    Yuan Ming had already experienced the speed of the human form of a Xianxia monster. Taking advantage of Ha Gong¡¯s evasion, he flicked his finger.

    A smoke bomb shot out and hit in front of Ha Gong.

    With a loud bang, arge gray smoke rose up, obscuring Ha Gong¡¯s vision.

    Ha Gong roared in anger, and his right leg emitted a strong green light, instantly bing thicker. He stomped on the ground with force.

    With a muffled bang, a deep pit was stomped into the ground, and a fierce wind mixed with green light swept over, blowing away most of the nearby smoke.

    At this moment, a ck crow flew towards Ha Gong¡¯s face, only a foot away from his body.

    However, Ha Gong seemed to have foreseen it and easily dodged it.

    Yuan Ming looked surprised, unable to understand why Ha Gong¡¯s eyes seemed to be able to see through the smoke.

    "Roar!"

    Ha Gong opened his blood-filled mouth wide and let out a roar-like howl.

    The air within a radius of ten zhang suddenly violently churned, creating a huge gust of wind. Not only did it easily blow away the remaining smoke, but the dust it raised also made it impossible for Yuan Ming to open his eyes.

    Taking advantage of this, Ha Gong continued to pounce. His two sharp ws crossed and shed towards Yuan Ming¡¯s throat.A shadow shed beside Yuan Ming, and two ck crows flew out, swooping towards Ha Gong¡¯s face.

    Ha Gong had no time to attack Yuan Ming, he hastily dodged again, avoiding one crow, but ultimately failed to dodge the second one.

    The ck crow fiercely collided with his forehead, prating and entering his sea of consciousness.

    The soul crow turned into a phantom state, colliding with Ha Gong¡¯s soul, and exploded with a "bang".

    Ha Gong¡¯s body trembled violently, he fell to the ground, his limbs convulsing and trembling, unable to get up.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s face also turned a bit pale, but his actions were not affected, he urged his mind.

    The ground beside Ha Gong cracked open, a purple-ck demon vine shot out from it, rapidly entwining his body, forming a wooden vine cage in a few breaths.

    Ha Gong¡¯s body was still convulsing, without any resistance, he was firmly imprisoned by the purple vine cage.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s expression slightly rxed, the wooden cage formed by the purple-ck demon vine was indestructible. From the previous battle, Ha Gong did not have the ability to use fire attribute attacks, he could not break free.

    Tu Ya and her mother sighed in relief when they saw the monster being subdued.

    "Mother, this brother is so powerful, Tu Ya wants to be like him in the future." Tu Ya was not as scared as before, her eyes shining as she watched the fight.

    "What nonsense are you talking about!" Tu Ya¡¯s mother quickly covered her mouth, not letting her talk nonsense.

    Tu Ya was not afraid at all, her round eyes staring at Yuan Ming¡¯s back.

    Yuan Ming naturally heard the movement behind him, but he didn¡¯t care, he waved his hand to recall the remaining two soul crows, and sat down to recuperate.

    What he had just used was the "Soul Collision" ability he obtained after his soul transformed. The soul crow entered the enemy¡¯s sea of consciousness and self-destructed for a mutual destruction attack.

    The power of "Soul Collision" was terrifying. Slightly weaker enemies would directly have their souls scattered; same-level beings would also suffer severe soul damage, their consciousness would be confused for a short time, and their bodies would lose the ability to act, just like Ha Gong at the moment.

    The attack power of "Soul Collision" was so strong, correspondingly, the burden was also considerable. With his current soul power, he could only condense three soul crows and perform "Soul Collision" three times.

    Moreover, "Soul Collision" was different from ordinary soul power techniques. Once it was used, all soul power would explode and dissipate in the enemy¡¯s sea of consciousness, and not a bit could be recovered.

    Soul power was different from mana, it was quite difficult to recover, even with the Death Moon method, it would take about seven days to recover a third of the soul power.

    "The cost is so high, it seems that I can¡¯t use Soul Collision casually." Yuan Ming thought to himself, slightly recuperating, hisplexion recovered.

    The lost soul power could not be quickly recovered, it could only be slowly restored.

    He got up and went to Ha Gong¡¯s side. Ha Gong had already awakened from the "Soul Collision" state. Although his body was imprisoned, his mouth could still move. He roared at Yuan Ming incessantly, his blood-red eyes full of bloodthirsty light.

    Yuan Ming looked at the frenzied Ha Gong in front of him, somewhat silent.

    He had searched for information about human ghouls and the fur technique in the Hidden Pavilion, but unfortunately, he found nothing. The Bi Luo Cave seemed to deliberately hide everything about the fur technique, and the method of refining the fur technique was not stored in the Hidden Pavilion.

    For Ha Gong, who had transformed into a human ghoul, he currently had no way to help him recover.

    Since Ha Gong appeared here, Hu Huo and others would probablye soon, and he didn¡¯t have much time left.

    "Do I really have to kill Ha Gong?" Yuan Ming clenched his fist.

    "Sir... Should we kill this monster quickly and leave here?" Tu Ya¡¯s mother saw Yuan Ming staring at the disgusting monster in a daze, and couldn¡¯t help but speak.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s body shook slightly, and he turned to look at the woman.

    "Sir... Did I say something wrong?" Tu Ya¡¯s mother was startled by his gaze.

    Yuan Ming withdrew his gaze, a trace of sadness shed in his eyes.

    If Tu Ya¡¯s mother knew that the monster in front of her was her husband, I wonder what she would feel.

    Upon hearing the woman¡¯s voice, Ha Gong¡¯s roar suddenly paused, and the blood light in his eyes dimmed a lot.

    Yuan Ming looked surprised, he nced at Tu Ya¡¯s mother, a thoughtful look appeared on his face, and he had a vague guess in his heart.

 Chapter 113: Powerless

    Chapter 113: Powerless

    Ha Gong¡¯s dim bloodshot eyes didn¡¯tst long and quickly returned to normal. He continued to roar loudly, even more fiercely than before.

    "It seems that Ha Gong hasn¡¯tpletely lost his sanity. Hearing his wife¡¯s voice, his rationality temporarily recovers," Yuan Ming thought to himself.

    Ha Gong¡¯s sanity is still intact, so there is still a way.

    Yuan Ming sat down in front of Ha Gong and pressed his head with one hand, trying to sense Ha Gong¡¯s sea of consciousness.

    Ha Gong¡¯s sea of consciousness has been upied by sticky bloodshot lights, causing the operation of his soul power to be extremely sluggish. On the contrary, these bloodshot lights are quite agile and have taken control of everything.

    Yuan Ming is very familiar with these bloodshot lights because he has seen them in his own sea of consciousness before. They are the evil aura formed by the Death Moon method.

    "So this is a situation where he ispletely controlled by evil aura? It¡¯s just as I expected," Yuan Ming thought to himself and fully activated the Beast Taming technique.

    The human sea of consciousness is unique andpletely different from that of fierce beasts. It is impossible to nt Beast Taming runes, so the Beast Taming technique is not a spell used to deal with humans. However, it can torment the opponent¡¯s will.

    Yuan Ming thought of using the Beast Taming technique to try to awaken Ha Gong.A stream of ck energy entered Ha Gong¡¯s sea of consciousness, ignoring his soul and rushing towards the bloodshot lights.

    These bloodshot lights have taken control of Ha Gong¡¯s consciousness. As long as they can weaken or even expel them, Ha Gong should be able to recover.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s idea is not wrong, but the implementation is much more difficult than he expected. These bloodshot lights are more troublesome than the power of the soul. The impact of the Beast Taming technique¡¯s ck energy on them is almost ineffective.

    His brows furrowed, then quickly rxed. His five fingers slightly curved as he chanted ancient and simple incantations.

    The ck energy of the Beast Taming technique in Ha Gong¡¯s sea of consciousness instantly condensed and transformed into two rotating ck stones, like two ck grinding discs, crushing the bloodshot lights in his sea of consciousness.

    After his soul took shape, Yuan Ming became more proficient in controlling the power of his soul and his level of Beast Taming technique increased. He could now manipte the ck energy of the Beast Taming technique to change its form.

    Of course, the transformation of the ck energy is not done out of thin air. It involves the application of the Death Moon method.

    After transforming into ck grinding discs, the power of the Beast Taming technique suddenly increased, and the bloodshot lights couldn¡¯t withstand it and began to dissipate.

    "The Death Moon method is indeed powerful. With just a slight change, it can possess such abilities!" Yuan Ming nodded slightly.

    Ha Gong, on the other hand, was not feelingfortable. His face showed signs of pain as he continued to roar.

    These bloodshot lights contain a lot of his soul power, and the two are inseparable. Now that they are both being crushed, it naturally causes pain.

    Yuan Ming ignored it and continued to cast spells.

    The bloodshot lights in Ha Gong¡¯s sea of consciousness were gradually weakened and dissipated.

    Ha Gong¡¯s face turned pale, panting heavily, and his soul power was also greatly diminished.

    However, it was all worth it. The blood color in Ha Gong¡¯s eyes had be very dim, and he was not far from regaining his sanity.

    With most of the bloodshot lights dissipated, Ha Gong¡¯s soul appeared, entwined with a blood chainposed of runes, which seemed to be a kind of controlling secret technique used by Hu Huo.

    "Is this the method Hu Huo used to control Ha Gong?" Yuan Ming¡¯s pupils contracted as he controlled the ck grinding discs to wrap around the blood chain and grind it fiercely.

    Ha Gong¡¯s body trembled violently, and blood began to flow from his seven orifices.

    The blood chain was ten times stronger than the bloodshot lights, and the ck grinding discs couldn¡¯t do anything about it.

    Tu Ya¡¯s mother saw Yuan Ming suddenly sitting down and casting spells, seemingly forgetting about them. She intended to take her daughter and leave, but Yuan Ming didn¡¯t say a word, so she didn¡¯t dare to move.

    That sitting figure seemed like a towering mountain, suppressing all her thoughts.

    "Come here!" Yuan Ming¡¯s voice suddenly came.

    Tu Ya¡¯s mother was startled, but somewhere in her heart, she felt relieved. She brought her daughter and walked over.

    "Sir, what do you want us to do?" Tu Ya¡¯s mother knelt down beside Yuan Ming and asked.

    "Do you know why I have been helping you again and again?" Yuan Ming said without looking back.

    "Please tell me, sir," Tu Ya¡¯s mother had always wanted to ask about this matter and quickly spoke up.

    "Your husband Ha Gong and I are old acquaintances. We were both in the Biro Cave a few months ago, where we were both Beast Taming ves..." Yuan Ming slowly exined, briefly recounting the encounter between him and Ha Gong and the incident of Ha Gong turning into a human demon.

    "Sir, are you saying that this monster is my husband?" Tu Ya¡¯s mother looked at Ha Gong, her heart in turmoil, and asked in a trembling voice.

    Tu Ya was too young to understand what Yuan Ming was saying.

    "He has already transformed into a human demon and is now being controlled by someone. I am trying to restore his sanity. However, it is not easy to do so, and I need your help," Yuan Ming said.

    "I will do my best, even if it costs me my life, as long as I can awaken my husband," Tu Ya¡¯s mother wiped away her tears and said eagerly.

    "Madam, don¡¯t worry. This matter is not difficult. I am currently trying to suppress the restrictions in Ha Gong¡¯s soul. You just need to call out to him," Yuan Ming said.

    "Really?" Tu Ya¡¯s mother¡¯s face showed joy, and she immediately called out Ha Gong¡¯s name, holding her daughter¡¯s hand.

    The bloodshot lights in Ha Gong¡¯s sea of consciousness had already been crushed by Yuan Ming, and his consciousness was already restless. When he heard the calls of his wife and daughter, he quickly reacted.

    His body trembled, and the bloodshot lights in his eyes quickly faded, revealing a clear light."Gina, Tu Ya, is it you... How did you end up here? Where is this?" Ha Gong looked at his wife and daughter in front of him and recognized them.

    "Husband, you¡¯ve woken up..." Tu Ya¡¯s mother cried with tears streaming down her face.

    "Dad..." Tu Ya also realized that the monster in front of her was her father. She wanted to get closer but was also a bit afraid.

    "This is near the Qing Ao Mountain." Yuan Ming spoke up.

    "Brother Yuan Ming! You¡¯re here too? What¡¯s going on?" Ha Gong, who had witnessed Yuan Ming¡¯s transformation into a white ape, was surprised and quickly asked.

    Yuan Ming briefly exined how Hu Huo turned him into a human demon and the situation of ughtering the Miao Flower Vige.

    "The Blood Soul Killing! The actions of the Bi Luo Cave are so ruthless!" Ha Gong was furious.

    The killing intent in his sea of consciousness surged, seemingly triggered by anger, and his eyes flickered with bloodthirst.

    "The Bi Luo Cave has always been like this. Don¡¯t get too agitated." Yuan Ming reminded him.

    Ha Gong quickly calmed down upon hearing this.

    "Brother Yuan Ming, thank you for helping me regain my sanity." He looked at Yuan Ming and sincerely thanked him.

    "You¡¯ve helped me many times before. I¡¯m just returning the favor. Don¡¯t say anything more. Now that you¡¯ve regained your sanity, guard your soul¡¯s original spiritual light. I¡¯ll try topletely eliminate the killing intent in your sea of consciousness." Yuan Ming said with a hint of urgency in his tone.

    Eliminating Ha Gong¡¯s killing intent in his sea of consciousness had already taken a lot of time, and Hu Huo could appear at any moment.

    Ha Gong sensed the urgency in Yuan Ming¡¯s tone and quickly nodded, focusing on guarding his sanity.

    Yuan Ming took a deep breath and continued to operate the Beast Taming Technique. The two ck grinding discs continued to grind the killing intent and bloodthirst.

    The remaining killing intent and bloodthirst were exceptionally tenacious. Although they were not as unshakable as the Blood Chains, the efficiency of the ck grinding discs decreased significantly.

    Moreover, Ha Gong¡¯s soul was closely connected to the bloodthirst. Every time a bit of bloodthirst was dispelled, his soul¡¯s power would be greatly damaged.

    Continuing like this, when all the bloodthirst was dispelled, Ha Gong¡¯s soul wouldpletely copse.

    Ha Gong had not cultivated the Death Moon method and couldn¡¯t explore the situation in his sea of consciousness, but his body¡¯s reaction made him aware of the reality.

    "The killing intent cannot be eliminated, right?" Ha Gong¡¯s eyes gradually turned cold from the initial fervor as he slowly asked.

    Tu Ya¡¯s mother¡¯s face turned pale upon hearing this.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s expression became heavy, and he remained silent.

    At this moment, he really had no solution.

    "Lord Yuan Ming, please save my husband¡¯s life no matter what, even if it means exchanging it for my life!" Tu Ya¡¯s mother kowtowed to Yuan Ming repeatedly.

    "Please..." Tu Ya also pleaded.

    Yuan Ming did not respond to the two of them and looked around.

    He had just embarked on the path of cultivation and had limited knowledge and abilities. At this moment, he felt powerless despite his willingness. The only one who had the ability to save Ha Gong was that silver cat, but he didn¡¯t know if it had followed them.

    The surroundings remained as quiet as before, with only the sound of birds chirping and the wind blowing. Apart from that, there was no other movement.

    Yuan Ming sighed inwardly. Even if the silver cat was nearby, it seemed unwilling to get involved in this situation.

    "Life and death are fated. Don¡¯t make things difficult for Brother Yuan Ming!" Ha Gong closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he was unusually calm as he spoke to his wife and daughter in a deep voice.

    Tu Ya and her mother stopped kowtowing and stood frozen in ce.

    "Brother Ha Gong, my strength is still insufficient. I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to save you today." Yuan Ming felt a tinge of guilt in his eyes.

    "Brother Yuan Ming, why do you say such things? You helped me regain my sanity and bid farewell to my wife and daughter. That was already a great favor. Not to mention that you openly defied the orders of the Bi Luo Cave to save Tu Ya and the others. I am not a greedy person. How could I ask for more?" Ha Gongughed heartily.

    "Brother Ha Gong, is there any unfulfilled wish you have? As long as it¡¯s within my power, I will definitely help you achieve it." Yuan Ming still felt uneasy and asked.

    Upon hearing this, Ha Gong was about to say something when his whole body suddenly froze. His mouth remained open, and the blood chains on his soul trembled incessantly.

    Ayer of bloodthirst emerged in his sea of consciousness, and blood quickly spread in his eyes.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s expression changed drastically, and he quickly released two Soul Crows to investigate the surroundings. At the same time, he activated the ck grinding discs again, suppressing the blood chains with all his might.

    However, his soul power was being consumed rapidly, and even with his full effort in using the Beast Taming Technique, he could no longer suppress the blood chains.

    "Brother Yuan... Tu Ya... Please take care of them..." Ha Gong¡¯s eyes were already mostly blood-red, and his sanity was once again on the verge of copse as he struggled to speak.

    After saying this, he suddenly grabbed his own neck with both hands.

    Crack!

    His neck twisted, and the bloodthirst in his eyespletely dissipated. He lost all his strength and hung inside the wooden cage.

    "Husband..." Tu Ya¡¯s mother cried out in pain.

    "Mom, what happened to Dad?" Tu Ya tried to pull Yuan Ming¡¯s arm away with all her strength and cried out.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t let go and lightly tapped Tu Ya¡¯s neck with his left hand.

    Tu Ya¡¯s body went limp, and she fainted.

    As an AI, I need the original text to be able to trante it. Please provide the Chinese text you want to be tranted.

 Chapter 114: Risk oneâ€™s life

    Chapter 114: Risk one¡¯s life

    "What are you doing?" Tu Ya¡¯s mother saw Tu Ya fall into aa and rushed over without caring about her grieving husband¡¯s death.

    "Somebody is here. If you want your daughter to live, don¡¯t say anything!" Yuan Ming extended his arm and pushed Tu Ya¡¯s mother to the ground.

    Tu Ya¡¯s mother widened her eyes and dared not speak again.

    Yuan Ming held Tu Ya and her mother in his hands, a faint blue light appeared on his chest, and he floated up, flying towards the distance, disappearing into the jungle in the blink of an eye.

    As Yuan Ming left, the vines around Ha Gong were released, and the purple-ck demon vines disappeared into the ground.

    Ha Gong¡¯s body lost support and fell to the ground with a muffled sound.

    Not long after Yuan Ming and the others disappeared, several figures flew over from a distance and arrived in an instant. They were Kun Tu, Hu Huo, and Wu Lu.

    Kun Tu and Wu Lu rode on green wolf spirit beasts, while Hu Huo walked on foot without summoning the green falcon.

    Seeing Ha Gong¡¯s body, Hu Huo¡¯s face darkened despite having sensed it earlier.He had already sensed Yuan Ming¡¯s presence here through Ha Gong¡¯s sea of consciousness, but Yuan Ming was powerful and had mysterious methods. Hu Huo had suffered losses before and didn¡¯t dare to face him alone.

    He coincidentally encountered Kun Tu and Wu Lu in the mountains, so he followed them. However, little did he know that with this slight dy, Yuan Ming had already killed Ha Gong and disappeared again.

    "Yuan Ming and Ha Gong have a close rtionship. I didn¡¯t expect him to really make a move. I need to reassess this person¡¯s character." Hu Huo thought to himself.

    "Hu Huo, didn¡¯t you confidently im that Yuan Ming was here? Where is he?" Kun Tu nced at Ha Gong¡¯s body and then looked away, questioning with amanding tone.

    "Yuan Ming dide here not long ago. He probably sensed that we were approaching and ran away. This kid is quite cunning, but he must have left some traces in his hasty retreat. It¡¯s not difficult to determine the direction he escaped." Hu Huo didn¡¯t get angry, but instead smiled and said.

    "Oh, really? Then I¡¯ll trouble Elder Hu Huo to find it. After all, you used to be in charge of him, so you should be familiar with him." Kun Tu chuckled and deliberately emphasized the word "Elder."

    A sh of anger crossed Hu Huo¡¯s eyes, but he suppressed it and started searching nearby. He quickly found Yuan Ming¡¯s footprints next to Ha Gong¡¯s body and hurriedly followed the trail.

    However, these footprints only showed where Yuan Ming came from, and there were no traces of where he went, as if he disappeared into thin air.

    "How is it? Did you find the trace of that beast ve?" Kun Tu walked over slowly.

    "That kid used some means. It seems like he has tamed a bird-type spirit beast and escaped into the sky with it." Hu Huo¡¯s expression changed uncertainly before saying so.

    "If we¡¯re talking about bird-type spirit beasts, there aren¡¯t many that canpare to your green falcon. So, I¡¯ll trouble you to find him." Kun Tu said.

    "Of course. However, Yuan Ming is much stronger now. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m not his match alone. When the timees, I will use fireworks as a signal. I hope both of you cane quickly." Hu Huo said, trying to please them.

    "I have a conflict with this kid. Do I need to say more?" Kun Tu snorted and said without a good tone.

    "Alright, then I¡¯ll go first." Hu Huo nodded and summoned the green falcon, flying away.

    "Just a steward of the Beast ve Hall, being called an elder by a few beast ves, he really forgot his identity." Kun Tu spat on the ground.

    "Senior Kun Tu, Hu Huo is still a steward and has a lot of connections in the Beast ve Hall. It might not be a good idea to humiliate him like this. If he bes angry, it won¡¯t be a good thing." Wu Lu hesitated to speak.

    "He not only has something I can use against him, but he also needs my help. Does he dare to go against me? I just can¡¯t stand his usual behavior!" Kun Tu sneered.

    "Understood. What should we do next?" Wu Lu asked.

    "Although Hu Huo is not great, his green falcon has some means of tracking. Let¡¯s follow him. It¡¯s a good opportunity for him to take the lead and investigate Yuan Ming¡¯s true strength. This kid has made such rapid progress since he started, I want to see what secrets he¡¯s hiding." Kun Tu said with a smile.

    "Senior Kun Tu has great insight." Wu Lu praised.

    Kun Tu proudly smiled and chased after Hu Huo with Wu Lu in the direction Hu Huo flew.

    Yuan Ming flew forward with Tu Ya and her mother for several miles beforending in a hidden forest.

    "You two hide inside there, don¡¯t make any noise. We¡¯ll talk about everything when Ie back." Yuan Ming pointed to a dense bush nearby.

    Tu Ya¡¯s mother nodded repeatedly and helped the weak Tu Ya into the bush.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t stay here and ran forward.

    Although he had used the mysterious incense burner to escape a distance, Kun Tu and the others had many methods and would soon catch up. Continuing to bring Tu Ya and her mother would only increase the risk.

    Although it was risky, leaving the two women here was rtively safe for now.

    While running, Yuan Ming released a soul crow to investigate the surroundings and took out a green crystal stone, a wood attribute spirit stone that he had exchanged from the Green Falcon Hall with a fire attribute spirit stone he obtained from Misty Ind.

    The pure spiritual energy in the spirit stone flowed into Yuan Ming¡¯s dantian, quickly replenishing his nearly depleted mana.

    "The effect of replenishing mana with a spirit stone is good, but it¡¯s a pity that I can¡¯t use it freely." He muttered with some regret, speeding up his pace. However, he hadn¡¯t gone far when his brows slightly furrowed.

    The soul crow he had sent out to investigate the surroundings had already discovered Hu Huo, who was chasing after him on the green falcon.

    At the same time, Hu Huo also discovered Yuan Ming¡¯s approximate location and immediately sent out a signal with fireworks in mid-air. Then, he controlled the green falcon to chase after Yuan Ming.Yuan Ming immediately used the Shadowless Step, elerating towards a forest ahead.

    Although his Shadowless Step was fast, it was still far behind the speed of the Azure Falcon, and he was soon caught up.

    Hu Huo, controlling the Azure Falcon, flew directly over Yuan Ming¡¯s head, suddenly turned around, and fiercely pped his wings downwards.

    A gust of wind suddenly rose, sweeping the air within dozens of feet, causing the trees to sway wildly and sand and stones to fly.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming, instead of retreating, plunged headlong into the gust. With each step, he forcefully stabbed his feet into the ground. Although his speed was slightly slower, he was not much affected by the wind.

    Hu Huo frowned, controlling the Azure Falcon to maintain a certain distance from Yuan Ming. He waved his hands in the air, and several green wind des whistled out, shooting towards Yuan Ming. At the same time, he anxiously nced in the direction he hade from, obviously waiting for Kun Tu and the others to arrive.

    Yuan Ming moved agilely, dodging each wind de attack, and his forward speed was only slightly affected.

    Seeing this, Hu Huo suddenly leaped off the back of the Azure Falcon andnded on a nearby tree, raising one hand.

    The Azure Falcon pounced towards Yuan Ming, its wings suddenly standing upright, almost closing together. It looked like a giant green arrow, and in an instant, it was in front of Yuan Ming. Its iron ws, carrying an incredibly sharp wind, wed towards Yuan Ming¡¯s head.

    The power of this w was so great that it could even crack the head of an iron man.

    "Perfect timing!" Yuan Ming shouted, raising his hand.

    A red shadow shed over his head, and arge red hammer appeared out of thin air, spinning towards the Azure Falcon. It was the hammer he had obtained from the Mist Ind.

    The Azure Falcon, unprepared for this change, was toote to retract its ws and fiercely grabbed the red hammer.

    With a loud "bang", the red hammer was knocked away, with a few w marks on its surface. They were not deep and didn¡¯t seem to be a big problem.

    The Azure Falcon¡¯s ws were broken, and blood gushed out. Its pouncing body skewed to the side and hit arge tree with a "bang".

    Before it could stabilize its body, a sharp whistle came from the side. A green treasure sword shot out from the jungle, aiming straight at the Azure Falcon¡¯s chest. It was the Green Fish Sword.

    "You dare to hurt my spirit pet!"

    Hu Huo shouted, quickly pped his waist, and a small red triangr g appeared in his palm. It was embroidered with a golden three-legged toad, the same magic weapon he had used to chase Yuan Ming before.

    He held the triangr g and waved it forward.

    The golden toad on the g seemed toe alive, opening its mouth.

    In an instant, a surge of golden-red me gushed out, instantly crossing a distance of more than ten feet, carrying a scorching heat wave and hitting the green treasure sword, easily knocking it away.

    Hu Huo let out a sigh of relief, but he didn¡¯t n to engage in closebat with Yuan Ming. Instead, he nned to continue to harass Yuan Ming with the triangr g, waiting for Kun Tu and others to arrive.

    Suddenly, a ck shadow shed in the jungle next to him, and a Soul Crow shot out without warning, crashing into his face.

    "What is this!" Hu Huo was startled and hurriedly dodged to the side.

    But at this moment, a ck shadow shed in the direction he was dodging, and another Soul Crow rushed over like lightning.

    This time he couldn¡¯t dodge and was hit head-on.

    The Soul Crow entered Hu Huo¡¯s sea of consciousness, fiercely collided with his soul, and exploded.

    "Ah!"

    Hu Huo, his soul severely damaged, screamed in pain, the triangr g slipped from his hand, and he fell from the tree, hitting the ground hard.

    With a light "crack", his leg broke.

    Hu Huo¡¯s cultivation was profound, and his soul was much stronger than Ha Gong¡¯s. Stimted by the pain of a broken bone, his consciousness actually recovered.

    Near arge tree not far away, Yuan Ming looked surprised.

    Pain could stimte and help the enemy to shake off the impact of the Soul Crow. He would have to be careful about this when fighting enemies in the future.

    "Kun Tu, save me!"

    Hu Huo¡¯s consciousness barely recovered, and he shouted, trying hard to sit up. Suddenly, the ground next to him cracked open, and a purple-ck demon vine shot out.

    With a soft "puff", the demon vine pierced Hu Huo¡¯s throat, prating his neck.

    Hu Huo spat out a mouthful of blood, opened his mouth wide as if to say something, but the light in his eyes quickly dimmed, and his body fell softly to the ground, bing a corpse.

    Not far away, the Azure Falcon had just stabilized its body and was about toe to help, but Hu Huo had already fallen. A circle of ck light suddenly appeared on the Falcon¡¯s head, and several fist-sized ck runes jumped within it, then silently disappeared.

    The Azure Falcon stood there, stunned. After a few breaths, it recovered, its eyes revealing a joyful light.

    The secret method that had long imprisoned its soul was lifted. Although it had caused some damage to its soul, it was nothingpared to regaining its freedom.

    The Azure Falcon didn¡¯t even nce at Hu Huo¡¯s body, turned around, and flew away.

    Yuan Ming let out a sigh of relief and slowly sat down, leaning against a tree.

    These attacks seemed ordinary, but in fact, he had used all his strength, even using himself as bait, otherwise, he would not have been able to kill Hu Huo in one fell swoop.

    He knew that the enemy was numerous. If he couldn¡¯t break them one by one when they were alone, once they gathered together, he would be the one in trouble.

 Chapter 115: Facing a desperate situation

    Chapter 115: Facing a desperate situation

    Yuan Ming¡¯s dantian was almost depleted of mana at this moment, and the transformation of the white ape automatically dissipated, with the white ape¡¯s skin falling to the ground.

    His soul power was also only one-third remaining, and he felt exhausted just standing there, wishing to sleep for three days.

    But he knew that now was not the time to rest. Hu Huo¡¯s shout just now was enough to indicate that Kun Tu and the others were probably nearby, not far away. He had to leave as soon as possible.

    He bit his tongue, using the pain to stimte his spirit. After putting away the white ape¡¯s skin, he didn¡¯t even bother to search Hu Huo¡¯s body and directly turned around and fled. At the same time, his left hand, hidden in his sleeve, tightly grasped the wood attribute spirit stone, ignoring the pain as he absorbed it crazily.

    But before he could run far, a loud "whoosh" sound rang out.

    A dense barrage of wind des suddenly shot out from the trees in front, raining down on his body like a storm.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s expression changed drastically, and he quickly activated the remaining mana to perform the Shadowless Step, making his whole person blurry and moving horizontally by two zhang, barely avoiding the onught of wind des.

    However, within the dense wind des, the directions of two crescent-shaped wind des suddenly changed, shing towards Yuan Ming¡¯s dodging direction and targeting his legs.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes twitched, immediately mobilizing hisst bit of mana to activate the mysterious incense burner hidden in his bosom, causing it to float half a zhang above the ground, allowing the moon-shaped wind des to pass by.The moon-shaped wind des did not change direction again and struck the ground, sinking into it with a "pu chi" sound.

    Yuan Ming stopped activating the incense burner, staggered andnded on the ground, gasping for breath.

    p p p!

    Clear apuse came from the forest, and Kun Tu walked out with a smile on his face.

    The green wolf spirit beast followed closely behind, its fierce eyes staring at Yuan Ming, seemingly resentful that he had evaded its attacks.

    "To be able to dodge my spirit beast¡¯s consecutive attacks in this situation, not bad, really not bad." Kun Tu pped his hands whileughing.

    "Kun Tu, it seems you have been nearby for a long time." Yuan Ming narrowed his eyes.

    "Haha, of course I have been here for a long time. I just wanted to see what you are capable of now. With your mana almost depleted, you should kneel and beg for mercy. If I¡¯m in a good mood, I might spare your life and leave you with aplete corpse." Kun Tuughed triumphantly.

    "If you want my life,e and take it." Yuan Ming provocatively beckoned to Kun Tu with his finger.

    Upon hearing Yuan Ming¡¯s words, Kun Tu¡¯s brow slightly furrowed.

    He personally witnessed Yuan Ming killing Hu Huo on the spot and didn¡¯t have full confidence that Yuan Ming¡¯s mana was truly depleted. Seeing that Yuan Ming was so confident, he hesitated.

    Yuan Ming secretly breathed a sigh of relief when he saw this, but he still wore a cold smile on his face, continuing to absorb the spiritual energy from the spirit stone, trying to recover some mana.

    "By the way, where is Wu Lu? Wasn¡¯t he always by Kun Tu¡¯s side? Could he be plotting something in secret?" He suddenly remembered something and thought to himself.

    At this moment, footsteps came from behind Kun Tu, and three figures walked out of the jungle.

    The one in front was Wu Lu, holding a rope in his hand, with the other end tied to the wrists of Tu Ya and her daughter.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze darkened as he clenched his fist.

    "Wu Lu, did you separate from me just now to capture these two mortals?" Kun Tu frowned and asked.

    "Senior brother, these two people are not insignificant mortals. They are of great use." Wu Lu said.

    "Great use? What great use?" Kun Tu asked in surprise.

    "When I was a ve to the Feathered Beast in the Ten Thousand Mountains, I had some interactions with Ha Gong. I heard some things about him. This Miao Flower Vige is Ha Gong¡¯s hometown, and Ha Gong and Yuan Ming have a very good rtionship. They have gone through many hardships together, right?" Wu Lu turned his head to look at Yuan Ming, a smile appearing on his lips.

    "I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. Ha Gong and I are just acquaintances." Yuan Ming remained calm on the surface, but he secretly cursed in his heart.

    "Hehe, this little girl just confessed everything. They are indeed Ha Gong¡¯s wife and daughter. In order to save them, you vited the sect¡¯s rules and killed Hu Zha. You even exhausted your vitality just now, trying to restore Ha Gong¡¯s consciousness. Yuan Ming, the changes that have happened to you in such a short time are truly unexpected. Even thepletely beastified Ren Xiao can be saved by you. Impressive." Wu Lu said with a faint smile.

    Upon hearing this, Kun Tu finally understood and was overjoyed. "Good! Wu Lu, well done. When we return to the Bi Luo Cave, I will definitely reward you generously."

    "I wonder why you suddenly went crazy and killed Hu Zha. It turns out it was for such a foolish reason." Kun Tu then looked at Yuan Ming andughed.

    "Even if they are Ha Gong¡¯s wife and daughter, do you think I would give up my bright future and even my life for two strangers?" Yuan Ming sneered.

    Kun Tu¡¯s smile froze for a moment. To be fair, he would never do such a foolish thing.

    "If you don¡¯t care about their lives, why don¡¯t you leave immediately instead of chatting with us here?" Wu Lu smiled and said.

    "Brother Wu Lu reminded me. I still have something to do now, so I¡¯ll take my leave. You can dispose of these two people as you wish." Yuan Ming gave a faint smile, turned around, and walked towards the distance.

    Tu Ya and her daughter looked at this scene with despair in their eyes.

    "You really don¡¯t care about their lives? Very well, Wu Lu, kill that woman. As for the child, leave her to me. My Yin Ghost g hasn¡¯t been replenished for a long time. I will use the girl¡¯s blood to sacrifice the gter." Kun Tu grinned.

    "Yes!" Wu Lu drew a curved knife from his waist without hesitation and chopped towards Tu Ya¡¯s neck.

    The ground suddenly cracked under Wu Lu¡¯s feet, and a purple-ck vine shot out, entwining his arm and the knife, causing the knife to veer off course.

    Four streams of ck liquid shot out from the nearby grass, as fast as a crossbow, heading straight for Wu Lu.

    Wu Lu was secretly shocked and tried his best to pull back his arm.

    However, the purple-ck demon vine firmly entangled his arm, as if it had grown on it, making it impossible to move.

    A foul wind blew, and the four streams of ck liquid had already reached Wu Lu.

    The ck venom did not strike in one direction; it attacked from all sides, with extremely tricky angles. As long as Wu Lu couldn¡¯t break free from the entanglement of the demon vine, no matter which direction he dodged, he would be hit.

    Wu Lu¡¯s left hand, hidden in his sleeve, moved slightly, as if he had done something. A deep blue light shield appeared in front of him out of thin air.

    The ck venom struck it, making a hissing sound and corroding several shallow pits on the blue light shield, but it was ultimately blocked."Haha, I knew you would make a move. Your life is mine!" Seeing Yuan Ming take action, Kun Tu was not frightened but rather delighted. Heughed heartily as he brought out arge ck g and waved it vigorously.

    A substantial ck wind emerged from the g, causing a sudden gust around them and a rapid drop in temperature.

    Yuan Ming, however, ignored Kun Tu and made a gesture towards Wu Lu.

    "How dare you ignore me, you¡¯re seeking death!" Seeing Yuan Ming disregard him, Kun Tu was furious. He shook his ghost g violently.

    The g emitted a bright ck light, and the surrounding wind gathered into a ck wind dragon that was two to three Zhang long. It bared its teeth and ws as it pounced towards Yuan Ming.

    At this moment, a ck shadow shed from the bushes next to Kun Tu. A ck crow suddenly flew out, heading straight for Kun Tu¡¯s face. It was Yuan Ming¡¯sst soul-passing crow.

    "What is that?" Kun Tu didn¡¯t dare to be careless. He dodged to the side and guided his ghost g.

    The ck wind dragon that was attacking Yuan Ming immediately changed its direction and collided with the crow.

    The ck crow wasn¡¯t very fast, but it was small and agile. It barely dodged the attack of the ck wind dragon and once again pounced on Kun Tu, making it impossible for him to split his attention.

    Upon seeing Yuan Ming¡¯s gesture towards him, Wu Lu quickly concentrated and prepared himself, doing his best to maintain the light shield in front of him.

    A "hiss" sound of corrosion came. The demon vine wrapped around his arm secreted a ck venom. The clothes on his arm were easily corroded, and the venom touched his skin.

    Wu Lu¡¯s skin instantly rotted, and the flesh underneath quickly melted away, revealing the white bones in many ces.

    "Ah!" Wu Lu was shocked. Ayer of blue light emerged from his arm, trying to iste the venom of the demon vine, but it didn¡¯t have much effect.

    While controlling the ck crow to entangle Kun Tu, Yuan Ming also used the little mana he had just umted to activate the beast control technique and control the purple-ck demon vine.

    The tip of the demon vine became sharp and even emitted a blood-red light. It pierced into Wu Lu¡¯s chest like a snakeing out of its hole.

    Given the current situation, his mana was about to be exhausted, and he was at an absolute disadvantage. The only chance of winning was to kill one of them as quickly as possible.

    At this moment, the forest behind Yuan Ming exploded with a "boom". The violent wind shredded the branches and leaves, and Kun Tu¡¯s green wolf spirit beast pounced out, its ws attacking Yuan Ming¡¯s back.

    Yuan Ming was startled and quickly used the Shadowless Step to dodge to the side.

    His mana was already exhausted, and his movements were slow. He barely avoided being pierced through the chest by the ws, but his arm was still shed open, revealing the bone. He staggered backward.

    The green wolf spirit beast didn¡¯t let up. It opened its mouth and spat out four or five green wind des, spinning towards Yuan Ming¡¯s body.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s face turned pale. He took out the Green Fish Sword with his right hand and wildly swung it to block the wind des.

    With several intense collisions, a few wind des were knocked away. Yuan Ming was sent flying, hitting arge tree hard. He spat out a mouthful of blood.

    Yuan Ming was severely injured and couldn¡¯t care about anything else. The purple-ck demon vine wasn¡¯t greatly affected, but the ck crow controlled by his soul suddenly became sluggish.

    "Go!"

    Taking advantage of the situation, Kun Tu pointed his ghost g. A crescent-shaped ck wind de shot out from the tip of the g. Its speed was astonishingly fast, crossing several Zhang in a sh and shing the ck crow.

    With a soft "hiss", half of the ck crow¡¯s body was cut off.

    The ck wind dragon opened its mouth wide and bit the ck crow, and a dozen violent and sharp ck wind des exploded in its mouth.

    How could the ck crow withstand such an attack? Its body instantly disintegrated.

    In this way, Yuan Ming¡¯s mana and soul were both exhausted, and an irresistible fatigue surged in his heart.

    "Haha, Yuan Ming, obediently be a sacrifice for my g!" Kun Tuughed and waved his ghost g.

    The ck wind dragon bared its teeth and ws and shot out, heading straight for Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s face changed as he tried to dodge, but his legs felt as if they were filled with lead, and he couldn¡¯t move a step.

    The ck wind dragon arrived in an instant, hitting him hard in the chest.

    Yuan Ming was sent flying, a mouthful of blood spurted out, his internal organs almost disced, and he fell to the ground, motionless.

 Chapter 116: Wasnâ€™t my knife just now beautiful?

    Chapter 116: Wasn¡¯t my knife just now beautiful?

    "If you don¡¯t make a move, I¡¯ll die." Yuan Mingy on the ground, his chest heaving as he spoke softly.

    "You¡¯ve been thinking about being a hero all this time, and now you remember me? If there¡¯s something goodter, I¡¯ll take it first." A pleasant voice echoed in his mind, filled with a sense of gloating.

    "A mere beast ve dares to fight me? You don¡¯t know your own limits." Kun Tu sneered as he walked towards Yuan Ming, preparing to deliver a fatal blow.

    But at that moment, a sudden change urred!

    The ck light on the Yin Ghost g in his hand suddenly surged out of control, and the blood-colored skull pattern seemed toe alive, wriggling. A powerful and abnormal Yin Sha force transmitted over, reversing and invading Kun Tu¡¯s body. He felt half of his body go numb, and his face turned extremely pale.

    His heart trembled, and he subconsciously thought of something. Like avoiding a snake or a scorpion, he threw the Yin Ghost g out.

    The Yin Ghost g had special materials and extraordinary runes, which allowed it to not only unleash powerful Yin attribute attacks, but also devour other living beings to nourish itself, as Kun Tu had mentioned before. After arge amount of blood sacrifice, the Yin Qi inside the Yin Ghost g increased greatly, and its power soared. However, this type of Yin attribute artifact also had a significant w: every once in a while, the Yin Qi inside the Yin Ghost g would slowly overflow and bacsh against its owner. As long as it was properly suppressed, it could be controlled.

    But this time, before the time was up and without any warning, a sudden change urred, catching him off guard. Although Kun Tu promptly threw away the Yin Ghost g, he was still invaded by the Yin Qi and his body became stiff. He quickly took out a bright red pill and swallowed it, not caring about Yuan Ming, and sat cross-legged to cultivate.

    Without Kun Tu¡¯s mana to sustain it, the Yin Ghost g quickly returned to its original state after falling to the ground, and the blood-colored skull on the g surface no longer moved, returning to calmness.His spirit wolf spirit beast ran over to protect him at the same time.

    Meanwhile, on the other side, the purple-ck demon vine that was entangled with Wu Lu suddenly stopped, and in the next moment, it quickly loosened and "swooshed" back into the ground, disappearing.

    Wu Lu broke free and quickly nced at Kun Tu, then turned his gaze to Yuan Ming lying on the ground, his eyes filled with suspicion. He quickly took out a vial of potion from his left hand, cleaned his right arm, applied medicine, and finally wrapped it in white cloth, relieving the piercing pain.

    At this moment, Kun Tu recovered and cautiously reached out to grab the Yin Ghost g on the ground, without checking it, and hurriedly put it away.

    "Are you alright?" Wu Lu didn¡¯t care about attacking Yuan Ming anymore, but instead walked quickly to Kun Tu¡¯s side and asked with concern.

    "Naturally, it¡¯s nothing. Go and kill this kid. I¡¯ll reward you generously when we return." Kun Tu slowly straightened his body, shaking his head nonchntly.

    Wu Lu¡¯s thoughts were sharp, and he sensed that Kun Tu¡¯s expression was strange. The actual situation was probably not as casual as he imed. Kun Tu was obviously bacshed by an unknown spell from Yuan Ming, causing the Yin Ghost g to backfire against its owner.

    Just as Wu Lu guessed, Kun Tu was now partially paralyzed, and for some reason, the backfire from the Yin Ghost g was not insignificant. Although he used the power of the pill to expel more than half of the invading Yin Qi, arge portion still prated deep into his meridians. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t force it out. It was as if his mana was imprisoned. He had never suffered such a severe internal injury before, and could only seek help from his master after returning to the sect.

    "I obey your orders." Wu Lu respectfully said, bowing to Kun Tu, but perhaps due to his recent serious injuries, he stumbled and fell towards Kun Tu, rolling down.

    Kun Tu was about to turn his head to check.

    "Splurt."

    A bright sh of a knife suddenly bloomed, piercing through Kun Tu¡¯s heart from behind anding out of his chest.

    Blood gushed out of Kun Tu¡¯s mouth, his face filled with an expression of disbelief.

    After all, he was a disciple of the Bi Luo Cave, with both his temperament and aptitude being outstanding. In an instant, he tried his best to avoid the vital points of his heart when the knife entered his body, immediately flipping his hand and swinging it backwards.

    A gust of Yin wind struck Wu Lu, sending him flying several zhang away and crashing into a patch of grass.

    Kun Tu spurted out a mouthful of blood and picked up the Yin Ghost g, but unfortunately, his heart and lungs were pierced, and his strength quickly dissipated.

    Kun Tu¡¯s spirit wolf spirit beast froze for a moment before finally reacting, roaring angrily as it pounced towards Wu Lu.

    Wu Lu shot out a pill, hitting the wind wolf¡¯s nose. The pill exploded, turning into a yellow smoke that emitted an unusually pungent smell. The wind wolf howled in pain, its body trembling uncontrobly, and it slowly fell to the ground.

    Wu Lu slowly stood up from the grass, walked to the wind wolf, and with a swift motion, cut off its head. His chest clothes were torn, and a bloodstain flowed from the corner of his mouth, but his expression was very rxed.

    "Have you gone mad?" Kun Tu stared at Wu Lu, struggling to speak.

    "You¡¯re such a petty person. You only thought of rewarding me after you were seriously injured. Why don¡¯t you stand up now and give it a try?" Wu Lu mocked.

    Kun Tu was about to reply, but at this moment, a strange scene urred. Kun Tu suddenly felt a gust of wind blowing past his neck, as if it had been shed by a knife. His neck stung, and blood spurted out a foot high, his head falling to the ground.

    "Thump." Kun Tu¡¯s head fell to the ground, his eyes widened, staring fixedly at a certain spot. His body twitched, his breath dissipating, but his eyes remained open.

    Wu Lu was also shocked by this strange scene, and in a panic, his body swayed and he sat on the ground. He looked at Yuan Ming lying not far away on the ground and immediately spoke, "Brother Yuan, please don¡¯t make a move. Let¡¯s talk."

    Seeing that Yuan Ming didn¡¯t respond, he continued, "Brother Yuan, you really have great methods. Wasn¡¯t my knife just now beautiful? In return for my help with that knife, how about we turn enemies into friends?"Yuan Ming had already sat up, his heart now at ease. He smiled and said, "Brother Wu Lu, your strike was swift and decisive, without any hesitation. I could never have dreamed that you would stab him in the back."

    He had feigned unconsciousness to paralyze Kun Tu. Even if the Silver Cat refused to help, the hidden ck Toad spirit beast could have delivered a fatal blow to Kun Tu unnoticed, and then he would have to fight the injured Wu Lu.

    Unexpectedly, the Silver Cat had used some strange method just now, causing Kun Tu to be backfired before he could cast a spell. Wu Lu¡¯s sudden betrayal was even more unexpected. Kun Tu¡¯s neck was cut by an invisible weapon, which must have been the work of the Silver Cat. He couldn¡¯t help but admire the Silver Cat and was unable to judge its current strength.

    His right hand was hidden under his body, holding a green crystal, the wood attribute spirit stone. He was running the Nine Yuan Jue at full strength, absorbing the spiritual power of the spirit stone, and his mana was slowly recovering. However, his internal injuries were too severe and had not improved much.

    "Haha, I stabbed him for you, Brother Yuan. Your methods are unpredictable, and you will surely be a great power in the future," Wu Luughed, seeming like an old friend of Yuan Ming. He also secretly held a spirit stone in his hand.

    "Brother Wu Lu, you tter me. Your pill for killing the green wolf is also impressive. Let¡¯s not beat around the bush, let¡¯s discuss how to report back to the sect," Yuan Ming said calmly.

    Upon hearing Yuan Ming¡¯s words, Wu Lu sighed and said, "Those were just small tricks, Brother Yuan is generous. I¡¯ll let them rest first. We need to have a good discussion." He waved his sleeve, and a yellow smoke shot out from his sleeve, hitting Tu Ya and the others.

    The two of them inhaled the yellow smoke before they could react, and quickly showed signs of fatigue, falling to the ground and falling asleep.

    Yuan Ming watched all this without saying a word, secretly on guard.

    "Brother Yuan, shall we heal our wounds first? If the injuries drag on, it will be detrimental to our future cultivation. I have experience in this," Wu Lu said to himself, walking over to Kun Tu¡¯s body and starting to search it.

    He quickly found a white medicine bottle in his bosom. The bottle was sealed with wax, and there was a green talisman paper on the bottle mouth, which looked like a precious item. Wu Lu removed the talisman paper, lifted the wax seal, and poured out a green pill. The rich fragrance of the medicine immediately filled the air.

    As he was about to swallow the pill, the ground beside him suddenly cracked open, and a purple-ck vine shot out, wrapping around the white medicine bottle in Wu Lu¡¯s hand and quickly returned to Yuan Ming¡¯s side, presenting the pill to Yuan Ming.

    Wu Lu was not surprised, he still swallowed the pill, and his somewhat pale cheeks quickly regained their color.

    Yuan Ming held the medicine bottle, quietly watching the changes in Wu Lu¡¯s body, without rushing to take it.

    The purple-ck vine had returned to Wu Lu¡¯s side, swaying slightly, but did not attack Wu Lu.

    "This pill is called Flesh and Bone Pill, a secret healing pill made by the Refining Furnace Hall, especially good at treating internal injuries. You can take it with confidence," Wu Lu said to Yuan Ming with concern.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming was moved. He had heard of the Flesh and Bone Pill. Among the healing pills of the Refining Furnace Hall, it could rank in the top five. It was said to have the effect of reviving the dead and regenerating flesh and bones, hence the name.

    After a slight hesitation, he tilted the medicine bottle, and two green pills rolled out, the enticing fragrance of the medicine hit his nose.

    Smelling the fragrance, the pain in his internal organs seemed to lessen a bit.

    "This medicine really lives up to its reputation!" Yuan Ming was delighted. If this medicine hade from Wu Lu, given Wu Lu¡¯s cunning nature and their mutual suspicion, he would definitely not dare to take it. But since it was obtained from Kun Tu, it must be genuine.

    After entering the Bi Luo Cave, he had read a few books about pills and had some knowledge about them. He carefully examined the two pills, still not daring to swallow them. After thinking for a moment, he flicked one of the Flesh and Bone Pills into the nearby grass.

    The ck Toad spirit beast was lurking there, it opened its mouth and swallowed the Flesh and Bone Pill. After a while, the ck Toad showed no abnormalities and seemed even more energetic.

    "It seems the pill is indeed genuine," Yuan Ming finally felt relieved and swallowed the pill.

    The pill melted as soon as it entered his stomach, and a warm current flowed through his body. His internal organs seemed to be steamed by the heat, and his severe internal injuries visibly improved at a rapid pace.

    A few breathster, the boiling heat subsided, and most of the pain in his body disappeared.

    "I was indeed too impulsive this time. If I had a Flesh and Bone Pill for quick healing and recovery beforehand, I wouldn¡¯t have been forced to feign death by Kun Tu and Wu Lu, and had to ask the Silver Cat for help. I must prepare more kinds of pills in the future. The hardest thing about cultivation is being poor, indeed," Yuan Ming sighed to himself.

 Chapter 117: Split the bill

    Chapter 117: Split the bill

    "Brother Yuan is really cautious." Wu Lu stood still until Yuan Ming took the medicine before speaking.

    "I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll use that beautiful knife again." Yuan Ming mocked.

    "Hehe, Yuan Ming is really humorous. When I attacked you earlier, it was to gain Kun Tu¡¯s trust and find an opportunity to kill him. Now that Kun Tu is dead, there is no reason for us to continue fighting." Wu Lu smirked and took a step back.

    "Hu Huo, Hu Zha, and Kun Tu are all dead. How do we exin this when we return to the sect?" Yuan Ming said slowly.

    "Hu Huo, Hu Zha, and the others were not killed by me, and I don¡¯t know who killed them." Wu Lu smiled and added.

    Yuan Ming looked at Wu Lu, and they locked eyes. After a moment, they burst intoughter at the same time.

    Both of them attacked their fellow disciples today, so they had each other¡¯s weaknesses. They were like two fleas on a rope, and since there was no unresolved conflict between them, there was no need to continue fighting.

    "Wu Lu, you are indeed a friend I have known since the time of being a beast ve." Yuan Ming looked at Wu Lu and said.

    "Naturally, we are now sworn brothers." Wu Lu secretly breathed a sigh of relief.Although Yuan Ming was seriously injured, the terrifying purple-ck vine made him both shocked and fearful. He had a feeling that Yuan Ming had more tricks up his sleeve. The sudden bacsh of Kun Tu¡¯s control over the artifact and the invisible knife exceeded his expectations. Now he needed to win over Yuan Ming.

    "Now we can discuss how to deal with their belongings." Kun Tu nced at Kun Tu¡¯s body not far away and said.

    Yuan Ming was about to speak when his speech suddenly paused for a moment, and then he continued, "I want to choose something from Kun Tu¡¯s belongings first, and then we split the rest. Hu Huo¡¯s belongings will all go to me."

    "Fair enough. Let¡¯s do it this way." Wu Lu said without hesitation.

    Yuan Ming nodded, and with a thought, the purple-ck vine next to Wu Lu retracted and disappeared.

    He walked to Hu Huo¡¯s body not far away, while Wu Lu stood still without moving.

    Yuan Ming picked up the crimson triangr g. This item could release golden mes and had considerable power. Although it was not as good as the Yin Ghost g, it was still a remarkable low-grade artifact. Yuan Ming put away the triangr g and continued searching on Hu Huo¡¯s body. He quickly found a small purple bag.

    He had seen this storage artifact of Hu Huo before. It had been infused with spiritual power. The space inside the bag was notrge, but it was filled with valuable items. There were seven or eight spiritual materials, five pieces of spiritual stones, a ck jade box, and a bone scroll.

    These spiritual materials were all precious items from the Ten Thousand Mountains. They would be saved for future opportunities. The five spiritual stones were all red, obviously fire attribute spiritual stones.

    He took out the ck jade box and carefully opened it. Inside was a fist-sized white solid that looked like stone or jade.

    "What is this?" Yuan Ming picked up the white stone and examined it carefully, but unfortunately, he found nothing. It was not recorded in the book of strange stones either. He put the white stone back and stored it in his storage bag.

    This item was stored so securely by Hu Huo, so it must be precious. He would find a way to figure it outter.

    Yuan Ming took out thest bone scroll and stuck it to his forehead to read its contents. A hint of joy appeared on his face.

    The bone scroll recorded a spell called "Swift Wind Art," which could make the body light and agile, allowing the user to leap like a flying bird. It was a necessary spell for cultivators to travel quickly.

    Yuan Ming had been interested in this spell when he was in the Treasure Pavilion, but he couldn¡¯t afford it at the time. Unexpectedly, he obtained it from Hu Huo today.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t have time to think about it now because Wu Lu was waiting on the side.

    He stood up and walked to Kun Tu¡¯s headless body, with Wu Lu following behind. Wu Lu bent down and threw a storage ring directly to Yuan Ming, saying, "If Brother Yuan doesn¡¯t need the Yin Ghost g, can you give it to me? I don¡¯t need anything else in the storage ring."

    "Sure." Yuan Ming reached out and caught the ring, nodding in agreement.

    Although the Yin Ghost g was a medium-grade artifact with great power, it was not suitable for him to use. He scanned the storage ring with his divine sense and couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    Kun Tu¡¯s wealth was far less abundant than Hu Huo¡¯s. There were only a few spiritual stones and ordinary spiritual materials, as well as a seemingly ordinary fist-sized white jade box. It seemed that Wu Lu was truly a shrewd person among the people from the Southern Region.

    But Yuan Ming didn¡¯t mind. It was unexpected wealth after all, and a storage ring alone was worth a lot of money.

    He took out the white jade box and held it in his hand. The voice of the silver cat immediately sounded in his mind, "I want this."

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming put the box back into his storage bag and then threw the Yin Ghost g to Wu Lu.

    "Thank you, Brother Yuan." Wu Lu thanked him and put away the Yin Ghost g. Then he asked, "May I ask why Brother Yuan killed Hu Zha and Hu Huo?"

    "I killed Hu Zha to protect them. I promised Ha Gong to ensure the safety of his wife and child. Hu Zha insisted on killing them and taking their souls, so I had no choice but to kill him. You should know the reason after interrogating Tu Ya and her daughter." Yuan Ming nced at Tu Ya and her daughter who were unconscious on the side and said.

    "Brother Yuan is righteous." Wu Lu said with his mouth, but he didn¡¯t believe it in his heart.

    Yuan Ming fell silent. When he attacked Hu Zha earlier, he didn¡¯t think much about it due to the urgent situation. Afterward, he found it unbelievable as well.For the sake of two women he had never met, he had killed his fellow disciples. If this were to be exposed, he would immediately face a fatal disaster.

    Upon reflection, it was probably because he had promised Ha Gong, and now that he had encountered the situation, he naturally couldn¡¯t ignore it. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be able to get past his own conscience.

    He had previously read in a historical record of the sect that in cultivation, besides talent, sometimes one also needed to meditate deeply. If one¡¯s heart was disturbed, it could have a significant impact on future cultivation.

    However, this incident served as a wake-up call for him. He needed to consider what he could handle and ensure his own safety first. He should not make promises lightly, and he should not speak too freely.

    "As for Hu Huo and the others, I¡¯ve had a grudge against them for a long time," Yuan Ming thought to himself, saying this out loud.

    "I see," Wu Lu nodded, but from his expression, it was hard to tell how much he believed.

    "Why did you kill Kun Tu, Brother Wu Lu?" Yuan Ming asked in return.

    "You and I bothe from the same background, I believe you should understand why I did what I did. I had to endure humiliation and be his servant, he has humiliated me many times, I¡¯ve always wanted to find an opportunity to strike," Wu Lu said.

    "But Kun Tu is an inner disciple after all, and he is the direct disciple of Elder Meng Shan. Aren¡¯t you afraid that Elder Meng Shan will investigate?" Yuan Ming asked again.

    "Brother Yuan Ming, you may not know this, but Elder Meng Shan doesn¡¯t care if Kun Tu dies. I¡¯ve heard that he¡¯s lost quite a few direct disciples before. Being his disciple is the most unfortunate," Wu Luughed.

    "I see. Then, Brother Wu Lu, work hard in the future. I wish you to achieve your aspirations and ascend to a high position soon," Yuan Ming nodded and said, but he felt that Wu Lu probably had more than this goal in mind. However, since the other party didn¡¯t say anything, he didn¡¯t bother to ask more.

    "Thank you for your kind words, Brother Yuan," Wu Luughed.

    "Brother Wu Lu, Tu Ya and her mother are pitiful. They have lost their husband and father, and they have no rtives or friends. I will take care of them properly and will not reveal today¡¯s events," Yuan Ming looked at Tu Ya and her mother and said.

    "Since Brother Yuan has said so, let¡¯s do as you say," Wu Lu hesitated for a moment and said.

    "Then let¡¯s part here, and I hope we can meet again in the future," Yuan Ming thanked him and turned to leave.

    "What do you mean, Brother Yuan Ming? Aren¡¯t you nning to return to Bi Luo Cave?" Wu Lu was taken aback and then understood.

    "Hu Huo and the others died at my hands. Even if I destroy their bodies and leave no trace, it will still be suspicious. With the means of Bi Luo Cave, the truth will be found out sooner orter. It¡¯s safer to leave as soon as possible. Brother Wu Lu, it seems that you don¡¯t n to leave. I hope you can hide it," Yuan Ming said.

    "Brother Yuan Ming, you don¡¯t need to worry about this. I have a way to make the deaths of Hu Huo, Kun Tu, and the others have nothing to do with us," Wu Lu hesitated for a moment and said.

    "Oh, is there such a method?" Yuan Ming was greatly surprised.

    He still had something to ask of Bi Luo Cave. If it was possible to hide it, he didn¡¯t want to leave at this time.

    Wu Lu smiled confidently, leaned close to Yuan Ming, and began to whisper.

    As Yuan Ming listened, a look of surprise appeared on his face. After a long period of contemtion, he slowly shook his head, seemingly not agreeing with Wu Lu¡¯s words.

    "Just do as he says. His cultivation method is not from Bi Luo Cave. He deliberately suppressed his cultivation," the Silver Cat suddenly transmitted a message.

    "Alright, let¡¯s do as you say," Yuan Ming said.

    Wu Lu was overjoyed, cleaned up the battlefield, took the bodies of Hu Huo and Kun Tu, and turned to leave.

    After he had walked a short distance, he looked back in the direction where Yuan Ming was, suddenly raised one hand, and a small bird flew out of his sleeve, silently pping its wings and flying in a certain direction.

    ......

    Half a dayter, Yuan Ming stood up, hisplexion had basically recovered. He picked up Tu Ya and her mother and headed towards Miao Hua Vige. His actions were not affected.

    The three of them quickly arrived at the main road outside Miao Hua Vige. Yuan Ming activated his magic power, patted Tu Ya and her mother a few times, and each of them received a strand of magic power.

    Tu Ya¡¯s body trembled slightly, and she made a murmuring sound.

    Yuan Ming was slightly surprised. Tu Ya was just a child, but she woke up faster than her mother.

    He raised his hand and pointed at Tu Ya¡¯s forehead. A stream of magic power entered her body and quickly circted within her.

    "Indeed, she has spiritual roots. It seems to be water, gold, and wood. No wonder she reacts so sensitively to my magic power," Yuan Ming thought to himself.

    After his soul hadpleted its transformation, he began to cultivate the second level of the Death Moon method. His soul was bing increasingly powerful, and he no longer needed to rely on magical instruments to sense others¡¯ spiritual roots.

    "Where is this..." Tu Ya slowly opened her eyes, looking around in confusion, as if she hadn¡¯t fully woken up yet.

    At the same time, Tu Ya¡¯s mother also woke up slowly.

    Seeing that they were back on the main road and Wu Lu was nowhere to be seen, Tu Ya¡¯s mother was both surprised and delighted.

    "Don¡¯t worry, everything is over. You are safe now," Yuan Ming said.

    "Thank you, sir, for your rescue," Tu Ya¡¯s mother got up and thanked him.

    "Since I promised Ha Gong, I naturally have to ensure your safety. Don¡¯t thank me," Yuan Ming raised his hand, and a force lifted the woman up.

    "Sir, after Ha Gong left, we mother and daughter have been relying on each other for survival. We could barely make ends meet, but now our home is destroyed. We are at a loss and don¡¯t know what to do. Could you please show us a way out?" Tu Ya¡¯s mother pleaded with Yuan Ming.

 Chapter 118: Report

    Chapter 118: Report

    "Miaohua Vige has been destroyed. You should find another ce to settle down in the south, as far away as possible. In addition, do not mention today¡¯s events to anyone, or there will be great trouble. Here are some resources for you and your daughter¡¯s journey and future life." Yuan Ming took out a small cloth bag and handed it over, instructing them.

    Gold and silver do not contain spiritual energy and are not of great value to cultivators. They are only used in the refining of special artifacts and the South Border is rich in gold and silver mines. The sect has a lot of gold and silver, most of which are used for trading with various tribes.

    Yuan Ming had been nning to leave the Biluo Cave and return to the Central ins, so he had made preparations.

    "Thank you, sir!" Tu Ya¡¯s mother had never seen so much gold and silver before and felt that it wouldst a lifetime. She hurriedly pulled her daughter to thank Yuan Ming.

    Tu Ya looked at Yuan Ming with a fixed gaze and did not move.

    "What are you doing, child? Thank Yuan Ming, quickly!" Tu Ya¡¯s mother urged anxiously.

    "Big brother, I want to learn how to fight from you. Can you teach me?" Tu Ya finally spoke, surprising everyone with her words.

    "You want to learn how to fight?" Yuan Ming was not surprised.

    "Yes, I want to learn how to fight. Those bad people killed Hu Tou, Xiao Chan, and my father. I want to avenge them!" Tu Ya¡¯s eyes widened, her small fists clenched, and she spoke with a voice full of hatred.Yuan Ming didn¡¯t say anything and looked at Tu Ya up and down.

    Although he had seen Tu Ya before, he hadn¡¯t observed her appearance carefully due to being in a hurry. At this moment, when he took a closer look, he couldn¡¯t help but be surprised.

    Tu Ya¡¯s features had not fully developed yet, but her eyebrows were thick and upward, like a flying knife. Her eyes carried a fierce aura,pletely different from ordinary children.

    "What an ominous appearance. If left unattended, Tu Ya will probably be a top-notch bandit, a female thief..." Yuan Ming felt somewhat troubled.

    If he didn¡¯t care about Tu Ya, her future life would definitely be full of hardships and no peace. But if he guided her onto the path of cultivation, it might not necessarily be a fortunate thing.

    "Tu Ya, what nonsense are you talking about? You¡¯re so young, yet all you think about is fighting and quarreling!" Tu Ya¡¯s mother saw Yuan Ming¡¯s expression change and was afraid that her daughter¡¯s desire to learn fighting would anger him, so she hurriedly scolded.

    "It¡¯s alright." Yuan Ming raised his hand and said.

    "This is not just fighting, it¡¯s cultivation. The path of cultivation is filled with dangers. A slight carelessness can lead to death. You¡¯re still too young, and my cultivation level is limited. I have no intention of taking on disciples." After a moment of silence, he shook his head and said.

    Tu Ya¡¯s little face was disappointed, and she was about to say something when her mother pulled her back.

    "But since we have met, it is also fate. This is a safety talisman I obtained before. It has the effect of warding off disasters. I¡¯ll give it to you." Yuan Ming took out a palm-sized delicate cloth bag from his storage bag and handed it to Tu Ya.

    Tu Ya received it with some disappointment.

    "Thank you, sir." Tu Ya¡¯s mother hurriedly thanked him.

    "No need to thank me. It¡¯s gettingte, you should hurry and leave." Yuan Ming waved his hand and said.

    Tu Ya¡¯s mother thanked him again and quickly left with Tu Ya.

    Yuan Ming watched their figures disappear into the distance before turning around and leaving.

    The contents of the small bag he gave to Tu Ya were not a safety talisman, but a piece of paper with the cultivation technique of the "Biluo Art" written on it.

    After much consideration, Yuan Ming decided to give Tu Ya an opportunity. If she had the fate to discover the cultivation technique in the future, it would be her chance.

    In this way, whether Tu Ya could embark on the path of cultivation would depend on fate.

    Yuan Ming did not enter the vige but went to where Ha Gong¡¯s body was.

    His expression changed slightly. There was a long wound on Ha Gong¡¯s chest and abdomen, and his internal organs could be vaguely seen. It was obviously caused by a sharp weapon.

    "Why did they open Ha Gong¡¯s body? Are they looking for something? Could it be that Ha Gong had nurtured a soul pearl inside him?" Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes suddenly shed.

    The matter of the soul pearl was quite secretive, and Hu Huo and the others were probably unaware of it. If someone was really looking for Ha Gong¡¯s soul pearl, it was probably the doing of the Silver Cat.

    After burying Ha Gong¡¯s body in a deep pit, Yuan Ming quickly left and rushed to the valley where the wild people were imprisoned by the Beast Taming Hall.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming had disheveled hair and torn clothes, giving the appearance of being out of breath.

    "Yuan Ming, why do you look like this? What about Senior Brother Hu Zha and the others?" a disciple of the Beast Taming Hall asked upon seeing him.

    "Run! Senior Brother Hu Zha and I went to Miaohua Vige to capture the mountain people there, but we were attacked by a group of powerful enemies. Senior Brother Hu Zha is already dead, and those people are chasing after us. If they catch up, everyone will die here!" Yuan Ming hastily said a sentence and immediately ran towards the distance.

    The disciples of the Beast Taming Hall who were left in the valley were a group of weak and unorganized individuals. Seeing Yuan Ming fleeing, they also herded the wild people and followed.

    Yuan Ming pretended to be in a panic, running without rest along the way. He only took half the time it took toe here and rushed back to the Biluo Cave.

    The group went straight to the Beast Taming Hall and reported the situation to Elder Sa Ren.

    On the way back, Yuan Ming deliberately or unintentionally instilled the information that Hu Zha had been killed by powerful enemies to the others. Those people unknowingly believed it to be true and reported it without waiting for Yuan Ming to speak. They recounted the events in this manner."The collected souls are all here, please review them, Elder." A disciple from the Beast Taming Hall took out a bundle, inside of which were several silver-white bells used for collecting souls.

    Elder Sa Ren picked up the bells and carefully inspected them, confirming that the souls inside were correct.

    "You mentioned earlier that there was an attack? Yuan Ming, tell me in detail." Elder Sa Ren sat down and asked.

    "Reporting to the Elder, I witnessed it with my own eyes." Yuan Ming stepped forward, speaking with sincere fear and trepidation.

    "What characteristics did the enemy have? What kind of magical tools did they use? How many were there? Tell me everything." Elder Sa Ren looked at Yuan Ming.

    "Yes. The situation was like this..." Yuan Ming agreed, and first detailed the incident of Hu Zha leading people to ughter the Miao Hua Vige.

    He naturally altered the details of thetter part of the process, changing his killing of Hu Zha to Hu Zha being attacked by a group of men in ck, killed by the men in ck, and himself jumping into the river to escape because he was outnumbered when he arrivedter, thus narrowly escaping with his life.

    "Men in ck? What methods did they use?" Elder Sa Ren asked further.

    "I was focused on escaping at the time and didn¡¯t get a clear look, but they seemed to be able to control corpses and ghosts." Yuan Ming hesitated for a moment before saying.

    "Control corpses and ghosts! Are you sure about what you saw?" Elder Sa Ren¡¯s facial muscles twitched a bit, and he asked in a deep voice.

    "I can¡¯t bepletely certain, but Brother Hu Zha was indeed killed by a ck ghost that emerged from the ground, and one of the men in ck controlled a green-faced, fanged corpse to attack me." Yuan Ming said.

    "Is there anything else?" Elder Sa Ren asked again.

    "Before I managed to escape, I saw Brother Hu Zha set off a distress signal. I don¡¯t know if anyone came to rescue him afterwards." Yuan Ming thought for a moment and said.

    Elder Sa Ren¡¯s face was somewhat gloomy, but he didn¡¯t say anything, seemingly considering something.

    "I am of low cultivation and was unable to fight in this battle. I will definitely devote myself to cultivation in the future, I hope the Elder can forgive me!" After Yuan Ming finished speaking, the other disciples of the Beast Taming Hall also pleaded guilty one after another.

    "This matter can¡¯t be med on you. The enemy was too strong, and if you had stayed, it would have only increased the casualties. Being able to escape and inform the sect of this matter is a merit. You can all go rest now. The contribution points for this mission will be doubled as a reward." Elder Sa Renforted everyone.

    "Thank you, Elder Sa Ren!" Yuan Ming thanked him, feeling somewhat relieved.

    The words just now were basically what Wu Lu had told him after discussing it with him. Elder Sa Ren¡¯s reaction was exactly the same as Wu Lu¡¯s judgment, it seemed that this n was mostly sessful.

    The others also hurriedly bowed and thanked him.

    "This mission ends here. All information rted to the mission must not be disclosed to others. Anyone who dares to vite this will be severely punished by the sect!" Elder Sa Ren¡¯s eyes suddenly became stern, and he said in a deep voice.

    Everyone dared not disagree and left.

    Elder Sa Ren sat in the Beast Taming Hall for a while, then got up and left, arriving at the meeting hall of Bi Luo Cave a momentter.

    The changes in this mission were not small, not only was Hu Zha killed, but there was also that group of men in ck. ording to Yuan Ming¡¯s description, the origins of this group were definitely not ordinary. If the force behind them knew about Bi Luo Cave¡¯s soul harvesting, it would be a big trouble, and he must report it to the sect.

    Elder Sa Ren frowned slightly in annoyance, just about to enter, when a white light shot from a distance andnded outside the hall.

    The white light flickered and disappeared, revealing a tall man with a square face, a prominent nose, and a short beard on his face.

    "Elder Meng Shan, you don¡¯t look so good, what happened?" Elder Sa Ren asked.

    Elder Meng Shan shook his head and walked quickly into the hall without saying a word.

    Elder Sa Ren frowned slightly and followed him in.

    The walls and floor of the hall were deep gray, about ten feet in size, but the light was not very bright, with only a few illuminating stones embedded in the walls on both sides.

    Elder Sa Ren had never liked the meeting hall very much, feeling it was too dark and oppressive, but theyout here was arranged by the Grand Elder, and no one dared to adjust it.

    In addition to Meng Shan, who had just entered, there were two other people in the hall. One was a serious middle-aged man with two shiny copper rings on his ears, a terrifying green snake tattoo on his chest and neck that looked extremely lifelike, as if it coulde back to life at any time. In front of him stood an ordinary-looking strong man, who was reporting something.

    "Great Cave Master!" Meng Shan and Sa Ren bowed to the middle-aged man.

    The three Cave Masters of Bi Luo Cave, the second Cave Master was obsessed with alchemy, and the third Cave Master was devoted to refining tools, and they were rarely seen on normal days.

    Compared to them, the Great Cave Master was the most normal. Besides cultivation, he was also responsible for the daily operation of the entire Bi Luo Cave.

    "Is this how it happened?" The Great Cave Master asked in a deep voice.

    "Yes, there is absolutely no concealment." Wu Lu said somewhat fearfully.

    "Alright, you can leave first." The Great Cave Master nced at Elder Meng Shan and Elder Sa Ren and said.

    Wu Lu obediently agreed, bowed to Meng Shan and Sa Ren, and then retreated from the hall with his head bowed.

 Chapter 119: Are you called Xiying?

    Chapter 119: Are you called Xiying?

    "Kun Tu has been killed! Is it true?" Elder Meng Shan couldn¡¯t wait any longer and eagerly asked.

    He had just received a message from the Great Cave Master. Kun Tu had suddenly fallen, and he valued this disciple quite a bit. He was also worried about the whereabouts of the Yin Ghost g, so he hurriedly came to inquire about the situation.

    Elder Sa Ren also showed a hint of surprise upon hearing this.

    "Wu Lu, who was just mentioned, was a witness. He was lucky enough to escape. Along with Kun Tu, Hu Huo and Liu Su were also killed," the Great Cave Master nodded and said.

    "Hu Huo is dead too?" Elder Sa Ren frowned.

    Hu Huo was the steward of the Beast ve Hall under his jurisdiction. Although his aptitude was average, he had been quite capable in managing the Feathered Beast ves for many years.

    "Just half a day ago, Kun Tu, Hu Huo, and a named disciple Liu Su were all killed outside a vige more than two hundred miles northwest of the Biro Cave," the Great Cave Master said slowly.

    "The vige more than two hundred miles northwest of our sect? Could it be the Miao Flower Vige?" Elder Sa Ren asked.

    "Oh, you know about it?" The Great Cave Master was somewhat surprised."Yes, I came here to report an important matter to the Great Cave Master..." Elder Sa Ren nodded and paused for a moment before exining in detail the task of capturing souls that Yuan Ming and the others were executing, including Hu Zha being killed by a group of ck-clothed people.

    Elder Meng Shan¡¯s face changed multiple times upon hearing this, while the Great Cave Master remained much calmer, with little change in his expression.

    "ording to Wu Lu, at that time, Kun Tu happened to be nearby with him and Hu Huo. Kun Tu noticed some movement in the Miao Flower Vige and rushed over, only to meet those ck-clothed people head-on. ording to his recollection, the ck-clothed people¡¯s attack methods were simr to what you described," the Great Cave Master pondered for a moment and said.

    Upon hearing this, Elder Sa Ren, who had been skeptical of Yuan Ming¡¯s words, dispelled his doubts with Wu Lu¡¯s confirmation.

    However, this matter was deeply involved. The deaths of Kun Tu, Hu Huo, and the others were no longer important. The real trouble was the group of ck-clothed people.

    "What do you think about this matter?" the Great Cave Master asked, looking at the two in front of him.

    "Reporting to the Great Cave Master, judging from the way Kun Tu and the others were attacked, as well as the fact that those ck-clothed people were able to control corpses and ghosts, it is very simr to the methods of the ck Fire Sect," Elder Sa Ren said in a deep voice.

    "Indeed, among the five major sects in the Southern Region, only the ck Fire Sect has had deep conflicts with our Biro Cave. I just didn¡¯t expect them to make a move at this time," Elder Meng Shan also said.

    "Although what we know is only from the mouths of two Qi Refining stage disciples, it is better to send someone to investigate the Miao Flower Vige just to be safe," the Great Cave Master said.

    "I propose sending Zha Lang to investigate. I believe he will bring back results soon," Elder Sa Ren suggested.

    "This inner sect disciple of the Second Cave Master is indeed a suitable candidate," Elder Meng Shan also agreed.

    "Meng Shan, make the arrangements. Sa Ren, inform the others to strengthen the sect¡¯s defenses. As you know, we are currently in a critical period, and the Refining Hall will need your help in a few days. Let¡¯s leave this matter as it is for now and discuss it further when we have more information from the investigation," the Great Cave Master instructed.

    ...

    At the same time, Yuan Ming left the Beast ve Hall and went straight back to his residence.

    He carefully recalled his conversation with Elder Sa Ren just now and believed that he had not revealed any ws. If everything went smoothly with Wu Lu, this matter should be able to be kept a secret.

    Yuan Ming sat cross-legged and began to hold the incense burner, practicing the Death Moon method.

    With the help of the Flesh and Bone Pill, most of his injuries had already healed. With a little rest, he would be fully recovered in a day or two. As for the damage to his spiritual soul, with the incense burner by his side, there shouldn¡¯t be any major problems.

    Thinking of this, he felt slightly relieved. However, through this experience, he gradually understood some of the things the Silver Cat had mentioned before.

    In battles between soul cultivators using their spiritual souls, they could harm each other invisibly, and even challenge higher-level opponents was not impossible. However, the spiritual soul was fragile, unlike the physical body. A slight carelessness could result in bacsh, and excessive consumption could make it difficult to recover.

    Fortunately, he had the incense burner by his side, so he didn¡¯t have to worry about this. He could also unleash his soul cultivation techniques more freely. Otherwise, he might not have achieved such a result in the recent ambush.

    "This incense burner is truly a treasure for soul cultivators!" Yuan Ming secretly rejoiced and continued to practice the Death Moon method.

    Half a dayter, he felt that more than half of his spiritual power had recovered, so he began to try to gather his spiritual crow within his sea of consciousness, attempting to condense a waiting spiritual crow.

    The spiritual crow was the foundation of his soul cultivation technique, and he felt somewhat uneasy without condensing one.

    However, to his surprise, no matter how he stimted his spiritual power, he couldn¡¯t condense the spiritual crow.

    "What¡¯s going on?" Yuan Ming furrowed his brows, recalling the information he obtained when he sessfully condensed his spiritual soul.

    "Far Travel" and "Soul Feeding" had no time limit, but "Soul Collision" required a seven-day cooldown after sacrificing a spiritual crow.

    He originally thought that it was because his spiritual power needed seven days to recover, but now it seemed that it was not the case.

    "Forget it, seven days is seven days. There¡¯s no need to rush," Yuan Ming muttered to himself and continued to cultivate and heal his injuries.

    That night, Yuan Ming was sitting cross-legged by the window, quietly cultivating the Death Moon method. A faint white light enveloped him, forming a circle of pale white halo that was almost invisible to the naked eye.

    At this moment, a slight sound came from the window.Yuan Ming¡¯s body emitted a faint light, slowly opening his eyes, and then he saw an elegant silver cat with silver fur, squatting on a pine branch outside the window.

    He knew that the silver cat had something to discuss with him, otherwise it wouldn¡¯t have made any noise to attract his attention.

    "Shall we have a chat inside?" Yuan Ming stood up, took out a jade box and ced it on the desk by the window, then took a few steps back and smiled, inviting.

    The silver cat hesitated for a moment, then walked gracefully to the desk by the window with its usual elegant cat steps and sat down.

    "How does it feel to be a great hero, upholding justice?" The voice of the silver cat echoed in Yuan Ming¡¯s mind.

    Yuan Ming thought that his mission in the Beast ve Hall would be calm and peaceful, but encountering Tu Ya and her daughter was beyond his expectations.

    Yuan Ming pulled a chair and sat down, replying, "I can¡¯t just stand by and watch, can I? Don¡¯t I have you?"

    Upon hearing this, the silver cat tilted its head to the left, its beautiful heterochromatic eyes shing upwards.

    "Hmph, if it weren¡¯t for me causing the Yin Ghost g to backfire, you would have been buried in your grave next year." The silver cat snorted coldly, disdainful.

    "How did you make the Yin Ghost g backfire?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "I¡¯m not telling you." The silver cat replied.

    Yuan Ming was already used to her cold and arrogant appearance, and asked, "If you encounter such a situation, would you help?"

    "I wouldn¡¯t bother with such boring things. Isn¡¯t it better for them to die early and be reincarnated, considering how miserable they are living here in the Southern Wilderness?" The silver cat retorted.

    "Why would the Bi Luo Cave be so cruel to mortals?" Yuan Ming had already witnessed too much cruelty, but he still couldn¡¯t understand it with his current nature.

    "There are countless cultivation methods in this world, and there are far more evil cultivation methods than you can imagine. It is likely that these soul fragments were taken to refine something." The silver cat¡¯s cold voice echoed in Yuan Ming¡¯s sea of consciousness.

    Yuan Ming thought of his current situation, staying in the Bi Luo Cave, ashamed to be associated with it, but not knowing where to go if he left. His future cultivation was even more uncertain, and he fell into contemtion.

    "Just a reminder, using the Soul Feeding ability forcefully this time will bring you trouble in the future." At this moment, the voice of the silver cat sounded in his sea of consciousness again.

    "What kind of trouble?" Yuan Ming asked in surprise.

    "Before you have mastered the ability to purify divine souls, don¡¯t use Soul Feeding casually. Otherwise, your divine soul will be destroyed and unable to reincarnate." The silver cat warned.

    "Then why didn¡¯t you help me earlier?" Yuan Ming said.

    "I, Xiying, like to see fools upholding justice, overestimating their abilities, and getting beaten up without knowing what¡¯s going on. Hahaha." The silver cat burst intoughter, then suddenly eximed, feeling that she had said too much, turned her head and was about to leave.

    Seeing the silver cat about to leave, Yuan Ming shouted, "Wait, do you have a name? Are you called Xiying?"

    "Don¡¯t call me by my name. Did you give me that name?" The silver cat turned her head and red at Yuan Ming, looking fierce but not intimidating.

    "Alright, I won¡¯t call you by your name." Yuan Ming said, then reached into his waist storage bag and took out something, saying, "Can you help me take a look at what this is?"

    A fist-sized white solid, resembling stone or jade, appeared in his palm. He found it in Elder Hu Huo¡¯s storage bag, but didn¡¯t know what it was for.

    "White Jade Stone Resin, the main spiritual material used to refine disguising-type magical treasures, but it¡¯s just waste." The silver cat nced casually and gave the answer.

    Yuan Ming raised an eyebrow at the words, but since Xiying thought it was waste, he continued to ask, "Does the Thousand Mechanism Mask also require this?"

    "Yes. In addition to White Jade Stone Resin, it also requires the face skin of the Human-Faced Ghost Spider, the silk of the ck Corpse Silkworm, Jade Skin Powder, and the Flower of Continuation. Why are you asking about this?" The silver cat was a little puzzled.

    "I happen to have the skin of the Human-Faced Ghost Spider. Hearing you mention the use of White Jade Stone Resin, I had this question." Yuan Ming smiled.

    "Knowing these spiritual materials is useless. The difficulty of refining the Thousand Mechanism Mask lies not in collecting the materials, but in mastering the transformation runes of the apanying disguising-type magical treasures. Ordinary people can¡¯t learn it at all. Moreover, it¡¯s not easy to engrave runes on such delicate spider skin, even professional refiners may not be able to do it." The silver cat said.

    "It doesn¡¯t matter, I have some foundation in drawing runes. After learning how to engrave runes and awaken spirits, I can give it a try." Yuan Ming was quite optimistic.

    Even if he failed once, it would only be a loss of some spiritual materials.

    "You? Hmph, with your current cultivation, you have no chance to learn how to engrave runes and awaken spirits." The silver cat openly mocked.

    "Is the ability to engrave runes and awaken spirits rted to cultivation?" Yuan Ming asked in surprise.

    "You, an ignorant person like you, have lived until now without any justice. Only the spiritual power of a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator is barely enough to support one infusion. With your current cultivation, it¡¯s simply not enough." The silver cat continued to pour cold water.

    Yuan Ming was used to her mockery and was not disappointed.

    "Don¡¯t you care?" The silver cat became a little curious.

    "What¡¯s there to care about? It¡¯s just that my cultivation is not enough. It doesn¡¯t mean it won¡¯t be in the future. As long as I diligently cultivate, it won¡¯t be a problem to advance to the Foundation Establishment stage. By then, it will be a different story." Yuan Ming said.

    Upon hearing this, the silver cat didn¡¯t want to talk to Yuan Ming anymore. She had already regretted revealing her name just now, so she turned around lightly and left."Wait!" Yuan Ming called out to her again.

    "What now?" The Silver Cat was impatient.

    "Thank you this time, Xiying," Yuan Ming suddenly said.

    "Don¡¯t call me by my name." With that, she grabbed the jade box on the table, leaped out, her silver fur turning transparent in mid-air. In an instant, she disappeared into the night.

    Only then did Yuan Ming understand how Silver Cat Xiying had managed to sever the neck of the Kun map.

 Chapter 120: Familiarity

    Chapter 120: Familiarity

    The next day.

    In a valley filled with the fragrance of spiritual herbs.

    An elderly man with white hair and beard sat under the eaves of a thatched hut. On the stove in front of him, a y pot was simmering with sulent fish meat. The soup bubbled and rolled, emitting an enticing aroma.

    Seeing a figure appearing at the entrance of the valley from afar, the old man¡¯s face broke into a smile.

    Not until the young man approached did the old man greet him, "Yuan Ming, your timing is impable. I just started cooking this pot of fish, and before I could even pick up my chopsticks, you arrived."

    "Isn¡¯t it because I was afraid that Elder Fish would eat fish without wine, so I brought some for you." Yuan Ming replied with a smile, not being modest.

    As he spoke, he raised the two small deep-red wine jars in his hand.

    "Heh, you really brought wine?" Elder Fish¡¯s eyes lit up at the sight of the wine.

    He quickly got up to wee him."How could I forget what I promised you?" Yuan Ming handed over the wine with a smile.

    "Good, good, just in time to apany me for a couple of drinks." Elder Fish led Yuan Ming to sit down,ughing heartily.

    "This fish smells so good, it seems especially fresh today." Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but praise as he smelled the aroma.

    "Heh, of course, this pot of fish is cooked with at least three types of spiritual herbs that are over thirty years old. It¡¯s both nourishing and vorful. I wouldn¡¯t let just anyone taste it." Elder Fish said with a grin.

    "Elder, are you sure it¡¯s okay to use the spiritual herbs from the medicine garden like this?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "If you don¡¯t tell, and I don¡¯t tell, who would know? Come by more often in the future, I¡¯ll make sure to nourish you until you¡¯re as strong as a dragon or a tiger." Elder Fish chuckled.

    "I appreciate your kindness, Elder. However, I will need to focus on my cultivation for a while. After I finish my seclusion, I will bring wine to visit you again." Yuan Ming said.

    "Diligent cultivation is a good thing." Elder Fish nodded in approval upon hearing this.

    ¡­¡­

    At night.

    The bright moonlight seeping through the window bathed Yuan Ming.

    He held an incense burner in his hands, his body bathed in a glossy sheen.

    At that moment, Yuan Ming felt something and slowly opened his eyes.

    "Another full moon night, I wonder when I can return to my hometown in the Central ins?" He sighed softly.

    His gaze fell on the green incense burner in his hand, and his eyes flickered.

    The Great Ultimate pattern on the incense burner was already more than half lit, but it was still a bit short of being fully lit.

    "It¡¯s been several months, and it¡¯s still not fully lit..." Yuan Ming thought to himself.

    Then, he suddenly had an idea, "Since this incense burner is also a kind of magical artifact, I wonder if trying to stimte it with my magic power will cause any changes."

    With that thought, he held the incense burner in both hands and began to channel his magic power into it.

    As soon as his magic power entered, Yuan Ming realized something was wrong.

    Unlike when he used magic artifacts in the past, his magic power was being absorbed by the incense burner, as if it was being swallowed.

    But the incense burner showed no obvious changes.

    "Not enough?" Yuan Ming thought, and began to pour all his magic power into it.

    "It¡¯s lit..."

    After a while, when Yuan Ming had channeled most of his magic power into the incense burner, a soft light finally shone from the Great Ultimate pattern on the burner.

    "It really worked! Does this mean I can light the incense again?" Yuan Ming was overjoyed.

    With that thought, he immediately stopped his cultivation, closed the window, locked the door, and returned to his bed.

    Thest time he lit the ck incense, he sessfully possessed the body of a young emperor, thereby obtaining the cultivation method of the Nine Elements Form, whichpletely changed his fate.

    Therefore, Yuan Ming had always wanted to try lighting the incense again.

    Unfortunately, his several attempts afterwards all ended in failure, and he was never able to light the ck incense.

    This time, the Great Ultimate pattern on the incense burner lit up, which might be a new opportunity to light the incense.

    Thinking this, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t hesitate and immediately took a match, lighting the ck incense stick in the burner.

    The me on the match approached the incense, and the flickering me soon licked it.

    Before long, a wisp of blue smoke rose, and the second ck incense stick was indeed lit.

    The scent, somewhere between sandalwood and pine, quickly filled the room.

    The moment Yuan Ming smelled this fragrance, his consciousness began to blur, and his vision became fuzzy.

    Facing this familiar sensation again, he didn¡¯t panic like the first time. Instead, he tried to keep his eyes wide open, trying to stay awake to resist the drowsiness.

    Unfortunately, his struggle didn¡¯tst long, and he soon fell into darkness, losing all consciousness.

    Not long after, a cacophony of noise came from all around.

    Yuan Ming felt a push on his shoulder, and he groggily opened his eyes.

    "Wang Shun, have you lost your mind? What day is it today, and you dare to ck off and sleep?" He rubbed his eyes and saw that the speaker was a round-faced man dressed in a brown short robe, looking like a menial worker.

    "Why are you looking at me?" The round-faced man subconsciously touched his own cheek.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t rush to answer, but looked down at his own attire. He was dressed simrly to the round-faced man, apparently also a menial worker of some sort.

    "The gap is quite big..." Yuan Ming sighed inwardly.

    Thest time he possessed a young emperor, and this time he became a lowly menial worker.

    "I just took a nap, why are you making a fuss?" Yuan Ming mimicked the round-faced man¡¯s tone.

    "Dare to talk back? Stop wasting time, hurry up and bring the horse. The carriage is ready up front. Thedy is preparing to go to the City God Temple for worship. If you dy, you¡¯ll suffer." The round-faced man urged.

    Only then did Yuan Ming take the opportunity to observe his surroundings.

    He found himself seemingly in arge mansion, behind him was a stable the size of four or five rooms, housing seven or eight majestic horses.

    These horses were all either ck or white, red or yellow-brown, without a single mixed color, all looking very spirited.

    "What day is it today?" Yuan Ming asked.

    The round-faced man looked at him strangely and asked suspiciously, "Wang Shun, are you possessed?"

    "I¡¯m not possessed, I just had some drinksst night and I¡¯m a bit groggy today." Yuan Ming said.

    "If it weren¡¯t for your knack for horse care and the master¡¯s favor, could you have entered our general¡¯s mansion with your attitude? Hurry up, or I¡¯ll be punished with you." The round-faced man said anxiously.

    The general¡¯s mansion? Had he be a servant in the general¡¯s mansion?

    "You still haven¡¯t said, what day is it today?" Yuan Ming continued to ask.

    "My ancestors, today is the day of the temple fair at the City God Temple in the south of the city. Ourdy spent a lot of money to get the chance to offer the first incense. If you don¡¯t hurry up, I¡¯ll really get angry." The round-faced man said angrily.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming finally got up and went into the stable.

    He instinctively picked out three white horses in the stable, grabbed the reins and walked out.

    ording to the etiquette, the general¡¯s wife could only ride in a carriage pulled by a maximum of three horses.

    Since they were pulling a carriage and didn¡¯t need to be saddled, Yuan Ming followed the round-faced man out of the stable, leading the three horses to the front yard.

    When they arrived at a spacious courtyard in the front yard, a beautifully decorated luxurious carriage was already parked there.

    Yuan Ming led the three horses forward and harnessed them to the carriage.

    After everything was settled, he waited for the arrival of the general¡¯s wife.

    Taking advantage of this time, Yuan Ming looked around and saw tall tree shadows standing outside the courtyard, seemingly a garden.

    Further away, there was a five-story high tower with a green-gray octagonal spire.

    "Huh..."

    For some reason, Yuan Ming found the side view of the tower somewhat familiar.

    Just then, a group of people carrying a beautiful sedan chair came this way.

    Beside the sedan chair were several young and beautiful maids, followed by two rows of soldiers in armor, each with a murderous look, obviously having been on the battlefield.

    "Wang Shun, lower your head, do you want to die?" At this moment, the round-faced man¡¯s reminder came from beside him.

    He turned his head and saw that the other party had already retreated to the side, his hands hanging at his knees, his head lowered, only daring to look at his own feet.

    Although Yuan Ming didn¡¯t have the awe of a servant, he didn¡¯t want to cause any trouble for the original owner of this body, so he also lowered his head like him.

    When the sedan chair stopped in front of them, a maid immediately helped the dignified and luxurious general¡¯s wife to switch to the carriage.

    After thedy and her personal maid got on the carriage, the others lined up on both sides.

    Yuan Ming was responsible for driving the carriage to the south of the city.

    Fortunately, there were several cavalrymen leading the way at the front of the team, otherwise Yuan Ming was really worried that he would take the wrong road and be found out.

    The carriage procession passed through several courtyards before finally leaving the mansion anding outside.

    The road outside the general¡¯s mansion was so wide that it surprised Yuan Ming. The ground was paved with neat bricks and was very clean.

    The mansions on both sides of the road were quite sparse, but just by looking at the gates, you could tell they all belonged to high-ranking officials, each disying luxury and nobility within the regtions.

    The carriage procession leisurely headed south.

    Yuan Ming looked at the street scenes along the way, feeling a bit dazed.

    He didn¡¯t know if it was because his memory had merged with the memory of this body, but he felt that the street scenes on both sides were bing more and more familiar.

    Especially the two rows of thick pine trees on both sides of the road, each of which required two adults to hug together.

    "How strange..."

    With a belly full of doubts, Yuan Ming slowly drove the carriage to another area.

    Unlike the spacious and quiet residential area of the high-ranking officials, the streets here were noticeably narrower, and the ground was no longer paved withrge bluestone bricks, but densely packed fired bricks.

    And there were a lot of buildings along the road, densely packed.

    These buildings hung all kinds of ques and banners, some even set up bamboo or wooden sheds outside, decorated in various ways to distinguish themselves from others.

    Yuan Ming had been in the south for a long time, and his memory of the Central ins was only vague and fragmented images, but many images sleeping in his memory corresponded with the current scene.

    The bustling streets, the crowded shops, the thronging pedestrians, and the enthusiastic cries of vendors...

    Suddenly, Yuan Ming felt as if he was not possessing someone else¡¯s body, but hade here himself.

    At a nce, he saw a signboard of a small vendor by the roadside, which read "Rice Wine Glutinous Rice Balls". He couldn¡¯t help but lick his lips.

    Even though he hadn¡¯t seen the rice wine glutinous rice balls, and couldn¡¯t even recall what they specifically looked like, a warm, sweet, and soft taste had already emerged in Yuan Ming¡¯s memory.

    Not far away, the rich aroma of wine wafted from a tavern, mixed with the scent of food. It was a tastepletely different from the liquor of the Southern Border, incredibly mellow.

    Everything in front of him, what he saw, heard, and smelled, all exuded an indescribable sense of familiarity.

 Chapter 121: Worldly atmosphere

    Chapter 121: Worldly atmosphere

    "Could it be... I was originally from here?" A thought struck Yuan Ming, and he couldn¡¯t help but specte.

    The feeling seemed toe from the depths of his soul, unlike the sensation of merging with the original host¡¯s memory.

    About half an hourter.

    The caravan arrived at an open area in the south of the city, where the City God Temple stood.

    On the square outside the temple, arge crowd had already gathered. However, due to the temple doors being closed, everyone was holding incense sticks, waiting outside. The crowd was bustling, yet surprisingly quiet.

    When the general¡¯s wife¡¯s caravan arrived, the crowd was immediately parted by the soldiers, leaving a wide passage in the middle.

    The temple priest, an old Taoist with white hair, immediately came forward to greet the general¡¯s wife upon her arrival.

    Yuan Ming, along with others, stepped aside and waited quietly.

    At this moment, the general¡¯s wife descended from her carriage, her magnificent robe trailing behind her.A guard leader stepped forward, holding a delicate sandalwood box. He opened it and took out three thick and long ck incense sticks, offering them to the side.

    Only then did the temple priest hurriedly open the temple doors.

    Thedy, holding the three ck incense sticks, entered the temple. The rest of the people, merchants and civilians, followed behind ording to their respective offerings. They also began to enter the temple.

    Those apanying Yuan Ming, except for the guard leader, had to wait outside.

    As the incense ceremony began, the sound of bells and chanting drifted out from the City God Temple.

    The people in the square outside, each holding their lit incense sticks high, began to kneel and bow.

    Yuan Ming leaned against the carriage, looking around.

    The City God Temple was popr enough to attract the general¡¯s wife, which was quite telling. Looking at the respectful and solemn expressions of the crowd, it was clear that their reverence was heartfelt.

    A solemn and dignified atmosphere permeated the surroundings.

    Yuan Ming looked at the ancient City God Temple, watching the smoke rising from within. For a moment, he felt an urge to put his hands together and bow in respect.

    He turned his gaze towards the other end of the street, where there was a lively performance of various acrobatics and stilt-walking. The cheers were constant, and the atmosphere was equally lively.

    It was only then that he felt somewhat relieved. Although this possession didn¡¯t provide him with cultivation methods like thest time, it didfort his long-wandering heart in the South Border.

    The worldly atmosphere was the mostforting to ordinary people.

    At this moment, he felt like the most ordinary person in the city, briefly enjoying the long-lost worldly atmosphere.

    At this time, the round-faced man approached him again.

    "Wang Shun, what¡¯s the matter with you today?"

    "What do you mean?" Hearing the question, Yuan Ming looked at him and asked.

    "You seem distracted today, something¡¯s off. Are you feeling unwell?" The round-faced man asked with a hint of concern.

    "I¡¯m fine, probably just didn¡¯t get enough rest," Yuan Ming replied casually.

    "Are you still worried about the young master¡¯s safety? I told you not to think too much. Thedy came to offer incense today, probably to pray for the young master," the round-faced man said.

    "The young master... sigh!" Yuan Ming sighed deeply, following the man¡¯s words.

    His sigh seemed to touch the round-faced man¡¯s emotions, who couldn¡¯t help but sigh as well, "Just think about our young master, the only son of General Yuan, who has been lost for so long. Even if he¡¯s still alive, who knows how much he has suffered?"

    The only son of General Yuan, lost and away for over a year?

    Yuan Ming¡¯s heart trembled, immediately catching the key point in his words.

    He was considering how to phrase his questions to find out more information when the round-faced man continued:

    "It¡¯s said that even the emperor was deeply grieved by this. The young master had been apanying the emperor since he was a prince. He had a promising future, but now..."

    Hearing this, Yuan Ming wished he could directly ask, "What¡¯s the young master¡¯s name?" But he couldn¡¯t ask that, or he would be considered insane.

    "If the young master hadn¡¯t gone there, none of this would have happened..." Yuan Ming carefully chose his words, making a nomittalment.

    "Given the imperialmand, it was an honor to be sent to the South Border. How could he not go? Besides, the young master needed this mission to earn merit and umte experience," the round-faced man said. Yuan Ming¡¯s mind buzzed at his words, and he was momentarily stunned.

    Seeing Yuan Ming¡¯s dazed expression and his silence, the round-faced man sighed and shook his head, not saying anything more.

    ...

    Around noon, the general¡¯s wife returned to the mansion.

    Yuan Ming drove the carriage back, listening to the scattered chatter of the people along the way. He finally confirmed that the bustling city he was currently in was the capital of the Great Jin Kingdom.

    As the capital of a country, it was naturally prosperous and wealthy.

    When the caravan returned to the general¡¯s mansion and unloaded the carriage, Yuan Ming led the three horses back to the stable.

    ording to the original host¡¯s duties, he should first wash the horses and then feed them bean cakes and fodder.

    He nned to walk around the mansion after returning, looking for anything rted to General Yuan¡¯s only son.

    However, just as he was about to reach the courtyard where the stable was located, Yuan Ming suddenly encountered two tall, peculiar-looking middle-aged mening out from another courtyard.

    Both of them were wearing unique leather armor, like red-brown vests, protecting only their chest and abdomen, with their arms uncovered.

    On the vest-like leather armor, there were clearly visible rune marks, either pressed or carved into it. It was obviously a magical artifact worn by cultivators.

    The man on the left looked no different from the people of the Central ins, except for his slightly darker skin. He had strong, angr features and disheveled shoulder-length ck hair.

    The man on the right had a round face, t nose, wide mouth, andrge ears. He was bald on top, with a ring of short hair around his head. He wore tworge rings on his ears, looking very much like a person from the South Border.

    The reason Yuan Ming noticed them was mostly because of thetter.He was somewhat puzzled. Why would a person from the Southern Border appear in the General¡¯s Mansion in the capital of the Great Jin Kingdom?

    Before he could get a clear look, the two figures had already disappeared from his sight. Yuan Ming had no choice but to lead his horse back to the stable.

    Just then, Yuan Ming felt a buzzing sound in his ears, his mind sank, and he fell to the ground, feeling as if the world was spinning around him.

    ......

    In the blink of an eye, Yuan Ming woke up leisurely in his own room.

    "I¡¯m back..." Yuan Ming murmured, feeling a sense of loss.

    On the bed in front of him, an ancient green ceramic incense burner was ced in front of him. A slender ck incense stick was inserted on it, and another one had almost burned out, leaving only thest spark gradually extinguishing.

    As all the lightpletely extinguished, the incense burner turned into a stream of starlight and flowed into Yuan Ming¡¯s arm, disappearing.

    Yuan Ming felt a slight headache. After a brief rest, he couldn¡¯t wait to mobilize a strand of magic power into his arm and took out the incense burner again.

    This time, although he didn¡¯t manage to possess the young emperor again and didn¡¯t get the lower part of the "Nine Elements Form", the information he obtained gave him a great shock.

    "No, I have to try possession again and figure out who I really am," Yuan Ming frowned deeply. He now strongly suspected that he was the young master of the General¡¯s Mansion who had been lost in the Southern Border.

    Looking at the Great Ultimate pattern on it that had be dim again, he moved his mind, and the magic power flowed out from the palms of his hands, pouring into the incense burner again.

    As the magic power surged in, a hazy light lit up on the Great Ultimate pattern of the incense burner, flickering like a firefly.

    Yuan Ming gave it his all, pouring all his magic power into the incense burner without reservation, until all the magic power in his body was exhausted. Suddenly, everything in front of him turned ck, a severe pain came from his head, and then, he passed out.

    In the midst of the darkness, he suddenly had a chaotic and lengthy dream.

    In the dream, he saw himself dressed in a gorgeous brocade robe, in the style of the Central ins, standing on the deck of a luxurious ship that was seven stories high, looking into the distance.

    The ship was extravagantly decorated with carved beams and painted rafters, and there were many soldiers around, holding halberds and swords, looking majestic.

    Even though he knew it was a dream, Yuan Ming could still feel his own spirit in the dream.

    However, before he could enjoy it for long, the scene in front of him suddenly changed. He jumped off the ship in a wounded and disheveled state, and a short-haired young man in a double-breasted short robe was chasing him with a bow.

    In desperation, he had to jump off the ship and fell into the rolling flood, drifting away.

    After that, he saw himself lying on a muddy beach, a burly man with a tiger head tattoo on his chest was bending over him, rudely stuffing something into his mouth.

    Through his blurry vision, he could vaguely see a group of people standing not far away, watching this side. Among them was a slender woman in white, wearing a bamboo hat and a white veil covering her face.

    Yuan Ming tried hard to open his eyes, wanting to see the woman¡¯s face clearly. Unfortunately, before he could get a clear look, the scene changed, and he found himself in the familiar dark cave.

    Inside the cave, he was chained together with a group of Southern Border savages, one after another with handcuffs and shackles.

    He looked up and saw Hu Zha, bare-chested, carrying a big knife on his shoulder, ordering, "Kill them, kill them all..."

    The next moment, Yuan Ming suddenly opened his eyes and woke up.

    He woke up drenched in cold sweat, his chest heaving, gasping for breath, his head still aching slightly.

    The scene of possessing someone else just now did not be blurry because of his awakening, but was imprinted in his mind clearly, as if it was his lost memory, waking up.

    "That was really happening..." Yuan Ming murmured.

    At this moment, he was almost certain that he was the only son of General Yuan who had been sent to the Southern Border. He just didn¡¯t know why he was chased and fell into the water, and after a series of twists and turns, he ended up in the Bi Luo Cave.

 Chapter 122: Fragrance in the Mortal World

    Chapter 122: Fragrance in the Mortal World

    "My memory is still very fragmented, I can¡¯t remember many things clearly!" Yuan Ming shook his throbbing head, murmuring to himself with a hint of bitterness.

    This time, the incense burning in the censer triggered a possession, stimting his lost memories and reminding him of some rtively recent events.

    Yuan Ming felt that if he could possess Wang Shun once more and return to the general¡¯s mansion, he might be able to recover all his memories, even those of the person who had betrayed him.

    However, judging from his first possession of the young emperor and the second possession of the groom Wang Shun, the targets of possession seemed to be random. Whether he could possess Wang Shun again was uncertain.

    But from the information revealed in his conversation with the round-faced man, there was amon point between the two. Both were people Yuan Ming knew. If he thought further, both seemed to have a good rtionship with Yuan Ming. Yuan Ming was once the studypanion of the young emperor, and the groom cared deeply for Yuan Ming¡¯s safety. Their rtionship must have been good.

    "Could it be that the targets of possession can only be people I know or those close to me?" Yuan Ming pondered in his heart.

    From the gains, the first time he was still in the vast mountains, facing a life-and-death moment where he could not cultivate magic power, the Nine Elements Form he obtained solved the urgent need and became an important reliance for his current cultivation. As for the second time with the groom... there didn¡¯t seem to be much substantial gain. If he had to calcte, it was just some clues rted to his own life.

    "Perhaps the target of possession is rted to my thoughts and situation?" Yuan Ming¡¯s thoughts turned, and he thought of a possibility.

    All of these were just his initial guesses, after all, he had only tried twice.However, he believed that the third possession might allow him to figure out more rules.

    This made him inexplicably excited. Every time he thought about the next possession, he felt warm in his heart, and he was really itching to try!

    With this thought, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t care about anything else, immediately took out a spirit stone and held it in his hand, running the Nine Elements Form to restore his magic power.

    Half a dayter, Yuan Ming¡¯s magic power was restored, and he immediately transferred his magic power into the censer without stopping.

    However, just when his magic power was about to be exhausted, he suddenly found that the censer began to reject his magic power. No matter how he tried, the subsequent magic power could no longer be transferred into it.

    At this time, only a part of the Great Ultimate pattern on the censer was lit up, which looked like about one-seventh of the entire pattern.

    "Is this the limit of magic power infusion? Can¡¯t I light up the Great Ultimate pattern by infusing more magic power?" Yuan Ming had many guesses in his heart, but he could only give up for now.

    Fortunately, the next day, when Yuan Ming tried to infuse magic power again, he found that the censer was absorbing his magic power again.

    However, just like the previous day, only about one-seventh of the Great Ultimate pattern could be lit up before it began to reject Yuan Ming¡¯s magic power. This meant that it would take at least seven days to light up the entire Great Ultimate pattern by infusing magic power.

    This also meant that in five days, Yuan Ming would be able to possess again.

    After confirming this, Yuan Ming looked at thest stick of ck incense in the censer and fell into deep thought.

    He only had thisst stick of incense left. Once used, he would lose the opportunity to possess again. At present, Yuan Ming had not figured out the operating mechanism of this possession, and could not guarantee that one possession would give him the answers he wanted.

    So, he decided to wait until he got more ck incense before continuing to light the incense.

    The next day, early in the morning.

    Yuan Ming arrived at Qingfotang early.

    A young deacon disciple saw this and immediately came forward.

    "Brother, I want to buy some incense." Yuan Ming got straight to the point.

    "Incense? Is it the incense used for calming the mind and aiding cultivation?" The young deacon was taken aback and asked uncertainly.

    "No, I just want ordinary incense... the kind used for offerings." Yuan Ming exined.

    The young deacon stared at Yuan Ming for a while, confirming that he was not joking before shaking his head:

    "Our sect does not worship gods and spirits, and we don¡¯t sell incense. If you want to buy it, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have to go to the market outside."

    "Can I see the incense you mentioned?" Yuan Ming thought for a moment and said.

    "Wait a moment."

    The young deacon called out and quickly returned with a palm-sized round wooden box.

    "This is Ningxin Incense. When you meditate and cultivate, it can calm your mind and improve your concentration." The young deacon exined as he opened the wooden box.

    Yuan Ming saw ayer of dark red powder inside, emitting a faint sandalwood scent.

    He sighed and left directly.

    This thing was too far from the incense he wanted.

    If Qingfotang didn¡¯t have it in the sect, it was even less likely to be avable in other ces.

    After leaving Qingfotang, Yuan Ming had the idea of leaving the sect and going outside. After all, he was a little restless without finding a clue for this matter.

    He returned to Huolitang, went straight to the fire workshop, and saw Brother Fang Ge.

    "You¡¯ve only been in the sect for a short time, why do you want to travel outside?" Fang Ge was somewhat surprised.

    In the Bi Luo Cave, it was not umon for disciples and elders to travel outside. However, most of them were those who had been cultivating for many years without making progress. They would travel outside for a period of time, calm their minds, and look for opportunities to break through.

    But like Yuan Ming, who nned to travel outside less than a year after joining the sect, it was really rare."Senior Brother, you know me. Although I haven¡¯t been in the sect for long, I¡¯ve been diligent in my cultivation. Recently, I¡¯ve been feeling a bit tired and want to travel for a while. Perhaps when I return, both my cultivation and state of mind will have improved." Yuan Ming¡¯s voice was somewhat low, and his expression was quite sincere.

    "That sounds reasonable. How long do you n to be away? This needs to be recorded." Fang Ge said.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming hesitated slightly, not having decided how long he would be away.

    After all, the ck incense was different from ordinary incense. He couldn¡¯t say for sure when he would find it.

    "Let me tell you this, unless there are special circumstances, a Qi Refining disciple should not be away for more than three months. Those who fail to return on time will be expelled from the sect and treated as deserters, with a bounty issued by the Law Enforcement Hall, regardless of life or death." Senior Brother Fang Ge nced at Yuan Ming, his expression bing somewhat serious.

    "Having the support of the sect is already hard enough, who would be foolish enough to betray the sect and be a wandering cultivator who doesn¡¯t know where his next meal wille from? I¡¯ll take a three-month leave to travel." Yuan Ming joked, but he couldn¡¯t help but think of the Central ins cultivator "Ma Xingkong" who had a bounty of a thousand contribution points on the Law Enforcement Hall¡¯s stele.

    "That¡¯s fine. But let me rify in advance, during your travels, the monthly stipend from the sect will be suspended and will only be resumed after you return." Senior Brother Fang Ge nodded and said.

    "That¡¯s only fair."

    "Also, after you leave, remember not to misuse your magic when dealing with ordinary people in the mundane world, and never kill mortals indiscriminately." Fang Ge reminded.

    "What would be the consequences?" Yuan Ming asked.

    The reason he asked this was not because he was afraid of taking risks for such behavior in the future, but because he felt that what the Beast ve Hall had done before seemed somewhat contradictory to what Senior Brother Fang Ge had said.

    "Whether they are ordinary people or cultivators, we all share the same world, so it¡¯s impossible topletely iste ourselves. In fact, most of the mundane world is under the influence of different cultivation sects. Indiscriminately killing mortals can sometimes be seen as a provocation to the cultivation sects, which can bring unnecessary trouble." Fang Ge said.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming finally understood that even ordinary people lived under the influence of cultivation powers.

    But thinking about it, did that mean that the Beast ve Hall¡¯s previous actions, whether hunting wild men or ughtering viges, were all misdeeds on their own territory?

    Thinking of this, Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of indescribable disgust.

    "The reason I¡¯m telling you this is more to hope that you can discipline yourself and notmit indiscriminate killings." Senior Brother Fang Ge spoke again, reminding him.

    Obviously, he also knew that this kind of restraint was not strong, and it relied more on the self-reflection and self-discipline of the cultivators.

    "Yuan Ming will keep Senior Brother¡¯s teachings in mind." Yuan Ming saluted with his fist.

    "By the way, when you go to the mundane world, you can¡¯t do without money. Remember to go to the Qingfutang to exchange some silver coins to take with you." Seeing this, Senior Brother Fang Ge nodded in satisfaction and then reminded.

    After Yuan Ming nodded in agreement, he bid farewell and left.

    He went back to make all the preparations. He wanted to inform Silver Cat, but he couldn¡¯t find him.

    So, he left a note on the desk by the window, writing "Traveling, will return in three months", and then left Biluo Cave directly.

    ......

    A few dayster.

    A man in a green robe, riding a ck horse, was slowly walking on a mountain path.

    He had a handsome and youthful face, but there was no trace of immaturity. It was Yuan Ming who had left the sect.

    At this moment, he was sitting on the horseback, gently holding the reins, his eyes slightly closed, seemingly letting the horse lead him forward. But every time they came to a fork in the road, or the horse walked off the path, he would gently pull the reins to adjust the direction.

    Above his head, a ck crow was flying over the forest, its eyes scanning the surroundings vigntly.

    The reason Yuan Ming didn¡¯t need to watch the road was because he had the crow¡¯s vision.

    The other two crows had also been released by him, one for scouting the road, and the other for practicing his ability to control three crows and view three different perspectives at the same time.

    This was actually a kind of cultivation, a cultivation of his soul refining ability and control ability.

    Soon, one of the crows found a vige built in a valley, with about thirty-seven or eight households, all of which were bamboo houses and wooden buildings.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s spirit was slightly lifted, and he opened his eyes.

    This was thergest vige he had encountered in the past few days.

 Chapter 123: Try passion fruit

    Chapter 123: Try passion fruit

    After recalling his soul crow, Yuan Ming rode non-stop and quickly arrived at the outskirts of a vige.

    After dismounting, he led his horse on foot into the vige. In an open space near an old por tree at the entrance of the vige, he encountered several children at y.

    These children were only seven or eight years old, their heads adorned with small braids. Upon seeing a stranger entering the vige, their first reaction was not curiosity, but fear. They scattered and ran towards their respective homes.

    The few vigers outside also disappeared in the blink of an eye. Every household in the vige hurriedly closed and bolted their doors. Apart from the barking of dogs, there was no other sound to be heard.

    Yuan Ming was somewhat taken aback by this scene. He led his horse through the vige.

    In the center of the vige, he saw an old woman with white hair sitting next to a well. It seemed that she had fallen due to running too hastily and was having trouble getting up.

    Yuan Ming led his horse over. The old woman, frightened, retreated continuously, her face ashen.

    "Olddy, don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m just passing by. I mean no harm," Yuan Ming quickly exined in the Southern Bordernguage.

    Seeing that Yuan Ming was clean and spoke gently, not like a bad person, the old woman finally rxed a bit."In this godforsaken ce, apart from bandits and human traffickers, hardly anyonees. How did you end up here?" She brushed away the messy hair on her forehead and asked.

    Yuan Ming stepped forward to help the old woman sit up and found that her ankle was twisted and somewhat swollen.

    He grabbed the old woman¡¯s ankle with one hand and her calf with the other. With a slight use of his magical power, he straightened the twisted muscles in an instant.

    The old woman, who had been in great pain a moment ago, immediately felt no pain at all in her ankle.

    "Are you a doctor?" The old woman looked at Yuan Ming again and eximed.

    "No, I¡¯m not a doctor. I¡¯m just passing by and wanted to ask if there¡¯s anywhere in this vige where I can buy incense... the kind used for offerings," Yuan Ming exined.

    "That incense... We don¡¯t have a temple to worship gods in our vige, and everyone is too poor to afford incense. If you want to buy incense, you should head south from our ck Mountain Vige to Baiji Town. You can buy incense in the funeral shop there," the old woman thought for a moment and said.

    "Thank you," Yuan Ming said, thanked her, and left with his horse.

    The old woman waited until he was far away before she dared to get up. She moved her foot and found that it hadpletely recovered, which made her extremely happy.

    At this time, people gradually came out of their houses. Most of them were the elderly, weak, women, and children. There were few young and strong men. They all came over to ask questions.

    The old woman, no longer trembling with fear, excitedly recounted what had just happened, concluding, "He¡¯s just a wandering barefoot doctor looking for medicinal ash. There¡¯s no need for everyone to make a fuss."

    ...

    Following the old woman¡¯s directions, Yuan Ming quickly arrived at Baiji Town.

    Although it was called a town, it looked more like a vige built on rtively tnd. It wasn¡¯t much bigger than the old woman¡¯s vige, and it was also sparsely popted and deste.

    Upon entering the town, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t encounter the situation where every household was closed. However, the few people he did encounter all looked very wary and fearful.

    After some difficulty, Yuan Ming found the location of the funeral shop and hurried over.

    It was a small courtyard at the end of the town. There was no proper sign inside or outside the door. Without someone pointing it out, it would be hard for Yuan Ming to recognize it as a funeral shop.

    However, as soon as he entered the courtyard, Yuan Ming saw several coffins in the yard. They were smaller and rougher than the ones he remembered from the Central ins.

    A thin old man in a grey robe was busy sanding one of the coffins.

    "Young man, is there anything I can help you with?" Seeing that a stranger hade in, the old man stopped his work and looked up to ask.

    "Oh, I want to buy some incense and candles," Yuan Ming said.

    Seeing that he only wanted to buy some incense and candles, the old man led Yuan Ming into the house.

    In the dim wooden house, various items were scattered about in a mess. The old man lifted a wooden box from the ground and ced it on the table, removing the wooden board that covered it.

    Inside the box were neatly arranged pairs of thumb-thick white candles and bundles of thin incense.

    There weren¡¯t many types of incense, one was red and the other was ck. They only varied in thickness, the thinnest was like a willow branch, and the thickest was only about the size of a child¡¯s little finger.

    "I¡¯ll take one of each of these," Yuan Ming said, pointing at the bundles of incense after looking them over.

    "Just the incense, no candles?" the old man asked, puzzled.

    "No need," Yuan Ming nodded.

    The old man looked confused but didn¡¯t ask any more questions. He took four bundles of incense out of the box, two red and two ck, each of different thicknesses.

    After paying, Yuan Ming left the small town.

    He found a secluded cave in the mountains, set up traps outside, and then blocked the entrance with stones.

    Then, he sat quietly in the cave, summoned the incense burner, and ced the newly bought incense on the ground.

    At present, he was not sure whether the key to his soul possession was the incense burner or whether both the incense burner and the incense were equally important.

    In any case, this first attempt had to be made in a rtively safe environment.

    Yuan Ming first took out a thin ck incense stick from the middle and inserted it upright in the center of the incense burner, about a finger¡¯s distance from thest ck incense stick on the burner.

    His gaze moved back and forth between the two ck incense sticks a few times. He found that although both were ck in color, the incense that came with the burner was far superior in texture, craftsmanship, and surface smoothness to the newly bought one.

    "It¡¯s a pity that there¡¯s only this one left."

    Yuan Ming gave a bitter smile, took out a match, lit the me, and moved it towards the ck incense in the middle.

    The me quickly ignited the incense, and a wisp of white smoke slowly rose, apanied by a familiar scent of incense.The scent was no different from what Yuan Ming had smelled when he was attached to Wang Shun outside the City God Temple. In fact, it was also quite simr to the scent of the two ck incense sticks he had lit before.

    However, even as the incense burned, he remainedpletely lucid, without the slightest hint of drowsiness.

    "As expected, it won¡¯t be that easy..." Yuan Ming sighed.

    When the ck incense had burned halfway, Yuan Ming pulled it out of the incense burner, but stubbornly lit another slender ck stick.

    However, the situation remained the same.

    After the incense had burned a small portion, Yuan Ming pulled it out and tossed it aside.

    Next, he pulled out a slender red incense stick, inserted it into the incense burner, and lit it.

    The bright red me lit up at the tip of the incense, and a wisp of smoke rose.

    Yuan Ming waited for a moment, saw no abnormalities, then pulled out the red incense and tossed it aside.

    The third stick of incense was a slightly thicker and shorter red one, with a bamboo stick embedded at the base.

    Yuan Ming inserted it into the incense burner and lit it.

    Compared to the previous two sticks of incense, the only change this one brought was a thicker smoke. Other than that, everything was the same, and naturally, it couldn¡¯t allow Yuan Ming to attach his soul.

    After burning for a while, Yuan Ming pulled it out.

    Finally, the only thing left in front of him was a slightly shorter and thicker ck incense stick.

    He had the highest hopes for this incense because it looked the most simr to the ck incense that came with the incense burner.

    Just as Yuan Ming solemnly inserted it into the incense burner and lit it, his vision became somewhat blurred under the cover of the smoke.

    However, he himself didn¡¯t feel any different, and the incense burner showed no changes.

    Unsurprisingly, he had failed.

    "It really isn¡¯t that simple to find it!" Yuan Ming shook his head. Although he was a bit frustrated, he had been mentally prepared.

    After speaking, he got up, moved the stone blocking the cave entrance, and went outside to breathe some fresh air.

    Looking at the gradually setting sun, Yuan Ming decided not to continue his journey. He sat cross-legged under an ancient tree and began to practice the Nine Yuan Jue.

    Finding the ck incense was important, but cultivation couldn¡¯t be neglected for a day.

    ......

    Half a monthter.

    In a bustling market town, Yuan Ming, dressed in a green-gray robe, walked into a candle and incense shop.

    The shopkeeper was an old man with white hair. Seeing a young man enter, he quickly greeted him with a smile.

    "Shopkeeper, show me all the incense you have." Before the old man could speak, Yuan Ming said.

    "Alright, please wait a moment, sir." The old man seemed a bit taken aback by Yuan Ming¡¯s directness, but without asking further, he went back to the counter, took out all the incense in the shop, andid them out for Yuan Ming to choose.

    "I don¡¯t know what you need it for? Although my shop is small, we have a wide variety of incense. If you need, I can introduce some to you." The old man asked.

    Yuan Ming nced at the counter and knew the old man wasn¡¯t boasting. There were about a dozen different types of incense on the table, varying in thickness, texture, and style.

    Some were as thick as a thumb, with gold and silver lines outlining cloud patterns. Some were slender, but mixed with gold and silver spots, looking very exquisite.

    Most of them, Yuan Ming had already bought and tried in the past half month.

    After a moment of hesitation, Yuan Ming took out his ck incense stick.

    "Shopkeeper, have you ever seen this kind of incense?"

    Upon seeing this, the shopkeeper quickly rubbed his hands, carefully took the ck incense from Yuan Ming, and examined it closely.

    After looking at it for a while, he seemed unable to find anything special about it and said with some difficulty, "I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t see anything special about this ck incense just by its appearance. May I ask where you bought it?"

    Yuan Ming was speechless. If he could buy it or knew where to get it, he wouldn¡¯t havee here to ask.

    "I won¡¯t lie to you, I came here because I can¡¯t buy it anywhere else." Yuan Ming said.

    "If you could tell me where it¡¯s from, I might be able to help you figure out what kind of incense it is." The old man suggested after thinking for a moment.

    "Oh, does it make a difference?" Yuan Ming asked, puzzled.

 Chapter 124: Incense workshop

    Chapter 124: Incense workshop

    "Different regions use simr ingredients for making incense, with only slight variations in the process and scent. However, due to different regional outputs, there are often subtle differences, with some local materials added. If you know where it¡¯s produced, I might be able to make a close guess," the old man slowly exined.

    Yuan Ming first nodded, but then shook his head.

    "Then I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t help," the old man said regretfully, shaking his head.

    "If I were to break off a small piece, scrape it into powder, or light it, could you help me identify the materials inside?" Yuan Ming suddenly had an idea and asked.

    "You¡¯re overestimating me. To achieve that level, one would probably need to be a master incense maker with decades of experience. I don¡¯t have that ability," the old man shook his head and said with a bitter smile.

    "Do you know any such incense makers, since you often deal in this incense and candle business?" Yuan Ming asked, intrigued.

    The old man furrowed his brows in thought, but not long after, a strange expression appeared on his face.

    He seemed hesitant and unsure.

    "Take your time, shopkeeper. I¡¯ll take a bunch of each of these incenses on the table," Yuan Ming said, seeing this."Right!" The old man eximed, a glimmer of joy shing in his eyes.

    "Now that you mention it, I do remember someone. His family has been making incense for generations, and their ancestral incense workshop has been open for over a hundred years. If anyone has the ability, it would be him."

    "May I ask where this person is now?" Yuan Ming asked, his spirits lifted.

    "His incense workshop is in Iron Tiger Town, a few dozen miles from here. If you go there and ask around, you¡¯re sure to find it. However, I haven¡¯t been there to pick up goods for more than half a year, and I haven¡¯t seen him for a long time," the old man said, packing up the incense on the table efficiently.

    By the time he finished speaking, the bundled incense was already ced in front of Yuan Ming.

    After paying, Yuan Ming asked the old man about the situation of the incense workshop in Iron Tiger Town, then turned and left.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t rush to leave the town, but found an inn to stay in.

    The inn was actually a row of simple wooden houses with simple furnishings. Fortunately, there were not many guests on ordinary days, so it was quiet.

    Yuan Ming chose the room furthest inside and began the tedious task of testing the incense.

    Over the past half a month, he had lit incense hundreds of times, buying every type of incense he could find in each ce he visited, and testing them one by one.

    But without exception, all had failed. The incense burner remained unresponsive.

    Late at night, the moon was setting in the west.

    Yuan Ming watched as the incense stick with cloud patterns burned out in the incense burner, but he didn¡¯t remove it, letting the smoke fill the room.

    After so many failures, he was numb to it.

    On the contrary, if he were to suddenly seed now, he might feel a sense of unreality.

    "It seems I can only try my luck in Iron Tiger Town. If that doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll have to return to the sect," Yuan Ming had begun to consider retreating.

    He felt that he might have made a directional error. This ck incense was not a mundane object, but a consumable magical tool produced by some special sect?

    Although there was nothing like this in Qingfotang, and he had never seen it in various historical records, this did not mean that the ck incense was definitely not a magical tool. At most, it could only indicate that it was not produced by the sects in the Southern Border.

    Or perhaps, during the refining process of this incense, some unknown spiritual material was mixed in, which resulted in this peculiar effect of possession?

    "I wonder if that silver cat followed me. I haven¡¯t seen it for a long time. It said that this incense burner is not a mundane object, maybe it knows something? Speaking of which, this silver cat is quite special," Yuan Ming collected his chaotic thoughts, got up and opened the window, letting the moonlight pour into the room.

    He himself sat in the bright moonlight, closing his eyes and began to practice the Death Moon method.

    However, not long after he closed his eyes, Yuan Ming suddenly opened them, btedly realizing that the Iron Tiger Town mentioned by the old man today sounded strangely familiar.

    But when he tried to recall, he couldn¡¯t remember where he had heard it.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s thoughts were stirred, and he couldn¡¯t calm down. He had to give up practicing the Death Moon method and sat in meditation for a while, practicing the Nine Yuan method.

    Early the next morning, Yuan Ming rode out of the town, following the directions given by the old man in the incense shop, heading straight for Iron Tiger Town.

    ...

    The two towns were only a few dozen miles apart, but there were significant differences in both scale and terrain.

    Iron Tiger Town was surrounded by t and open terrain, with arge river to the north. The town was well-built, with fortifications even constructed on the river side, which were impassable.

    Yuan Ming took a detour to a wooden bridge upstream to cross the river. By evening, he had circled to the south side of the town and finally saw an open city gate.

    Compared to the viges and towns he had encountered before, this ce was much more bustling.

    There were quite a few peopleing in and out of the city gate, and there were even Southern Border soldiers in heavy armor guarding the entrance.

    Yuan Ming dismounted and walked his horse, quickly reaching the city gate.

    The Southern Border soldiers merely nced at him before shifting their gaze, not bothering to interrogate him.

    Once inside the city, Yuan Ming immediately noticed a notice board nearby, covered with various notices.

    Thetest one clearly stated that a curfew was in effect in the town. After the beginning of the night watch, anyone wandering outside without a lord¡¯s hand order or amander¡¯s token would be arrested and given thirty military beatings.

    Yuan Ming looked up at the sky, realizing that the night watch was not far off.Just as he was about to leave, his gaze was suddenly drawn to a weathered and faded missing person notice hidden under twoyers of other notices. The vague details suggested that it was about the disappearance of a member of a certain group from the Great Jin, but the words and the portrait were already blurred beyond recognition.

    "Great Jin... a missing person?" Yuan Ming was puzzled as he looked at the damaged notice.

    However, he was only intrigued by the words "Great Jin" and didn¡¯t pay much attention to it. He led his horse and walked into the town.

    Not long after he entered the town, the sky began to darken.

    The pedestrians on the street were hurrying along, clearly afraid of viting the curfew. They were all rushing home.

    As a cultivator, Yuan Ming naturally didn¡¯t fear these mundane rules, but he didn¡¯t want to cause any trouble either. He nned to find an inn to stay for the night and then look for the incense workshop the next day.

    Coincidentally, he didn¡¯t have to go far before he saw a shop on the street with a string of big rednterns hanging outside. A green cloth sign hung outside, with the word "Inn" written in white paint.

    Under the sign, leaning against the door, sat an old man dressed in a satin robe and a square feathered hat. Judging by his attire, he seemed to be a wealthy man.

    However, his skin was rough and dark, his face was full of wrinkles, and he was puffing on an old pipe. Under the white smoke, his old face showed a hint of bitterness.

    "Judging by his appearance, he must be a nouveau riche..." Yuan Ming concluded in his heart.

    As Yuan Ming noticed the old man, the old man also noticed him.

    The old man, who had a worried and bitter expression just a moment ago, immediately put on a smile and greeted Yuan Ming warmly.

    "Noble guest, you must havee from afar. You must be tired from your journey," the old man asked.

    "Are you the owner of this inn?" Yuan Ming asked suspiciously.

    "Yes, yes. You look like a young man who has been traveling. You just arrived in our Iron Tiger Town, you probably don¡¯t know about the curfew here, do you? Do you have a ce to stay? If you don¡¯t mind, why not rest in my humble inn?" The old man asked with concern and enthusiasm.

    Yuan Ming nced into the inn¡¯s lobby. The lights were already on, and it looked clean and bright. Most importantly, it looked quiet and empty, with no sign of many people.

    "Do you have any rooms that are not facing the street and are a bit quieter?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "Yes, yes, we have rooms in the backyard. They don¡¯t face the street, and there¡¯s a bamboo grove outside. I can guarantee that they are the quietest rooms in town," the old man quickly rmended.

    Yuan Ming nced at the street behind him. There was no other inn in sight, so he nodded, "Then please arrange a room for me."

    "Don¡¯t worry, I guarantee you¡¯ll be satisfied."

    The old man replied with a smile, then turned and shouted into the inn, "Tule,e out and take the guest¡¯s horse."

    Soon, a young man with simrly dark skin, who looked somewhat like the old man, came out at a trot. He took the reins from Yuan Ming and led the horse down a small path next to the inn towards the backyard.

    "Remember to wash the guest¡¯s horse and feed it the best fodder," the old man reminded loudly.

    The young man didn¡¯t respond, and it was unclear whether he had heard the old man¡¯s instructions.

    "Hehe, my son, he¡¯s been like a block of wood since he was a child. Please don¡¯t mind him," the old man said with a smile.

    "No problem," Yuan Ming waved his hand.

    "Pleasee in," the old man invited Yuan Ming into the inn.

    As Yuan Ming stepped over the threshold, he casually asked, "How long have you been running this inn?"

    "Noble guest, don¡¯t call me ¡¯innkeeper¡¯, it¡¯s too formal. Just call me Old Pipe..." The old man was still speaking in a friendly manner, but when he entered the room and saw Yuan Ming¡¯s face clearly in the light, he suddenly froze.

    Yuan Ming noticed the old man¡¯s sudden silence and found it strange. He looked at the old man and saw that he was staring at him in surprise.

    "Innkeeper, what¡¯s wrong?" He subconsciously touched his cheek and then asked.

    The old man seemed to snap out of his daze, an awkward smile appeared on his face, and he said, "Oh, I didn¡¯t see clearly outside. It wasn¡¯t until I came in that I realized... it¡¯s been so many years, I haven¡¯t seen such a fair-skinned young man in Iron Tiger Town."

 Chapter 125: Gambling house

    Chapter 125: Gambling house

    Yuan Ming was taken aback by the old man¡¯s words, somewhat puzzled.

    "I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to offend you. Please don¡¯t take it to heart." The old man apologized repeatedly, his eyes flickering.

    "Take me to my room." Yuan Ming waved his hand and said.

    The old man quickly nodded and led the way, taking Yuan Ming through the back door of the lobby and down a corridor towards the inner courtyard.

    The courtyard was filled with trees, providing a tranquil environment. However, the rooms they passed were all pitch ck.

    "There seem to be many people in this town, but this inn doesn¡¯t seem to be doing well." Yuan Ming thought to himself.

    Upon reaching the backyard, he saw the young man who had been feeding his horse.

    He followed the old man to the innermost guest room. The room was simply furnished but clean. Yuan Ming was satisfied overall. It was much better than the rural inns he had stayed in before, but naturally, the price was also much higher.

    "Sir, please make yourself at home. Do you need dinner tonight?" The old man asked."No need. I don¡¯t want to be disturbed at night." Yuan Ming said, tossing a silver coin to the old man.

    He had roasted beast meat in his storage bag, so he didn¡¯t n to eat the food provided by the inn.

    "Alright, no problem. You should rest early." The old man took the silver coin, his eyes lighting up. He bit the coin and was about to leave when Yuan Ming suddenly asked, "By the way, do you know of an old incense workshop in this town called ¡¯Jixiangfang¡¯?"

    Hearing this, the old man paused, took the silver coin out of his mouth and put it in his pocket.

    "Are you asking because you want to buy incense? If you need these, I also run a general store. We sell them there, and I can give you a discount." The old man asked with a smile.

    "I¡¯m not buying incense. I want to learn the craft of making incense. Do you know where the workshop is?" Yuan Ming shook his head and asked.

    "Oh, I do know where it is, but it¡¯s a bit out of the way. If you want to find it yourself, it might be difficult. How about this, I¡¯ll take you there tomorrow morning?" The old man said with a heartyugh.

    "Thank you for your trouble." Yuan Ming thanked him.

    The old man closed the door behind him and walked into the courtyard.

    The young man who had been feeding Yuan Ming¡¯s horse was still there, seemingly waiting for him.

    "Dad, how is it? Is he rich?" The young man asked, his expression still dull but his speech clear.

    The old man immediately put a finger to his lips, signaling the young man to follow him.

    After they left the backyard, the old man lit his pipe again, took a puff, and slowly said after exhaling a puff of white smoke, "What a pity..."

    "What, is he a pauper? Anyone who can afford a horse can¡¯t be a pauper, right?" The young man raised his eyebrows, surprised.

    "If he hade half a year earlier, we might have been able to earn another bounty. But now... it¡¯s a bit awkward." The old man didn¡¯t answer his son¡¯s question, but mused.

    "Dad, what are you talking about?" The young man asked, puzzled.

    "Nothing, this young man is our benefactor. We must treat him well." The old man finished speaking, took a puff of his pipe, and walked towards the front yard.

    ...

    The next day, not long after the curfew was lifted.

    Yuan Ming woke up from his cultivation, stretched, and went to the front yard.

    The old man was sitting at the entrance of the lobby, watching the people on the street.

    The city gate had just opened, and there were already many small traders on the street. However, there was no business to be had.

    The old man was smoking his pipe, his eyes somewhat distant, lost in thought.

    Yuan Ming greeted him, and he quickly stood up.

    After a few words, the old man pped his forehead and said, "Oh, I almost forgot. I promised to take you to the incense workshop yesterday."

    With that, he called his son to watch the shop, and led Yuan Ming down the street towards the town.

    The bustling Tiehu Town was naturally far less lively than the Great Jin Capital that Yuan Ming had seen before. However, the surrounding buildings had a distinct southern border style, and the cries of the vendors had a different charm.

    The old man was like a qualified tour guide, exining the situation in the town to Yuan Ming as they walked. They asionally ran into one or two acquaintances and exchanged greetings.

    After walking down the main street for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the old man led Yuan Ming into a side alley.

    They walked down this narrow alley for a long time, until they could no longer hear the noise of the main street. Finally, they arrived at the incense workshop.

    However, Yuan Ming was greatly disappointed.

    It was a medium-sized courtyard with a copper lock hanging on the gate. The lock was covered in cobwebs and a thickyer of dust.

    The stone steps in front of the courtyard were also covered in leaves and debris. It seemed that no one had lived here for a long time.

    "Is this the incense workshop?" Yuan Ming asked, frowning.

    "Yes, it is. Look, their sign is still there." The old man pointed to a dirty, old sign on the door frame with his pipe and said.

    Yuan Ming took a closer look and could vaguely make out the characters "Jixiang". As for the third character "Fang", only the left part "Mu" was left.

    "What happened? Did they move?" Yuan Ming asked, puzzled.

    "I¡¯m not sure either. Wait a moment, I¡¯ll ask for you." The old man said, and went to knock on the door of a neighboring house.

    A woman in coarse clothes came out of the house, spoke a few words with the old man, and then went back inside.

    "I¡¯ve asked. The neighbors said that the owner of this workshop got addicted to gambling a year ago and lost all his money. After his wife ran away with someone else half a year ago, he was rarely seen." The old man walked up to Yuan Ming and said.

    "He¡¯s a gambler..." Yuan Ming was stunned.

    "What do you want to do? Should we go back, or should I ask around for you?" The old man asked.

    "I still want to meet him." Yuan Ming thought that since he was already here, he should at least ask."Alright. I¡¯ll ask around for you," Old Pipe said.

    "Thank you. If you can find him, I¡¯ll certainly reward you handsomely," Yuan Ming quickly expressed his gratitude.

    Upon hearing this, Old Pipe¡¯s eyes lit up.

    "Do you think we should try our luck at the gambling house? Once a person gets addicted to gambling, it¡¯s hard to quit. They might not go home, but they might not be able to resist the gambling house," Old Pipe suddenly suggested.

    "That¡¯s a good idea. Even if we don¡¯t run into him at the gambling house, we might meet someone who knows him," Yuan Ming agreed, finding the idea reasonable.

    "That¡¯s the idea," Old Pipe nodded in agreement.

    "How many gambling houses are there in this town? Why don¡¯t you tell me where they are, and we can split up to look for him?" Yuan Ming suggested.

    "No need, no need. Although there are several gambling houses in this town, the nearest one is called ¡¯Mountain River Gambling House¡¯. As the old saying goes, ¡¯gamble close, whore far¡¯, if he were to go, he would most likely go there. It¡¯s still early, let¡¯s go there together," Old Pipe chuckled.

    Yuan Ming naturally agreed and nodded.

    The two quickly left the alley and returned to the main street.

    After walking a distance to the north, they soon saw a towering building.

    The building had three floors, each floor was about twenty feet high, and it was built entirely of Phoebe zhennan wood. What was special was that on one side of the building, there was a fake mountain about thirty to forty feet high, and on the right side, there was a small river about twenty feet wide, semi-encircling the building, which seemed to be artificially excavated.

    Outside the gate, there was a diamond-shaped wooden sign hanging, with the points of dice carved on one side and the words "Mountain River Gambling House" written in Southern Border script on the other.

    Following Old Pipe, Yuan Ming walked up to the gambling house and saw two burly men standing outside the main entrance, with a heavy curtain hanging on the door.

    Old Pipe greeted the two men familiarly and then lifted the curtain.

    The moment the heavy curtain was lifted, a cacophony of shouting mixed with the sound of dice hitting the table and Pai Gow hitting the table came from inside.

    There was also a stuffy, unpleasant smell that hit them in the face.

    Old Pipe led Yuan Ming inside, where they saw nine gambling tables in the spacious first floor of the gambling house.

    Yuan Ming took a quick nce and found that five of the tables were ying dice, three were ying Pai Gow, and thest one he didn¡¯t recognize, only seeing that the gambling tools were a pile of ck and a pile of white round stones.

    "I¡¯ll go ask around for you," Old Pipe said, and walked over to a dice table.

    Yuan Ming also didn¡¯t idle,ing to a Pai Gow table.

    There were only seven or eight people ying cards at the table, but there were a dozen or so people watching, their faces flushed with excitement and their hands itching to y.

    However, some were short of money, and some didn¡¯t have a spot to join in, so their expressions varied.

    Yuan Ming patted a scruffy-looking middle-aged man on the shoulder, who turned around and asked impatiently, "What do you want?"

    "Brother, can I ask you something?"

    Before Yuan Ming could finish his sentence, the middle-aged man waved his hand impatiently and said, "I don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t know..."

    After saying that, he turned his head back to the gambling table.

    Yuan Ming had no choice but to pat a short man who was standing on his toes and craning his neck to see the table.

    Thetter turned his head to look at Yuan Ming, and although he wasn¡¯t as impatient as the previous man, he still asked coldly, "What is it?"

    "Brother, I want to ask you something," Yuan Ming said.

    "Speak quickly, I¡¯m busy!" the short man frowned.

    "Do you know where the owner of the ¡¯Auspicious Workshop¡¯ in the town has gone?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "Are you talking about Wu Sang?" the short man raised his eyebrows and asked.

    Only then did Yuan Ming remember that he had assumed that finding such a long-established workshop would not be too difficult, so he had never thought to ask what the owner¡¯s name was.

    He instinctively wanted to ask Old Pipe, but when he turned his head, he found that the old man had disappeared.

 Chapter 126: Betting

    Chapter 126: Betting

    "Why are you looking for that jinx? Aren¡¯t you afraid of bad luck?" A short man saw Yuan Ming looking around and called out to him.

    "Oh, I heard that his family has been making incense for generations and they are quite skilled. I want to learn from him," Yuan Ming replied.

    "What good is skill when he has such rotten luck? I¡¯ve never seen anyone with worse luck. He lost his entire fortune in just a few days. I heard his wife even ran off with someone else," the short man sneered.

    "You may not know this, but he actually owes me quite a bit of money. I have no choice but to find him. Do you know where this Wusang is now?" Yuan Ming ignored the man¡¯s mockery and asked in a low voice.

    "Who knows where he¡¯s hiding from his debts now. You want to find him to get your money back? I think you¡¯ll have to wait until your next life," the short man rolled his eyes and turned back to the gambling table.

    Yuan Ming asked several people, but none of them knew anything. He even encountered someone with a bad temper who told him to get lost.

    He was feeling a bit overwhelmed, but it wasn¡¯t a total loss. He managed to confirm the man¡¯s name, which corroborated the information he had received from Old Pipe.

    "Ladies and gentlemen..."

    Yuan Ming furrowed his brows in thought for a moment, then took out a shiny silver coin from his sleeve and held it up high.He shouted out, channeling his magic power, his voice resonating with a prating force.

    The previously noisy and chaotic gambling house suddenly fell silent.

    All the gamblers¡¯ eyes were drawn to Yuan Ming.

    "Hey, you there, what are you doing?" An old man in charge of the gambling house scolded.

    "Sorry for the interruption, everyone. I¡¯m looking for some information. Whoever can provide it will get this silver coin," Yuan Ming apologized to the old man, shaking the silver coin in his hand and speaking loudly.

    The gamblers¡¯ eyes lit up with greed and they all crowded around.

    "What do you want to know? I know everything..."

    "Ask me, ask me..."

    In no time, more than half of the gamblers had gathered around.

    Those who had previously dismissed or refused Yuan Ming were taken aback and hurriedly squeezed into the crowd.

    The gambling house was in an uproar.

    "Everyone, calm down. Let me ask first, who here knows the owner of the incense workshop?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "That Wusang? I know him..."

    "I know him too, we¡¯re very close..."

    Almost everyone raised their arms.

    "Who knows where he is now?" Yuan Ming asked again.

    "I know, I know. His house is in the alley behind here. I can take you there," someone shouted.

    "There¡¯s no one at his house anymore. I¡¯m his neighbor. I know he has another house somewhere else," another person immediately contradicted.

    "Don¡¯t listen to his nonsense. Wusang doesn¡¯t have a house. He lost everything and sold himself to the army to hide from his debts," a burly man with a loud voice shouted.

    After shouting, he pushed through the crowd to stand in front of Yuan Ming.

    "Wusang, this guy, lost all his property, his wife ran away, and he owed a lot of money. So he sold himself to the army to hide from his debts. My brother works in the army, so I know about this," the burly man patted his chest, speaking confidently.

    The others quieted down after he finished speaking.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming frowned and asked, "You said he¡¯s in the army, can you take me to see him?"

    "I can, but..." The burly man hesitated, ncing at the silver coin in Yuan Ming¡¯s hand and then looking away.

    It was clear that he wanted Yuan Ming to show more sincerity.

    Without a word, Yuan Ming rubbed his fingers, and the single silver coin in his hand turned into two.

    "As long as you can take me to him, these two silver coins are yours," Yuan Ming smiled.

    "Good man! No problem, I¡¯ll take you there right away," the burly man¡¯s face lit up with joy and he immediately agreed.

    Yuan Ming looked around, but still didn¡¯t see Old Pipe. He decided to go with the man.

    With his current status, he wasn¡¯t afraid of being cheated. The one who should be afraid was the person trying to cheat him.

    But just as he was about to leave, a voice suddenly rang out from behind, "Young man, if you believe him, you¡¯re in for a hard time."

    Yuan Ming was taken aback, and the burly man was even more furious, turning around to see who was ruining his good deal.

    But when he saw who it was, his expression froze, and he quickly became docile and friendly. He shrank his neck and seemed to shrink a few inches.

    Because the person who spoke was a fat middle-aged man dressed in a brocade robe.

    His skin was very fair, a kind of yellowish white that was close to the people of the Central ins, which was distinctly different from the group of Southern Border people around him. His eyes were bright, his features were well-proportioned, and he had a circle of goatee around his mouth, which made him look both shrewd and steady.

    It was a somewhat contradictory temperament.

    "May I ask your name?" Yuan Ming, observing his aura and the reaction of the burly man, had already guessed the man¡¯s identity and understood the burly man¡¯s ill intentions.

    "This is the owner of the Mountain River Gambling House, Boss You Zhuzha." Old Pipe crawled out from somewhere and exined to Yuan Ming.

    "Boss You speaks up for justice, do you know the real whereabouts of Wu Sang?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "I won¡¯t hide it from you, most of Wu Sang¡¯s property is entrusted to my gambling house. The day he left Iron Tiger Town, I pitied him and gave him ten copper tes as travel expenses." You Zhuzha, holding his belly, walked over and said.

    "If you know Wu Sang¡¯s whereabouts, could you tell me? I would be very grateful." Yuan Ming hurriedly said.

    "I do know, but why should I tell you? You¡¯re disrupting the order of my gambling house. The fact that I haven¡¯t had you thrown out is already giving you face." You Zhuzha smirked, speaking cheerfully.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, and he asked with a smile, "Since the boss doesn¡¯t n to drive people away, there must be room for negotiation. What would it take for you to tell me?"

    "You gamble with me. If you win, I¡¯ll tell you." You Zhuzha chuckled, saying.

    "I don¡¯t gamble." Yuan Ming frowned.

    "If you can¡¯t gamble, you can learn. If you don¡¯t want to gamble, you can leave." You Zhuzha¡¯s face turned cold, he said displeased.

    Old Pipe leaned in and whispered to Yuan Ming, "This Boss You, also known as Lard, always sticks to his word. If you don¡¯t gamble, he definitely won¡¯t tell you. And your actions today have offended him, you might not have a good time once you leave."

    Yuan Ming nced down at Old Pipe and sneered in his heart.

    "I¡¯ll gamble, but someone has to exin the rules of the gambling table to me." Yuan Ming lifted his head and said.

    As soon as he said this, the surrounding gamblers immediately perked up. They looked at Yuan Ming with various expressions, whispering to each other, all holding the idea of watching a good show, ready to enjoy a gambling game.

    "Young man, I knew you were sensible, you have potential. Tell me, what do you want to y?" You Zhuzha rubbed his hands together,ughing.

    Upon hearing this, Old Pipe immediately volunteered to exin the rules of dice, Pai Gow, and guessing ck and white to Yuan Ming. He exined so vividly that even the surrounding gamblers listened in a daze.

    After Yuan Ming listened, his expression remained unchanged. He pointed to a dice table and said, "Let¡¯s gamble on dice, guessing big or small."

    "No, Boss You is best at throwing dice. You have no chance of winning if you y this. You should gamble on Pai Gow with him, you have a better chance of winning." Old Pipe quickly whispered in persuasion.

    "That¡¯s it, no changes." Yuan Ming ignored Old Pipe and walked to the dice table on his own.

    "Haha, young man, you¡¯ve got guts, I like it." You Zhuzha walked to the dealer¡¯s position.

    Yuan Ming stood at the opposite yer¡¯s position, and the rest of the people crowded around.

    The surrounding whispers continued, all discussing how Yuan Ming was courting death, bound to lose until he was stripped bare.

    "You just took out a silver coin, so the bet is a silver coin. If I win, the silver coin is mine. If you win, I lose a silver coin to you and tell you where Wu Sang is, how about it?" You Zhuzha spoke.

    "Fair enough." Yuan Ming said, cing a silver coin on the table.

    You Zhuzha picked up the dice cup and began to shake it slowly.

    "Bet big or small?" After a few shakes, he mmed the dice cup on the table and asked.

    Yuan Ming slowly pushed the silver coin towards the area marked ¡¯small¡¯ on the table.

    "Once you¡¯ve ced your bet, let go. Open." You Zhuzha gave a low shout and opened the dice cup.

    Immediately after, a smile appeared on his face, and he sang in a rhythmic tone, "Four, five, six, big. You lose."

    "Again."

    Yuan Ming¡¯s face was expressionless, and he took out another silver coin and ced it on the table.

    The smile on You Zhuzha¡¯s face grew wider, and he began to shake the dice cup again.

    ...

    In just a short while, the gambling duel had already gone through twelve rounds.

    Without exception, Yuan Ming lost every round.

    The surrounding gamblers naturally enjoyed the spectacle, asionally cheering and making the atmosphere even hotter.

    You should know that twelve silver coins were a huge fortune for ordinary people in the Southern Border.

    Losing so much money at once, anyone would find it hard to stay calm, but Yuan Ming¡¯s expression remained calm andposed, as if he didn¡¯t care at all.

    In fact, he really didn¡¯t care.

    "It seems that you¡¯re out of luck today. Losing like this is not a solution. Why note back another day?" Old Pipe came over to persuade.

    "Continue." Yuan Ming didn¡¯t look at him, just said expressionlessly.

    "Alright, alright, alright, my luck can¡¯t always be on my side. Remember, I¡¯m You Zhuzha. You¡¯ll definitely win the next round. If you don¡¯t, you cane and chop me." Seeing the situation, You Zhuzhaughed heartily.

    ¡¯Let¡¯s have another round, you¡¯ll definitely win the next one. If you don¡¯t, you cane and chop me.¡¯ This phrase had practically be You Zhuzha¡¯s catchphrase. Ever since Yuan Ming lost the fifth round, he had been saying this.

    As he spoke, he shook the dice cup again.

    After the dice settled, Yuan Ming still ced his silver coins on the "small" area.

    Just as You Zhuzha was about to open the dice cup, Yuan Ming¡¯s finger lightly tapped on the gambling table, and a faint wave of magical power spread out.

    "Sorry, young man, this time the leopard..." As You Zhuzha lifted the dice cup, he had already started to say "leopard kills all".

    However, before he could finish his sentence, he froze, staring straight at the three dice on the gambling table, his eyes wide open.

 Chapter 127: Past

    Chapter 127: Past

    "One, two, three, Boss You, you lost." Yuan Ming grinned, speaking slowly.

    "How could this..." You Zhuzha bent over, peering at the three dice, clearly engraved with the numbers "one", "two", "three". He seemed to hardly believe it.

    "Boss You actually lost?" The previously noisy scene suddenly fell silent, and the onlookers were taken aback.

    Old Pipe, standing to the side, furrowed his brows, looking surprised.

    "You little..." Anger shed in You Zhuzha¡¯s eyes as he looked at Yuan Ming.

    As he spoke, he grabbed the dice cup, intending to m it on the ground.

    Yuan Ming extended two fingers and gently pressed on the dice cup. He exerted all his strength, only to find that he couldn¡¯t move the dice cup at all.

    "Boss You, the twelve silver coins I put up front were my sincerity. If you keep winning, it would be impolite." Yuan Ming bent slightly, speaking in a voice only the two of them could hear.

    Upon hearing this, You Zhuzha was stunned at first, then quickly realized he had met a master.However, the others around them didn¡¯t notice anything unusual, looking puzzled at the two men whispering to each other.

    "Young man, see, I told you that you would definitely win this round! Haha, I am You Zhuzha, my words always count." You Zhuzha released his grip on the dice cup, straightened up, and quickly put on a smiling face.

    As he spoke, he picked up a silver coin and pushed it back along with the one Yuan Ming had bet.

    Yuan Ming also straightened up, picked up the two silver coins, and looked at You Zhuzha.

    "When Wu Sang left, he said he was going to a temple about twenty or thirty miles outside of Tiehu Town. I didn¡¯t ask what he was going to do there, and I can¡¯t guarantee whether he¡¯s still there." You Zhuzha quickly said.

    "Boss You is a smart man, your memory should be good. Why don¡¯t you think carefully, is there anything you¡¯ve overlooked?" Yuan Ming showed a somewhat teasing smile, using his spiritual power to gaze at him.

    You Zhuzha suddenly felt a chill down his spine, as if he had fallen into an ice cer, and any wicked thoughts he had just had were instantly gone.

    "Right, right, the temple is to the north of the town. Young man, I make a living by my skills, not by talking." You Zhuzha forced himself to calm down and spoke.

    "Thank you very much, I wish Boss You a prosperous business, and I¡¯lle to learn from you when I have time."

    Yuan Ming¡¯s smile suddenly turned gentle, and You Zhuzha secretly breathed a sigh of relief, repeatedly saying "definitely, definitely".

    After speaking, Yuan Ming turned around and left the gambling house under the watchful eyes of the gamblers who were somewhat confused about the situation.

    When did Boss You, who could easily bankrupt people and leave them in debt, be so easy to talk to?

    Old Pipe was stunned for a moment, casting an inquiring look at You Zhuzha.

    Thetter, however, didn¡¯t even nce at him. He stared nkly at Yuan Ming¡¯s retreating figure until itpletely disappeared from the doorway. Only then did he truly rx, only to find that his back was already covered in cold sweat.

    Old Pipe rubbed his head with his pipe in frustration and followed Yuan Ming out with a little trot.

    After catching up with Yuan Ming, he gave a thumbs up and praised, "Young man, in all this time, you¡¯re the first one I¡¯ve seen who has won against Zhuzha in dice. You¡¯re really something."

    "Thank you for thepliment, I¡¯m ttered." Yuan Ming smiled and replied indifferently.

    "In my opinion, you should take advantage of your good luck and y a few more rounds to win back all the money you lost earlier. Maybe you could even double it!" Old Pipe said with a regretful look on his face.

    Yuan Ming turned to look at him, his face expressionless.

    Old Pipe was startled by his action and felt a chill in his heart, not daring to continue speaking.

    Yuan Ming knew clearly that as soon as he entered the Shanhe Gambling House, Old Pipe had disappeared. Considering the details of the events before and after, it was likely that he had gone to the back hall to discuss with You Zhuzha how to trap him at the gambling table so that the two of them could squeeze him dry together.

    Seeing that he hadn¡¯t lost all his money, Old Pipe still seemed to be unwilling to give up and was thinking about trapping him again.

    As for this, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t bother to argue. He also understood why Old Pipe¡¯s inn was so deserted. This old man probably often brought business to the gambling house, so he was so familiar with the rules of the gambling house that he could even speak them more fluently than the croupiers.

    The two of them walked back to the inn in silence, one in front and one behind.

    "Feed my horse well tonight. I¡¯ll leave Tiehu Town early tomorrow morning." Yuan Ming said suddenly as he reached the entrance of the inn.

    "You just arrived, why are you leaving so soon? Stay a little longer..." Before Old Pipe could finish his sentence, Yuan Ming had already walked through the lobby towards the backyard with his hands behind his back.

    Seeing this, Tu Le came over and asked, "Dad, why are you back so early?"

    Old Pipe thought for a while with his head down, then turned around and left the inn, heading towards the Shanhe Gambling House.

    He left his son standing there, puzzled and dazed.

    ...

    At night.

    Yuan Ming sat in the room, holding a censer in his arms. Three ravens flew out from his forehead one after another, heading towards the courtyard.

    He practiced the Death Moon method while controlling the three ravens.

    Now, he could rtively freely control the vision of the three ravens, no longer feeling the sense of disconnection he had initially. The images from the three perspectives appeared in his sea of consciousness, as easy to watch as three scrolls of paintings.

    Two of the ravens flew towards the two ends of Tiehu Town, one south and one north.

    Thest raven pped its wings and flew out of his window towards the front yard of the inn.

    In the courtyard, his horse was tied next to the manger, eating hay.

    The dry, yellow-green hay was mixed with bean dregs, indeed using top-quality feed.

    After the raven silently circled above the horse¡¯s head, it flew towards the front yard. As soon as it flew over a row of houses, it saw Old Pipe sitting against the wall in the yard.

    He was holding his pipe, the tobo inside sparking, flickering on and off.

    Across from him, the wooden young man was sitting on a small stool.

    The raven nced at them and was about to fly away.At this moment, a young man named Tule from below suddenly asked, "Father, why have you been so preupied since you came back from the Shanhe Gambling House this afternoon?"

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming decided not to leave in a hurry. He controlled the raven tond on a branch next to the two.

    Old Pipe didn¡¯t answer immediately, but continued to smoke in silence.

    "Father..." Tule couldn¡¯t help but call out again.

    "Son, we might be in trouble." Old Pipe exhaled a puff of smoke, sighed deeply, and said.

    "What¡¯s wrong, Father? What happened?" Hearing this, Tule¡¯s face changed instantly. He quickly pulled his stool closer to Old Pipe.

    "Do you remember when you asked me how our family suddenly became rich?" Old Pipe asked.

    "I remember, but you only said that we met a benefactor and never exined how it happened." Tule nodded, answering honestly.

    "Sigh, today I¡¯ll tell you how it happened." Old Pipe sighed again, tapped the bowl of his pipe on the brick ground to extinguish the tobo.

    Tule swallowed and listened attentively.

    "At that time, I was just a corpse collector that no one looked up to. Life was hard until I found a body by the river..."

    Old Pipe told the story clearly and logically.

    Not only was Tule engrossed, but even Yuan Ming, through the raven, stopped his cultivation to listen.

    However, as he listened, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a strange sensation in his heart.

    When Old Pipe finished telling how he used the treasures on the young man¡¯s body to build their current wealth, aplex expression appeared on Tule¡¯s simple face.

    "Father, did you know he was still alive at the time?" Tule asked.

    "Did it matter if I knew or not? If I hadn¡¯t picked him up, he would have died for sure. Besides, fate has its own ns. Perhaps it was because I picked him up that he survived." Old Pipe first nodded, then shook his head with a bitter smile.

    After saying this, he added, "I did all this for you, for our family."

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming shook his head secretly. Wasn¡¯t this just a way to soothe one¡¯s conscience?

    "I know." Tule nodded repeatedly, showing his approval.

    Although he felt a bit sorry for the unfortunate guy, he still didn¡¯t think his father had done anything wrong.

    "Not long after... that man came to town again, and I happened to run into him. I found out that the lord had issued a reward for him, so I reported it. Unfortunately, they didn¡¯t find him, otherwise, I could have received a generous reward from the Jin delegation." Old Pipe continued, looking quite regretful.

    "So it was him..." Yuan Ming suddenly remembered the blurry missing person notice on the bulletin board at the city gate.

    "Who is he, and why is the Jin delegation looking for him?" Tule asked in confusion.

    "How would I know?" Old Pipe shook his head.

    Upon hearing this, Tule felt that the man was really unlucky to have encountered his father, but he was also very puzzled.

    "Father, what does all this have to do with you being preupied all afternoon?" Tule asked.

    Old Pipe nced at him, then turned his gaze towards the backyard.

    Seeing this through the raven, Yuan Ming suddenly had a bad feeling, because he was the only one living in the backyard at the moment.

    "The benefactor I mentioned is now living in the backyard." Old Pipe said slowly.

    "What?" Tule was shocked and fell to the ground.

    "What are you yelling about?" Seeing this, Old Pipe raised his pipe to hit him on the head.

    "Could he be here for revenge?" Tule picked up his stool and sat down, instinctively lowering his voice and pointing to the backyard.

    "Probably not. I don¡¯t know why, but he doesn¡¯t seem to recognize me, and he seems to have forgotten that he¡¯s been to Tiehu Town before." Old Pipe said, his wrinkles deepening on his face. (For the rted story of Old Pipe, see the prequel)

 Chapter 128: Master Immortal, please accept my bow

    Chapter 128: Master Immortal, please ept my bow

    Meanwhile, in the room of the backyard, Yuan Ming was in turmoil. Fragments of memories in his mind began to connect.

    From the information he had obtained when his soul possessed the body of the groom, Wang Shun, he associated his own memory fragments with the vivid "story" from the old pipe smoker...

    He vaguely guessed about his experiences before his amnesia.

    As the son of General Yuan of the Central ins Great Jin Kingdom, he was chased and fell into a river by a short-haired young man in his memory while apanying the Great Jin delegation to the southern border. He was then picked up by the old pipe smoker and sold to the cemetery. Somehow, he survived and arrived at Iron Tiger Town.

    In Iron Tiger Town, he was reported by the old pipe smoker and somehow escaped. He ended up in a cave, lost his memory, and was captured by Hu Zha and brought back to the Bi Luo Cave, bing a beast ve.

    This line of thought seemed quite smooth, but there were still too many nk memory fragments. A slight deviation could lead to a huge error.

    Yuan Ming needed more clues to verify his guess.

    In the front yard, Tu Le breathed a sigh of relief, saying, "As long as he¡¯s not here for revenge, he¡¯s leaving tomorrow anyway."

    "Yeah, I heard from Lard Zha this afternoon that this guy is not simple. If he really knew, we would be done. Ah, fortunately, Lard Zha knew when to stop, otherwise, if he really provoked him, it would be troublesome." The old pipe smoker said with some fear.Tu Le also knew about his father¡¯s business partnership with Lard Zha over the past year, and couldn¡¯t help but advise:

    "Dad, our family is doing well now, we don¡¯t have to live a hard life anymore. Let¡¯s live a peaceful life and stop doing these immoral things. Look, no one wants to marry into our family now."

    "Dad is afraid of being poor... Ah, but you¡¯re right. After a while, Dad will find someone to arrange a marriage for you, and then this white jade ring will be passed on to you."

    The old pipe smoker said, taking off a ring wrapped in red string from his pipe stem.

    After unwrapping the red string, a white jade ring as smooth as mutton fat was revealed, glowing faintly under the moonlight.

    The moment Yuan Ming saw this jade ring through the crow, he felt it was incredibly familiar, but he couldn¡¯t remember where he had seen it.

    But he guessed that this white jade ring was probably his old possession.

    Yuan Ming was feeling chaotic and frustrated at the moment, and he didn¡¯t feel like watching any longer. He quickly recalled the three soul crows.

    He stood up, ready to rush to the front yard and give this greedy father and son a good lesson.

    But when he pulled the door bolt, he suddenly remembered Fang Ge¡¯s instructions before leaving Bi Luo Cave, not to harm mortals at will, so he had to suppress his anger.

    But thinking about the old pipe smoker¡¯s actions, he felt that he couldn¡¯t let this old guy off easily.

    "I¡¯ve got it, just like this..."

    He frowned and thought for a moment, then his eyes lit up, and a n came to mind.

    ...

    Early the next morning, Yuan Ming got up early and came to the yard outside the house.

    The old pipe smoker had been eager to send away Yuan Ming, the gue god, and had been paying attention to the movements here.

    Hearing the noise in the backyard, he immediately rushed over.

    But when he arrived, the old pipe smoker didn¡¯t see a ready-to-go tenant, but saw Yuan Ming walking in circles in the backyard with his hands behind his back, looking down, as if he was looking for something.

    "Did you lose something? Do you need my help?" The old pipe smoker hurriedly stepped forward and asked.

    Yuan Ming seemed to just notice himing over, and there was a look of surprise in his eyes.

    "No, I didn¡¯t lose anything... You go about your business, don¡¯t mind me." Yuan Ming stammered, waving his hand.

    The old pipe smoker didn¡¯t believe him, but he didn¡¯t ask any more questions, feeling puzzled.

    "Young man, are you leaving today? I¡¯ve already watered the horse and fed it this morning." He said with a forced smile.

    "Thank you, shopkeeper. You go ahead with your work. I¡¯ll settle the bill in front when I¡¯m ready." Yuan Ming waved his hand, sounding a bit annoyed.

    The old pipe smoker could tell that Yuan Ming was trying to get rid of him, which made him even more puzzled.

    He walked back to the partition wall of the backyard, looking back every three steps, and went through the door to the front yard.

    Seeing him leave, Yuan Ming bent down and started looking on the ground again.

    At this moment, a pair of eyes peered through the hole in the partition wall of the backyard.

    Without showing any signs, Yuan Ming slightly curled the corner of his mouth. His divine sense could now cover a range of five feet, so he naturally knew that the old pipe smoker was peeking from outside the partition wall.

    However, he didn¡¯t care at all, and continued to search the ground as if he knew nothing.

    Before long, he bent down and picked up a stone the size of a longan kernel, full of pits and bumps, from the ground. He held it in his palm and examined it carefully, showing a satisfied smile, as if he had let out a sigh of relief.

    Outside the partition wall, the old pipe smoker saw everything clearly, but he was full of doubts.

    He didn¡¯t understand why Yuan Ming was looking for a broken stone in the yard early in the morning instead of doing something important?

    However, at this moment, he saw Yuan Ming look up at the sky, walk a few steps to the left and right towards the rising sun, then put his hands together, holding the stone in his palm, and bow to the four directions.

    After a round, he saw Yuan Ming¡¯s lips moving constantly, as if he was chanting something.

    But because he was too far away, the old pipe smoker couldn¡¯t hear anything.

    "Is this kid crazy? What the hell is he doing?"

    He cursed quietly, and was about to leave when he suddenly saw a golden light shining from Yuan Ming¡¯s slowly opening hands.

    The old pipe smoker¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, his face full of astonishment.

    Then, he saw Yuan Ming¡¯s hands fully open, revealing a golden lump the size of a longan kernel, full of pits and bumps, and shining brightly.

    Looking at its size and appearance, it was almost identical to the stone Yuan Ming had picked up from the ground earlier.

    The old pipe smoker¡¯s heart was pounding, and he covered his mouth with his hands to prevent himself from shouting out loud.

    "Turning stone into gold, this is a divine skill only immortals possess!" Old Smoky was eximing in his heart.

    He was praising his own sharpness for identally witnessing such a miracle, feeling an uncontroble surge of excitement and thrill. However, very quickly, a strong desire to possess this skill welled up within him.

    "If I could also master this spell, wouldn¡¯t I never be poor again?" Old Smoky kept asking himself.

    But after the excitement, he quickly calmed down, instinctively doubting whether he was seeing things or if it was an illusion.

    But when he looked again, Yuan Ming was no longer in the yard, but had returned to the house.

    In just a moment, Yuan Ming came out of the house again, closed the door, and seemed to be nning to leave.

    Seeing this, Old Smoky quickly ran to the front yard, then turned back, pretending to just happen to run into Yuan Ming who was heading to the front yard.

    "Oh, guest, are you leaving already?" Old Smoky feigned surprise.

    "Yes, I need to find someone first. I¡¯lle back if I have a chance in the future." Yuan Ming replied with a smile.

    "Oh, alright, let me get your horse for you." Old Smoky quickly bowed and nodded.

    "No rush, no rush. Let me settle the amodation fee first. Also, I have a favor to ask." Yuan Ming said with a smile.

    "You¡¯re too polite, just tell me what you need." Old Smoky quickly replied.

    "I lost most of my silver coins at the Lucky Gambling House earlier, and I¡¯m short on pocket money. I was wondering if there¡¯s a bank or pawnshop in town where I could exchange some silver coins with the gold nugget I have." Yuan Ming casually said.

    Upon hearing this, Old Smoky frowned and after some thought, he said, "There is a bank, but they¡¯re notorious for their high-interest rates and unscrupulous practices. You¡¯re sure to be at a disadvantage if you exchange there."

    "I don¡¯t care if they¡¯re unscrupulous or not. As a lone traveler, convenience is what matters. As long as I can exchange at a rate of 80% or above, I can ept it." Yuan Mingughed, seemingly unconcerned.

    Hearing this, Old Smoky couldn¡¯t help but feel puzzled.

    He could ept an exchange rate of 80%, losing 20% of the gold. Could it be that the gold really was transformed from stone and he didn¡¯t care about the loss?

    "Shopkeeper?" Yuan Ming called out when he saw Old Smoky lost in thought.

    "Well, since you¡¯ve said so, if you trust me, why don¡¯t I go for you? They might give me a better rate since we¡¯re acquainted, and I could help you get more silver coins." Old Smoky suggested sincerely and cautiously.

    "That works. I¡¯ll have to trouble you then, shopkeeper." Yuan Ming seemed a bit hesitant, but eventually nodded.

    With that, he took out the gold nugget the size of a longan from his sleeve and handed it to Old Smoky.

    Thetter rubbed his hands and quickly took it.

    He weighed the gold nugget in his hand, examined it closely, and even bit it to confirm its authenticity. It was real.

    At this point, he was even more unsettled.

    His "benefactor" really had the ability to turn stone into gold!

    Yuan Ming watched him, noticing the change in Old Smoky¡¯s expression and chuckled inwardly.

    He had merely prepared the gold nugget in advance, found a simr-looking stone, and used the storage bag¡¯s ability to swap them, easily fooling Old Smoky.

    But what really got Old Smoky was his inherent greed.

    Once a person bes greedy, they easily lose their judgment.

    Seeing Old Smoky hesitating on the spot and not leaving, Yuan Ming cleared his throat and added the final touch.

    "Shopkeeper, if there¡¯s any inconvenience, forget it. I can go exchange it myself. Losing ten or twenty percent doesn¡¯t matter much to me. I¡¯m not interested in money, but I do enjoy spending it." With that, he reached out to take back the gold nugget.

    At this point, Old Smoky finally stopped hesitating, immediately fell to his knees with a "thud", and bowed his head in respect.

    "Master Immortal, please ept my bow." Old Smoky said he would bow once, but he ended up knocking his head on the ground seven or eight times.

 Chapter 129: Turn stone into gold (Happy Spring Festival)

    Chapter 129: Turn stone into gold (Happy Spring Festival)

    "Oh my, old shopkeeper, what are you doing? Get up, get up..." Yuan Ming feigned surprise and quickly stepped forward to help him up.

    However, the old man stubbornly refused to stand.

    "Immortal Master, I saw everything earlier. This lump of gold was transformed from a stone in the courtyard by your immortal magic," the old man said, crawling on the ground, not daring to lift his head.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming, who was supporting the old man¡¯s arm, froze.

    The old man immediately sensed his slight change and thought that he had shocked Yuan Ming by revealing his secret.

    "Immortal Master, please don¡¯t me me. I didn¡¯t mean to offend you. I saw it unintentionally. Only heaven and earth know about this, and I dare not let a third person know even a bit," he quickly apologized, lowering his head even further, his face almost touching the ground.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming let go of his hand, stood up straight, but did not speak.

    The courtyard suddenly fell silent. The old man couldn¡¯t see Yuan Ming¡¯s expression change and wasn¡¯t sure how he would react. He felt some regret and annoyance, and sweat began to trickle down his forehead, forming a small circle of dampness around his head.

    Seeing that the pressure was enough, Yuan Ming finally let out a long sigh."s, I thought I had avoided everyone, but you still saw it. It seems it was destined to happen. Never mind, consider this piece of gold as payment for your hospitality. It¡¯s a gift to you, and it also settles our karma."

    As soon as Yuan Ming said this, his image as a hermit from the outside world was immediately established.

    The old man¡¯s heart trembled, and he was nowpletely convinced.

    "Immortal Master, I am not greedy for wealth and dare not ept your gold. But I have always been fascinated by immortal magic since I was a child. I only ask you to be merciful and teach me the magic of turning stones into gold. Then I will have no regrets in this life," he did not get up, but instead kowtowed earnestly, pleading sincerely.

    "You want to..." Yuan Ming seemed very troubled.

    "Immortal Master, please teach me the skills of the immortals!" The old man¡¯s head hit the ground with a "thud".

    "To be honest, the immortal master who taught me this magic once said that the magic of turning stones into gold should never be performed in front of others. If someone identally sees it, they must be generously rewarded to settle the karma. If you really want to learn, I can teach you, but..." Yuan Ming spoke when he saw the timing was right.

    "Whatever the Immortal Master requires, just say it," the old man saw an opportunity and quickly lifted his head, moving his kneeling legs a few steps towards Yuan Ming, and said.

    "It¡¯s not that I have any requirements, but if you want to learn this magic of turning stones into gold, you need to be penniless and in a predicament. Only in such a state of mind can you trulyprehend it, otherwise, the magic will not be sessful. The so-called ¡¯magic should not be lightly passed on, it should be used to help those in urgent need¡¯, that¡¯s what it means," Yuan Ming said slowly, his hands sped behind his back, his gaze looking straight ahead into the void.

    The old man was stunned when he heard this. After pondering for a while, he felt that it made some sense. However, when he thought about the wealth he had umted over the years, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a little hesitant.

    "About a year ago, I woke up naked in a graveyard. If it weren¡¯t for the old immortal master who saved me, I would have lost my life long ago," Yuan Ming continued to make up his story, speaking with some emotion.

    The old man, lying on the ground, trembled again when he heard this.

    But then, he heard Yuan Ming continue, "The old immortal master saw that I was in a predicament, penniless, and in a state of despair, which met the qualifications for practicing the magic of turning stones into gold. He pitied my plight and taught me this magic. But you are now living afortable life and cannot truly understand this state of mind, so naturally, you cannot learn it."

    The old man was relieved to hear that Yuan Ming did not mention more about the graveyard, but soon he began to have other ideas.

    "Immortal Master, if I give away all my wealth and be penniless, can I learn it then?" The old man lifted his head, craned his neck to look at Yuan Ming, and asked.

    "You can," Yuan Ming nodded.

    The old man was overjoyed. If he had such magic, what was his little wealth? It was something he could earn back with a flick of his fingers.

    "Then, Immortal Master, after learning the magic of turning stones into gold, do I still need to remain penniless?" The old man asked cautiously.

    "Of course not, do I look like I¡¯m penniless?" Yuan Ming asked with a lightugh.

    "No, no," the old man quickly replied.

    He was already calcting in his heart. First, he would transfer all his wealth to his son, then learn the magic. Wouldn¡¯t that be the best of both worlds, with no risk at all?

    "But I must remind you, if you really want to learn the magic of turning stones into gold, not only you, but your rtives also cannot have any wealth. You must be truly penniless and in a predicament, otherwise, your Dao heart will not be firm, and it will all be in vain," Yuan Ming saw through his little scheme and immediately said.

    Upon hearing this, the old man frowned and hesitated again, his face changing between light and dark.

    But soon, he made up his mind, gritted his teeth, and decided to go for it.

    "Immortal Master, it¡¯s not easy for you to teach me this magic. Since I can¡¯t keep any wealth, I might as well transfer all my wealth to you, Immortal Master, in exchange for you teaching me the magic of turning stones into gold," the old man kowtowed again.

    "Although I¡¯m not interested in money, you are sincere and it seems we are indeed destined. After I pass this magic on to you, you must remember not to perform it in front of others. If someone sees it, you must also fulfill their wish," Yuan Ming nodded slightly and instructed.

    "I will definitely remember, definitely remember," the old man was overjoyed and kowtowed repeatedly.

    "Get up. Since I¡¯ve agreed, I¡¯ll stay here for another half day. You go and prepare, and when youe back, I¡¯ll teach you the mantra and the method of casting the spell," Yuan Ming said.

    "Immortal Master, please wait in the room," the old man kowtowed once more, then got up and hurried to the front yard.

    Before long, the old man returned, holding a deep purple wooden box.

    As soon as he entered the room, he turned around and closed the door, then ced the rather heavy wooden box on Yuan Ming¡¯s desk.

    "Master Immortal, this is all I have, I have not held back anything, it¡¯s all for you." Old Pipe, a bit out of breath from his hurried walk, said.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t open the box, but with a casual wave of his hand, the wooden box disappeared into thin air.

    Old Pipe¡¯s pupils dted at the sight.

    What was this? This was truly the power of an immortal!

    Yuan Ming¡¯s expression remained unchanged, exuding an even more profound aura of a transcendent being.

    "For your first attempt, you must not have any gold, silver, or jade on your body. These will cause the technique to fail." Yuan Ming said, ncing pointedly at the pipe in Old Pipe¡¯s hand.

    "If it weren¡¯t for your reminder, Master Immortal, I would have forgotten about this." Thetter was taken aback for a moment, then realized what Yuan Ming meant.

    With that, he removed the white jade ring hanging on his pipe, untied the red thread wrapped around it, and ced it on the table.

    With another casual wave of Yuan Ming¡¯s hand, the jade ring also disappeared.

    "The incantation for the technique can only be memorized, not written down. You must remember it well." Yuan Ming looked at him and said.

    Upon hearing this, Old Pipe quickly nodded.

    After a moment of thought, Yuan Mingbined some techniques he had learned and created a few phrases simr to "Heavenly Spirit, Earthly Spirit" and taught them to Old Pipe.

    Despite his age, Old Pipe¡¯s memory was surprisingly good.

    Yuan Ming only taught him twice, and he had already memorized it.

    "You must remember, when performing this technique, it must be at the time of sunrise. You need to find an open space in the courtyard, step on the Gang step, sincerely pay respect to the four directions of heaven and earth, and recite the incantation." Yuan Ming instructed.

    Old Pipe recalled Yuan Ming¡¯s morning routine of walking in circles in the courtyard while muttering words, and quickly nodded in understanding.

    "The first time you perform the technique is especially important. You must fast and bathe the day before, and you must be penniless and sincere. If the first attempt fails, it goes against the natural order, and you will never seed again." Yuan Ming demonstrated the Gang step, then continued.

    Upon hearing this, Old Pipe nodded repeatedly, suppressing his excitement and impatience.

    Performing such an immortal technique should indeed involve suchplex rituals, otherwise, it would be too childish.

    "From now on, abstain from meat, prepare hot water for bathing tonight, and wait for the first rays of the sun tomorrow. It¡¯s about time, our karmic ties have ended, and I should be on my way. Take care." Yuan Ming stood up as he spoke.

    "Master Immortal, why not stay another night and let me serve you well?" Old Pipe hurriedly said.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming suddenly put on a stern face.

    "I have spent half a day teaching you, do you not trust me?" He feigned anger.

    "I dare not, I dare not." Old Pipe quickly kowtowed. Having witnessed Yuan Ming¡¯s immortal abilities, he truly dared not question him, but there was still a hint of unease in his heart.

    Yuan Ming had long seen through Old Pipe¡¯s thoughts. With a wave of his hand, the purple wooden box appeared in front of Old Pipe.

    "If you don¡¯t trust me, you can keep these treasures. I have fulfilled your wish and settled my karma. I have no more burdens. We should part ways now." Yuan Ming stood up and walked away.

    "Master Immortal..."

    Just as his hand touched the door, Old Pipe¡¯s voice came from behind.

    In a hurried tone, he said, "I dare not distrust Master Immortal. Since you wish to leave, I won¡¯t insist on keeping you. Please take these worldly possessions with you."

    Yuan Ming chuckled inwardly, but maintained his calm andposed demeanor on the surface.

    "Those who desire are greedy, those who are jealous are angry, those who are foolish are ignorant, only those who believe can achieve..." He chanted, picked up the wooden box on the ground, opened the door, and walked out.

    "Safe travels, Master Immortal..." Old Pipe quickly stood up to see him off. At this moment, hisst bit of doubt hadpletely disappeared.

    After Yuan Ming left, Old Pipe bathed and cleaned himself as instructed. To be on the safe side, he even skipped dinner. He tossed and turned in bed, too excited to sleep. If he could, he would have dragged the sun out right then and there.

 Chapter 130: Nine Li Temple

    Chapter 130: Nine Li Temple

    The next day, before dawn, Old Smoky was already pacing impatiently in the courtyard, waiting for the sunrise.

    He waited for a good half an hour before finally seeing the glow of dawn light up the eastern sky.

    Today, Old Smoky had changed into a clean set of clothes, and unusually, he did not carry his pipe with him. He had warned his son not toe to the backyard before noon.

    In the center of the courtyard, there was a stone he had found elsewhere, as big as a hunting dog¡¯s head.

    Originally, he wanted to find a stone as big as a millstone, but considering it was his first time casting a spell, he didn¡¯t want to be too greedy, so he didn¡¯t do so.

    After adjusting his clothes, as Yuan Ming had instructed, he first lit a stick of incense in the east.

    Then, Old Smoky began to walk around the courtyard, following the steps Yuan Ming had shown him the day before, muttering words under his breath, and paying respects to the four directions of heaven and earth.

    After making a round, he came to the chosen stone, ced both hands on it, closed his eyes, and prayed sincerely.

    A momentter, he took a deep breath, slowly opened his eyes, and anticipated the miracle.However, the stone under his hand did not glow with golden light, it was still dark and dirty.

    "Did I fail?"

    Old Smoky felt a buzz in his head, his vision suddenly darkened, and he almost fainted.

    He barely managed to steady his mind, but he was still somewhat dazed.

    "The immortal master wouldn¡¯t lie to me, there must be something wrong... Yes, yes, I must have messed up the steps... Let¡¯s try again," Old Smoky muttered in a daze, and immediately started casting the spell again.

    After repeating the ceremony, the result, of course, was still a failure.

    The stone was still a stone, it didn¡¯t turn into gold.

    Old Smoky looked around, then at himself, and suddenly pped his forehead.

    "The immortal master said he was naked at the time, that¡¯s right, it must be because my clothes are too luxurious, no different from gold and silver treasures," Old Smoky muttered to himself, and stripped himself naked.

    "This time it must work," he silently encouraged himself,pletely forgetting Yuan Ming¡¯s warning that there was only one chance.

    If it didn¡¯t work the first time, it would never work.

    Old Smoky couldn¡¯t care less about this now, if he failed, it meant he would lose everything.

    He couldn¡¯t afford to lose.

    At this moment, Old Smoky, naked and with dark skin, looked like a monkey in the mountains, ridiculous and funny.

    He repeated the doomed-to-fail ceremony, and once again paid respects to heaven and earth.

    However, when he opened his eyes, all his hopes were once again shattered, the stone was still a stone.

    "How could this be..." Old Smoky slumped to the ground, unable to ept it.

    But just then, there was a suddenmotion in the front yard.

    Immediately after, Old Smoky saw his son, running in from outside.

    "You little bastard, didn¡¯t I tell you not toe to the backyard before noon?" Old Smoky roared in anger.

    Seeing his father¡¯s naked figure, Tule was also stunned.

    Old Smoky picked up his clothes from the ground, but before he could put them on, he saw seven or eight burly men in ck rushing in.

    "What are you trying to do?" Old Smoky hurriedly tied his belt and scolded.

    After scolding, he realized that all these men were the thugs from the Lucky Gambling House.

    "Dad, they insisted on breaking in, saying they were here to take over the shop, I... I couldn¡¯t stop them," Tule said with a mournful face.

    "You know the rtionship between me and your boss, right?" Old Smoky softened his expression, puffed out his chest, and asked.

    As soon as his words fell, a heartyughter came from outside.

    "Old Smoky, no matter how good our rtionship is, we still have to settle ounts clearly, right? This shop of yours is now mine," You Zhuzha walked in from outside, waving a paper with a seal on it, which was clearly a property deed.

    "What did you say?" Old Smoky was stunned at his words, his eyes full of disbelief.

    You Zhuzha took out a few more papers from his sleeve and said:

    "I said, your grocery store and inn, and those pieces ofnd, are all mine now. You should move out of my inn before noon."

    Old Smoky walked shakily to You Zhuzha, took a close look, and found that the property deeds in his hand were indeed his own.

    He felt a surge of blood rush to his head, and his eyes were instantly filled with bloodshot.

    "No, it¡¯s not true, you¡¯re lying to me..." Old Smoky lost his mind in an instant, and reached out to grab the property deeds in You Zhuzha¡¯s hand.

    You Zhuzha dodged to the side in advance.

    The surrounding thugs immediately rushed up and held Old Smoky up.

    "Refusing a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit, take him out," You Zhuzha waved his hand, then walked into the backyard and looked around.

    The young man yesterday had exchanged these houses andnds with him at a very fair price, with only one condition, that he muste to collect the house after sunrise today.

    He made a fortune from this deal, and naturally, he had no reason to refuse such a harmless little request.

    ......

    In a back alley outside the main street of Iron Tiger Town, Old Pipe and his family of three sat on the stone steps of someone else¡¯s house, their faces gloomy and full of bitterness.

    The old woman who had always been in charge of the grocery store was still confused. How did their shop and fields suddenly be someone else¡¯s property?

    Old Pipe hadn¡¯t recovered from the previous shock, looking lost and disoriented.

    He was extremely annoyed by the old woman¡¯s constant questioning, and the resentment in his heart was hard to swallow.

    Suddenly, Old Pipe stood up, his eyes fixed on the courtyard wall in front of him, and he rushed towards it.

    Fortunately, his son was quick to react and grabbed his clothes, pulling him back.

    Tule held Old Pipe tightly, repeatedly shouting, "Father, no, you can¡¯t die."

    "We¡¯ve lost everything, what¡¯s the point of living..." Old Pipe wailed in pain.

    "Father, I still have money, I still have money, we can still survive." Tule hurriedly shouted.

    Hearing this, both Old Pipe and the old woman were stunned.

    Seeing that his father had stopped struggling, Tule quickly took out a cloth bag from his sleeve and poured out ten shiny silver coins.

    "Father, you always keep a tight grip on our money. This is the private money I¡¯ve saved." He scratched his head a bit embarrassedly.

    "Oh my, what a good son..." The old woman almost cried out.

    Old Pipe, however, was frozen in ce.

    After a long while, he pped the silver coins out of Tule¡¯s hand with a bitter expression, and slumped to the ground.

    "So it was you... son, you¡¯ve ruined me, it¡¯s all your fault..."

    Old Pipe was heartbroken, crawling on the ground, wailing incessantly.

    ......

    By this time, Yuan Ming had long since left Iron Tiger Town.

    Old Pipe was just a minor incident he encountered when he came down the mountain. The most important thing at the moment was to find the fragrance.

    Following the directions given by the casino owner, he left Iron Tiger Town and traveled north for about twenty or thirty miles, a rather tall mountain appeared in front of him.

    ording to the map Yuan Ming bought in the town, he knew this mountain was called "Nine Li Mountain", named for the nine li journey from the foot to the top of the mountain. There was a ratherrge temple in the mountain hollow, called "Nine Li Temple".

    As Yuan Ming walked on the mountain path, he found that the people of Southern Border who came to burn incense were endless. From a distance, he could smell the scent of incense and candles.

    "It must be here!" Yuan Ming muttered to himself, blending into the crowd of worshippers and stepping into the temple.

    The Nine Li Temple was quiterge, with four or five courtyards. Many of the walls were mottled, showing their age.

    After passing through two gates, Yuan Ming crossed a bustling square and arrived at the main hall. Inside the hall stood a tall statue, ck all over, with a human body and a dog¡¯s head. It held a long sword in its right hand and a strange fan in its left, howling at the sky.

    The worshippers came forward one by one, knelt before the statue, burned incense and prayed, the smoke from the incense curling up.

    Listening to the crowd for a moment, Yuan Ming basically figured out that this human-bodied, dog-headed deity was called "Dog Tooth God".

    During his time in the Southern Border searching for fragrances, he had gained some understanding of the local deities. The five tribes of the Northern Territory each had their own deities to worship. The residents near Nine Li Mountain were mostly of the Kas tribe, and this temple was dedicated to the Kas tribe¡¯s "Dog Tooth God".

    The statue in this temple was said to be very effective in granting wishes, and was deeply revered by the people in the surrounding area, with incense burning year after year.

    Yuan Ming followed the crowd, offered a bundle of incense to the Dog Tooth God, and donated a handful of copper coins to the box next to it.

    "Thank you, benefactor. The Dog Tooth God will bless you with peace and health." A temple keeper next to him bowed to Yuan Ming.

    This man was quite tall, with long hands and feet, and calluses on his tiger¡¯s mouth, as if he had practiced swordsmanship.

    "Thank you, temple keeper. I came here today not only to worship the Dog Tooth God, but also to ask for a favor. I wonder if it¡¯s convenient?" Yuan Ming returned the bow and said.

    As he spoke, he took out ten copper coins and quietly slipped them into the temple keeper¡¯s pocket.

    The temple keeper¡¯s eyebrows raised slightly in a smile, and he said ambiguously, "Helping others is helping oneself."

    "May I have a word with you?" Yuan Ming looked at the endless stream of worshippers and asked.

    The temple keeper made a gesture of invitation and led Yuan Ming to a corner.

    "What can I do for you, benefactor? Please speak directly." The temple keeper said.

    "I¡¯m looking for a man named Wu Sang. If you know where he is, could you tell me?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "I¡¯ve never heard of the person you mentioned in the temple." The temple keeper thought for a moment and then said.

    "That man came here about half a year ago. He¡¯s in his thirties, has a square face and big ears, and is particrly good at making incense. He may have hidden his name. I hope you can recall him. I will be very grateful." As Yuan Ming spoke, he took out a silver coin and tried to give it to the temple keeper."I have been in this temple for three or four years now, from the abbot to the young monks, I am familiar with everyone. I have indeed never seen the person you mentioned. I suggest you ask elsewhere." This time, the temple keeper subtly sidestepped Yuan Ming¡¯s attempt to give him a silver coin, apologized, and then turned to leave.

    Yuan Ming watched the temple keeper¡¯s retreating figure, slowly returned to the entrance of the main hall, and looked around thoughtfully. He then turned and walked towards the square. As he turned a corner, a ck crow flew out from him, heading towards the eaves of the main hall.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t stop, he headed straight towards a side hall not far away.

    This ce was for the pilgrims to have tea. Yuan Ming found an empty seat and sat down, picked up the teapot and cup on the table, and started drinking by himself.

 Chapter 131: Unknown ingredients

    Chapter 131: Unknown ingredients

    In the backyard of the Jiuli Temple, next to a side room, there was a somewhat shabby courtyard. On the ground, there were piles of white fragments shaped like small hills. Under the scorching sun at noon, they emitted a burnt fragrance.

    Under a shed not far away, a middle-aged man in a short coat was sleeping soundly with his hands under his head.

    This man was in his thirties, not particrly robust. His square face had slightly sunken cheeks, and hisrge ears were quite noticeable.

    Not far from him, a chimney on a house was emitting wisps of white smoke, as if something was being cooked inside.

    Just then, a fat old man in a red robe stepped into the courtyard. He looked around the courtyard without stepping further in, and coughed.

    His cough immediately woke the square-faced middle-aged man who was sleeping soundly in the shed.

    When the middle-aged man saw the visitor clearly with his somewhat sleepy eyes, he woke uppletely and said with a smile on his face, "I pay my respects to the Abbot. What brings you here today? I¡¯m currently drying cypress powder, it¡¯s a bit messy. If I had known you wereing, I would have cleaned up."

    The fat old man nced at Wusang meaningfully from the corner of his eye before saying, "Wusang, you can make incense and sleep at the same time. Quitefortable, isn¡¯t it?"

    "Sorry for making the Abbotugh. Rest assured, I dare not boast about anything else, but I¡¯ve been making incense since I was a child. I can make it even with my eyes closed." Wusang continued to smile."Humph! Look at your carefree attitude. If it weren¡¯t for your father¡¯s sake, would I tolerate you here and provide for you?" The fat old man snorted and said unhappily.

    "I still owe the temple a lot of incense, don¡¯t I? I live in the temple and make incense under your watch to pay off my debt. You must feel more at ease, right?" Wusang scratched his head and said somewhat awkwardly.

    "Good that you remember! In half a month, it will be the annual Dog Tooth God Festival. I remind you not to let me down at this time. Make incense well during this period. Without my permission, you cannot leave this courtyard." The fat old man changed his tone and said.

    "Ah, Abbot, I will definitely make the incense as required to ensure that it does not affect the sacrifice. But this confinement is a bit too much! I have been providing incense for the past six months." Wusang protested.

    "Quiet! To tell you the truth, someone in the temple is looking for you now, and I have had someone cover for you. I don¡¯t care how much debt you still owe outside, if you bring trouble into the temple, don¡¯t me me for being ruthless!" The fat old man said sternly.

    "What, has my whereabouts been exposed? That¡¯s impossible!" Wusang jumped up.

    "Young man, take care of yourself!" The fat old man left after dropping this sentence.

    "Damn! The old man talks nicely, but he just values my incense-making skills. He took advantage of the fact that my shop in Tiehu Town was gone to raise the price of incense here! I was bewitched. If it weren¡¯t for his collusion with Pig Grease, and I escaped along the path he rmended, how could I have been caught by you?" After the fat old man walked a little further, Wusang pointed to the outside of the courtyard and started cursing in a low voice.

    After grumbling for a while, Wusang yawned and walked back to the shed, preparing to continue his nap.

    But before he could lie down, a light cough came from behind.

    "Howe you..." Wusang shivered, secretly cursing his luck, worried that his curses had been heard by the fat old man.

    But when he turned around, he saw a handsome young man in a green robe, who looked to be under twenty, standing in the courtyard, looking at him with a smile.

    "Who sent you? What do you want to do? I tell you, this is Jiuli Temple. As long as I shout, someone wille immediately!" Wusang¡¯s mind was spinning rapidly. Combining what the fat old man had said earlier, he immediately thought of something.

    "Wusang, right? Don¡¯t be nervous, we¡¯ve never met before, and I¡¯m not here to collect debts." Yuan Ming exined kindly.

    "You¡¯re from the Central ins, right? I don¡¯t know you, and I¡¯ve never owed money to anyone from the Central ins. So what¡¯s your purpose here, and how did you know I was here?" Wusang looked at Yuan Ming again with a vignt face, feeling a little relieved.

    "I heard of Mr. Wusang¡¯s reputation in Tiehu Town and learned that you are good at making incense, so I came to visit. As for your whereabouts, as long as you are still in this temple, I have my ways of finding out. You can consider it as the guidance of the Dog God." Yuan Ming smiled.

    "The only one in Tiehu Town who knows I¡¯m here is Pig Grease from the Shanhe Gambling House. Did you hear it from him?" Wusang asked.

    "Yes, it took me quite some effort to get your information from him." Yuan Ming said with a smile.

    "Do you really want to learn to make incense? You don¡¯t seem tock money. Although incense has be more expensive these days, it¡¯s not hard to buy." Wusang looked at Yuan Ming incredulously, still somewhat disbelieving.

    "Since I¡¯m asking for your guidance, I should be clear. I¡¯m studying incense making because I want to make incense simr to this one." Yuan Ming paused for a moment, took out thest ck incense stick, and handed it over.

    Wusang took the ck incense stick, looked at it carefully, and sniffed it lightly under his nose."I can¡¯t see anything special about this incense, and its scent doesn¡¯t differ much from ordinary ones. It shouldn¡¯t be difficult to replicate." He looked up at Yuan Ming and said.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t show any joy, but rather some disappointment.

    This ck incense must be unusual, otherwise it wouldn¡¯t have triggered the peculiarities of the incense burner. He had tried hundreds of different types of incense during this period, even those that looked almost identical.

    "Could you please take another look and see if you can identify the materials used to make this ck incense?" Yuan Ming asked, unwilling to give up.

    "Most of the incense in the southern border is based on cypress wood, supplemented with spices like spicy wood and eastern sunflower. The colors are mainly yellow and red. This kind of ck incense is rare. In my experience, only the Tar region in the entire southern border has this kind of ck incense. Did you buy this one there?" Wu Sang frowned and asked after a careful look.

    "I found this in an incense burner in an ancient temple that I stumbled upon. I can¡¯t find another one like it now." Yuan Ming said with a bitter smile.

    "Do you remember what the incense burner looked like? What kind of deity was worshipped in the temple? Maybe we can figure out which group worshipped it and deduce some clues." Wu Sang seemed a bit disappointed and asked.

    Yuan Ming nced at Wu Sang and briefly described the shape of the incense burner. There was no need for him to hide this.

    As for the pattern of The Great Ultimate on the incense burner and other patterns, he didn¡¯t mention them.

    "From what you¡¯ve said, I still can¡¯t analyze anything. It seems that I have to start with this incense and study it carefully. This will take a lot of effort. The Dog Tooth Festival is in half a month, and I¡¯m quite busy recently." Wu Sang frowned and said with some difficulty.

    "Mr. Wu Sang, please take this matter seriously. This is a small token of my appreciation." Yuan Ming took out a small cloth bag and stuffed it into Wu Sang¡¯s arms.

    The cloth bag made a crisp sound as it moved, the sound of copper and silver coins colliding.

    Wu Sang took a look at the cloth bag, was a bit surprised, and then smiled, saying:

    "Our family has always loved to study, otherwise we wouldn¡¯t have been able to be a family of incense makers for hundreds of years! Although I¡¯m busy, I can¡¯t ck off, especially this special ck incense, which has aroused my interest. But let me say this first, there are countless types of incense in the world, and I can¡¯t guarantee sess. If I can¡¯t replicate this ck incense in the end, please don¡¯t me me."

    "With Mr. Wu Sang¡¯s resources, I believe there will be breakthroughs if you try your best. If you can really replicate this ck incense I want, I will have a big reward." Yuan Ming said with a slight smile.

    "You¡¯re a straightforward person! Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll do my best." Wu Sangughed heartily, speaking with great enthusiasm.

    "Could you also teach me your method of making incense?" Yuan Ming asked with a smile on his face.

    "That¡¯s a small matter. I¡¯ll find time to teach you tomorrow. However, making incense isplicated and can¡¯t be learned without years of practice. You should stay in the temple, so it¡¯s convenient for me to teach you." Wu Sang said.

    "I¡¯ll follow Mr. Wu Sang¡¯s advice." Yuan Ming had no objections and nodded in agreement.

    "I¡¯d like to take a bit of that ck incense to study itsposition." Wu Sang said before leaving.

    "Of course, you can."

    However, after he agreed, he suddenly found that this seemingly ordinary ck incense was immovable under his force and couldn¡¯t be broken at all.

    He had to go out to a secluded ce and use his magic to finally get a small piece of ck incense. He was reluctant to take too much, but he was afraid that too little would not be enough for analysis.

    He carefully wrapped it in white paper, returned to the courtyard, and handed it to Wu Sang.

    After saying goodbye to Wu Sang, Yuan Ming went to a row of rooms on the east side. This was where the people in the temple lived. After asking, he found that there were several empty rooms.

    He rented one, sat on the bed in the room, and looked out the window.

    Although it took a lot of time, the search for incense had some clues.

    Although Wu Sang was not very reliable, it was better than bumping around like a headless fly. At the very least, he could learn the incense-making technique that his family was proud of, and he could explore more urately from the source.

    He made up his mind, sat cross-legged, and started to operate the Nine Elements Form.

    The spiritual energy in the world was much thinner than in the Bi Luo Cave, but it could still be cultivated. He didn¡¯t want to waste any time.

    The next morning, Wu Sang came as promised, holding a few somewhat worn-out books in his arms.

    Now that he knew Yuan Ming was not a debt collector, he naturally found a way to lift his house arrest.

    "These are a few books about the way of incense. You can read them when you have time to get a general understanding of incense making. These books are for sale, ten copper coins each." Wu Sang said.

    "Okay, I¡¯ll buy them all. Any progress on the ck incense?" Yuan Ming paid the money, took the books, and asked.

 Chapter 132: Incense making

    Chapter 132: Incense making

    "Well... After careful study yesterday, I found that this incense is indeed special. The materials used in it are far more than I imagined, and it seems to contain some mineral powder. As for what exactly it is, I can¡¯t figure it out for the time being," Wu Sang sighed.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming, although he had anticipated it, still slightly furrowed his brows.

    "Hehe, don¡¯t worry, my friend. My family has been making incense for generations. With my thirty years of experience, I will eventually figure out its form as long as I put in some effort. Today, I will teach you the basic process of making incense. This will also cost you," Wu Sang said, rubbing his hands together. He had noticed Yuan Ming¡¯s change in expression and gave an awkward smile.

    "Of course, the family¡¯s unique skills are also an intangible wealth. How much silver should I pay?" Yuan Ming nodded.

    Wu Sang asked for ten silver coins. After paying, one started lecturing and the other listened attentively.

    Wu Sang, with his family¡¯s craft, indeed had unique insights into incense making. Although he seemed a bit casual, when it came to making incense, he was like a different person. Not only was he eloquent, but his exnations were also clear and easy to understand.

    Yuan Ming, with his extraordinary memory, made rapid progress. In just two days, he had a general understanding of the incense-making craft passed down by the Wu Sang family.

    The process of making incense involves sun drying, steaming, boiling, sting, frying, grilling, baking, grinding, and finally pressing into shape. Each step requires mastering certain skills. The materials used are different, and these steps also vary. It indeed takes years of learning to master.

    But Yuan Ming, as a cultivator, could do many things that ordinary people couldn¡¯t. He easily mastered the steps of making incense.The Jiuli Temple was thriving with incense, and it had its own incense workshop. All kinds of incense materials were avable for purchase, which greatly facilitated him.

    After a few days of trial, Yuan Ming made his first stick of incense, which included several possible materials guessed by Wu Sang. As for the other parts, he added them ording to his own ideas.

    This stick of incense was earthy yellow in color, and its scent was simr to that of the ck incense, but its shape was very different.

    In his room, Yuan Ming summoned an incense burner and inserted the yellow incense, trying to light it.

    The bright yellow me enveloped the yellow incense, and smoke rose from the incense head, but the incense burner showed no reaction, which was no different from the previous attempts.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t hold any hope for this, so he pulled out the yellow incense and threw it into the copper basin next to him, continuing to try new forms.

    Half a dayter, he made a new stick of incense, which was light yellow in color. He tried to light it again, but still failed.

    In a room of the incense workshop, Wu Sang carefully poured a kind of red powder into a small bowl, which was filled with half a bowl of transparent glue.

    He then threw a gray powder into it, followed by a third material.

    In a moment, the transparent glue turned gray-ck.

    Wu Sang nodded thoughtfully, took a burning candle from his bosom, and let the me lightly touch the glue.

    The gray-ck glue immediately ignited, giving off a blue me.

    Wu Sang took out a small bag from his bosom, which contained a small section of ck incense, which was Yuan Ming¡¯s ck incense.

    He held the ck incense with tongs and brought it close to the me in the bowl.

    The blue me gave off strands of purple, and a faint spicy fragrance filled the air.

    "This ck incense seems to contain something simr to spicy stone, but it seems a bit different..." Wu Sang withdrew the tongs along with the remaining ck incense, a hint of hesitation shing across his face.

    He picked up a book from the side and added a note to it.

    The book recorded six materials, four of which were only rough guesses. The other two, including the spicy stone, were somewhat uncertain despite his confidence.

    "Damn it! This ck incense is as hard as iron, and its ingredients are so strange. I don¡¯t know where that kid got it from!" Wu Sang grumbled unwillingly. To this day, he had noplete confidence in theposition of the ck incense, which was something that would never have happened in the past.

    For the first time in his life, he doubted his ability to make incense, and he couldn¡¯t help but regret his initial boast.

    "Never mind, let¡¯s try these six materials first!" After pacing back and forth in the room for a few rounds, Wu Sang quickly made up his mind.

    In his experience of dealing with incense materials for many years, there should be about twelve kinds of materials used to make this strange ck incense. If he could figure out half of them, he could start trying to imitate it.

    Now, no matter what, he had made a preliminary judgment. How could he know if he could seed without trying? Maybe he would really seed?

    But before he started, he had to inform Yuan Ming.

    Wu Sang got up and came to the outside of Yuan Ming¡¯s residence.

    "Friend Yuan, I have some ideas about that ck incense..." He pushed open the door and said.

    Halfway through his sentence, his voice suddenly stopped.

    Inside the room, Yuan Ming was holding a slightly red stick of incense, gently fumigating it over a candle, doing the final shaping step.

    "Is this incense made by you?" Wu Sang¡¯s mouth was slightly open.

    With his keen eyes, he naturally saw that the slightly red incense in Yuan Ming¡¯s hand was quite perfect. The craftsmanship was not inferior to his own.

    "Hehe, after reading the books and receiving guidance from a master, I have be a bit familiar with incense making in the past few days," Yuan Ming said with a slight smile.

    Wu Sang was ttered and didn¡¯t know what to say.

    When his eyes nced at the copper basin next to Yuan Ming, he saw four or five sticks of incense lying inside. Some were broken, but their fineness was not much different from the one in Yuan Ming¡¯s hand.

    Wu Sang¡¯s eyes widened involuntarily. Yuan Ming had already made so many incenses, which meant that this man was extraordinarily intelligent.

    You should know that although he was not as hardworking as his parents, he also started from a young age and spent a full ten years to achieve a little sess. After another twenty years, he achieved today¡¯s achievements.The art of incense making, though seemingly simple, is a craft that truly requires time and dedication to master. Yet, this young man, not even twenty years old, had grasped it in just a few days?

    This was the second blow he had received in recent days, aside from being unable to decipher theposition of the ck incense.

    "Mr. Wu Sang, what are you thinking about?" Yuan Ming¡¯s voice once again pulled Wu Sang out of his reverie.

    "Cough, no... nothing. Regarding the ck incense, I have some leads on six of the ingredients. I¡¯m fairly confident about two of them. Based on my experience, we can start trying to recreate it, so I thought I should let you know."

    Wu Sang coughed lightly, handing Yuan Ming a piece of paper with the ingredients recorded on it.

    "Mr. Wu Sang, your understanding of incense is truly extraordinary. However, I think I should handle the replication. You continue to research theposition of the ck incense, and strive to make more progress." Yuan Ming said, his face lighting up as he took out a small bag of coins and handed it to Wu Sang.

    "That¡¯s fine. With your current incense-making skills, there shouldn¡¯t be any problem with the replication. This way, I can focus on identifying theponents of the ck incense." Wu Sang weighed the bag of coins in his hand, and despite hisck of confidence in further investigation, he agreed.

    "Then I¡¯ll leave it to you, Mr. Wu Sang!" Yuan Ming said.

    Wu Sang didn¡¯t linger. He told Yuan Ming about his guesses regarding the six ingredients and his understanding of the ck incense. He also left some of each of the six ingredients before bidding farewell.

    That night, Yuan Ming used the two most likely ingredients and the four spective ones to make a new stick of incense, but it ended in failure.

    Yuan Ming was not discouraged and continued to try.

    In the blink of an eye, half a month had passed.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s room was filled with the rich aroma of incense. The table was cluttered with discarded incense sticks, at least a hundred of them.

    At this moment, he was fully focused on making a new stick of incense.

    Despite some progress in identifying theponents of the ck incense, Wu Sang had not been able to confirm any of them with absolute certainty. However, his years of experience in incense making had allowed him to source several rare, high-grade incense materials, bringing the scent of the replicated incense closer to that of the ck incense.

    This gave Yuan Ming a glimmer of hope.

    The new incense was quicklypleted. It was ck in color and indistinguishable from the ck incense in both appearance and scent.

    Yuan Ming took out the incense burner, swiftly inserted the new incense, and eagerly lit it with a candle.

    A red light appeared on the new incense, and the pattern of The Great Ultimate on the incense burner shone brightly in response.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s heart fluttered, but his expression remained calm as he stared intently at the red light at the top of the new incense.

    The red light flickered once, then immediately dimmed and disappeared, like a shooting star.

    Yuan Ming sighed, a hint of disappointment shing in his eyes.

    Despite all this time, none of the incense sticks he had made could trigger a change in The Great Ultimate pattern.

    He had tried more than twenty different high-grade materials based on Wu Sang¡¯s hints and his own experience, nearly exhausting all the incense-making materials in the temple, but there was still no progress.

    However, as a cultivator, Yuan Ming had gained some insight from another perspective.

    He spected that the materials for the ck incense might not be ordinary, and the materials here were allmon. It would be impossible to make the same incense in a short time.

    If he could confirm one or two of the ck incense¡¯s ingredients, perhaps there would be progress.

    "What could it be?" Yuan Ming furrowed his brows, deep in thought.

    The mysterious incense burner was obtained by chance in the Southern Border, so the materials for the ck incense should also be from the Southern Border.

    "The Southern Border is vast. This ce is in the northern part of the Southern Border, close to the Great Jin. The southern part of the Southern Border is muchrger than the north. Should I visit other tribes in the southern part in the future?" A thought suddenly popped into Yuan Ming¡¯s mind, but he quickly shook his head.

    There are millions of materials in the world. Was he supposed to try them one by one?

    The ck incense was so powerful when lit, its materials must be extraordinary. He couldn¡¯t possibly ask a master craftsman to help analyze theposition, as that would risk exposing the secret of the incense.

    After pondering for a long time, Yuan Ming took out the ck incense again. Instead of cing it in the incense burner, he put it in front of him and began to examine it carefully.

    He focused his mind and stared intently at the ck incense, his spiritual sense enveloping it, not wanting to miss any detail.

    Free reading.

 Chapter 133: A flash of inspiration

    Chapter 133: A sh of inspiration

    After examining the ck incense with his divine consciousness, Yuan Ming found that it still had no spiritual power fluctuations. Just like his previous research, there should be no spiritual materials in the ingredients. Even so, there were countless types of mundane objects in the world, how could he be certain?

    He carefully recalled every detail of the two previous instances when he had lit the incense and possessed a body.

    Yuan Ming sat quietly, not eating or drinking, as if he had lost his mind.

    One day, two days, three days.

    Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

    Dragging his weary body, Yuan Ming got up to open the door. Wu Sang walked in and happily said, "I have identified another ingredient this time, it¡¯s very simr to pine wood powder."

    "Simr to pine wood powder? I see, thank you for your hard work, Mr. Wu Sang." Yuan Ming nodded, but there was no joy on his face.

    In his previous hundreds of attempts, he had already added pine wood powder.

    Even if it was pine wood powder, what difference would it make?"Yuan, forgive my frankness, this ck incense may seem ordinary at first nce, but after my exploration, I believe it¡¯s extraordinary. As long as you put more thought and time into it, you will eventually seed. Don¡¯t be too anxious." Wu Sangforted.

    If he had been helping Yuan Ming purely for money before, at this moment, he had truly developed a strong interest in the mysterious ck incense. The appearance of the ck incense had reignited his desire to win.

    Yuan Ming forced a smile. His time away from the sect was limited, and he couldn¡¯t stay in Jiuli Temple for long.

    Once he returned to the sect, it would be almost impossible to purchase countless incense-making materials for experiments. Plus, he had many other things to do, so there was no hope of sessfully replicating the incense in the short term.

    Forget it, forget it, it¡¯s time to return to the sect.

    "My friend, heed my advice. You seem a bit impatient. Incense making is a slow and meticulous process. Why not go out and clear your mind, thene back when you¡¯re calm? Today is the annual Dog Tooth God Festival in the temple, you can go and pay your respects." Seeing Yuan Ming silent, Wu Sang hesitated before speaking.

    Yuan Ming was not interested in these mundane worships of gods and spirits, and did not believe they truly existed.

    He shook his head, about to refuse, but then swallowed his words.

    To themon people, wasn¡¯t he, a cultivator, also considered a god in the legends?

    "The Dog Tooth God resides in the Cloud Pce and can observe everything. If you pray sincerely, perhaps he can cast his gaze upon you and help you with your incense making." Seeing Yuan Ming wavering, Wu Sang added, "Can the Dog Tooth God help me?" Yuan Ming asked with a hint of mockery.

    "Sincerity is the key, why not give it a try?" Wu Sang said with a smile.

    "Hehe, I¡¯ve been staying in the temple for several days, it¡¯s only right that I offer some incense." Yuan Ming alsoughed. He had indeed been somewhat obsessed with incense making these past few days, almost to the point of madness. Watching their superstitious rituals might help him clear his mind and calm his emotions.

    So, under Wu Sang¡¯s guidance, he came to the main hall and found that there were noticeably more people offering incense today than usual.

    In front of the statue of the Dog Tooth God, a ritual tform had been set up. A temple priest wearing a ceremonial robe and a tiger head mask was dancing on it. Sometimes he waved his hands, sometimes he stomped his feet, and sometimes he knelt down to worship the statue of the Dog Tooth God.

    Yuan Ming knew that this was a dance to honor the gods in the Southern Border, only performed during grand celebrations or festivals.

    "The ceremony is currently in progress." Wu Sang exined softly.

    Yuan Ming nodded slightly and joined the crowd offering incense.

    On the offering table in front of the statue of the Dog Tooth God, bundles of incense sticks were inserted. The rising smoke obscured the face of the Dog Tooth God, adding a sense of mystery.

    Batch after batch of Southern Border people came forward to offer incense and pray sincerely. The entire courtyard was enveloped in a solemn atmosphere. Yuan Ming, standing among them, couldn¡¯t help but feel moved.

    He recalled the scene he had seen outside the City God Temple when he had possessed Wang Shun¡¯s body, where themon people were praying for blessings. He seemed to have experienced the same indescribable emotions that day.

    He looked at the people of the Southern Border around him, their faces solemn and their expressions devout. Some held their hands together at their foreheads, others held their fists at their chests. It seemed that they all had something to ask for, and they all revered the gods sincerely.

    As the crowd surged, one worshipper after another took turns to offer incense to the statue, kneel in worship, and then leave.

    Everything was orderly, without anyone needing to say or do anything. Everyone followed the rules and dared not show any disrespect to the gods.

    Yuan Ming also moved forward with the crowd.

    Unlike others, what he held in his hand was a stick of incense that he had made himself. After lighting it on a candle, it emitted a slightly unique fragrance with its white smoke.

    Yuan Ming imitated themon people, pressing the incense against his forehead and bowing three times to the statue of the Dog Tooth God before inserting it into the incense burner.

    Because he used a bit too much force, both of his little fingers werepletely pressed into the incense burner, getting quite a bit of ash on them.

    After inserting the incense stick, Yuan Ming held his fists at his heart, knelt on the cushion, and bowed his head in prayer while silently praying in his heart for his parents¡¯ safety, sessful cultivation, and the ability to turn misfortune into fortune.

    Strangely enough, after going through this ritual, Yuan Ming¡¯s original restlessness and impatience disappeared. It was as if his soul had been soothed and his mind had be surprisingly calm.

    When he finished his final bow and raised his head, his gaze involuntarily fell on the statue of the Dog Tooth God on the high tform.

    At this moment, the statue was surrounded by smoke, and its face was even more blurred under the cover of the smoke.

    Just as he was lost in thought, the people of the Southern Border behind him were already quietly urging him to move.

    After getting up, Yuan Ming walked towards the temple gate.Wu Sang was standing there waiting.

    "How did it go? Did you receive any revtion from the Canine Tooth God?" Wu Sang asked.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t speak, he just shook his head.

    "Perhaps the time isn¡¯t right, or maybe the Canine Tooth God hasn¡¯t felt your sincerity yet." Wu Sang nced at Yuan Ming, implying something with his sigh.

    Sincerity leads to sess, and money gets things done?

    "Perhaps... Wu Sang, have you ever heard the guidance of the Canine Tooth God?" Yuan Ming asked back.

    "The Canine Tooth God never speaks to people, but his guidance is in the rustling wind, in the surging clouds, in the stars of the night, in the dreams of the lost." Wu Sang was taken aback, then shook his head andughed. This was something he had always heard from the temple priest, and it came out naturally.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming neither agreed nor disagreed, "No matter how beautifully you praise the gods, they can¡¯t hear you. If the gods were effective, you wouldn¡¯t have lost everything and be hiding here!"

    Wu Sang¡¯s smile disappeared instantly, he muttered, "No, no, it¡¯s because I¡¯m not devout enough..."

    Just then, a crisp and pleasant bell sound rang out. The sound was very prating, as if it could strike the soul directly.

    Yuan Ming looked in the direction of the sound and saw a tall figure wearing a dog-headed mask and a ragged robe stitched with various colored strips. He was holding a brass bell in one hand and a delicate brass sword in the other, hopping and jumping his way over from outside.

    "Brother Ga Long is about to perform the exorcism dance, make way for him." Wu Sang said, pulling Yuan Ming aside to avoid him.

    The people in the temple also scattered to the sides, leaving the central area open.

    The masked Ga Long hopped into the center of the square, chanting unintelligible prayers while dancing and ringing the bell.

    Yuan Ming understood thenguage of the Southern Border, but he couldn¡¯t understand the unique rhythm and tone of the prayers. However, the slow ringing of the bell struck his heart one after another.

    It reminded him of the Bi Luo Cave and the soul-captivating silver bell.

    After watching for a while, Yuan Ming was about to leave, but was stopped by Wu Sang.

    "Once you start watching the exorcism dance, you must watch it to the end. This is a rare moment when the Canine Tooth God descends. Leaving now is taboo and will bring bad luck." Wu Sang said seriously.

    "I don¡¯t believe it." Yuan Ming said.

    Would a gambler who had already bet his soul truly have a devout heart?

    Thinking of this, Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.

    Amid the rhythm of the prayers and the bell, Yuan Ming slowly focused his gaze on the incense burner on the altar.

    The long incense sticks inside were slowly emitting smoke, and the burnt incense ash was slowly falling, settling in the incense burner. The incense burner on the altar had umted nearly a hundred years of incense ash!

    He couldn¡¯t help but clench his fist, feeling the incense ash that had just touched his skin.

    At this moment, a sh of insight seemed to pass through Yuan Ming¡¯s mind like electricity.

    That insightpletely controlled Yuan Ming¡¯s thoughts and dominated his body. The next moment, he stepped forward, his body moving like a swimming fish, passing by the dancing Ga Long. Under the astonished gazes of the crowd, he arrived at the side of the incense table.

    Ga Long also stopped his dance involuntarily, while Wu Sang was too stunned to react.

    Ignoring the reactions of others, Yuan Ming inserted a finger into the incense burner. The storage ring on his finger shone brightly as he collected some incense ash, then he turned and ran out of the square, disappearing from everyone¡¯s sight in a puff of smoke.

    The hall was silent for a moment, then erupted into chaos.

    The worshippers had various expressions, some were confused, some were angry and usatory, some knelt down to pray, begging for the gods¡¯ forgiveness.

    Everyone was puzzled by what the young man had done and why he had suddenly acted this way. Some people began to curse in low voices.

    Ga Long had never seen such a situation before, he was stiff, not knowing whether to continue dancing or not.

    Wu Sang, not wanting his benefactor to be expelled, temporarily put aside his devotion to the gods and stepped forward to say loudly:

    "Everyone, don¡¯t panic. He may have been guided by the gods. This is the blessing of the Canine Tooth God, descending once again."

    Upon hearing this, the crowd stopped their anger and began to kneel and pray. Ga Long breathed a sigh of relief, continued to shake the brass bell in his hand, and began to dance again, chanting under his breath.

 Chapter 134: Succeeded

    Chapter 134: Seeded

    Galong, performing a ritual dance, came to Wu Sang¡¯s side and scolded in a low voice, "What¡¯s going on?"

    "Brother Galong, let me handle this." Wu Sang was also startled by Yuan Ming¡¯s actions and quickly responded.

    "I¡¯ve seen that man twice before. He seems to be the incense guest who is learning to make incense from you, Wu Sang. He was so disrespectful to Lord Canine Tooth!" Galong¡¯s face was full of anger, but it was hidden behind his dog-headed mask, invisible to others.

    Disturbing the ritual was a great disrespect to Lord Canine Tooth, a grave taboo.

    Moreover, he almost lost face in front of so many incense guests and believers. If he messed up the most important annual ritual of the Nine Li Temple, he wouldn¡¯t be able to bear the punishment from the abbot.

    "Yes, yes, calm down. I will scold himter and ensure satisfactorypensation for the temple. You still need to oversee the ritual, don¡¯t let this affect it." Wu Sang said in a low voice.

    "I¡¯ll settle the score with youter!" Galong, the temple priest, nced at the many incense guests around him, his expression slightly softened, and he continued his dance.

    After quietly apologizing, Wu Sang chased after Yuan Ming.

    On the other side, Yuan Ming had returned to his room and locked the door.He spread out all the incense-making materials he had prepared on the table, picked out a few, and prepared to make incense again. However, this time he had a new ingredient, the incense ash he had just grabbed from the ritual.

    "Bang, bang, bang!"

    Soon, there was an urgent knock on the door.

    "Yuan, what¡¯s going on? Why did you disturb Lord Canine Tooth¡¯s ritual?" Along with it was Wu Sang¡¯s angry voice.

    "I have a stomachache, don¡¯t bother me. Also, I¡¯ve left my apology at the door, you can give it to Galong." Yuan Ming suppressed his excitement and shouted.

    "Is it serious? Do you need help?" Wu Sang asked in surprise.

    "Don¡¯t worry, but I need to rest for a while. Don¡¯t disturb me before dusk." Yuan Ming shouted loudly.

    After that, he didn¡¯t respond anymore.

    Wu Sang tried to push the door but found it locked. He listened at the door for a while but heard nothing. Looking down, he saw a small package under the door.

    He bent down to pick up the package, weighed it in his hand, and muttered, "At least he knows some manners," before turning and leaving.

    Inside the room, Yuan Ming was immersed in making incense.

    Two hourster, seven or eight ck incense sticks were dried and neatly arranged on the table.

    Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t wait to take out the incense burner, insert a stick of ck incense, and light it.

    A wisp of blue smoke slowly rose, and a fragrance simr to the original ck incense spread out. Yuan Ming immediately felt his vision blur and a sense of drowsiness.

    The Great Ultimate pattern on the incense burner also lit up with a faint glow.

    "It works, it really works."

    His previous inspiration was indeed effective.

    Yuan Ming was first stunned, then a smile appeared on his face. The smile gradually widened, and he was so happy that he almost jumped up. He never thought that the material he had been looking for was the pinch of incense ash on the altar?

    However, this joy didn¡¯tst long. He couldn¡¯t resist the dizziness and his consciousness sank into darkness.

    In an instant, Yuan Ming felt a dazzling light in front of his eyes. He instinctively wanted to raise his hand to block it.

    But he suddenly realized that he couldn¡¯t control his hands at all. Not only that, he couldn¡¯t even blink or swallow.

    Had he lost control of his body?

    Yuan Ming was taken aback for a moment, but quickly regained his senses because he saw the surrounding scenery.

    He was standing in front of a beautifulke. The surrounding grass was green and the trees and bushes were neatly trimmed. Across theke was a two-story building by the water. It was decorated in a simple and elegant style, tranquil yet dignified.

    The next moment, his heart thumped.

    Through the corner of his eye, he saw the reflection of a handsome and youthful face in theke. It was the young emperor of the Great Jin Kingdom.

    The young emperor was not wearing a golden dragon robe, but a bright yellow outfit that fit him well.

    At this moment, he was standing in a horse stance with a serious face. His right arm was raised, with one finger pointing straight up. His left hand was tightly gripping his right wrist, and he was muttering something.

    Just as Yuan Ming was wondering what the young emperor was doing, the spell in his mouth stopped. A few sparks appeared out of thin air about half an inch above the tip of his raised finger. Then, with a "sizzle", a red fireball the size of a baby¡¯s fist appeared.

    Immediately, Yuan Ming felt a strong heat wave hit his face, and the temperature around him began to rise.

    "Is he practicing the Fireball Technique?" Yuan Ming thought.

    He had seen the Fireball Technique before. Like his Wood Spike Technique, it was one of the most basic andmon entry-level attack techniques in fire attribute magic. Many Qi Refining cultivators with fire spirit roots knew it, but he hadn¡¯t learned it for various reasons, the main one being that he didn¡¯t have enough time to practice repeatedly.

    Now that he was possessing the young emperor, although he couldn¡¯t control his actions and speech like before, he could still clearly feel the flow of magical power in his dantian and meridians during the process of casting the Fireball Technique. He could even hear the spell he was chanting clearly.

    After the young emperor formed the fireball at his fingertip, he didn¡¯t intend to release it. Instead, he continued to mobilize the magical power in his dantian, infusing it into the fireball, making it slowly growrger and its color change from red to pale yellow.

    "Is this really the Fireball Technique... Why does it feel a bit strange?" Yuan Ming looked at the fireball, feeling that it was somewhat different from what he had known before.Ordinary Fireball Technique was usually released directly after condensation, just like his own Wood Spike Technique. He had never heard of it being able to growrger by continuously infusing it with mana.

    Just as the young emperor was sweating profusely due to the heat of the fireball, the fireball at his fingertips finally stopped growing.

    From the same perspective, Yuan Ming understood that this was because the mana in the young emperor¡¯s dantian was almost depleted.

    The fireball, the size of an adult¡¯s head, persisted for two or three breaths before it suddenly shattered into sparks and dissipated in the air.

    Before Yuan Ming could think further, he felt a darkness before his eyes and then lost consciousness.

    When he woke up again, what he saw in his field of vision was the furnishings of the side room in the Nine Li Temple.

    In the incense burner in front of him, there was a stick of ck incense. Another one that had been lit waspletely burned out, leaving only thest bit of me gradually extinguishing.

    The light of the Great Ultimate pattern on the incense burner had also be dim.

    "Did I seed just now? And was it on the body of that initial young emperor?" Yuan Ming stared nkly at the burned-out incense, thinking about his homemade incense. For the first time, he had realized the soul-attaching function of the original ck incense and had alsoprehended the magical Fireball Technique used by the young emperor. However, the time was extremely short, it seemed that it was only ten to twenty breaths before he returned.

    But he finally seeded!

    Yuan Ming was excited, he clenched his fist and swung it hard, opening his mouth to let out a silent roar. At this moment, he felt that this small room, this temple, this Iron Tiger Town, the rivers, the great rivers, the Southern Border, the Great Jin, and even the distant Eastern Sea, everything in the world was no longer a shackle.

    The second half of the Nine Elements Form... or even better techniques, might all be possible!

    It took Yuan Ming a long time to calm down from his excitement. The control brought by that inspiration gradually faded, and his mind slowly cooled down. He felt like he had seeded, but it wasn¡¯t aplete sess.

    "Although I sessfully made an incense that can attach to a body, there seem to be many problems. Not to mention why I couldn¡¯t control the young emperor¡¯s actions, the time of attachment alone is far from the original incense." Yuan Ming thought with a bit of disappointment.

    However, Yuan Ming was somewhat pleased. After all, being able to sessfully achieve soul transference and finding the key ingredient, ash, was a huge breakthrough. Ny-nine percent of the sess was due to inspiration, and the remaining one percent was effort.

    He believed that the one percent could not hinder his path to sess.

    The materials for the current experiment could not be exactly the same as the original incense. It was impossible to achieve the original attachment time and effect.

    As long as he slowly finds the right materials in the future, the effect will definitely get better and better.

    Yuan Ming was silently contemting, looking at the other few sticks of ck incense on the table.

    The rest of the incense was also made from the same batch of mixed materials. Even if they could all help him achieve attachment, the effect would certainly not be much different.

    So he had to continue experimenting. Of course, he also had to continue using mana to help the incense burner recover.

    However, the next experiment would have to be at least seven dayster.

    In the evening, Yuan Ming walked out of the side room and saw Wu Sang walking towards him with an unhappy face.

    "Yuan, you must give me an exnation for your rudeness today. Brother Ga Long is still very dissatisfied. He has asked me to expel you from the temple." Wu Sang asked as soon as he saw him.

    Of course, arge part of the reason was that after most of the smallpensation was given to Brother Ga Long, he was severely scolded by Ga Long and even the abbot. His spirit was severely damaged.

    He must get more money!

    However, at this point, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t really care.

    He had mastered the art of making incense, and now he had found the key to making incense. Whether he stayed here or not didn¡¯t matter anymore.

    "Oh, was that apology not enough?" Yuan Ming asked back.

    "Brother Ga Long is ruthless. If it weren¡¯t for me mediating, he would have driven you out long ago! You have to show more sincerity today, otherwise I can¡¯t exin it here." Wu Sang shouted angrily.

    "Compensation is no problem, but you have to do me a small favor." After thinking for a while, Yuan Ming replied with a smile on his face, showing no signs of difort.

 Chapter 135: The last time

    Chapter 135: Thest time

    "What... what kind of help?" Wu Sang was somewhat unnerved by Yuan Ming¡¯sughter, he hesitated.

    "I need you to collect all the incense ash from the censer on the altar in the main hall of the temple. Once it¡¯s done, I¡¯m willing to give you ten silver coins, how about it?" Yuan Ming asked.

    He could have collected it secretly himself, but he didn¡¯t want to waste too much time. These worldly gold and silver were of little value to him, especially since he had recently received apensation from the old pipe smoker.

    "What do you need the incense ash for?" Wu Sang¡¯s heart pounded at the mention of "ten silver coins", but thinking of what happened during the day, he frowned and asked.

    "When someone in my hometown gets sick, they drink water mixed with incense ash. I suddenly had a stomachache this morning." Yuan Ming admitted generously.

    "Drinking incense ash to cure diseases? There are such folk remedies here too."

    Wu Sang said nomittally, but he was somewhat skeptical about Yuan Ming¡¯s method of treatment.

    "If you¡¯re unwilling, I can go directly to the temple priest, I believe he would be happy to help cure diseases." Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes rolled, he said.

    "Haha, that would be too much trouble, and Brother Galong is still angry, you better not provoke him. I¡¯ll take care of this for you when everyone is resting tonight, you don¡¯t need to bother others. Take care." Wu Sangughed and quickly said.After sending Wu Sang away, Yuan Ming returned to his room and began to operate his mana, transferring it into the censer once again.

    He suddenly thought of the scene where the little emperor was concentrating on practicing the "Fireball Technique", the more he thought about it, the stranger it seemed.

    Subconsciously, he imitated the little emperor¡¯s posture, spreading his legs and taking a horse stance.

    Closing his eyes, he carefully recalled the process of mana operation in his body at that time, as well as the spells, then opened his eyes, extended his arm, raised his index finger, and began to operate his mana.

    Soon, a fireball about the size of a walnut kernel appeared out of thin air, apanied by a "sizzling" sound, above his fingertip.

    Although the fireball didn¡¯t look big, a scorching high temperature spread throughout the room as the fireball appeared.

    Yuan Ming looked at the "Fireball Technique" he had cast for the first time, a hint of joy shed in his eyes, it seemed that his talent in learning magic was not bad.

    He stared intently at the small fireball on his fingertip, observing it carefully,paring it with the fireball technique Chen Wan had used in his memory, it seemed that there was no difference except for the size.

    Could the key to this magic be the continuous infusion of mana by the little emperor, making the fireball grow bigger to enhance its power?

    This guess was quickly suppressed by him.

    Firstly, he was currently in the mundane world, it was really inconvenient to continue studying the Fireball Technique. Secondly, he wanted to figure out the key to the incense possession, and didn¡¯t have much energy to consider other details.

    In the early hours of the night, Wu Sang came over like a thief, carrying a heavy cloth bag.

    Yuan Ming checked it and found that the incense ash was no different from what he had collected during the day. It was indeed the incense ash umted on the incense table for many years, so he gave Wu Sang ten silver coins.

    After Wu Sang asked a few questions about Yuan Ming¡¯s illness, he left happily: "Indeed, the pharmacy is the most profitable business, there¡¯s no doubt about it. After paying off the debt, should I consider doing this for a living? It¡¯s risk-free and guaranteed ie whether it¡¯s drought or flood!"

    Yuan Ming had no interest in Wu Sang¡¯s little thoughts, he continued to practice while transferring mana to help the censer recover.

    For the next seven days, he hardly went out, and Wu Sang rarely came to see him.

    That morning, the Tai Chi pattern on the censer finally lit up with a faint glow.

    Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t wait to pick up a thumb-thick ck incense stick from the table and insert it into the censer.

    In order to extend his possession time, he mixed three times the amount of incense ash into this stick of incense, and also increased the amount of other materials.

    After locking the door, Yuan Ming lit the ck incense.

    As the blue smoke rose, that familiar feeling came again, Yuan Ming rubbed his hands, full of anticipation.

    When he woke up from the darkness again, he immediately opened his eyes and looked around.

    This time, he didn¡¯t see the golden and splendid hall, nor did he smell the refreshing scent of incense, instead, a fragrance of rouge and powder entered his nostrils.

    What he saw was a boudoir with light gauze curtains.

    He had a bad feeling, and subconsciously wanted to touch his own cheek, but found that the body he was possessing did not move, just likest time, he could not control the actions of this body at all.

    He couldn¡¯t even turn his eyes, he could only see what this body could see.

    Fortunately, at this time, the body¡¯s owner¡¯s gaze moved down, and Yuan Ming saw two bulging peaks and a white lotus arm propped on the table, and the clothes on her body were clearly a woman¡¯s dress.

    "It¡¯s not the little emperor, nor the horseman, but a woman-----" Yuan Ming muttered to himself,

    At this moment, the body¡¯s owner got up, but identally knocked the table with a "ng".

    "Xiao Yuan, what are you doing?" A slightly reproachful voice immediately came from outside.

    Xiao Yuan? Is this the name of the body¡¯s owner?

    Then, Yuan Ming heard a crisp voiceing from "his" body: "Nothing, I just bumped my foot.¡­"

    At this time, the bead curtain outside the gauze was lifted, and a beautiful woman walked in from outside, her dress was the same as Yuan Ming¡¯s.

    Yuan Ming took a closer look, and then realized that they were both dressed as maids.

    "Xiao Yuan, you were asked to get a fan for the youngdy, what are you doing here? Master Lin will be here soon, and you¡¯re still dawdling here?" The beautiful maid scolded.

    "I don¡¯t know why, but I felt a little dizzy just now..." Xiao Yuan said weakly."You, you¡¯re just too fond of beingzy." The beautiful maid pointed at her with a yful finger, saying.

    "I..."

    Before Xiao Yuan could finish her sentence, Yuan Ming fainted again.

    In the next instant, his consciousness sank into darkness.

    When he woke up again, he was still sitting in the temple¡¯s side room, the thick ck incense in the censer in front of him had already burned out.

    "It seems like the time hasn¡¯t increased much from thest time..." Yuan Ming picked up the censer, his face showing helplessness.

    As for the pattern of The Great Ultimate on the censer, it had naturally extinguished again.

    "It seems I have to keep trying." Yuan Ming adjusted his mood and said so.

    In the following month, Yuan Ming tried different materials inbination with incense ash to make ck incense.

    He tried a total of four times, one of which was attached to Wang Shun, but each time the result was the same. The attachment time was short and hasty, and he couldn¡¯t control the host¡¯s free movement, let alone investigate and verify his identity.

    This left Yuan Ming speechless.

    Seeing that the time to return to the sect was approaching, he decided to make onest attempt before leaving.

    He took out a spirit stone from his storage ring, smashed it into powder, and added it to the incense.

    With the addition of the spirit stone powder, there was a faint fluctuation of spiritual power in the incense.

    Then, Yuan Ming took out some incense ash and added it to the incense.

    As various materials were mixed and stirred, another batch of incense was sessfully made by Yuan Ming.

    This time he returned to the original size, no longer making the exaggerated thick incense.

    However, after the incense was made, Yuan Ming strangely found that he could not feel the spiritual power fluctuation from it.

    "Could it be that the spiritual power has dissipated?" Yuan Ming was puzzled.

    But he didn¡¯t think much about it and lit the ck incense again.

    But this time, before lighting the incense, he kept chanting "Little Emperor" in his heart, hoping to attach to him again.

    In the previous many times of lighting incense and attaching, only when he was attached to the Little Emperor, the benefits were the greatest.

    In addition to infusing mana into the censer to help it recover these days, Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but ponder the strange "Fireball Technique" in his spare time.

    Because when he was attached to the Little Emperor, he truly observed the process of his spell casting, and even felt the flow of mana in the Little Emperor¡¯s body when he was casting the spell. Therefore, Yuan Ming came back to ponder carefully,bined with previous experience, and quickly learned it.

    However, he still couldn¡¯t reach the level of the Little Emperor¡¯s spell casting.

    Yuan Ming still hoped to attach to the Little Emperor again, and it would be best to feel his spell casting process again.

    "It must be the Little Emperor, it must be the Little Emperor..." Until his consciousnesspletely sank into darkness, Yuan Ming was still shouting in his heart.

    In the next instant, his vision finally lit up again.

    He saw a finely carved dragon chair and a desk piled with memorials.

    "Your Majesty, why not take a break and continue?" At this time, a somewhat sharp voice sounded.

    Upon hearing the sound, Yuan Ming¡¯s host turned his gaze and saw a young eunuch in eunuch¡¯s clothes, serving a bowl of ginseng tea.

    "It¡¯s really the Little Emperor, I really attached to the Little Emperor..." After Yuan Ming confirmed this, he was immediately overjoyed.

    This meant that one of his long-standing conjectures had been preliminarily verified.

    His attachment was not truly random and disorderly, but closely rted to the things or people he was thinking about, and could not be separated.

    "Dealing with these government affairs is really boring, cultivation is more fun. I was really stupid before, actually not willing to cultivate. Next time the National Teacheres, my Exploding me Technique will definitely surprise him."

    At this time, the Little Emperor spoke.

    Yuan Ming could clearly feel his excitement, and even he himself was a bit eager to try.

    Free reading.

 Chapter 136: Borrowing the tripod

    Chapter 136: Borrowing the tripod

    "Come on, get up and practice." Yuan Ming muttered in his heart.

    "Let¡¯s go to the Imperial Garden. I want to practice the Explosion Technique again." Whether it was Yuan Ming¡¯s muttering that worked or not, the young emperor actually wanted to practice the Explosion Technique.

    Yuan Ming also felt a bit excited.

    However, just as the young emperor was about to get up, Yuan Ming felt a wave of dizziness. His soul returned to his own body.

    "Explosion Technique, so it¡¯s called Explosion Technique..." After waking up, Yuan Ming frowned deeply, feeling that the name was hard to describe.

    Looking at the extinguished ck incense in front of him, he felt a bit depressed.

    "The use of adding spirit stone powder is not that great..."

    The duration of this possession had slightly increased, but it was only a few breaths longer than before.

    However, these seemingly useless few breaths gave Yuan Ming an inspiration.Perhaps the incense ash was just the key to open the threshold of possession, so the amount of it did not affect the duration of possession. To create a real ck incense like the original one, he probably needed to find more corresponding spiritual materials containing spiritual power and keep trying.

    And this was something he couldn¡¯t aplish in this small temple.

    "If only I had more time. If I could follow the young emperor and perform the Explosion Technique again, I would definitely gain a deeper understanding." Yuan Ming thought to himself.

    He was like a student who was taking the imperial examination with the top schr. Not only could he see thetter¡¯s answers, but he could also understand his thought process. Once he started writing, he could do it smoothly without any obstacles.

    "Well, I¡¯ve been out for so long, it¡¯s time to return to the sect. The cultivation of the ¡¯Nine Elements Form¡¯ and the ¡¯Death Moon Method¡¯ have shown signs of breakthrough. It¡¯s time to return to the sect and retreat for a while." Yuan Ming exhaled a turbid breath and slowly said.

    He stood up and put all the incense-making materials and remaining incense ash he had collected during this period into his storage bag.

    Then he took out the storage ring and all the things inside, transferred them to the storage bag, and kept it close to his body.

    Once he returned to the sect, this thing could not be seen by others.

    After everything was ready, Yuan Ming closed the door, intending to find Wusang to inform him before leaving.

    However, he couldn¡¯t find him anywhere.

    Just as Yuan Ming was about to leave the temple, he suddenly heard amotion outside, as if someone was crying.

    When he arrived, he saw Wusang, with a full face of stubble and covered in dust, lying outside the temple gate.

    "Brother Galong, you can¡¯t drive me away..." Wusang tried to grab Galong¡¯s clothes, crying out loud.

    "Humph, you are addicted to gambling and refuse to repent. This ce can¡¯t amodate you. You¡¯d better go somewhere else." Galong said with a disgusted face.

    There weren¡¯t many onlookers, but they all had a look of mockery, watching the excitement.

    Yuan Ming understood when he heard this. No wonder he hadn¡¯t seen Wusang these days. He must have been gambling again in Tiehu Town after getting the silver coins he gave him.

    He shook his head secretly, took a look, and wanted to leave.

    However, as soon as he left the temple, he was seen by Wusang. Thetter, like a drowning man grasping thest straw, rushed over to grab his foot.

    "Wusang, what are you doing?" Yuan Ming dodged nimbly and asked with a frown.

    "Please help me, beg for me." Wusang quickly pleaded.

    "I¡¯m just a guest staying here. How can I have the right to ask the host? Brother Wusang, you¡¯d better talk to the temple master Galong yourself." Yuan Ming said with a smile.

    After that, he said to the temple master Galong, "Thank you for your hospitality during this time. I¡¯m leaving today."

    Galong didn¡¯t have much friendship with him. Hearing this, he just nodded slightly without saying anything.

    "It¡¯s all his fault. I was diligently making incense in the temple and studying hard day and night. It was him who came to me and disturbed my cultivation, causing me to fall again." Seeing that Yuan Ming was unwilling to help, Wusang suddenly stood up and pointed at him, saying harshly.

    Hearing this, everyone looked at Yuan Ming with doubtful eyes.

    "I only appreciate the guidance given by Lord Quanya. I often give Wusang some incense money and food money to help him deliver it to the temple. I didn¡¯t ask him to gamble with the money." Yuan Ming said innocently.

    "Wusang, we haven¡¯t seen you bring any incense money from the believers to the temple. It seems that you have gambled it all away, haven¡¯t you?" Galong¡¯s face darkened, obviously angry.

    His words turned the doubts of the crowd into anger.

    Wusang was deceiving Lord Quanya!

    "People who fall into the river of desire will always fall again and again. Even the great Lord Quanya can¡¯t break your delusion. Wusang, Jiuli Temple doesn¡¯t wee you. You can leave." After saying that, Galong turned around and left.

    Yuan Ming looked at Wusang, who was in a daze, patted him lightly, and secretly put a gold bean in Wusang¡¯s pocket, saying, "Gamblers never end well!"

    Then he shook his head and left,pletely ending the cause and effect.

    As for whether Wusang could repent, he didn¡¯t hold out much hope.

    ***

    Half a dayter.

    In a tall building in Tiehu Town, in an elegantly decorated private room.

    Yuan Ming took out a sealed envelope and a money bag from his bosom and handed them to a middle-aged man dressed in exquisite clothes sitting opposite him.

    The envelope was written with several big ck characters "To General Yuan Zuochong of the Southern Town!"

    "Manager Qian, I¡¯ll have to trouble you." Yuan Ming said.

    "Rest assured, if there¡¯s onepany in the entire Southern and Northern Regions that¡¯s reliable, it¡¯s our Zhonghai Commerce. I can guarantee that the goods will be safely delivered to the capital of Jin." The middle-aged manager weighed the money bag in his hand and said with a smile.

    Yuan Ming nodded, stood up, and left the building.

    The dream of immortality is far away, a letter home brings peace.The letter bore the seal of his white jade ring, which his father should recognize.

    Having confirmed his identity, although his memory had not fully recovered and he could not return to the Great Jin for the time being, he should still write a letter to his parents to ease their worries.

    It had been almost two years since his unexpected "disappearance" on that diplomatic mission.

    Half a monthter, Yuan Ming returned to the Bi Luo Cave.

    He first reported to his senior brother Fang Ge, then returned to his residence.

    Since he had locked the door when he left, no one hade to clean, and a thickyer of dust had umted inside.

    He went to the window and immediately saw the note he had left for Xiying on the desk, still on the table.

    However, the white paper had been torn in half, and a small cat paw print was added to the lower right corner of one half.

    "She¡¯s still angry."

    Yuan Ming chuckled.

    On the desk, there were also some other messy paw prints. Obviously, during his absence, not only Silver Cat Xiying had been here, but also Huo Chan¡¯er.

    Just as Yuan Ming was about to clean up himself, Bo Tu had already brought a basin of clean water.

    He said he had seen Yuan Ming return and had hurried to prepare.

    He worked quickly and soon cleaned the entire room, leaving no dust in any corner.

    After Bo Tu finished his work, he prepared to leave.

    Yuan Ming stopped him and gave him a bag of silver coins before letting him go.

    Many of the servants in Bi Luo Cave were like Ha Gong, who had been sold here because their lives were too hard or they had some insurmountable difficulties.

    These gold and silver treasures were not significant to Yuan Ming, but they were still very important to them.

    It could be considered as taking from the mundane world and returning to the mundane world.

    Bo Tu knelt down and thanked him profusely before leaving with tears in his eyes.

    After tidying up a bit, Yuan Ming called out the incense burner and ced it on the table, continuing to infuse it with his mana.

    Today was the seventh day.

    About half an hourter, Yuan Ming stopped his action, and the pattern of the Great Ultimate on the incense burner lit up again.

    Just as he was about to take out his homemade ck incense, the closed window suddenly opened, and a shadow shed past.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s heart tightened, and he subconsciously wanted to put away the incense burner.

    However, before he could move, he suddenly felt a lightness in his hand. When he looked down, he found that his hands were empty, and the incense burner had disappeared.

    "Damn it." Seeing this, Yuan Ming was shocked.

    At this moment, the figure of Silver Cat Xiying appeared at the window, and the green incense burner was floating beside her.

    The incense burner was wrapped in ayer of silver light, connected to Silver Cat Xiying.

    "Xiying? What are you doing?" Seeing that it was Silver Cat Xiying, Yuan Ming breathed a sigh of relief, but said unhappily.

    Silver Cat Xiying replied, "I¡¯m borrowing this cauldron for a few days." Then she jumped lightly onto the pine branch outside the window and went outside.

    Yuan Ming vaguely noticed a hint of cunning in Silver Cat Xiying¡¯s eyes, but he immediately jumped up and chased after her without hesitation.

    However, when he got outside, he only saw the back of Silver Cat Xiying. She had jumped over the wall and was already far away.

    "Xiying..."

    Yuan Ming shouted and hurriedly chased after her.

    Silver Cat Xiying was extremely fast, and Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t catch up with her at all. She ran into the forest in the mountains and disappeared in a few moments. Yuan Ming¡¯s divine sense was limited and he couldn¡¯t search for her at all.

    It was only at this moment that Yuan Ming realized that the incense burner had ended up in Silver Cat Xiying¡¯s hands.

    However, he couldn¡¯t understand why Silver Cat Xiying would suddenly snatch his incense burner. Was it really just to borrow it for a few days?

    In their past interactions, he had taken out the incense burner more than once, and even handed it to her personally for her to examine. At that time, he didn¡¯t see Xiying doing anything inappropriate.

    The incense burner was of great significance to him. As Yuan Ming thought about it anxiously, he pressed his fingers against his brow, activated the Death Moon method, and drew out the three soul crows from his sea of consciousness.

    The soul crows spread their wings and flew into the forest to search.

    However, they couldn¡¯t find any trace of Silver Cat Xiying anywhere.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s brow furrowed. He had long realized that if Silver Cat Xiying intended to hide, he would not be able to find her at all.

    "Calm down, I must calm down, there must be a way..." Yuan Ming stopped and forced himself to think calmly.

    After calming down and thinking, Yuan Ming indeed thought of a way.

    The incense burner was not an ordinary magical tool to him, he had a special connection with it.

    Yuan Ming looked at his arm, then recalled the soul crows, and sat down cross-legged on the ground.

    Then, he touched the ce on his arm where the incense burner tattoo was originally, retracted his divine sense, and began to try tomunicate with the incense burner, sending out his intention to summon it back.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t know if this would work, but this was the only method he could try now.

    Free reading.

 Chapter 137: Angry

    Chapter 137: Angry

    On the other side.

    Silver Cat Xiying, carrying the incense burner, arrived at arge tree not far away.

    This was a huge century-old tree. Ten zhang (33 meters) above the ground, there was a small tree hole that had been dug out. The hole was lined with fur and silk, and there was a pillow made of silk.

    Silver Cat Xiying ced the burner in front of her, raising a paw to rest on it.

    A silver light shone from the center of her paw, forming a magic array that enveloped the burner. The light gathered towards the incense burner.

    However, after waiting for a moment, there was no reaction from the burner.

    A puzzled look appeared in Silver Cat Xiying¡¯s eyes. Her fluffy little head moved closer, and just as she was about to take a closer look, she suddenly found that the burner was glowing on its own, and its body began to be transparent and ethereal.

    Silver Cat Xiying¡¯s eyes shed, and she quickly withdrew her magic power.

    But the ethereal state of the incense burner did not stop. Itpletely disappeared under her gaze.Silver Cat Xiying puffed out her cheeks, thinking to herself, "Oh, how did this damn bastard do it?"

    At the same time, Yuan Ming felt a warmth on his arm.

    A dark green incense burner tattoo gradually emerged.

    "It¡¯s back!" Yuan Ming was overjoyed at the sight.

    After touching the tattoo on his arm, he stood up, looked around, didn¡¯t see the silver cat, and immediately turned back to his residence.

    After returning, he didn¡¯t continue to light the incense and try to possess a body. Instead, he sat upright at the table, quietly waiting for the silver cat to appear.

    Sure enough, a momentter, the silver cat appeared again at the window.

    She still walked with an elegant stride, showing no remorse for her previous actions, but instead looked at Yuan Ming angrily.

    "You took my things without asking, and you¡¯re still angry?" Yuan Ming said angrily.

    "Hmph, I just borrowed it for a few days, you¡¯re too stingy." Silver Cat Xiying was furious, her ws grinding against the window frame, her voice ringing in Yuan Ming¡¯s ears.

    "This thing is not for ying. If it¡¯s stolen, it¡¯ll be troublesome." Yuan Ming said seriously.

    "Stolen? Who dares! Don¡¯t they know who I am?" The silver cat said proudly.

    "I¡¯m not afraid of ten thousand, just in case. This incense burner is very important to me..." Yuan Ming said patiently.

    "I want to y with your incense burner, you stingy ghost. Don¡¯t you see who¡¯s helping you cultivate? What¡¯s wrong with ying for a while? What¡¯s wrong? Stingy ghost!" Silver Cat Xiying didn¡¯t listen to Yuan Ming at all, she interrupted him and started shouting.

    Yuan Ming felt a bit guilty when he heard this, so he waved his hand, and the incense burner appeared in his hand again. He put it on the table and said, "Alright, alright, you y. y here."

    "I¡¯m not interested now, I don¡¯t care." The silver cat nced at the incense burner, slowlyy down on the window sill, resting her little head on her front paws, and looked elsewhere.

    The atmosphere was a bit tense, Yuan Ming thought for a moment and then said:

    "What do you want this incense burner for? Can you tell me?"

    In fact, he had always been suspicious about the appearance of the silver cat. At first, he was also on guard, but after spending a long time together, and the silver cat had indeed given him a lot of help and even saved him, he hade to consider the silver cat as a friend from the bottom of his heart.

    "I won¡¯t tell you, I don¡¯t want to deal with you now." Silver Cat Xiying¡¯s voice rang in Yuan Ming¡¯s mind.

    "Then let me guess." Yuan Ming said.

    Silver Cat Xiying turned her gaze, looked at Yuan Ming, blinked twice, and wanted to hear what Yuan Ming could say.

    "When I practice the Death Moon method, I summon this incense burner, which seems to help stabilize the soul and increase soul power. You feel the same, don¡¯t you?" Yuan Ming continued.

    He had long discovered that the reason why the mischievous fire glutton of the previous three-hole master liked to be close to him was mostly due to this.

    "It seems you¡¯re not stupid, have you awakened? Let me touch your head, you might have grown horns." The silver cat stretched out her crystal-clear paw towards Yuan Ming¡¯s head.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming instinctively dodged. The scene of Xiying shing the Kun map to the ground with one w was still fresh in his mind, and he didn¡¯t want to be touched by this w.

    "Stop, stop, your ws are too heavy, it¡¯s scary." Yuan Ming was startled and said.

    "Coward, if I really wanted to harm you, would I wait until now? I would have killed you and taken the burner long ago." Silver Cat Xiying said disdainfully.

    "Then why didn¡¯t you do it?" Yuan Ming asked curiously.

    "I won¡¯t tell you, goodbye." Suddenly, the silver cat jumped down like lightning, swept her paw, and took away the piece of paper on the table that had been torn in half. She then jumped onto a nearby tree.

    Yuan Ming thought to himself, "Xiying seems to be not angry anymore..."

    "Xiying, I¡¯m going to start my retreat in the Hundred Thousand Mountains tomorrow." Yuan Ming shouted outside.

    "Whatever." Thetter didn¡¯t look back and disappeared from his sight.

    Yuan Ming looked in the direction where Silver Cat Xiying had left, his face full ofplex emotions.

    Since he met this silver cat, he found that her originally proud character had changed a lot, and sometimes she was even a bit cute.

    In fact, after he had made some progress in his cultivation, he found thatmunicating with the soul was not simple.

    Xiying¡¯s background must be extraordinary, and the name "Xiying" sounded like it was given by a woman?

    A momentter, Yuan Ming came back to his senses, closed the window, and then put the incense burner back on the table, lighting the homemade ck incense.

    Before this possession, he also silently recited the name of the little emperor in his heart, but he couldn¡¯t possess his body, but possessed the body of a servant in the general¡¯s mansion.

    This made Yuan Ming a bit puzzled, not knowing whether his previous guess was wrong, or whether his intention was not focused enough before this possession.

    After all, after being tossed around by Silver Cat Xiying, his mind was indeed not calm, and his thoughts were a bit chaotic.

    However, no matter what the reason, he had to stop for a while. He couldn¡¯t forget the necessity of hard cultivation just because of the possible benefits of possession.

    His true foundation was his own strength, and he must focus on secluded cultivation for the next period of time.

    The next day, Yuan Ming set off for the Hundred Thousand Mountains.

    He found a lush forest, cut down trees, and built a simple wooden house on an ancient tree that reached into the sky.

    This ce was rich in wood-element spiritual energy, which would be his ce for secluded cultivation for the next period of time.

    By the time the wooden house was built, it was already evening.

    Yuan Ming came to the foot of the tree, and following the habit he had when he was a beast ve, he used stones to encircle a fire pit, filling it with firewood and dry leaves.

    But this time, he didn¡¯t use a fire starter to light the fire.

    Instead, he stood a zhang (3.3 meters) away from the fire pit, took a horse stance with his legs apart, and raised his hands, one hand holding the wrist of the other.

    Then, he closed his eyes and concentrated, recalling the scene when he had possessed the young emperor and used the Explosion Technique with him.

    With a soft chant from his mouth, the mana in his body began to circte along a predetermined path, flowing towards the tip of his raised index finger.

    The next moment, a fist-sized me ignited with a ¡¯sizzle¡¯ and hovered at his fingertip.

    The me clustered, and the heat surged. The high temperature spread, causing waves of heat to rise, blowing Yuan Ming¡¯s hair slightly upward, and his face was illuminated red by the firelight.

    Yuan Ming steadied his mind and began to try to stimte his mana ording to his previous guess, pouring it into the formed fireball.

    At first, he didn¡¯t dare to be too reckless, strictly controlling his mana like a trickle, converging at his fingertip.

    The walnut-sized fireball, at the moment of mana infusion, spat out a tongue of me, then returned to calm, but the volume of the fireball began to slowly increase.

    Feeling that there was nothing wrong, Yuan Ming began to confidently infuse mana.

    Mana surged rapidly from his dantian, constantly gathering into the fireball,

    The slowly growing fireball suddenly began to grow rapidly, and in a short while, it became the size of a baby¡¯s head.

    The color of the me also changed from red to bright yellow, and the scorching temperature made Yuan Ming¡¯s face tighten, and a burnt smell permeated the air.

    But apanying this was the rapid loss of Yuan Ming¡¯s internal mana, almost to the point of losing control.

    Just as Yuan Ming felt that his mana was almost exhausted and was about to throw the fireball, the mana stored in his dantian had already run out first.

    The huge fireball stopped spitting out mes, and its volume no longer increased. It onlysted for a breath or two before it ¡¯bang¡¯ shattered into countless sparks, dissipating in the air,

    Yuan Ming copsed to the ground, feeling empty in his dantian, as if his energy had been drained.

    He quickly took out a spirit stone and held it in his hand, sitting cross-legged to cultivate while absorbing the spiritual power within it to help him recover quickly.

    After this verification, Yuan Ming found that his dantian¡¯s mana storage was actually less than that of the young emperor.

    Thetter could support the fireball to grow to the size of an adult¡¯s head, but he couldn¡¯t.

    It can be said that it was Yuan Ming¡¯s idental possession that helped the young emperor start his cultivation path, so their cultivation time should not be much different, but the result was that Yuan Ming was far behind.

    Of course, there are differences in external conditions. After all, as the emperor of the Great Jin Kingdom, he should notck cultivation resources, but his cultivation aptitude is probably one in ten thousand.

    "This Explosion Technique seems to be able to keep growing as long as I keep infusing mana. At least with my mana, I can¡¯t test its limit for now." Yuan Ming pondered.

    It wasn¡¯t untilte at night that Yuan Ming finally recovered his dantian mana.

    He couldn¡¯t wait to start trying again.

    This time, he closely monitored the changes in his dantian mana, and did not exhaust his mana likest time, allowing the fireball to self-destruct.

    Instead, the moment before his mana was about to run out, he used all his strength to throw it into the fire pit in front of him.

    The bright yellow fireball flew into the fire pit, and the moment it hit the ground, a ¡¯boom¡¯ sound echoed.

    A huge me exploded from the fire pit, countless fireballs carrying dirt and gravel sshed out, forming a circle of fire overflow about a zhang (3.3 meters) in radius.

    "I¡¯ve overdone it!" A thought shed through Yuan Ming¡¯s mind.

    The intense heat mixed with the shockwave and gravel, sweeping outwards with an incredibly strong force.

    Free reading.

 Chapter 138: The fourth ability

    Chapter 138: The fourth ability

    Seeing the situation turn dire, Yuan Ming quickly retreated to dodge, but he still couldn¡¯tpletely avoid it and was sent flying by a wave of scorching heat.

    When he got up from the ground, rubbing his chest and covered in dust, he saw that the fire pit he had built with stones had turned into a charred pit three feet wide, with wisps of white smoke still rising from it.

    The trees within thirty feet around him had been riddled with holes, battered and charred, with mes still visible.

    The sight before him left Yuan Ming dumbfounded.

    He had seen the Fireball Technique before, the most basic fire attribute attack spell that Chen Wan had previously used, but the power of this Explosion Technique was iparable to even ten Fireball Techniques.

    He feared that even inner disciples with higher cultivation levels than him, or even those in the early stages of Foundation Establishment, would not be able to face this attack!

    After the surprise, there was more intense shock and joy.

    "I need to hurry up and cultivate. Only by condensing more mana can I increase the power of this technique." Yuan Ming thought to himself. If he had this technique, as long as he used it properly and supplemented it with spirit stones, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about being besieged by people like Kuntu.

    "Boom"Just then, a huge shadow fell in front of Yuan Ming with a loud noise, startling him.

    The tree house he had spent a day building was smashed to pieces in front of him along with the broken tree trunk.

    "Sigh, it seems I need to find a new ce."

    Time flew by, and several months passed.

    In the dense forest of the Hundred Thousand Mountains.

    On top of a towering ancient tree, a man-made wooden tform was erected. A figure sat on it, bathed in the bright moonlight.

    He held a green incense burner in his arms, emitting a faint glow.

    At this moment, the glow around him suddenly contracted and returned to his body.

    But a light shone from his forehead, and a pure ck crow with a tuft of white feathers on its forehead flew out from the hazy light, heading east into the high sky.

    Following it, another ck soul crow flew out, heading west.

    Then the third, and finally the fourth.

    The four soul crows flew in four different directions: east, south, west, and north. Yuan Ming¡¯s sea of consciousness immediately disyed four different scenes, seen through the eyes of the four soul crows.

    Just now, his Death Moon method had finally reached the second level, his soul power greatly increased, and he had condensed the fourth soul crow.

    The four soul crows flew far away, not very fast, only as fast as ordinary crows, but the distance they flew this time was greatly increased.

    Each one flew twenty miles away before the connection with Yuan Ming began to weaken, and the scenes in his vision became blurry.

    Yuan Ming summoned the four soul crows back with a thought.

    After experiencing and feeling it, he noticed that the soul power fluctuations of the four soul crows were much stronger than before, which meant that if heunched the Soul Strike ability again, the power would be much stronger than before.

    A cultivator of the same level as him could not withstand his Soul Strike attack.

    During this time, Yuan Ming had been intensively cultivating the Nine Elements Form during the day and practicing the Death Moon method at night. Not only had his soul cultivation method made great progress, but his Nine Elements Form had also reached the ninth level.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming¡¯s cultivation level was already at the ninth level of Qi Refining.

    The growth of his mana cultivation made him more proficient in techniques such as the Wood Spike Technique and the Wood Prison Technique, and the speed and power of his techniques had also increased.

    The four soul crows returned one after another, re-entering Yuan Ming¡¯s sea of consciousness.

    Yuan Ming slowly opened his eyes, a look of joy on his face.

    At this moment, a silver figure slowly descended from an ancient tree in the moonlight and came to Yuan Ming¡¯s side.

    "I didn¡¯t expect such a stupid person to be able to condense the fourth soul crow." The familiar voice of Silver Cat Xiying echoed in Yuan Ming¡¯s sea of consciousness.

    Silver Cat Xiying had indeed appeared. He could feel that during his retreat, this silver cat had been around all the time.

    He immediately looked at her and said, "Xiying, I have mastered a new ability."

    "What ability?"

    Xiying¡¯s tone was clearly surprised.

    "Corpse control," Yuan Ming said with a smile.

    "How is that possible? Generally, soul cultivators need to cultivate to the Foundation Establishment stage before they can master the ability to control corpses. Otherwise, their soul strength is simply not enough to support them in controlling corpses." The silver cat found it hard to believe.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s soul strength and the speed of his soul growth far exceeded that of ordinary people. This was something the silver cat knew, but she never thought it would be so outrageous.

    "Whether it works or not, we¡¯ll only know after trying," Yuan Ming said.

    "I¡¯d like to see if you can really do it," the silver cat¡¯s voice immediately echoed in his sea of consciousness.

    Yuan Ming nodded, immediately formed a hand seal with both hands, closed his eyes, and began to perform the soul secret technique.

    In no time, a soul crow struggled out from his forehead, soared into the sky, and after a brief circling, flew in a certain direction.

    The soul crow flew about seventy or eighty feet away, then suddenly dove towards the ground.

    Below in the forest, a bodyy sprawled in a pit filled with dead branches and leaves. The body was highly dposed, its clothes turned to mud.

    The body¡¯s chest and abdomen were pierced by wooden spikes at the bottom of the pit, but the fatal injury was the copsed skull, which seemed to have been smashed by a beast like a bear.

    The ck crow flew to the body, hesitated for a moment, then plunged into its half-copsed head.

    The next instant, ghostly mes seemed to rise in the corpse¡¯s eyes, lighting up two green glows.

    In the forest on the other side, Yuan Ming¡¯s face twisted. His consciousness still held the vision of the soul crow, but the perspective had be somewhat strange.

    At this moment, he felt as if he had grown an extra pair of eyes outside his own, and the world he saw through these eyes was shrouded in a faint green gloom.

    "How is it? Tell me quickly." Silver Cat Xiying¡¯s voice echoed in his consciousness.

    "I think... it¡¯s sessful." Yuan Ming was somewhat uncertain.

    "You have some talent." Silver Cat Xiying¡¯s experienced voice timely echoed in Yuan Ming¡¯s consciousness. "If the soul crow enters a corpse and can see the outside world through the corpse¡¯s perspective, then you have seeded halfway. You can try to control the corpse¡¯s movements."

    He immediately tried.

    With a thought, the arm of the corpse dozens of feet away slowly and stiffly raised. Almost simultaneously, the arm of his meditating body also involuntarily raised.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming quickly lowered his arm, but the corpse also lowered its arm.

    He frowned slightly, tried again to control the corpse to move its leg, and then his own leg also involuntarily moved.

    Yuan Ming immediately pressed his own leg and again used his mind to control the corpse¡¯s movements.

    This time, his own leg did not cause trouble under the forceful external force, but this was obviously not a long-term solution.

    In a sense, they, one man and one corpse, had be conjoined twins.

    "I want to control the corpse¡¯s movements, but when the thought is conveyed, it inevitably affects my own body. When the corpse moves, I also move." After several attempts, Yuan Ming said with a troubled expression.

    After a moment, Xiying¡¯s voice echoed in his mind:

    "For a soul cultivator controlling a corpse for the first time, this situation is quite normal. Controlling a corpse is about dividing a part of your consciousness to control another body, which is naturally ten times more difficult than simply dividing your consciousness to observe the outside world."

    "So, how can I do it as freely as you?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "There¡¯s no shortcut, only constant practice. Do you think you¡¯re a genius like me?" Xiying did not give any shortcuts, and even took the opportunity to belittle Yuan Ming.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming immediately stopped being distracted and began to immerse himself in trying to control the corpse.

    At this moment, Xiying seemed to deliberately keep sending him messages, disrupting his rhythm: "The longer the corpse has been dead, the less water and muscle activity it retains, the stiffer the corpse¡¯s movements, and the harder it is to control. Conversely, if the corpse has just died and still retains some spiritual power, as long as it is controlled properly, it can even disy itsbat instincts from when it was alive."

    Yuan Ming took these words to heart and continued to control the corpse.

    Until the next day dawned, a highly dposed ck corpse staggered out of the misty forest and came stiffly to Yuan Ming.

    The next instant, the corpse copsed, and a ck soul crow flew out from its forehead and entered Yuan Ming¡¯s consciousness.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming looked exhausted, but there was an unmistakable joy in his eyes.

    After a night of repeated practice, almost exhausting the power of the four soul crows, he finally mastered the knack of controlling the corpse and finally severed the conjoined twin-like sensation between himself and the corpse.

    "You do have a little talent in soul cultivation. It¡¯s not easy to be able to control a corpse to this extent in such a short time. You¡¯re probably close to one-tenth of my ability back then." Silver Cat Xiying said, having stayed by Yuan Ming¡¯s side all night.

    "Can you tell me your story from back then?" Yuan Ming asked curiously.

    Without a reply, Silver Cat Xiying had already left.

    After thanking the departing Silver Cat Xiying, Yuan Ming bathed in the morning light and continued to meditate and cultivate his spirit.

    However, just as he was immersing himself, his mind suddenly "boomed" as if a heavenly bell had been struck.

    Then, one by one, images emerged from his mind, flooding over like a tide.Yuan Ming suddenly felt a wave of intense pain in his head, involuntarily clutching his head with both hands and copsing to the side.

    After a long while, he stopped struggling, his forehead drenched in cold sweat, and slowly lifted his head.

    His gaze was slightly focused, his eyes clear, seemingly unchanged, yet somehow different from before.

 Chapter 139: Opportunity for Foundation Establishment

    Chapter 139: Opportunity for Foundation Establishment

    Two dayster.

    Yuan Ming returned to the sect, not going back to the Refining Hall, but directly to the Execution Hall, nning to find some tasks suitable for himself to umte some contribution points.

    However, when he arrived at the square outside the Execution Hall, he found it unexpectedly bustling with people.

    Nearly a hundred disciples from various halls were gathered around a notice board in the square, discussing enthusiastically. Yuan Ming was curious about what news on the board could attract so much attention.

    With some effort, Yuan Ming squeezed into the crowd and tiptoed to the notice board. He found a striking red paper posted on it, which was a notice issued by the sect.

    "The Bai Lu Hill Alliance?" Yuan Ming quickly read through it, but a big question arose in his heart.

    He turned to a round-faced disciple beside him, who was full of excitement, and asked, "Brother, could you tell me what this Bai Lu Hill Alliance is?"

    "Don¡¯t you even know about the Bai Lu Hill Alliance? Have you been too engrossed in your cultivation?" The man looked at him with some contempt.

    "I just joined the sect not long ago and don¡¯t know much about it. Could you please enlighten me?" Yuan Ming said with a smile.Seeing that Yuan Ming was polite, the man cleared his throat, ready to exin. But before he could speak, another person next to him jumped in.

    "The Bai Lu Hill Alliance is a grand event held by the five major sects in the southern and northern regions of our Nanjiang. It takes ce every ten years. The young elites of the five sects gather there. You just joined the sect not long ago, so you probably won¡¯t have the chance to participate." A tall and thin disciple from the Refining Hall said.

    The round-faced disciple, seeing his words stolen, red at the man and sneered, "You¡¯re not new here, but you talk as if you have a chance to participate. Participation in the alliance depends on strength."

    "Where is your strength? I think you don¡¯t even have the courage to participate..." The tall and thin disciple retorted.

    "And what can you do? Every time there¡¯s a good opportunity, you rely on your master¡¯s connections."

    Seeing the two about to fight, Yuan Ming quietly withdrew from the crowd.

    The notice only mentioned that the Bai Lu Hill Alliance would be held in half a year, and those who wished to participate could register with the elders in charge of their respective halls. Nothing else was mentioned.

    Although Yuan Ming was somewhat curious about the Bai Lu Hill Alliance and wanted to learn more, his main priority was to improve his cultivation as soon as possible. Otherwise, knowing about it would be useless.

    He didn¡¯t find any suitable tasks in the Execution Hall, so he returned to the Refining Hall. He went directly to the forge to practice refining embryos.

    The path of refining was ultimately about hands-on practice. If he didn¡¯t practice for a long time, he would definitely be rusty.

    Since it was past midnight, the morning ss in the forge had ended, and almost all the disciples had left. Yuan Ming started the furnace by himself and began to refine embryos.

    His strength and skills were maturing day by day, and it was not difficult for him toplete a thousand times of refining. He quickly found his rhythm andpleted the refining in no time.

    When he put down thest hammer, a standard long knife had been forged.

    "p, p."

    At this moment, apuse sounded from behind. Brother Fang Ge hade over at some point.

    "You¡¯ve improved. The pattern on the de is beautiful, and the shape is very symmetrical." Brother Fang Ge praised.

    "Brother, you tter me. I haven¡¯t practiced for a long time and I¡¯m a bit rusty. I hope you can give me some advice." Yuan Ming said with a smile.

    "Don¡¯t be modest. I noticed a long time ago that when you do something, you may not learn faster or more quickly than others, but once you master it, you perform very steadily." Fang Ge waved his hand and said.

    Thinking about it, Yuan Ming suddenly felt that it was indeed the case!

    Whether it was refining embryos or drawing talismans, as long as he truly mastered the method, the sess rate was very high.

    "Have you seen the master?" Fang Ge asked.

    "I just returned to the sect today and haven¡¯t had time to pay a visit. Is there any instruction from the Third Master?" Yuan Ming asked with some surprise.

    "Sister Chen Wan came to find you yesterday, saying that the master asked you to go to the back mountain. But she couldn¡¯t find you and had to go into seclusion, so she entrusted me to tell you when I see you." Fang Ge said.

    After a moment¡¯s thought, Yuan Ming knew that he was probably asked to take care of Huo Chan¡¯er.

    "I¡¯ll go to the back mountainter. Before that, I have something to ask Brother." Yuan Ming said.

    "Just say it." Fang Ge nodded.

    "Brother, do you know what the Bai Lu Hill Alliance is?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "Did you go to the Execution Hall? It¡¯s about half a year away." Fang Ge asked.

    "Exactly, I saw many disciples gathered around the notice. It seems to be a grand event held every ten years." Yuan Ming said.

    "Bailu Hill is a forbidden area among the Hundred Thousand Mountains, shrouded in deadly miasma all year round. Every ten years, the miasma in some areas dissipates for seven days. At this time, the five major sects of our Southern and Northern regions will jointly explore Bailu Hill. The alliance is an exchange event for Qi Refining disciples of the five major sects, and also a test of the strength of each sect¡¯s new generation. After all, our five major sects are interconnected." Fang Ge exined in detail.

    "Exploration?" Yuan Ming was intrigued.

    "It means searching for various spiritual materials in Bailu Hill." Fang Ge said.

    "Are there many spiritual materials in Bailu Hill?" Yuan Ming asked further.

    "Of course. Bailu Hill is a special existence in the entire Hundred Thousand Mountains. Because it is covered by deadly miasma, ordinary cultivators cannot enter, and it is isted from many fierce beasts. Therefore, it contains arge number of rare and exotic beasts and many unique spiritual materials not found elsewhere. The five major sects can all benefit greatly from it." Fang Ge said.

    "Rare and exotic beasts? It seems that it¡¯s not very peaceful inside." Yuan Ming said.

    "There are indeed dangers. The deadly miasma in Bailu Hill breeds a variety of poisonous creatures and various strange beasts, and casualties are inevitable. Moreover, such an alliance also has certain risks. Each sect will secretlypete,paring their respective gains and ranking them. So there will also bepetition and conflicts between each other." Fang Ge exined.

    Yuan Ming nodded, not asking further.

    "Why? Junior Brother Yuan, are you interested in participating?" Fang Ge asked.

    "Forget it, I just joined the sect not long ago, and my strength is still shallow. I¡¯d better focus on cultivation." Yuan Ming said.

    He was initially interested, but after talking with Fang Ge, he temporarily dismissed the idea of participating. After all, there was still half a year¡¯s time, and he could decide based on the situation at that time.

    "Yes, steady cultivation is the right path. Besides, you¡¯ve just joined the sect, and since you¡¯re not in a hurry to establish your foundation, there¡¯s no need to participate." Fang Ge nodded, very satisfied with Yuan Ming¡¯s pragmatic thinking.

    "Do you mean that it also has something to do with Foundation Establishment?" Yuan Ming asked in confusion.

    "The sect attaches great importance to the output of Bailu Hill, and in order to encourage Qi Refining disciples and select potential disciples, there are various additional rewards for participating disciples. All the treasures obtained in Bailu Hill can be exchanged for sect contribution points, which can be used to exchange for various magical instruments, spiritual materials, elixirs, and even cultivation methods. For particrly outstanding disciples, the sect may reward a chance for Foundation Establishment. However, you shouldn¡¯t think about it." Fang Ge continued.

    When he heard about Foundation Establishment, Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes clearly brightened.

    Although he was new to the path of cultivation, he knew that for cultivators, Foundation Establishment was the first hurdle on the long road of cultivation. Whether or not one could sessfully establish their foundation meant twopletely different lives in the future.

    The reason is simple, whether or not one can establish their foundation is a matter of lifespan.

    Ordinary mortals live only a few decades in their lifetime. It is rare for someone to live to seventy, but once they embark on the path of cultivation, as long as the cultivation method they practice is orthodox, they can prolong their life. Therefore, most Qi Refining cultivators, as long as they do not die prematurely, can live to over a hundred years old, which is not umon.

    But, that¡¯s the limit.

    Although it¡¯s much better than ordinary people, if one is lucky enough toplete Foundation Establishment, living for more than two hundred years is not a problem.

    And a long lifespan means more time to cultivate to higher levels, thereby gaining more lifespan.

    Yuan Ming is now at the ninth level of Qi Refining, only one step away from the tenth level. Once he steps into the tenth level, he will initially have the qualifications for Foundation Establishment. Therefore, this opportunity for Foundation Establishment is not something he can take or leave.

    With this in mind, Yuan Ming immediately changed his mind. He wanted to participate in the Bailu Hill Alliance.

    Not only did he want to participate, but he also wanted to make full preparations in advance to strive for that precious opportunity for Foundation Establishment as much as possible.

    Because to seed in Foundation Establishment, without the support of sect resources, no matter how he cultivates, he cannot seed on his own.

    After bidding farewell to the Fire Workshop, Yuan Ming headed straight for the back mountain.

    When he arrived outside the small courtyard of the Third Cave Master, Yuan Ming straightened his clothes and said loudly, "Disciple Yuan Ming, pays respects to the Third Cave Master."

    As soon as his voice fell, a sharp little head suddenly appeared on the wall of the courtyard. Two ck eyes, like beans, turned around and stared at Yuan Ming, letting out a sharp scream.

    Immediately afterwards, a red shadow jumped out from the courtyard and climbed onto Yuan Ming¡¯s shoulder in an instant, rubbing its head affectionately against Yuan Ming¡¯s neck.

    Yuan Ming plucked it off his neck and gently stroked its head.

    At this time, the door of the small courtyard creaked open on its own.

    "Come in." The voice of the Third Cave Master came from inside the courtyard.

    Holding the Fire Glutton, Yuan Ming quickly walked into the courtyard and immediately saw the Third Cave Master sitting next to the stone table.

    "Yuan Ming pays respects to the Third Cave Master." Yuan Ming put the Fire Glutton on his shoulder and bowed.

    The Third Cave Master nced at the intimate Fire Glutton, nodded, and said, "I heard from Fang Ge that you went out for closed-door cultivation before?"

    "Yes, I just returned to the sect today." Yuan Ming replied.

    "I will be going into seclusion again soon, and I need you to continue looking after Huo Chan¡¯er for a while," said the Master of the Three Caves.

    Free to read.

 Chapter 140: Reunion Wu Lu

    Chapter 140: Reunion Wu Lu

    "Master of the Three Caves, may I ask how long you n to retreat this time?" Yuan Ming asked hesitantly.

    "A few weeks at the shortest, a few months at the longest. Do you have other matters?" The Master of the Three Caves frowned slightly, seemingly displeased.

    "Well, I n to participate in the White Deer Hill Alliance meeting in half a year. I need to make some preparations during this period, so I may not be able to take care of Huo Chan for a long time." Yuan Ming exined with a slight hesitation.

    "You want to participate in the White Deer Hill Alliance meeting? If I remember correctly, it hasn¡¯t been long since I took you as my disciple?" The Master of the Three Caves said in surprise, clearly taken aback.

    "Yes, I will never forget the kindness of the Master of the Three Caves." Yuan Ming said, sping his fists.

    "There are casualties in every alliance meeting. You have finally escaped from the status of a beast ve. You can practice in peace and don¡¯t take risks." The Master of the Three Caves advised.

    "This opportunity is rare, I am willing to take a risk. I read in a book that a seedling in a greenhouse cannot grow big." Yuan Ming insisted.

    "Well, if you have made up your mind, I will submit your name." The Master of the Three Caves said.

    "Thank you. In the following period, I will take good care of Huo Chan. Please rest assured, Master of the Three Caves." Yuan Ming said."I have another request, I hope the Master of the Three Caves will not me me." Yuan Ming continued.

    The Master of the Three Caves said, "Speak your mind."

    "I don¡¯t want any other rewards this time, I just hope to learn from the Master of the Three Caves, how to upgrade the Green Fish Sword to a real magical weapon?" Yuan Ming asked with a slight relief in his heart.

    "You want to prepare for the White Deer Hill meeting?" The Master of the Three Caves guessed Yuan Ming¡¯s thoughts at a nce.

    "Yes, nothing can be hidden from you. This sword has been with me, and we have fought enemies together several times. I have always wanted to refine it into a magical weapon that apanies me. However, I consulted Brother Amuhe before, and learned from him that the Green Fish Sword is not quite the same as ordinary semi-magical weapons. The spiritual power inside it is extremely condensed, and there is no way to reforge it and upgrade it to a magical weapon." Yuan Ming said.

    Hearing this, the Master of the Three Caves nodded in agreement.

    "What Amuhe said is not wrong. When I refined this Green Fish Sword, I was too ambitious and collected several high-quality spiritual materials. I wanted to refine a top-grade magical weapon, but unfortunately, Icked thest spiritual material, the Thousand-Year Cold Crystal, and I could never find it. In a hurry, I refined this semi-magical Green Fish Sword." The Master of the Three Caves said with some regret.

    Hearing this, Yuan Ming felt a bit discouraged.

    He knew the reputation of the Thousand-Year Cold Crystal. Many of the books about spiritual materials in the Bi Luo Cave mentioned this precious spiritual material, which is usually used to refine top-grade and even supreme-grade magical weapons of Yin cold attribute.

    Even the Master of the Three Caves, with his status and cultivation, could not find such a treasure. Yuan Ming, a Qi refining cultivator, naturally had no chance toe into contact with it.

    Seeing the change in Yuan Ming¡¯s expression, the Master of the Three Caves knew what Yuan Ming was thinking and said, "If you just want to upgrade the Green Fish Sword to the level of a magical weapon, you can also try to find some low-grade ores of the same Yin cold attribute. If you can find suitable materials, I can also help you refine it."

    "Master of the Three Caves, you can help me refine it?" Yuan Ming was overjoyed, almost unable to believe it.

    "Don¡¯t be too happy yet, I have conditions for helping you refine the Green Fish Sword." The Master of the Three Caves said.

    "Please speak." Yuan Ming nodded, feeling that this was reasonable.

    "There are many special spiritual materials in White Deer Hill that are hard to find elsewhere. I got the news thatst time a disciple of the ck Fire Gate, Sang Yan, brought back White me Gold. This time I need you to keep an eye on this disciple of the ck Fire Gate. She will definitely go to find this kind of spiritual material again. You find an opportunity to take her storage bag." The Master of the Three Caves said.

    "Master of the Three Caves, how strong is this person? Will there be other disciples of the ck Fire Gate to help?" Yuan Ming asked, pondering.

    "This person is only at the eighth level of Qi refining. With your Green Fish Sword, you should have no problem dealing with her." The Master of the Three Caves said.

    "If that¡¯s the case, I will do my best." Yuan Ming said.

    "Also, Chen Wan, who is overconfident, has also decided to participate in this alliance meeting, so she has been in retreat recently. You should support each other andplete this task together." The Master of the Three Caves continued.

    "Of course." Yuan Ming nodded.

    "Alright, you go and try to find the spiritual materials first. It would be good if you canplete the refining before the White Deer Hill Alliance meeting." The Master of the Three Caves said.

    After thanking the Master of the Three Caves, Yuan Ming left with Huo Chan.

    At night, Silver Cat Xiying appeared. He took the opportunity to ask some questions about the practice of the Death Moon method, and finally told the other party about the White Deer Hill Alliance meeting.

    Thetter seemed to have known it a long time ago, and left a sentence "I¡¯m not interested in these childish games" before disappearing into the night.

    Yuan Ming knew the character of the Silver Cat and didn¡¯t mind. He started practicing on his own.

    Huo Chan, who hadn¡¯t felt thisfort for a long time, subconsciously wanted to burrow into Yuan Ming¡¯s arms.

    But as soon as it got close, it suddenly woke up and looked guiltily towards the window.

    Although it didn¡¯t see the figure of Silver Cat Xiying, it finally only snuggled up to Yuan Ming¡¯s leg andy down.

    The next day.

    Early in the morning, Yuan Ming went to the Gui Cang Pavilion and exchanged two techniques with his remaining contribution points.

    One of them was called "Green Sword Technique", a middle-level technique for the Qi refining period. It was an advanced version of the Wood Thorn Technique. It also released wood thorns through the technique, but it no longer needed to be condensed from trees or the ground.

    Instead, it only needed to reverse one¡¯s own mana, and it could condense sharp wood thorns out of thin air, and project them in the void, just like controlling a flying sword. Both its power and speed were extraordinary.

    The other technique was a low-level defensive technique called "Wood Shield Technique".

    When casting this technique, it also needed to condense mana. Through a special operation method, it burst out from the palm and fingers, and condensed a green shield with a radius of three feet on it.When the round shield was activated, a green light would gather on its surface, revealing ayer of wood grain texture. It looked like a verdant wooden shield, capable of defending against some low to mid-level Qi refining attacks.

    After obtaining the technique, Yuan Ming began to practice diligently.

    Thanks to the foundation of the Wood Spike Technique, the learning of the Green Sword Technique went smoothly. In just three days, Yuan Ming had basically mastered the essentials.

    On the other hand, the Wood Shield Technique took a lot of Yuan Ming¡¯s energy to practice.

    Although this technique was just a low-level defensive spell, it was not easy to cast. It required strict control of the flow and output of mana. The mana output from the five fingers must be even, otherwise, it would be difficult to condense a round shield.

    Once the shield was unbnced, its defensive effect would be greatly reduced.

    Eventually, it took Yuan Ming almost half a month to finally master this technique. At this time, he received a message from Chen Wan, saying that the Third Cave Master hade out of seclusion.

    In the evening, Yuan Ming went to the back mountain and returned the Fire Glutton to the Third Cave Master.

    Seeing that he had not yet found the spiritual materials for refining the Green Fish Sword, and had no contribution points to reward, the Third Cave Master directly gifted him the storage bag and spirit beast bag that he had previously borrowed.

    After thanking him, Yuan Ming left the Fire Refining Hall.

    In a valley near the Refining Furnace Hall mountain, Yuan Ming met Wu Lu.

    For a while, to avoid suspicion, Yuan Ming did not go to see Wu Lu even when he returned from his travels.

    Aftering out of seclusion this time, he deliberately paid attention to the news of the Beast ve Hall and the Beast Taming Hall. Seeing that both sides had been calm, he took the initiative to meet Wu Lu.

    Upon seeing Wu Lu, Yuan Ming was somewhat surprised.

    The Wu Lu in front of him was wearing the attire of a registered disciple of the Beast Taming Hall, with a faint smile on his face. His entire aura had undergone a great change.

    "Brother Yuan, why are you looking at me like this?" Wu Lu was the first tough proudly.

    "Brother Wu Lu, you¡¯ve changed so much that I hardly recognize you," Yuan Ming said.

    "After Kun Tu¡¯s death, Elder Meng Shan saw potential in me and promoted me. Fortunately, I was quick on my feet and managed to be a registered disciple. I¡¯ll need Brother Yuan¡¯s guidance in the future," Wu Lu said.

    "Congrattions, congrattions. You are truly capable. I¡¯ll need Brother Wu Lu¡¯s guidance in the future," Yuan Ming politely said.

    "Brother Yuan, you¡¯re too modest. I have some news for you. After the sudden identst time, when Brother Kun Tu was killed, the sect sent people to investigate but found nothing. It¡¯s been more than half a year now, and it¡¯s probably hard to find the murderer," Wu Lu added.

    "What should we do? Won¡¯t we be on edge when we go out on official business in the future?" Yuan Ming pretended to be panicked, but a weight was lifted from his heart.

    "What¡¯s there to worry about? I think the sect won¡¯t send us out for a while. Everyone can focus on cultivation," Wu Lu said with a smile.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming understood.

    "Brother Yuan, the Bai Lu Hill Alliance Meeting is about to begin. Will you participate?" Wu Lu changed the topic.

    "I was nning to participate. What about you?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "You¡¯re really going? I thought you wouldn¡¯t take any risks after the danger you encounteredst time," Wu Lu said, surprised.

    "If I want to improve, I have to take some risks," Yuan Ming said with a bitter smile.

    "That¡¯s true. I also n to try my luck this time. Relying on the sect¡¯s resources, how can we improve our cultivation? We must support each other then," Wu Lu nodded and said with a smile.

    "Brother Wu Lu, you¡¯re always thoughtful. Why would you need my help?" Yuan Ming nced at him and said.

    After thest incident, he had realized that Wu Lu¡¯s identity might not be simple. His insight, methods, and temperament were not something a person of wild origin could have.

    "Brother Yuan, you may not know this. I¡¯ve asked people who have been there before. In previous alliance meetings, not only did the five major sects fight and suffer casualties, but even our own people would fight over worldly possessions. So before this meeting, the sect will gather all participating disciples and set rules. The Grand Elder might even show up," Wu Lu said.

    "How could disciples of the same sect kill each other? The elders really need to manage this," Yuan Ming said indignantly. This was news that the Third Cave Master had not mentioned.

 Chapter 141: Rule

    Chapter 141: Rule

    "Disciples from the same sect killing each other, fathers and sons shedding blood, siblings mutting each other, these are all toomon." Wu Lu said with an indifferent expression.

    "Why does Brother Wu Lu suddenly have such a sentiment?" Yuan Ming asked curiously.

    "Haha, it¡¯s nothing. I just suddenly thought of some past events. By the way, where are you going, Brother Yuan? If there¡¯s anything I can help with, don¡¯t hesitate to let me know." Wu Luughed, changing the topic with a smile.

    "Brother Wu Lu has a widework of acquaintances, and the people you¡¯ve befriended are of a higher level than me. I do have a favor to ask." Yuan Ming didn¡¯t beat around the bush and took over the conversation.

    "Brother Yuan, feel free to speak. As long as it¡¯s within my capabilities, I will do my best to help." Wu Lu¡¯s expression slightly hardened, not knowing whether the other party didn¡¯t realize he was just being polite or was doing it on purpose, but he immediately responded with a smile.

    "Hehe, Brother Wu Lu, don¡¯t be nervous. I just want to inquire if you know where I can get some ice-attribute spiritual materials, the higher the quality, the better." Yuan Ming chuckled and asked.

    "It seems Brother Yuan is nning to refine a magical tool! However, I, a newly recognized disciple, am unable to help with such spiritual materials. If the sect¡¯s Qingxue Hall doesn¡¯t have them either, Brother Yuan can try his luck in the outside market." Wu Lu¡¯s expression rxed, seemingly relieved, and said.

    "Market?" Yuan Ming asked in surprise.

    "It¡¯s actually a trading ce where various independent cultivators and some sect disciples gather. It¡¯s a bit like the Toad Valley we visited before, but it¡¯s a mixed bag with real and fake items. If you¡¯re lucky, you might find the spiritual materials you want." Wu Lu exined."How can I find such a ce?" Yuan Ming asked again.

    "As far as I know, the closest one to us is the ck Rock City Market. Isn¡¯t the Bailuqiu Alliance about to start? This is considered a grand event held every ten years by our five sects in the southern and northern regions. I guess it will be quite lively there soon." Wu Lu thought for a moment and then said.

    "Brother Wu Lu is indeed knowledgeable and experienced, thank you for the information." Yuan Ming didn¡¯t expect that his casual question would actually find the right person.

    "Hehe, it¡¯s just a small matter, not worth mentioning! To be honest, I¡¯ve only heard about it. With my current status, I would only be looked down upon if I went there. Brother Yuan, if you decide to go, be careful on the road."

    Wu Lu said, his tone somewhat serious.

    "Thank you for the reminder, I¡¯ll keep it in mind." Yuan Ming responded seriously.

    After asking Wu Lu about the location of ck Rock City, the two went their separate ways.

    ......

    After returning to his residence.

    Yuan Ming closed the doors and windows, summoned the incense burner, lit a stick of ck incense, and inserted it.

    Since he had made up his mind to treat the Bailuqiu Alliance as the most important matter at hand, he needed to make good use of the uing time and do everything possible to enhance his strength.

    In addition to trying to refine the Green Fish Sword into a magical tool, he was still full of anticipation for the incense burner¡¯s possession, which he tried every seven days.

    As the green smoke rose, Yuan Ming¡¯s vision began to blur, but his consciousness was exceptionally clear.

    In his mind, he carefully recalled the face of the young emperor of the Great Jin, sketching out his voice and smile bit by bit, trying not to miss any details, and kept repeating a name in his heart:

    "Liu Tianming."

    Liu Tianming was the name of the young emperor.

    Ever since he reached the second level of the Death Moon method, Yuan Ming¡¯s soul power had increased, and arge number of past memories gradually emerged in his mind. However, these fragments were still somewhat chaotic and notplete memories.

    Yuan Ming needed to spend time sorting them out to connect these fragments.

    It was in these memories that Yuan Ming saw his past experience as apanion reader to the young emperor and learned his name.

    The next moment, his consciousness plunged into darkness and then lit up again.

    The surrounding light was dim, and the air was filled with the scent of nts. Yuan Ming¡¯s vision followed the host¡¯s gaze, only to see an open terrain in front of him, densely covered with vegetation.

    In front of him, about seven or eight zhang away, stood a wooden dummy d in full armor, as tall as a person, with a target hanging on its chest, and nothing else within several zhang.

    "Your Majesty, everything is ready, you can start now." A sharp voice sounded from the side.

    "Everyone, step back. I¡¯m going to cast a spell." A familiar young voice sounded.

    "Great, it worked!"

    Yuan Ming was overjoyed in his heart. As he had guessed, he had once again possessed the body of the young emperor.

    The next moment, the young emperor had already assumed the horse stance and began to chant the incantation.

    Seizing this rare opportunity, Yuan Ming immediately calmed his mind and began to carefully feel the changes in the flow of mana within the young emperor¡¯s body.

    Each of these immersive experiences was a precious treasure to him, which could save him a lot of detours in his ownprehension and mastery of the Explosion Technique.

    The young emperor¡¯s outstretched finger tip lit up with fire, and a fist-sized fireball with flickering mes began to expand, soon reaching the size of a human head.

    At the same time, the mana in the young emperor¡¯s dantian began to rapidly deplete.

    However, unlikest time, the young emperor decisively shouted "Go" just before his mana was about to run out.

    The fireball "whooshed" away from his finger and flew towards the wooden dummy seven or eight zhang away, hitting the target squarely.

    There was a "boom" sound.A fierce me shot up into the sky, causing the wooden puppet¡¯s armor to explode violently. Fragments of various sizes, apanied by countless sparks, sttered in all directions, and the puppet itself shattered under the immense impact.

    A powerful air current exploded in the air, impacting in all directions.

    The surrounding nts several feet away were affected, all falling down in all directions, with the exploded puppet as the center.

    "What a powerful force!" Yuan Ming was excited. The burning explosion technique that the little emperor had used by exhausting all his mana was much stronger than his own.

    When the aftermath dissipated, arge group of eunuchs and pcedies immediately ran over, holding copper basins and wooden buckets, to extinguish the sparks that had sshed around.

    "Good, good, good..." At this moment, a round of apuse came from a distance, apanied by three cheers.

    The little emperor turned around at the sound, and Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze followed.

    He saw an old Taoist priest in a purple-gold Taoist robe with a pattern of eight trigrams and clouds, wearing a golden lotus crown, stroking his three long beards on his chest, walking over.

    He didn¡¯t seem to be walking fast, but the two little eunuchs following him were panting and couldn¡¯t keep up.

    Yuan Ming recognized him at a nce. It was the national teacher, Jade Pot Taoist, who had taught the little emperor the "Nine Elements Form".

    "National Teacher." The little emperor greeted with a smile.

    "Hehe, Your Majesty is intelligent and diligent in cultivation, making rapid progress..." The Jade Pot Taoist stood in front of the little emperor and said.

    "I still have a long way to go, I hope the National Teacher will not hesitate to give me guidance." Although the little emperor said so, Yuan Ming could feel his inner excitement and a little pride.

    Upon hearing this, the Jade Pot Taoist seemed hesitant, as if he really had something to say?

    Just as Yuan Ming was about to listen carefully, before he could hear the Jade Pot Taoist¡¯s answer, his consciousness sank and he fell into darkness.

    When his soul returned to his body, he looked at the incense burner in front of him, his eyes still filled with excitement. Not for anything else, but because he had found another important rule of incense attachment in the dark.

    Incense attachment was notpletely random, but closely rted to his mental state or his thoughts.

    Thinking back, Yuan Ming¡¯s initial attachment to the little emperor was due to his difficult situation in the Ten Thousand Mountains. He was eager to cultivate mana, and a strong intention naturally arose in his heart, as if making a vow. The incense burner fulfilled his wish and gave him the "Nine Elements Form".

    And then he attached to the stableman Wang Shun in the general¡¯s mansion, which was due to his own past and longing for home. This was more like a subconscious pull, rather than active guidance by intention.

    The subsequent attachments were almost all on people in the general¡¯s mansion, because what he subconsciously desired did not change, so the ce he wanted to go did not change, but the object of attachment was not urate.

    The two times he attached to Wang Shun and the two times he attached to the little emperor allowed Yuan Ming to further specte on some rules about attachment.

    However, the initial experiments were not sessful.

    This time, Yuan Ming¡¯s intention was firm, and his thoughts were all focused on the little emperor, and his intention was purer.

    After cultivating the secondyer of the Death Moon method, his memory had mostly recovered. He not only remembered the little emperor¡¯s name, but also many rted memories.

    This might be the key to his sessful attachment to the little emperor again.

    In addition, the ck incense stick in the incense burner should not only affect whether the attachment can be sessful, but also the duration and effect of the attachment.

    At least when he used the three ck incense sticks that came with the original incense burner, not only was the time quite long, but he couldpletely control the body of the person being attached. He just didn¡¯t know what changes the person being attached would have at the time, and whether there would be any impact afterwards?

    Of course, this is only the difference he can perceive at present. His intuition tells him that this mysterious incense burner and ck incense probably have many secrets that he has not yet learned.

    Especially its effect on the repair and nourishment of the soul, not only makes spirit beasts like Fire Glutton like it, but even Silver Cat Xiying wants to get close to it with all her heart.

    Soul cultivation is powerful and easy to bacsh, but with this incense burner as a guardian, it can bergely resolved. This miraculous effect is a heaven-defying item for a soul cultivator like him.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming¡¯s mind was in chaos and he couldn¡¯t calm down.

    He closed his eyes, activated the Death Moon method to resolve the inner fluctuations, and wait half an hour before he finally suppressed these thoughts.

    He opened his eyes, carefully holding the incense burner in his hands, and began to slowly infuse mana into it to help the Great Ultimate pattern recover as soon as possible.

    Free reading.

 Chapter 142: The Five Sects of the Northern Region

    Chapter 142: The Five Sects of the Northern Region

    Three dayster, on a clear morning.

    Yuan Ming casually epted a task to find spiritual materials at the Execution Hall. He then took leave from Fang Ge and left the Bi Luo Cave Mountain Gate, heading in the northeast direction.

    After he had distanced himself from the mountain gate, he muttered some words, and a stream-like green light emerged around his body. He became extraordinarily light, and with a slight touch on the ground, he could leap several feet forward.

    This was the Wind Agility Technique he had obtained from Hu Huo. He had practiced it a bit during his spare time in the past two days and had already grasped the basics.

    People generally wouldn¡¯t spend time mastering such techniques. They would gradually improve their proficiency by using them in their daily travels.

    With this technique, Yuan Ming¡¯s travel speed was much faster than before. He could cover nearly three hundred miles a day. At night, he would find a nearby mortal town to stay and meditate.

    Several dayster, at noon, he arrived at a secluded valley about a hundred miles away from the nearest mortal town.

    The valley was lush and green, with a white mist lingering at the entrance. Perhaps the mountains on both sides were too high, blocking the sunlight. From a distance, the valley was always shrouded in a huge shadow. Apart from this, there was nothing remarkable about it.

    Yuan Ming arrived at the entrance of the valley, paused for a moment, then walked forward, plunging into the white mist.After only half an incense stick¡¯s time, the view in front of him suddenly cleared, and arge town appeared before his eyes. The mist that had been lingering had long since dissipated.

    The buildings in the town were all made of a kind of ck rock. At first nce, they seemed a bit chaotic, but they subtly formed a circr shape around the valley, like a giant ck rock.

    Seeing this, a smile appeared on Yuan Ming¡¯s face.

    This was the ck Rock City mentioned by Wu Lu. It was not an ordinary mortal town, but a city for cultivators. The mist outside the valley was to prevent ordinary mortals from identally entering.

    Before he set off, he had spent some time in the Gui Cang Pavilion to look up some records about this city. He knew that the city was in a special location, at the intersection of the territories of the Bi Luo Cave, Qing Yan Meeting, and ck Fire Gate. It was also not too far from the other two sects, so it was originally established for the convenience of cultivators from all sects.

    Over time, cultivators from the Southern Region and Central ins, as well as some rogue cultivators, came here, and the town gradually prospered, bing a famous market in the Northern Region.

    It was said that this market was not controlled by any of the five sects in the Northern Region, but belonged to an ancient cultivation family, which appointed a city lord to govern it.

    This family was very mysterious and low-key. Few people in the Northern Region knew where its territory was, but none of the five sects dared to disrespect it, and they all did business in the city honestly.

    At this time, Yuan Ming was not wearing the disciple¡¯s uniform of Bi Luo Cave, but a set of ordinary clothes from the Southern Region. He also wore a hat with a veil to cover his face.

    ck Rock City was a mixed bag, so most of the people, especially the rogue cultivators, dressed like this. He was just following the crowd, and it also helped him avoid some trouble.

    At the entrance of the town, there were two guards, one tall and one short, both wearing ck armor. They both had a breath of mana and their cultivation was not low, both above the fourth level of Qi Refining.

    "Are you entering the city? Please pay an entrance fee of one spirit stone," said the short, round-faced guard in ck armor on the left, politely stopping Yuan Ming.

    "Why is there an entrance fee?" Yuan Ming frowned slightly.

    He didn¡¯t have many spirit stones on him. He hadn¡¯t seen anything yet, and he had to give out a spirit stone.

    "Recently, the number of cultivatorsing and going has increased. To reduce the chaos caused by idle people in the city, we temporarily require an entrance fee. If you are unwilling, please return the way you came," said the tall, thin guard in ck armor on the right, indifferently.

    "Just take it, it¡¯s only one spirit stone." Yuan Ming snorted, took out a fire attribute spirit stone, and handed it to the round-faced guard.

    The guard took the spirit stone, stepped aside, and let Yuan Ming into the city.

    Once inside, Yuan Ming felt the unique hustle and bustle of ck Rock City.

    Ahead was a slightly empty wide ck stone street, wide enough to amodate three carriages side by side in the mortal world. The ck stone houses on the side of the street were simple in design, with small doors and windows, like small fortresses.

    These seemed to be shops, mostly selling mortal goods, such as rice, flour, and insect food from the Southern Region. Many people were busy inside, but they were all ordinary people without mana.

    From time to time, beast carts could be seen leaving from in front of a shop, carrying various ingredients and heading into the city.

    Yuan Ming was not surprised by this. Cultivators were essentially physical beings. Before reaching the stage where they could practice Inedia, they also needed to eat, drink, and relieve themselves. Especially for low-level cultivators who had just reached the tenth level of Qi Refining, even if they wanted to practice Inedia, they could only maintain it for a month or so.The ordinary people on the street seemed ustomed to the presence of cultivators, paying no mind to Yuan Ming¡¯s arrival and continuing with their own affairs.

    Yuan Ming walked to the end of the ck stone street, where a wider road appeared ahead.

    On both sides of this road were numerous shops, muchrger than those at the entrance. The proportions of the doors and windows were more normal, and at first nce, all the goods sold inside were for cultivators.

    There were many cultivatorsing and going, but the wide street did not seem crowded. The sounds of conversation and hawking rose and fell, forming waves of noise that stimted the ears.

    "Come and take a look! ck-backed lizard¡¯s brain, one spirit stone per bottle!"

    "Selling green jade, two spirit stones per pound!"

    "Blood-winged bat liver, enhances eyesight when consumed, only two spirit stones per pound!"

    Almost every shop had a clerk standing at the entrance, hawking their wares, no different from the merchants in the mundane world.

    Yuan Ming curiously observed everything around him, especially the goods in the shops on both sides.

    He had been in the Bi Luo Cave for some time, and during this period, he had gained some opportunities and obtained books like "Collection of Hundred Herbs" and "Record of Strange Stones". He was quite confident in identifying spiritual materials, but the variety of goods in the ck Rock City market was so diverse that many items were still unheard of. This journey had greatly broadened his horizons.

    "It seems that I should visit these markets more often in the future, even if it¡¯s just to broaden my knowledge." Yuan Ming thought excitedly.

    "Selling spirit beasts! Flying spirit beasts, water-walking spirit beasts, all kinds avable! Don¡¯t miss out as you pass by!" A voice like a broken gong came from ahead, full of enthusiasm, attracting the attention of the people nearby.

    "This voice..." Yuan Ming¡¯s expression froze as he looked over.

    Not far ahead, arge shop appeared. It upied arge area, with white walls and green tiles, standing out among the surrounding shops.

    Through the open door, he could see part of the shop¡¯s interior, where many cages were ced, containing various fierce beasts. The young man hawking at the entrance of the shop was a round-faced youth with thick eyebrows and big eyes. It was Yuan Ming¡¯s old acquaintance, Zhao Tong.

    "Is that him? What is he doing in ck Rock City?" Yuan Ming was quite surprised.

    His gaze then moved upward to the que hanging above the shop¡¯s door, which read "Bi Luo Shop" in golden characters on a white background.

    "Bi Luo Shop? They¡¯re selling spirit beasts, and Zhao Tong is soliciting business here. It seems this shop is an official business of Bi Luo Cave?" Yuan Ming thought, his heart still not settled.

    He had known for a long time that there were businesses of Bi Luo Cave in ck Rock City, but he never expected that they would be selling spirit beasts.

    Bi Luo Cave was famous in the Northern Region for its beast taming. Spirit beasts could be considered the foundation of Bi Luo Cave, and they were willing to sell them in ck Rock City?

    The current Yuan Ming naturally didn¡¯t know that the daily expenses of the sect were quiterge, and the various resources and spiritual materials required were not small. Bi Luo Cave couldn¡¯t bepletely self-sufficient and needed to interact with the outside world regrly. The shops set up in various markets were one of the important channels and sources of ie.

    In the face of absolute benefits and needs, it was normal to sell spirit beasts, which were the foundation of the sect, as long as the price was not cheap.

    The spirit beasts of Bi Luo Cave were quite popr. From time to time, people were attracted to go in, and most of the people who came out had smiles on their faces and an extra spirit beast bag around their waists.

    Yuan Ming already had a ck Toad and had no intention of buying more spirit beasts. Under such circumstances, he had no ns to catch up with Zhao Tong, so he walked past as if nothing had happened.

    After passing a few medium and small shops, anotherrge shop appeared ahead. The entrance was deserted, and a que hung above it, reading "ck Fire Pavilion" inrge characters.

    "ck Fire Pavilion? Could it be like Bi Luo Shop, a business of the ck Fire Sect in this city?" Yuan Ming looked into the ck Fire Pavilion.

    Theyout of the ck Fire Pavilion was quite different from ordinary shops. From the entrance, one could only see a few counters and couldn¡¯t tell what the shop was selling.

    Yuan Ming activated his divine sense and quickly scanned the inside.

    Theyout of the ck Fire Pavilion was simr to that of the Bi Luo Shop, with many sealed cages and cabs inside. However, instead of spirit beasts, they contained various refined corpses and ghostly entities.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming had no more doubts.

    The ck Fire Sect was a sect known for controlling refined corpses and raising ghostly entities. This ck Fire Pavilion must be a business of the ck Fire Sect.

    "Bi Luo Cave and ck Fire Sect both have shops here. The other three sects in the Southern and Northern Regions, the Hundred Poison Cave, Beast King Sect, and Green Rock Association, probably all have shops here too." Yuan Ming thought.

    ording to the information about the Five Sects of the Northern Region that he had crammed before leaving, the ck Fire Sect, known for controlling corpses and driving ghosts, was the strongest, and the other four sects were not much different.

    The Hundred Poison Cave was good at using poison, especially controlling various poisonous insects, which had some simrities with the beast taming of Bi Luo Cave.

    The Beast King Sect was skilled in totem tattooing techniques, which could enhance physical strength and was good at closebat.As for the Qingyan Society located in the Kas n, it¡¯s rather unique. This sect upies thergest spirit stone mine in the northern region of the Southern Frontier, making it the wealthiest among the five sects.

    The Qingyan Society is the youngest sect, originally arge-scalemercial guild. It has maintained long-term trade rtions with sects like the Biluo Cave. After establishing the sect, it expanded the spirit stone business to other areas of the Southern Frontier, and even to the Central ins of the Great Jin.

    In terms of cultivation methods and secret techniques, the Qingyan Society doesn¡¯t have any unique features. The cultivation methods practiced by the disciples within the society are all based on spirit stones, either purchased or learned from the other four sects. Since they started trading with the Great Jin, they have also learned the spells of the Central ins, making the sect a melting pot of various techniques.

    Although the other four sects are not pleased with this, they all need the spirit stones from the Qingyan Society, so they have to turn a blind eye. Over the years, they have managed to coexist peacefully.

 Chapter 143: Thatâ€™s right

    Chapter 143: That¡¯s right

    After leaving the ck Fire Pavilion, Yuan Ming took a stroll around and indeed found the Hundred Poison Cave, Beast King Sect, and Qingyan Association¡¯s shops all concentrated in this district. He had a preliminary understanding of the situation here.

    The Qingyan Association, as a sect based on a business association, had thergest scale among the five sects. The items they sold were quite misceneous, attracting passing cultivators with various levels of spiritual materials.

    The Hundred Poison Cave¡¯s shop sold all kinds of highly toxic items, as well as precious poisonous insects.

    As for the Beast King Sect, a body refining sect, they sold body tempering spiritual liquids, elixirs, and so on, with the smallest scale.

    Yuan Ming was quite interested in the highly toxic items of the Hundred Poison Cave and the body tempering elixirs of the Beast King Sect. However, his purse was thin. Since he came here to find ice attribute spiritual materials, he naturally had to find this item as much as possible first. The rest could only be discussedter.

    "I¡¯ve been busy studying the incense burner recently. After these matters are settled, I need to find a way to earn more spirit stones."

    Before he came to this market, he hadn¡¯t realized how important spirit stones were. Now that he was here, he found that everything was priced in spirit stones. Spirit stones could not only buy all kinds of spiritual materials and treasures, but also hire other cultivators to do things.

    It seemed that in the world of cultivation, having spirit stones really allowed one to do whatever they wanted.

    With these thoughts in mind, Yuan Ming stepped into the three-story building where the Qingyan shop was located.The first floor of the shop was very spacious, with many counters neatly stacked with various types of spiritual materials, giving people a dazzling feeling.

    Customers in the shop were either wandering alone or in small groups, shuttling between the counters.

    Yuan Ming nced around and went straight to a counter.

    The spiritual materials in the Qingyan shop were arranged ording to their attributes. The counter he came to was filled with water attribute materials.

    A ck-bearded man stood behind the counter, fiercely bargaining with a short, fat, and friendly-looking young man over two blue spiritual grasses.

    In such arge shop, it was firste, first served. Yuan Ming stood aside and waited without interrupting.

    The short, fat young man was a master at bidding. He had excellent eloquence and sharp eyes. After a round of rapid-fire pressing and refuting, the ck-bearded man had no choice but to agree to the young man¡¯s price.

    Yuan Ming watched in amazement. He always thought he was good at talking, but he was nowhere near as good as this short, fat young man. The gap was too wide.

    This short, fat young man was only at the third or fourth level of Qi Refining. With such good eloquence, Yuan Ming wondered how he had trained. The world of cultivation really had all sorts of people.

    The young man happily packed up his materials and left.

    "Sir, are you here to buy some spiritual materials?" The ck-bearded man noticed that Yuan Ming had been waiting and asked somewhat awkwardly.

    "Do you have any ice attribute spiritual materials in your shop?" Yuan Ming didn¡¯t beat around the bush and went straight to the point.

    "Oh, sir, you know your stuff. You¡¯vee to the right ce! When ites to ice materials, they are quite rare. Other shops might not have them, but our Qingyan shop certainly does." The ck-bearded man said with a lightugh, his tone filled with undisguised pride.

    "Do you have any of medium grade?" Yuan Ming was also very happy to hear this, his eyes filled with anticipation.

    ording to what the Three Cave Master had said, the higher the grade of the ice attribute spiritual material that could meet the requirements for the advancement of the Blue Fish Sword, the better.

    "We¡¯ve spent a lot of effort to acquire just a few ice attribute spiritual materials. We don¡¯t have any of medium grade at the moment." The ck-bearded man¡¯s smile froze, then he showed a bit of embarrassment and shook his head.

    Yuan Ming was quite disappointed, but he didn¡¯t care too much. He didn¡¯t expect to find it in the first shop he visited. He had other purposes foring here.

    "Do you buy spiritual materials here?" He didn¡¯t leave, but asked again.

    "Yes! We offer fair prices and don¡¯t cheat anyone, young or old. If you have any good items, you can sit in the private room inside and we can discuss in detail." The ck-bearded man said.

    A quarter of an hourter, Yuan Ming walked out of the Qingyan shop, a smile appearing on his face under his bamboo hat.

    The spiritual materials he had obtained from Hu Huo and Kuntu, as well as the materials he had umted before, were all sold, except for a few that he could use. In exchange, he got more than thirty spirit stones.

    Including his original savings, Yuan Ming now had seventy spirit stones.

    For a Qi Refining cultivator who had just entered the world of cultivation for less than two years, this was a huge fortune.

    ording to his previous understanding, the value of ordinary medium-grade spiritual materials was around forty to fifty spirit stones. Even if ice attribute spiritual materials were more precious, seventy spirit stones should be enough.

    Yuan Ming moved forward and soon found another spiritual material shop that looked good. He stepped in.

    In less than half an hour, he came out and moved on.

    An hour passed quickly.

    In a tavern in the market, Yuan Ming sat at a window seat on the second floor, quietly eating his food and drink, looking not in a good mood.

    In this hour, he had asked seven or eight small shops selling spiritual materials in session, but still had no harvest.

    ck Rock City was already one of the top markets in the southern and northern regions. If he couldn¡¯t buy the ice attribute spiritual materials he needed here, going elsewhere would probably be in vain.

    Yuan Ming was secretly anxious, nning his actions for the afternoon.

    Footsteps came from the staircase. Two figures walked in.

    Yuan Ming was taken aback. These two were acquaintances. One was Zhao Tong, and the other was the short, fat young man he had met in the Qingyan Pavilion earlier, the master of bargaining.

    "Why are they here together?" Yuan Ming was puzzled. Suddenly, he remembered that he had taken off his bamboo hat for convenience while eating. He picked up the hat and was about to put it on.

    "Yo, Brother Yuan! What are you doing here?" Zhao Tong had sharp eyes and immediately spotted Yuan Ming. He greeted him from afar and walked over with the short, fat young man.

    "I heard this ce has been bustling recently, so I came to take a look and see if I could find some treasures. What about you, Brother Zhao?" Yuan Ming, seeing that he couldn¡¯t hide, quietly put away his bamboo hat and stood up to greet them.

    "Ah, don¡¯t mention it. I made a mistake a while ago and was demoted by the sect to this ce, responsible for managing the business of the Bi Luo shop for half a year," Zhao Tong sighed.

    "I¡¯ve always thought that Brother Zhao excels in business. Now the business of Bi Luo shop will surely flourish even more. By the way, who is this?" Yuan Ming blinked and looked at the short and chubby young man.

    "I forgot to introduce him. This is my old friend Gu Yue from Heiyan City. Old Gu, this is Yuan Ming, my fellow disciple. I¡¯ve mentioned him to you before, the master of saving money. You two should get to know each other." Zhao Tong briefly introduced the two and sat down unceremoniously, enjoying Yuan Ming¡¯s food and wine.

    "So you are Yuan Ming. It seems we have met before at Qingyan Pavilion," Gu Yue looked at Yuan Ming and said with a smile.

    "Brother Gu Yue has a good eye. Even with my bamboo hat on, you recognized me immediately. I¡¯m impressed. Please, have a seat," Yuan Ming also smiled slightly.

    "What? You two have met before?" Zhao Tong swallowed a mouthful of food and wine, puffing out his cheeks.

    "We met at Qingyan Pavilion. Brother Gu Yue¡¯s bargaining skills are impressive. I admire him a lot," Yuan Ming didn¡¯t hide it.

    "It¡¯s just a small skill, not worth mentioning," Gu Yue waved his hand.

    "Old Gu is an information dealer in Heiyan City. He makes a living entirely by his eloquence. Of course, his skills are impressive. I¡¯m not as good as him," Zhao Tongughed. It seemed that he had a good rtionship with Gu Yue.

    "Information dealer?" Yuan Ming was taken aback.

    "It seems that this is Brother Yuan¡¯s first time in Heiyan City. There are many shops in the market here, and customerse from all over the world. It may take a neer three to five days to figure out the situation. Old Gu and other information dealers have been in Heiyan City for many years. They are hired by people whoe to Heiyan City for the first time to gather information and find items for them," Zhao Tong exined.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but be moved.

    "Brother Yuan, have you found what you need? If not, you can ask Old Gu to help you find it," Zhao Tong said.

    "I haven¡¯t found it yet. I wonder if Brother Gu Yue is free?" Yuan Ming took the opportunity to look at Gu Yue. He waspletely unfamiliar with the market in Heiyan City. The chance of finding the Ice Spirit Material by blindly searching in the afternoon was slim. It would be better to hire Gu Yue.

    Since Zhao Tong and Gu Yue knew each other, Gu Yue should be trustworthy.

    "If Brother Yuan needs me, I will certainly make time," Gu Yue readily agreed.

    "Since the two of you have business to discuss, I won¡¯t stay here any longer," Zhao Tong stood up and wiped his mouth.

    "My matter is not urgent. If you have something to do, you can go ahead," Yuan Ming said.

    "We don¡¯t have anything to do. We just came here to have a drink and catch up. You two take your time," Zhao Tongughed and said goodbye.

    "Brother Yuan, just tell me what you need. I can¡¯t guarantee anything else, but I do have some connections for sourcing various goods in this city," Gu Yue said.

    "I need a piece of Ice Spirit Material. The higher the quality, the better. It would be best if it¡¯s of medium quality," Yuan Ming tentatively said.

    "Ice Spirit Material is notmon, and it¡¯s even harder to find one of medium quality or above. However, since you¡¯re in Heiyan City and you¡¯ve found me, it¡¯s not entirely impossible," Gu Yue¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, then he smiled.

    "Great, I¡¯ll leave this matter to you then. How much do you charge for your services?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "One spirit stone per day," Gu Yue said.

    "Then you can help me look for one day," Yuan Ming took out a spirit stone with a bit of pain and prepared to throw it over.

    "If you can¡¯t find it, this spirit stone has to be returned to me," Yuan Ming thought for a moment, retracted his hand holding the spirit stone, and said.

    He had quite a few spirit stones on him, but the things he wanted to buy were expensive. He had to be careful with every spirit stone.

    "Deal. Please follow me, Brother Yuan," Gu Yue took the spirit stone and left the tavern.

    "Where are we going?" Yuan Ming followed.

    "If you¡¯re looking for medium-quality Ice Spirit Material, it¡¯s almost impossible to find it in the West Market here. We need to go to the East Market and check a fewrge shops," Gu Yue said.

    "East Market, West Market?" Yuan Ming was taken aback.

    "Heiyan City is quiterge, but itsyout is very simple. It¡¯s divided into four parts: east, west, south, and north. We are currently in the West Market, where the shops of the major forces in the southern and northern regions of Nanjiang are located. The East Market is where the shops of the southern region of Nanjiang, the Eastern Region, and the Central Jin Country are located," Gu Yue exined.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming nodded thoughtfully.

    He had heard of the southern region of Nanjiang, the Eastern Region, and other ces, but he had never had the opportunity to visit them. He didn¡¯t expect that there would be shops from those ces in this city. He could broaden his horizonster.

    Coming to Heiyan City this time was indeed a good decision.

 Chapter 144: Nothing is too strange

    Chapter 144: Nothing is too strange

    "Do you know which shops in the east market might have the spiritual materials I need?" Yuan Ming casually asked.

    "Spiritual materials are highly fluid, especially with the uing Bai Lu Hill Alliance meeting, where cultivators from all walks of life gather, even more so than before. However, the southern region is far richer than our northern region, and the Central ins of Da Jin is the superior state of the empire. If there are spiritual materials that Daoist friend needs in Hei Yan City, it can only be in the east market." Gu Yue exined with a smile.

    "Hmm, what you said makes sense. I¡¯ll go and take a look first. What about the south and north markets?" Yuan Ming nodded and asked again.

    "The south market is the gathering ce for the Loose Cultivator Alliance, as for the north market, it is the smallest area, where the city lord¡¯s mansion is located. Apart from those rted to the city lord¡¯s mansion, no one else is allowed to approach." Gu Yue said.

    "What is the Loose Cultivator Alliance?" Yuan Ming didn¡¯t pretend to know, he asked if he didn¡¯t understand.

    "You don¡¯t even know about the Loose Cultivator Alliance? You cultivators who have sects to rely on really don¡¯t know our hardships! The so-called Loose Cultivator Alliance is a group spontaneously formed by many loose cultivators, who mostlyplete various tasks in exchange for rewards." Gu Yue showed a surprised look and sighed lightly.

    Yuan Ming had previously learned from casual conversations with Zhao Tong and some strange tales in the Gui Cang Pavilion that the power structure in the cultivation world is mainly divided into sects and cultivation families, with varying degrees of strength and weakness. In general, these are all mainstream forces.

    The descendants of the cultivation families have a greater chance of having spiritual roots than ordinary mortals, as well as better cultivation resources. These families and sects often have intricate connections, such as the head of a family being an elder of a sect, and some core disciples of the family can directly qualify to be inner disciples of the sect.

    As for the loose cultivators who make up thergest proportion in the cultivation world, some of them are descendants of fallen cultivation families, while others are ordinary people who have identally entered the cultivation world due to various opportunities. Yuan Ming belongs to thetter.In this way, it¡¯s quite normal to think about it. Loose cultivators mostly have poor qualifications. In the vast cultivation world, they are like rootless duckweed, helpless and alone. Generally, without special opportunities, they can only linger in the Qi Refining stage, struggling to survive on their own, and naturally choose to stick together for warmth.

    "How many Loose Cultivator Alliances are there in the south market?" Yuan Ming thought for a moment and asked.

    "Not a few, most of them are ordinary Loose Cultivator Alliances,posed of Qi Refining cultivators. There are only two or three alliances with Foundation Establishment cultivators. If Daoist friend is interested, you can go there and have a look." Gu Yue said.

    "We¡¯ll see." Yuan Ming was nomittal.

    His current focus is mainly on how to quickly refine the Green Fish Sword into a magic weapon, and he can¡¯t take care of other things.

    The two of them walked and talked, and soon left the west market.

    A fairly open circr square appeared in front of them, withrge ck stones neatly paved on the ground, which was quite clean.

    There were no shops on the square, only small stalls everywhere. Some used wooden boards to prop up a simple counter, and more directly set up stalls on the ground. Many cultivators were walking around in the square, bustling with noise, even busier than therge shops in the west market.

    "This is Hei Yan Square, the most central area. The city lord specifically designated this area for loose cultivators to set up stalls." Gu Yue said.

    "The location here is so good, it¡¯s surprising that the city lord of Hei Yan is willing to leave it for loose cultivators to use. He¡¯s quite a clever person." Yuan Ming nced in the east, south, and north directions and said.

    "Thergest group in the cultivation world is loose cultivators. The city lord must have seen this point. He has been kind to loose cultivators over the years, which is why the market in Hei Yan City has been able to flourish to this day." Gu Yue said admiringly.

    Yuan Ming nodded, agreeing with this view, and did not stay here, heading towards the east market across the square.

    Halfway there, he suddenly stopped and looked at a small stall nearby.

    "What is it, Brother Yuan? Did you find something you want?" Gu Yue nced at the stall in surprise.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t speak, his gaze fell on a piece of green wood on the stall.

    The wood had a pattern simr to a pine tree and emitted a faint spiritual power fluctuation. It was clearly a piece of spirit pine.

    "Brother Yuan, do you want that piece of spirit wood? What¡¯s the highest price you can offer?" Gu Yue followed Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze and asked softly.

    "Five spirit stones." Yuan Ming hesitated for a moment and said.

    "Alright, don¡¯t say anythingter, leave it to me." Gu Yue said.

    Then, he came to the stall. The stall owner was an old man with white hair and a red, alcoholic nose, which looked quite funny.

    "Daoist friend, how much for this piece of wood?" Gu Yue pointed at the green spirit wood and asked.

    "You have a good eye, sir. This item was obtained by a friend of mine from a beast¡¯s nest. It¡¯s a top-quality spirit pine. I¡¯ll sell it to you for thirty spirit stones." The old man¡¯s eyes shed with a cunning look, obviously having noticed Yuan Ming and Gu Yue¡¯s whispering earlier.

    "Thirty spirit stones? Old man, why don¡¯t you go rob someone? It¡¯s just a piece of rotten wood. In my opinion, it¡¯s not even worth one spirit stone." Gu Yue pretended to be shocked, and exaggeratedly eximed."How could it be rotten wood? This is genuine spiritual wood. I¡¯ve had it appraised. This wood is a Patterned Pine Spiritual Wood, selling it for thirty spirit stones is already very cheap," the old man said anxiously.

    "Patterned Pine Spiritual Wood? You think I¡¯m ignorant! Patterned Pine Spiritual Wood is a top-grade spiritual material. A piece the size of a fist can sell for a hundred spirit stones. Do you think you can peddle it here?" Gu Yue coldly exposed the old man¡¯s lie.

    "Even if this is not Patterned Pine Spiritual Wood, it is still a good piece of spiritual wood. If you sincerely want to buy it, I can sell it to you for twenty spirit stones, not a stone less," the stall owner¡¯s face turned red as he spoke.

    "That¡¯s what I should be saying. For a piece of broken wood from who knows where, if you sincerely want to sell it, I can offer two spirit stones," Gu Yue pressed on.

    "Two spirit stones? Impossible, at least... fifteen spirit stones," the old man¡¯s head shook like a rattle, his confidence waning.

    Following that, Gu Yue and the old stall owner began a fierce debate.

    Gu Yue seemed to particrly enjoy bargaining, growing more and more spirited as he belittled the value of the green spiritual wood, causing the old man to retreat step by step. He even began to doubt whether his piece of spiritual wood was really worthless. In the end, he sessfully purchased it for three spirit stones.

    The old man had long lost his previous momentum and handed over the spiritual wood with a dejected look, like a defeated rooster.

    Yuan Ming took out three spirit stones and handed them over, carefully storing the green spiritual wood.

    "Gu Yue, you have good skills. I admire you," he said, his opinion of Gu Yue somewhat improved. He took out a spirit stone and handed it to him.

    "Thank you, friend! I have shallow cultivation and have been hanging around in ck Rock City for many years. I rely on my quick wit. If Brother Yuan has any more tasks like this, just leave them to me," Gu Yue happily epted the spirit stone, patting his chest and speaking with a hint of eagerness to impress Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming nodded, his hand involuntarily stroking the storage bag at his waist, feeling secretly pleased.

    No matter what, spending four spirit stones to acquire this piece of spiritual wood was definitely a good deal. In the previous shop, a spiritual wood of this grade would cost at least ten spirit stones, and they wouldn¡¯t even bargain.

    "What kind of spiritual wood is that? If it¡¯s convenient to reveal, could you also enlighten me?" Gu Yue asked curiously, noticing Yuan Ming¡¯s actions.

    "I don¡¯t know much about it either, I only know it¡¯s a piece of Spirit Pine," Yuan Ming admitted.

    Gu Yue thought Yuan Ming didn¡¯t want to say, so heughed and didn¡¯t ask any further.

    In fact, Yuan Ming wasn¡¯t hiding anything. He really didn¡¯t know what kind of spiritual material this green spiritual wood was, he could only tell it was a piece of Spirit Pine.

    That was enough. What he wanted to buy was Spirit Pine.

    ording to Wu Sang¡¯s unreliable analysis, one of the ingredients in ck Incense was pine wood powder. If he reced it with a higher-grade Spirit Pine powder, there might be unexpected effects.

    As for which Spirit Pine was better, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t know either. He would try it first.

    The two continued forward, with Yuan Ming asionally scanning the surrounding stalls, but unfortunately, he didn¡¯t find anything else useful.

    The two crossed the square and arrived at the East Market.

    Theyout of the East Market was simr to the West Market, but the shops here were built by foreign forces. The architectural style waspletely different from the West Market, offering a refreshing change.

    ording to Gu Yue¡¯s introduction on the way, the shops in the Eastern and Southern regions sold many spiritual materials from the sea. This was because both regions were far from the Hundred Thousand Mountains andcked any decent spiritual vein mountains within their borders, making theirnd resources quite poor.

    Fortunately, both regions were close to the sea, and the countless sea spiritual materials and sea beasts were no less than the Hundred Thousand Mountains, providing a solid material foundation for the cultivators of the two regions.

    "The world is indeed full of wonders," Yuan Ming sighed after visiting several shops in the Eastern and Southern regions.

    The sea spiritual materials and sea beast materials from the two regions opened his eyes and sparked a desire to travel the world.

    Of course, this would have to wait until he had enough strength to protect himself.

    Gu Yue didn¡¯t linger, leading Yuan Ming forward.

    "I see that there are quite a few mid-grade spiritual materials in the shops of the Eastern and Southern regions. Are there any ice spirit items?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "You can look for them in these shops, but the resources in ces like the Southern Border are still far behindpared to the Central ins of Great Jin. The chances of finding ice spirit materials there are higher," Gu Yue said.

    "You can arrange the next itinerary," Yuan Ming didn¡¯t try to be smart.

    "Thank you for your trust, Brother Yuan. I will definitely not let you down," Gu Yue said seriously.

    The two continued forward and soon reached the other end of the East Market.

    The Southern Border¡¯s atmosphere began to fade here, and more and more Central ins-style shops appeared in their sight. There were magic weapon shops, talisman shops, pill shops, etc. Basically, anything a cultivator needed could be found here.

    Yuan Ming nodded secretly. The cultivation world of Great Jin was indeed iparable to the Southern Border.

    Many people from the Central ins were busy in and out of these shops, most of them ordinary people without any magical power. asionally, they could hear a few Central ins dialects.Aside from his previous experiences with the young emperor and Wang Shun, this was the first time Yuan Ming had encountered such a talkative Central ins man, and he found it quiteforting.

    "Thergest Jin merchant shop in ck Rock City is just ahead. They deal in spiritual materials, elixirs, magical instruments, and many other businesses. Let¡¯s go there first. If they don¡¯t have what we need, we can go to other shops," Gu Yue pointed ahead and said.

    Yuan Ming naturally had no objections. Just as he was about to quicken his pace, the corner of his eye caught sight of a shop next to him, and he stopped in his tracks.

    It was a small shop, with only three rooms and a backyard. Judging from the que on the main gate and the goods inside, it should be a magical instrument shop.

    The reason Yuan Ming noticed this ce was not because he wanted to buy magical instruments, but because of a ratherrge sign hanging at the entrance of the shop. It had a fewrge characters written on it: Buying Refining Rune.

 Chapter 145: Unexpected fortune

    Chapter 145: Unexpected fortune

    Gu Yue noticed Yuan Ming¡¯s actions and looked over, saying, "Brother Yuan, are you nning to buy a magical artifact? This artifact shop is quite famous in the eastern market."

    "Oh, how so?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "The quality of the artifacts in this shop is quite good. Although they are all lower-grade artifacts, many low-level cultivatorse here for their reputation. If you want to buy mid-grade or higher artifacts, this ce won¡¯t be able to satisfy you," Gu Yue exined.

    "This artifact shop has a resident artifact refiner. This person is quite peculiar. The artifacts he refines are all excellent, and he even epts custom orders. However, he has a rule that he only refines lower-grade artifacts." Seeing Yuan Ming¡¯s puzzled expression, Gu Yue continued to exin.

    "Oh, there¡¯s such an artifact refiner?" Yuan Ming was still somewhat puzzled.

    With his understanding of artifact refining, a Foundation Establishment cultivator¡¯s soul power and mana are enough to infuse the runes of a mid-grade artifact. It¡¯s strange that this person doesn¡¯t attempt to refine mid-grade artifacts.

    You should know that the price of lower-grade artifacts is mostly around forty to sixty spirit stones, while mid-grade artifacts can be as high as five to six hundred spirit stones, almost a tenfold increase. Even if the quality of the mid-grade artifacts is slightly lower, selling them for three to four hundred spirit stones wouldn¡¯t be a problem. Doesn¡¯t this person want to make money?

    "Hehe, I heard that this artifact refiner is extremely obsessed with rune engraving. He spends all day studying it, neglecting the mastery of other steps in artifact refining, so he simply only refines lower-grade artifacts," Gu Yue said.

    Yuan Ming slowly nodded. Artifact refining is a meticulous task. Any slight mistake in any of the four steps could lead to failure. The difficulty of refining mid-grade artifacts is indeed notparable to that of lower-grade ones."So, how are the runes traded?" he asked.

    Yuan Ming had obtained the engraving methods for more than forty runes from Master Heimu¡¯s notes. Unfortunately, due to his cultivation level, he couldn¡¯t infuse them, so those runes were temporarily useless.

    Since this artifact shop purchases runes, if the price is not low, he wouldn¡¯t mind selling them. He could let the shop copy the runes and enrich his storage bag.

    What he currently wanted was not just ice spirit materials. He stillcked several materials for the Thousand Mechanism Mask. If he wanted to participate in the White Deer Hill Alliance in half a year, he needed to prepare not only artifacts but also pills. Each of these required spirit stones. Aftering here and broadening his horizons, he realized that the price of cultivation items was truly limitless.

    "I¡¯m not very familiar with this. I only know that runes are the lifeblood of artifact refiners and talisman masters. Rare runes are generally not willing to be sold. A few months ago, I heard that someone sold a rune for a hundred spirit stones," Gu Yue thought for a moment and said.

    "A hundred spirit stones!" Yuan Ming was secretly delighted.

    He knew that the value of runes was not low, but he didn¡¯t expect them to be worth so many spirit stones. He had been saving up day and night for so long, and he only had seventy spirit stones.

    And there were forty-five runes recorded in Master Heimu¡¯s notes!

    Yuan Ming immediately asked Gu Yue to wait outside and entered the artifact shop alone.

    There were no customers in the shop, only a bald man sitting behind the counter, engrossed in reading a thick book, asionally letting out a chuckle or two.

    This man was burly, with a face full of horizontal muscles. If you said he was a fierce bandit who robbed people on the road, no one would doubt it. It was strange to see such a fierce man engrossed in reading a book.

    Yuan Ming had a strange expression on his face. Could this man be the artifact refiner? He was indeed a strange person.

    "Esteemed guest, do you need an artifact? Our shop only sells lower-grade artifacts, please understand." Seeing a customer, the bald man quickly put down his book and stood up to greet him.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t mention selling runes and walked over to a shelf on the side.

    The shelf was filled withmon types of artifacts like knives, swords, whips, and spears. They were all crudely made, looking as if they were crafted by a clumsy cksmith.

    However, these ugly artifacts all had a hint of cold light flowing on them, making people dare not underestimate them.

    "Can I try using magic on it?" Yuan Ming picked up a fiery red long sword and asked.

    "Of course you can," the bald man generously said.

    Yuan Ming channeled his mana into the red long sword, which emitted a clear sword sound and shot out a foot-long red sword light that fluctuated.

    He used the Object Maniption Technique, and the red long sword flew out of his palm, slowly circling around him, getting faster and faster.

    "Go!"

    He pointed, and the red long sword stabbed towards arge cyan stone in the corner of the shop. The stone was full of holes and sh marks, obviously for customers to test weapons.

    With a soft sound, the red long sword easily pierced into therge stone, burying itself up to the hilt.

    Yuan Ming pulled out the long sword, and the de was as shiny as before, without a single scratch.

    "Good sword!" he praised silently.

    These weapons might be ugly, but both the material and the runes engraved inside were good. No wonder Gu Yue said that the lower-grade artifacts in this shop were all top-notch.

    Ever since he saved Ha Gong¡¯s wife and daughter, Yuan Ming had set a rule for himself in his cultivation: don¡¯t stick your neck out without strength.

    Now he had to add another rule to his cultivation: don¡¯t judge an artifact by its appearance.

    "Your eye for quality is excellent. This Fire Drill Sword is a proud creation of our master fromst month. It contains a piece of Fire Copper Essence, and the rune engraved is ¡¯Armor Breaker¡¯. It has a strong attack power and only costs sixty spirit stones," the bald man introduced.

    "I¡¯ll give you a discount of five spirit stones," the bald man added when he saw Yuan Ming not speaking, thinking that he found it expensive.

    Fire Copper Essence is a mid-grade spirit material. A piece the size of an egg costs fifty spirit stones. Adding the other materials, wouldn¡¯t they be losing money?Yuan Ming did not expose the big man¡¯s lie, and put the long sword back on the shelf, saying, "Let¡¯s talk about buying the swordter. I saw outside that your shop buys runes?"

    "Indeed, do you have any?" The bald man asked after a moment of surprise.

    "Of course, I wonder what type of runes you need? And what¡¯s the price?" Yuan Ming asked calmly.

    "As long as it¡¯s a rune that our shop doesn¡¯t have, we¡¯ll buy it. As for the price, we won¡¯t disappoint you." The bald man replied with a smile.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming gave a slight smile.

    There were forty-five runes in the ckwood hand notes. He knew that most of them should be quitemon, but since ckwood was known as a genius artifact refiner, there must be some rare runes in his lifetime collection that this shop wouldn¡¯t have.

    "It seems that you are quite confident, please show me." The bald man chuckled, not taking it seriously.

    He had been in the business of collecting runes for many years, and he already had most of themon ones, even some rare ones. Most people who wanted to make a profit from this ended up leaving in disappointment.

    Yuan Ming took out a pen and paper and wrote down four rune names.

    Runes have been passed down from ancient times, each with a corresponding name. These are basic knowledge for artifact refiners, but the key lies in the strokes of the runes, especially the start, turn, and end.

    The bald man nced at it and shook his head, "We have all of these."

    Yuan Ming wrote down another four, but the bald man still shook his head.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s eager heart cooled down a bit. Instead of revealing them one by one, he simply wrote down all the remaining runes.

    The bald man looked surprised. Previously, people who came to sell runes would bring at most seven or eight. Yuan Ming actually brought dozens of runes. This man must be a disgraceful member of an artifact refining family who stole the family¡¯s rune secrets to sell for money.

    "So, you have all these runes too?" Seeing the bald man¡¯s strange expression, Yuan Ming asked with a sinking heart.

    "Not exactly, please wait a moment." The bald man said, carefully checking the rune names on the paper.

    His eyes lit up quickly, "We don¡¯t have the Wind Listening and Phantom runes, we can buy those."

    Yuan Ming breathed a sigh of relief. Although selling only two runes was quite disappointing, these forty-five runes were all obtained by chance, so even selling one would be a profit.

    "The price of the runes is decided by my master. Please wait a moment, I will go and invite him." The bald man said, and quickly walked into the artifact shop.

    A momentter, the curtain inside was lifted, and a short, thin old man walked in quickly. He had the appearance of a Central ins man.

    "Do you have the Wind Listening and Phantom runes?" The thin old man asked eagerly.

    "Yes." Yuan Ming answered calmly.

    "Good, very good! When I was young, I once saw an artifact with the Wind Listening rune, the effect was incredibly magical. The Phantom rune is also something I¡¯ve been looking for for many years, I didn¡¯t expect to find both today!"

    The thin old man¡¯s pale cheeks flushed with excitement.

    "I¡¯ll take these two runes, two hundred spirit stones each, what do you think, young friend?" The thin old man quickly regained hisposure and asked.

    Yuan Ming was stunned at his words.

    Not long ago, Gu Yue mentioned that a rune sold for a hundred spirit stones, and he was daydreaming about it. Now, two runes can sell for a total of four hundred spirit stones?

    But the old man seemed to really like these two runes, it didn¡¯t seem like he was faking it.

    "Do you think it¡¯s too little? These two runes are indeed rare. You must have made a big decision to sell them. How about this, five hundred spirit stones for the two runes." Seeing Yuan Ming silent, the thin old man added.

    Yuan Ming came back to his senses, just about to say something, but heard the old man grit his teeth and say impatiently:

    "Six hundred spirit stones, I can¡¯t give any more!"

    "Not enough!" Yuan Ming blurted out.

    When the runes were rejected one by one by the bald man, let alone three hundred each, even if he could get a hundred spirit stones each, he might be willing to sell.

    But seeing the thin old man¡¯s eager look, it was almost written on his face "I must have it!"

    If he didn¡¯t raise the price now, when would he?

    "Add one more condition, help me forge an artifact for free in the future!" Yuan Ming suggested.

    "Deal! What are you waiting for, hurry up!" The thin old man red at the bald man.

    The bald man, who had been stunned by the price, finally reacted after being scolded. He hurriedly took out six spirit stones the size of walnuts from his storage bag, three yellow and three green, emitting a much stronger spiritual power fluctuation than ordinary spirit stones. He also took out two ck jade tes slightlyrger than a palm.

    "Mid-grade spirit stones!" Yuan Ming was overjoyed in his heart, but his face remained calm, not revealing any surprise.

    Like spiritual materials, spirit stones also have grades. The spirit stones circting in the market are all low-grade, and these six are mid-grade.

    Mid-grade spirit stones contain ten times the spiritual power of low-grade spirit stones, and are more pure, with a wider range of uses. Just for restoring mana, mid-grade spirit stones are much faster than low-grade ones. If used for cultivation, the progress of mana would also be faster.

    The spiritual power contained in mid-grade spirit stones is pure and thick, which has exceeded the scope of the Qi Refining Stage. If Qi Refining Stage cultivators absorb the spiritual power within them when breaking through bottlenecks, it can even increase the chance of breakthrough.

    With all these benefits, the value of mid-grade spirit stones far exceeds that of low-grade ones. A hundred low-grade spirit stones can only be exchanged for one mid-grade spirit stone, and they are often priceless.Yuan Ming had long wanted to get his hands on one or two mid-grade wood attribute spirit stones for life-saving purposes at critical moments. Unfortunately, due to his financial constraints, he never thought he would obtain six of them today.

    Above the mid-grade, there are high-grade spirit stones, with an exchange ratio of one hundred to one.

    Above the high-grade spirit stones, it is said that there is a supreme grade. However, almost no one has seen it with their own eyes, and many people believe that the supreme spirit stone is just a legend.

 Chapter 146: Central Plains identity

    Chapter 146: Central ins identity

    Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze shifted from the mid-grade spirit stone in the bald man¡¯s hand to the two ck jade bs. He paused slightly, looking somewhat puzzled.

    "Young friend, is this your first time trading runes?" The thin old man asked tentatively.

    "Cough, indeed, I have not ventured into this area before." Yuan Ming coughed lightly, speaking with a hint of embarrassment.

    "Hehe, no worries, everyone has their first time. This is a Rune Jade b, specifically used to record runes. It can record the process of a rune¡¯s initial development for future reference. You just need to gather a bit of mana at your fingertip and sketch the rune on it." The thin old man chuckled, giving Yuan Ming an encouraging look. However, he was secretly delighted, having already pegged Yuan Ming as a prodigal son secretly selling his family¡¯s rare runes.

    After all, every rare rune in existence is a product of the heavens and earth, held by ancient sects and cultivation families. They rte to the power of magical tools and treasures, and are considered heritage items. It¡¯s rare for anyone to trade them for spirit stones. What a raremodity indeed.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming took the ck jade b, and as the old man had instructed, he gathered mana at his fingertip and sketched the "Listening Wind" rune on one of the Rune Jade bs.

    The originally unremarkable ck jade b lit up with a white light at Yuan Ming¡¯s touch, extending with the movement of his finger. When his finger left, aplex rune glowing with white light was left on the b, which then disappeared in a sh. The jade b returned to its original state, as if nothing had happened.

    As soon as he finished drawing, the old man snatched the b away. With a slight infusion of mana, a white dot lit up on the b, followed by aplex rune, which then disappeared in a sh. The entire drawing process, even the speed, was identical to what Yuan Ming had drawn.

    "Wonderful, truly indescribable..." The old man was entranced, speaking while gesturing in the air, looking utterly lost in thought.Yuan Ming found this quite intriguing, but without further hesitation, he sketched the "Phantom" rune on the other Rune Jade b and handed it to the old man.

    "Good, good! I¡¯m Huo Lian. You seem new here, are you a cultivator visiting the ck Rock City market for the first time?" Huo Lian fondled the two Rune Jade bs in his hand for a while before smiling at Yuan Ming.

    "My name is Yuan Ming, and indeed, this is my first visit to ck Rock City." Yuan Ming replied.

    "Nice name, it suits a refiner¡¯s temperament. Keep working hard, your future achievements will be limitless! If you¡¯re not in a hurry to craft a magical tool, you cane to me anytime after you¡¯ve made up your mind." Huo Lian, having fulfilled two wishes in one day, spoke cheerfully.

    "Thank you for your kind words, senior. I will take my leave now."

    Yuan Ming took the six mid-grade spirit stones from the bald man and was about to leave. Halfway through, he suddenly turned back and asked, "Senior Huo Lian, you¡¯ve never seen these two runes before, right? How can you tell if they¡¯re real or fake? Aren¡¯t you worried about being deceived by someone with a made-up rune?"

    Huo Lian, however, was once again engrossed in the two ck jade bs in his hand,pletely ignoring Yuan Ming¡¯s question.

    "You don¡¯t need to worry about that. Runes are born from thews of heaven and earth. Those who understand runes can sense the spiritual rhythm within them, even if they are unfamiliar. They can tell if it¡¯s real or fake at a nce."

    The bald man exined on his behalf.

    "I see." Yuan Ming pondered for a moment, then bid farewell and left.

    Gu Yue had been squatting on the side of the street, chewing on a piece of grass, idly watching the passersby. Seeing Yuan Minge out of the shop, he immediately threw away the grass in his mouth and stood up to greet him.

    He didn¡¯t ask Yuan Ming what he had done in the shop, but instinctively felt that Yuan Ming was in a good mood, which was enough.

    In their line of work, if the "boss" who hired them was satisfied, it naturally meant benefits for them. After all, although Yuan Ming seemed shrewd, he was also reasonable in his dealings.

    Before Gu Yue could speak, Yuan Ming suddenly asked, "Next, are you going to take me to the shop in Zhongyuan?"

    "Let¡¯s go to the shop in Zhongyuan first. If there¡¯s nothing suitable, we can go elsewhereter." Gu Yue nodded.

    "Is there a ce where I can buy Zhongyuan clothing? Take me to see." Yuan Ming asked again.

    Gu Yue was somewhat puzzled by the request, but he still led Yuan Ming to a nearby clothing workshop. Yuan Ming asked Gu Yue to wait, and when he came out a momentter, he was dressed like a man from Zhongyuan.

    "Wow, Brother Yuan, with this outfit, if no one told me, I would really think you were a young master from a noble family in Da Jin!" Gu Yue was amazed.

    "Let¡¯s go." Yuan Ming smiled, not offering any further exnation.

    Gu Yue was right. His attire was indeed what he would wear when he went out for leisure in Da Jin, ording to his memories, which matched his true identity.As for why he wanted to do this, he couldn¡¯t quite exin it himself. Perhaps it was the long-awaited return home, wanting to ce a bit of nostalgia here. At the same time, he also considered that if a Central ins person were to visit a shop owned by a Central ins person, it might be more convenient.

    The two continued on their way, stopping in front of a shop half an hourter.

    This was arge shop, five stories high, with green tiles and yellow walls, flying eaves and standing beasts, looking extraordinarily imposing. Above the wide-open entrance of the shop hung a huge golden que, on which was written the three big characters "Changxian Tower". The customersing in and out of the shop were in an endless stream.

    "Is this the ce?" Yuan Ming looked at therge golden que.

    "Yes, Changxian Tower is thergest Central ins shop in the market. It is owned by the Changchun View, a wealthy cultivation family from the Great Jin. Many of the goods inside are directly sent from the Great Jin. Apart from being expensive, there are no drawbacks." Gu Yue said with a smile.

    "Changchun View!" Yuan Ming was moved and took another look at the shop in front of him.

    Wasn¡¯t the "Nine Elements Form" he practiced a secret technique only provided to elite disciples by Changchun View?

    In terms of cultivation results, it was indeed iparable to any technique in the Bi Luo Cave. Otherwise, with his qualifications, let alone the ninth level of Qi refining, even the fourth or fifth level would be quite a struggle.

    In addition, considering the close rtionship between this sect and the royal family of the Great Jin, as well as the fact that they had opened shops all the way to the Southern Border, the term "wealthy family" was indeed well-deserved.

    "By the way, I heard that Brother Yuan came from the Central ins, you must have heard of Changchun View, right?" Gu Yue seemed to have thought of something and asked.

    "It seems to be a Taoist sect in the Great Jin." Yuan Ming vaguely replied.

    "Brother Yuan is indeed knowledgeable. The religions in the Central ins respect Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. Changchun View is the orthodox Taoist sect, good at refining pills and talismans. The pills and talismans in Changxian Tower are far superior to any sect in the Southern Border. Besides spiritual materials, Brother Yuan, if you are interested, you can also take a lookter." Gu Yue said.

    "Alright." Yuan Ming responded, his mind turning.

    Pills were exactly what he wanted. As for talismans, they were consumables. Although they were quite convenient to use, a lower-grade primary talisman would cost at least one or two lower-grade spirit stones, which was not originally within his consideration.

    However, times have changed. He now had more than six hundred spirit stones, naturally giving him a lot more confidence.

    The two of them entered Changxian Tower one after the other. A rather imposing hall came into view, which could amodate a hundred people without feeling crowded. Theyout inside the shop was simr to other shops, with shelves lined up, disying a variety of goods.

    At this time, there were quite a few customers in the hall, with voices of conversation and bidding everywhere, bustling with activity.

    Yuan Ming nced at the shelves, which were mostly spiritual materials. He didn¡¯t see the pills and talismans that Gu Yue had mentioned.

    "Changxian Tower has five floors, each selling different items. The first floor sells spiritual materials, while the business of pills and talismans is on the second and third floors. As for the fourth floor, it is said to be a private room specially for entertaining distinguished guests, and you must receive a special invitation to go there." Gu Yue saw Yuan Ming¡¯s confusion and exined. When he mentioned the fourth floor, his face was full of longing.

    Yuan Ming nodded and began to search among the shelves.

    The spiritual materials in Changxian Tower were also arranged ording to the five elements. He quickly came to the ce where water attribute spiritual materials were sold. After a good search, he finally saw a semi-transparent blue stone box on the top of a shelf not far away. Inside it was a thumb-sized white cold jade, with a chilling aura. Even through the box, a hint of coldness could be felt.

    "Ice Soul Stone! A genuine mid-grade spiritual material!" A hint of excitement shed in Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes.

    Before Yuan Ming could walk over, a blue-robed attendant came over. His gaze fell on Yuan Ming, and he said with a smile, "What kind of spiritual materials do the two guests want? Our Changxian Tower has a wide range of goods, good quality and low prices, and will definitely make you feel at home."

    "I want to find a few spiritual materials, preferably mid-grade or above. If there are good pills and talismans, you can also bring them to me." Yuan Ming said indifferently.

    This time, Yuan Ming spoke in the Central insnguage, with a standard and fluent Great Jin ent, which surprised Gu Yue.

    As an information dealer in Heiyan City, he could understand and speak a few words of Central insnguage, but he couldn¡¯t be as fluent as Yuan Ming.

    The key point was that when Yuan Ming opened his mouth to ask for things, his tone was obviously much bigger than when they first met. You should know that a single mid-grade spiritual material would cost dozens of spirit stones. Not to mention the pills, talismans were not something ordinary Qi refining cultivators could afford.

    If he really bought all these things, it would cost at least a few hundred spirit stones, right?

    "The distinguished guest is from the Great Jin, I apologize for any neglect. Please move to the private room on the fourth floor. I will go and invite the steward." The blue-robed attendant was already impressed by Yuan Ming¡¯s Great Jin attire and refined manners. Hearing him speak, he became even more excited and responded enthusiastically in the Central insnguage.

    Then, he called another female attendant to attend to Yuan Ming and Gu Yue, and he himself left quickly.

    Yuan Ming and Gu Yue, one in front and one behind, followed the female attendant up the stairs to the fourth floor.The second and third floors were just as Gu Yue had said, ces where elixirs and talismans were sold; the staircase to the fifth floor was locked by an iron door, and the green-robed attendant informed them that only cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage could enter there.

    The fourth floor was set up with individual rooms, each meticulously furnished and decorated, with every detail of the furniture and refreshments carefully considered, creating a veryfortable atmosphere.

    After the female attendant had settled the two of them, she served two cups of light red spiritual tea and excused herself.

    "Sunfire Tea? This is a spiritual tea made from Sunfire Grass that grows near volcano mouths. Drinking it can cleanse the meridians and calm the spirit. Today, I¡¯m fortunate to enjoy this thanks to Brother Yuan." Gu Yue picked up his cup, drained it in one gulp, and his face showed a look of delight.

    Yuan Ming also picked up his cup and took a small sip. A warm current flowed from his throat into his organs, then spread throughout his body.

    He felt as if he was soaking in a hot bath in winter, his whole body warm and indescribablyfortable. He was also grateful for his fortuitous change of clothes. The humiliation he had felt at the Bi Luo Cave due to his Central ins identity hadpletely melted away.

    Being a Central ins person really had its advantages here!

 Chapter 147: Spiritual stone like flowing water

    Chapter 147: Spiritual stone like flowing water

    "Unexpectedly, we have a guest today who can recognize the Sunfire Tea. I¡¯m quite delighted," a crisp voice rang out, sounding like the pleasant tinkling of a spring.

    "Oh, I only have a rudimentary understanding of tea, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ve made a fool of myself..." Gu Yue stood up and looked towards the entrance, his voice suddenly choked off, his expression as if he had swallowed a raw egg.

    A woman in yellow walked in. She appeared to be in her thirties, her eyes still full of charm, and her skin was fair. Unfortunately, her cheeks were swollen, with threeyers of fat folded under her chin. Her waist was as thick as a barrel, her limbs round, and herrge feet made a "plop plop" sound as they hit the floor.

    "I didn¡¯t know we had such distinguished guests. I apologize for not greeting you sooner. My name is Zhuo Lingling, and I manage the Changxian Tower. May I ask your name?" The woman in yellow chuckled, speaking in standard Central ins dialect, and subtly sizing up Yuan Ming.

    Before Yuan Ming could speak, Gu Yue had already stood up and introduced him in slightly stiff Central ins dialect, "This is Young Master Yuan from the Central ins of Da Jin. He happened to be traveling here and wanted to buy some things. He knew that our Changxian Tower is also from Da Jin, so he came to take a look."

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t mind Gu Yue speaking for him. On the contrary, he was quite satisfied with Gu Yue¡¯s ability to read the situation and adapt. Knowing what to say at the right time could save him a lot of trouble.

    He didn¡¯t say anything, just nodded slightly at Zhuo Lingling.

    Despite her plump appearance, her cultivation was quite high, having reached the peak of Qi Refining. This showed that the Changchun Sect behind the Changxian Tower was not ordinary.

    "Hehe, it¡¯s an honor for our tower that Young Master Yuan hase to visit. Meeting in this foreignnd is a kind of fate. Our tower has been in Heiyan City for many years, and our reputation for quality and affordability is well-known. If you want to buy something, you¡¯vee to the right ce." Zhuo Lingling¡¯s smile deepened as she sat down in the chair opposite Yuan Ming.The chair creaked as if it couldn¡¯t bear the woman¡¯s weight.

    "Your tower indeed has a lot of items, but my needs are quite diverse. It would indeed be a bit of a hassle to find everything. If Manager Zhuo could help, that would be great." Yuan Ming finally spoke slowly, speaking in fluent Central ins dialect.

    "I will do my best to not disappoint you. I heard you want to buy some spiritual materials and elixirs, is that correct?" Zhuo Lingling asked.

    "Ice attribute spiritual materials, mid-grade or above, and I also need ck Stiff Silkworm Silk, Jade Flesh Powder, and Continuation Flower. As for elixirs and talismans, if you have a list, please let me see it." Yuan Ming thought for a moment, then said.

    "Although ck Stiff Silkworm Silk and the other two items are notmon, we happen to have them in our warehouse. I will send someone to fetch themter. As for mid-grade or above ice attribute spiritual materials, although they are rare, our shop does have a few. Do you have any specific requirements?" Zhuo Lingling said after a brief thought.

    "I can¡¯t specify exactly what I need. If it¡¯s convenient, could you bring them all for me to look at?" Yuan Ming asked, his face expressionless but his heart filled with joy.

    The cultivation world of Da Jin was indeed not something a small sect like the Bi Luo Cave couldpare to. If he could collect everything at once, it would save a lot of trouble. He didn¡¯t have much time.

    "Alright, please wait a moment, Young Master Yuan. In the meantime, please try our Jade Dew Tea, which we have collected from overseas." Zhuo Lingling stood up, called a maid to change the tea set for Yuan Ming and the others, then bowed to Yuan Ming and went downstairs.

    As soon as the woman left, Gu Yue leaned over and said with a smile, "Brother Yuan, you¡¯ve really opened my eyes today. The Changxian Tower, which usually looks down on people, actually invited you into their private room. This saves a lot of effort! You really look like a young master from a noble family, even the manager didn¡¯t notice anything. However, the things here are not cheap, their im of quality and affordability is just nonsense."

    Gu Yue¡¯s words were a mix of sincerity and ttery.

    "Sometimes, if you can solve a problem with money, there¡¯s no need to waste energy. You can always earn more spirit stones, but time waits for no one." Yuan Ming took a sip of tea, which was fragrant and refreshing, and said.

    "I see." Gu Yue suddenly understood.

    A momentter, the woman in yellow, Zhuo Lingling, came back.

    "I¡¯m sorry to have kept you waiting, Young Master Yuan. Fortunately, I¡¯ve brought everything. Please take your time to look." Zhuo Lingling apologized with a smile. She waved her sleeve over the table in the private room, and seven boxes of different sizes and materials appeared on the table.

    Zhuo Lingling pointed, and the three wooden boxes on her left automatically opened!

    Yuan Ming nced over, and the three boxes contained the ck Stiff Silkworm Silk, Jade Flesh Powder, and Continuation Flower.

    These three spiritual materials were all of excellent quality and inrge quantities, enough to refine the Thousand Mechanism Mask twice.

    Yuan Ming looked at the remaining four boxes, each containing an ice attribute spiritual material.

    In a semi-transparent green stone box was a piece of jade, the Ice Soul Stone he had just seen downstairs. The other three boxes contained a ck round stone, a blue flower, and half a white jade ruyi.

    The Ice Soul Stone, the ck round stone, and the blue flower all emitted an astonishing chill, but the white ruyi had no special aura, seeming like an ordinary object."Allow me to introduce these four pieces of Ice Spirit Material to Young Master Yuan. This white jade is known as Ice Soul Stone, born at the bottom of an extremely cold ice pond. The ck round stone is called Cold Iron Stone, not only does it contain intense cold energy, but its texture is also very hard, making it a good material for refining magical tools. The blue flower is called Nine Cold Flower, it cannot be used for refining tools, but it is an excellent material for refining cold attribute elixirs." Zhuo Lingling exined.

    "What about this half piece of Ruyi? It looks like a fragment of a magical tool." Yuan Ming nodded nomittally, but his gaze was fixed on thest white Ruyi.

    "Young Master Yuan guessed correctly, this is indeed a fragment of a magical tool, made from Yin Jade. However, you can rest assured, the rune aura inside this jade Ruyi haspletely dissipated, and there are no other materials mixed in, it can be used directly as pure spirit material." Zhuo Lingling hesitated for a moment, then said.

    "What is Yin Jade?"

    Yuan Ming seemed to have seen this material in the Record of Strange Stones. The content of the Record of Strange Stones was too vast, many materials were only remembered by their names and general properties, but the details were not recorded in detail.

    "Yin Jade is a special kind of cold attribute spirit material, not only does it contain intense cold energy, but it also contains a strong Yin energy. Although this item is only a medium-grade spirit material, the magical tools refined from it are not inferior to high-grade magical tools. Our shop was worried that the Yin energy inside the Ruyi would harm people, so we ced a seal on it. This is why its Yin energy is not apparent." Zhuo Lingling exined.

    "I see, may I pick it up and have a look?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "Of course, you can. Just be careful not to let the Yin energy invade your body, prolonged contact can easily harm your spirit." Zhuo Lingling reminded.

    Yuan Ming agreed, and grabbed the white Ruyi.

    A chillingly cold aura seeped out from the Ruyi, making his fingers numb. He quickly activated his magic power to protect his fingers, and then picked up the Ruyi.

    Yuan Ming carefully examined the item, the more he looked at it, the more satisfied he became.

    This Yin Jade,pared to the Ice Soul Stone and other cold spirit materials, had an additional sense of Yin poison and cunning. Ordinary cultivators would indeed be easily harmed if they came into contact with it, but he didn¡¯t care, after all, he had the mysterious incense burner.

    "Young Master Yuan seems to have made a decision. However, I must warn you in advance, the Yin energy inside this Yin Jade is too dense and has formed Yin poison. The owner of the magical tool will also be eroded by it. If you want to buy this item, you need to find a way to deal with it first. Once this item leaves this building, ording to the rules, it cannot be returned or exchanged." Zhuo Lingling reminded with a somewhat serious tone.

    "Thank you for the reminder, Manager Zhuo. May I ask how many spirit stones this Yin Jade Ruyi requires?" Yuan Ming touched his nose and asked.

    "To be honest, this Yin Jade Ruyi was bought by our shop at a high price from elsewhere. Since it¡¯s your first time here, let¡¯s make friends. The cost price is one hundred spirit stones for you. As for the other three materials, they total sixty spirit stones." Zhuo Lingling put on a smile again and said.

    "Okay." Yuan Ming didn¡¯t haggle and agreed right away.

    The price of the three spirit materials for refining the Thousand Mechanism Mask was reasonable. The Yin Jade Ruyi was almost twice as expensive as other medium-grade spirit materials, but considering its effects, it was worth it.

    In the following time, Zhuo Lingling took out the list of elixirs and talismans in the Longxian Tower. After Yuan Ming made his selection, he felt both joy and worry.

    He was happy that the elixirs and talismans in the Longxian Tower were indeed extraordinary, far superior to those in the Biluo Cave. However, he was worried that these items were much more expensive. He wanted this and that, and found that if he let himself go, the more than six hundred spirit stones he had before would not buy much.

    After some consideration, Yuan Ming, under the envious gaze of Gu Yue, bought ten bottles of elixirs and more than thirty talismans in one go.

    Among them were three bottles of healing elixirs, whose effects were not inferior to the Flesh Bone Pill. They could greatly enhance his endurance and survival ability in battle, especially when participating in the Bailu Hill Alliance. There were also five bottles of Peiyuan Pills that could elerate the cultivation of Qi Refining cultivators and two bottles of Lianfu Pills that could enhance the physical body.

    As for the talismans, more than half of them were offensive. There were lower-level talismans like "Rocket Talisman" and "Wind de Talisman", as well as mid-level talismans like "Thunderfall Talisman" and "Fire Snake Talisman". The former cost two to three spirit stones each, while thetter jumped to eight to ten spirit stones, which really made Yuan Ming wince.

    That was still okay. The remaining "Green Light Shield", "Giant Strength Talisman", "Vajra Talisman" and other defensive and auxiliary talismans were even more expensive at the same level.

    However, Yuan Ming knew that these were all worth it. Through talismans, he could cast spells that he did not master, and they were quicker and more convenient to activate. They were hardly limited by his magic power, which was the best way to increase his strength in a short time.

    Including the previous spirit materials, Yuan Ming spent nearly five hundred spirit stones all at once. If he hadn¡¯t wanted to keep a medium-grade spirit stone, he would have probably spent all of them by now.

    "Making money is like digging a well, spending money is like flowing water." Yuan Ming sighed in his heart.

    The six hundred spirit stones he had just saved up were spent in the blink of an eye, but fortunately, he had bought everything he needed.

    The feeling of having spirit stones was really good.

    The feeling of spending spirit stones was really good.

    Now that he had spent almost all his spirit stones, it was time to end this market trip.

 Chapter 148: Assassination

    Chapter 148: Assassination

    With a smile on her face, Zhuo Lingling escorted Yuan Ming and Gu Yue to the door of the private room. Yuan Ming politely declined her offer to see them out of the building.

    He didn¡¯t want to draw too much attention.

    The two of them made their way to the first floor lobby, passing through rows of shelves. They were about to head towards the exit when they noticed amotion at the entrance. A crowd of people was pouring in through the main door.

    Leading the group was a young man in his twenties, dressed in white. He was handsome, with white hair and thin lips, giving off a somewhat frivolous impression.

    The young man was arm in arm with a girl in a red dress, chatting andughing, seemingly oblivious to the stares of the people around them.

    The girl in the red dress was beautiful and curvaceous. Her thin, long dress entuated her figure, and her whole body exuded a captivating charm, like a blooming fire lotus.

    Yuan Ming had seen many beautiful women, but he had never seen anyone as fiery and enchanting as her. He couldn¡¯t help but take a few more nces.

    The other guests in the Changxian Tower were the same, their gazes inevitably drawn to the girl in the red dress.

    The girl in the red dress seemed to be used to being the center of attention, leaning half against the young man in white, asionally letting out a soft giggle.Behind the two of them were seven or eight people who looked like bodyguards, subtly surrounding the young man in white.

    Among the bodyguards was an old man in a ck robe, with a deep aura and sharp eyes like a hawk.

    "A Foundation Establishment cultivator!" Yuan Ming was secretly surprised.

    The young man in white was only at the Qi Refining stage, yet he had a Foundation Establishment bodyguard. His status must be extraordinary.

    "These people have a dragon pattern embroidered on their sleeves. They should be disciples of the White Dragon Ind in the eastern region of the South. The young man in white should be the son of the ind master of White Dragon Ind, W." Gu Yue leaned over to Yuan Ming and whispered.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming took another look at the young man in white, faintly sensing a rather pure water attribute mana fluctuation from him.

    "Master, look, that gem is so beautiful." The girl in the red dress looked at a blue gem on a nearby shelf, her face full of anticipation.

    "These are just ordinary spiritual materials. If you like anything, just take it. Later, I¡¯ll take you upstairs to see the real treasures." The young man in whiteughed carelessly.

    "Thank you, Master!" The girl in the red dress was delighted and took the blue gem.

    "When will I be able to be so suave and wealthy, with beauties always by my side." Gu Yue sighed softly.

    Yuan Ming wasn¡¯t interested in these gossips of the cultivation world. Seeing that the group had already entered, and the main door was left open, he nned to leave the Changxian Tower directly.

    But as he reached the entrance, a figure stepped into the Changxian Tower, brushing past him.

    This person was dressed in a grey and white robe, his face covered in colorful paint, wearing a somewhatical pointed hat on his head, and strange-looking shoes on his feet. He looked like a clown from a circus troupe.

    There were many people in the market dressed in strange costumes, so the appearance of the clown didn¡¯t attract much attention.

    However, Yuan Ming stopped in his tracks and looked back at the man.

    "Brother Yuan, what¡¯s wrong?" Gu Yue asked when he saw this.

    Yuan Ming remained silent. The moment the man brushed past him, the hairs on his back stood up, as if he had encountered a terrifying beast.

    He activated his spiritual sense, wanting to probe the man¡¯s situation. After hesitating for a moment, he decided to give up.

    Probing others with spiritual sense was considered impolite. If this clown was indeed a powerful figure, it might bring trouble to himself.

    The clown didn¡¯t linger in the shop but walked straight towards the group from White Dragon Ind.

    "Who are you?" A bodyguard blocked the man¡¯s path and asked in a low voice.

    The other bodyguards also became alert when they saw a stranger approaching.

    "Hehe..."

    The clown let out a strangeugh. Without making any noticeable movements, six golden light des shot out from his fingers, shing across the necks of the two leading bodyguards.

    It wasn¡¯t until blood spurted out that the two bodyguards reacted. But by then, they had lost all their strength and copsed to the ground.

    The six light des didn¡¯t stop, but headed straight for Master W. In an instant, they were behind him.

    Master W was holding the enchanting woman, evaluating a piece of spiritual material,pletely unaware of the danger approaching from behind.

    Just as he was about to be pierced by the golden light des and meet the same fate as the two bodyguards, a dark green shield the size of a table flew over from the side, blocking the six golden lights at thest moment.

    With a loud "ng", the six golden lights shattered into countless golden sparks.

    The dark green shield was also knocked back several feet, trembling a few times before stabilizing.

    A shadow flickered next to the shield, and the old man in the ck robe appeared like a ghost, shouting, "Master, retreat quickly!"

    The clown let out a strangeugh, pped his hands, and shot out more than a dozen golden light des towards the old man in the ck robe.

    The old man in the ck robe was furious. At this moment, he naturally didn¡¯t care about the rule that one shouldn¡¯t fight in the market. He pointed at the dark green shield, and it expanded again, bing nearly halfrger and much thicker, colliding with the iing golden des.

    The golden and green lights collided violently in front of the dark green shield, creating a deafening explosion. The nearby shelves were knocked over, and the floor tiles were torn apart by the powerful mana, causing dust to rise. The inside of the Changxian Tower was instantly in a mess.

    The clown and the old man in the ck robe moved extremely fast. The guests in the shop didn¡¯t react until this moment, panicking and fleeing outside. The green-robed attendants of the Changxian Tower did the same.

    Most of them were just ordinary people. When had they ever seen someone dare to fight in the Changxian Tower?

    However, there were still many cultivators and ordinary people who loved to join in the fun, standing far away at the entrance of the Changxian Tower, watching everything that was happening inside.

    Yuan Ming pulled Gu Yue and followed the crowd outside.

    The remaining six bodyguards from White Dragon Ind had already surrounded Master W. Some tried to assist the old man in the ck robe, but the fight between the clown and the old man in the ck robe was so intense that they couldn¡¯t get close. When they used their magical tools and spells to attack the clown, they were knocked back by the violent collision before they could even touch him.In the deepest part of the dust and smoke, the golden light de¡¯s power grew stronger and stronger, each collision sounding like a boulder striking.

    The dark green shield¡¯s surface shed wildly with green light, continuously retreating, seemingly unable to withstand the bombardment of the golden light de.

    The ck-robed elder was both shocked and furious, but he did not panic. With one hand supporting the dark green shield, he was about to use another technique with his other hand.

    At this moment, the elder¡¯s eyes suddenly ached intensely, and in the next moment, they exploded, turning his sharp eyes into two bloody holes.

    The heart-wrenching pain made the ck-robed elder unable to continue fighting, and he fell to the ground.

    The clown in colorful clothes had a bloodthirsty excitement in his eyes. He licked his lips and pointed his finger in the air.

    The ck-robed elder¡¯s head exploded with a "bang", and arge amount of red and white matter sttered everywhere, his screams abruptly ending.

    Yuan Ming was shocked that a Foundation Establishment cultivator was killed so easily. At the same time, his gaze unconsciously fell on the ck-robed elder¡¯s corpse. Under the elder¡¯s waistband, a small white bag was revealed, which was the storage bag pressed under the elder¡¯s body.

    A thought shed through his mind, and he quietly left the crowd, turned around and walked away. He came to a deserted ce near Changxian Tower. A ck light shed between his eyebrows, and a soul crow flew out and entered the spirit beast bag around his waist, hitting the ck toad¡¯s head and entering it.

    The ck toad¡¯s eyes glowed with a hint of green, which was the newly awakened corpse control ability.

    This ability could not only control corpses but also living creatures, provided that their souls were weak, such as mortals, or creatures like the ck toad that would not resist their master.

    A hint of human-like intelligence shed in the ck toad¡¯s eyes, and a purple-ck vine grew from its back. It waved quickly, easily performing various flexible movements that it couldn¡¯t do before, just like Yuan Ming¡¯s own arm. His magic power could also circte within the vine.

    "Just as I thought." Yuan Ming muttered to himself, controlling the vine to extend out of the spirit beast bag.

    He took off the storage ring from his hand and put it on the purple-ck vine. The vine "popped" into the ground and quickly burrowed towards the bottom of Changxian Tower. In the blink of an eye, it reached under the ck-robed elder¡¯s corpse, close to the white storage bag.

    A surge of magic power emanated from the purple-ck vine, entered the white storage bag, enveloped everything inside, and pulled it out.

    At the same time, Yuan Ming carefully manipted the storage ring on the vine, covering the items in the ck-robed elder¡¯s storage bag.

    A faint white light shed underground, and most of the items in the ck-robed elder¡¯s storage bag fell into Yuan Ming¡¯s storage ring, leaving only a few dozen spirit stones.

    The purple-ck vine immediately returned silently along the same path, re-entering the spirit beast bag, leaving behind a storage ring with a bit of dirt on it.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s heart was pounding heavily. He took a deep breath, then picked up the storage ring, a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.

    This series of processes may soundplicated, but they actually happened within a few breaths.

    He quietly returned to the crowd. Gu Yue was a person who loved to join in the fun. At this moment, he was staring intently at the inside of the tower, not even noticing that Yuan Ming had quietly left for a moment.

    Inside Changxian Tower, the young master  was already terrified. In his panic, he took out a blue bowl, and a blue light shield fell down, covering his body.

    Almost at the same time, the clown in colorful clothes pointed his deadly finger.

    With a "ng", the blue light shield deeply caved in, almost pierced through, but in the end, it barely held up.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming locked his divine sense on the caved-in part of the light shield, finally discovering some clues.

    An extremely thin golden light was stabbing the blue light shield. It was invisible to the naked eye, and if one¡¯s divine sense was not strong enough, they would not be able to detect it.

    Tiny golden sparks gathered from all directions, which were the scattered spiritual power after the six golden light des shattered earlier, quickly merging into the thin golden light.

    The thin golden light did not be thicker, but its power grew stronger and stronger. After a few breaths, it finally pierced through the blue light shield and stabbed ¡¯s forehead.

    A spot of blood appeared on ¡¯s forehead, and in the next moment, his head exploded. His headless body swayed twice before falling to the ground.

    The entire ce fell silent, and you could hear a pin drop both inside and outside the shop.

    The people nearby didn¡¯t understand how the ck-robed elder and young master  died. They looked at the clown in colorful clothes with fear in their eyes. The guards from White Dragon Ind, seeing this situation, hurriedly fled in all directions, fearing that they would be the next ones to have their heads explode.

 Chapter 149: Treasure

    Chapter 149: Treasure

    The colorful clown paid no heed to the situation, his mouth stretching into a wide, eerie grin as he bowed to the crowd of onlookers outside.

    This scene didn¡¯t seem like he had just killed several cultivators, but rather like he had just finished a juggling performance.

    Moreover, he seemed to enjoy the sensation of being watched by the crowd.

    Especially when most of the people¡¯s eyes were filled with surprise and terror, their faces showing extreme fear.

    After bowing to the crowd, the colorful clown turned around leisurely, raised a hand, and shot out a snake-shaped golden light from his palm, rolling up the storage artifacts of the ck-robed elder and .

    Outside Changxian Tower, Yuan Ming saw this scene, his mouth curling up in a smile. Without a word, he turned and left, blending into the crowd on the street.

    The colorful clown¡¯s consciousness entered the two storage artifacts, but the smile on his face froze instantly, a strange color shing in his eyes.

    ¡¯s storage artifact was fine, but the ck-robed elder¡¯s storage bag only contained a few dozen spirit stones, not even a single mid-grade spirit stone.

    The ck-robed elder, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, was so poor! He had never heard of such a thing.The colorful clown looked at the ck-robed elder with some pity.

    "Are all the people from White Dragon Ind," the colorful clown suddenly shouted, "paupers?" His consciousness exploded, enveloping the crowd outside Changxian Tower.

    The crowd, who didn¡¯t have time to disperse, saw darkness before their eyes, their souls as if struck by a heavy blow. Some with shallow cultivation directly fainted.

    Yuan Ming was far away from Changxian Tower at this moment, not covered by the colorful clown¡¯s consciousness, but he also felt the oppressive sensation brought by the other party¡¯s consciousness and quickened his pace again.

    At this moment, a yellow light shed on the ground next to the clown, and a tall woman in white appeared out of thin air.

    The woman had ck hair like a waterfall, bare feet, and her whole body exuded a pristine and holy aura. Unfortunately, her face was covered with a ferocious ghost mask, making it impossible to see her features.

    "What are you doing! Thew enforcement team of ck Rock City ising. Stop talking nonsense, let¡¯s go!" The woman in white spoke anxiously.

    The woman in white pointed her finger, and five column-shaped yellow lights fell on the ground around the two of them.

    Array patterns surged out from the yellow light columns, intertwining andbining like living things, forming a circr array about a foot in size in an instant.

    The colorful clown reluctantly retracted his anger. This deal was a loss.

    The woman in white flicked her fingers, and seven or eight earth attribute spirit stones flew out, embedded in various array pattern nodes.

    The yellow array immediately erupted with a powerful spiritual power fluctuation, spinning rapidly.

    "Array formation with a wave of the hand!" A cultivator in the crowd outside the shop eximed.

    Array formation with a wave of the hand is a realm of array formation cultivation. The path of array formation is vast like a sea of smoke, requiring the study of various array diagrams and patterns, understanding of celestial phenomena and geography,munication with earth vein spiritual power, etc. It is recognized in the cultivation world as one of the most obscure and difficult to learn abilities.

    Many array masters study hard all their lives, but can only set up some small arrays, and each time they set up an array, they need to spend a lot of time, bit by bit, inscribing array patterns. It may take ten days and a half month to set up an array.

    However, the world is vast, and geniuses emerge inrge numbers. Some people are naturally good at the way of array formation, and their understanding of array formation reaches a realm that ordinary people can¡¯t understand. They can simplifyplexity and set up an array with a wave of their hand.

    Such experts are one in a million, and without exception, they are all array masters. This woman in white looks young, but she is actually an array grandmaster!

    "Don¡¯t go!"

    A thunderous shout came from a distance, and a silver sword shadow flew like electricity, piercing through the gate of Changxian Tower, almost reaching the yellow array.

    The woman in white ignored all this and waved her sleeve again.

    A dazzling yellow light burst out from the yellow array, and the figures of the woman in white and the colorful clown flickered and disappeared out of thin air.

    The silver sword shadow pierced through the two of them, but hit nothing.

    A sh of silver light passed over the sword shadow, and a burly man in a purple robe appeared, slowlynding on the ground, his face ashen.

    He turned his head to look at the staircase in the hall. Apanied by heavy footsteps, the fat steward Zuo Linlin was running down the stairs, her face still showing a look of panic as she ran towards him...

    Although Gu Yue¡¯s cultivation was shallow, he was standing far away just now and was not stunned by the powerful consciousness of the colorful clown.

    After he came to his senses, he saw the burly man¡¯s face and immediately turned around, saying, "This big man is from the city lord¡¯s mansion, quickly..."

    Gu Yue suddenly stopped talking, only then did he notice that Yuan Ming had already disappeared.

    He looked around, but there was no sign of Yuan Ming, so he had to leave alone, holding his still somewhat dizzy head.

    The other clear-headed onlookers also scattered like birds and beasts, staying away from trouble.

    No one noticed a small hole in the mud under the old man.

    The other people in the market didn¡¯t know that something big had happened. The earth-shattering shout of "paupers?" attracted many people toe and watch the excitement, making the scene extremely chaotic.

    Gu Yue hurried away,pletely leaving Changxian Tower behind before slowing down and looking for Yuan Ming.

    A shout came from ahead, Yuan Ming had already changed back into his Southern Border attire and was standing by the roadside.

    "Brother Yuan Ming, where did you go just now? You made me look for you everywhere." Gu Yue hurried over andined.

    "I had something urgent just now and left for a while. Did you see what happened at Changxian Tower? Is that burly man in the purple robe from the city lord¡¯s mansion?" Yuan Ming said.

    Fearing that the people from the city lord¡¯s mansion would trace it back to him, he pulled Gu Yue and walked while talking.

    "Yes, his name is Lei Bao, ate-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. He has a powerful thunder and lightning ability and ranks among the top five in the city lord¡¯s mansion. It¡¯s a pity that those two ran too fast, otherwise, it would have been another unprecedented battle." Gu Yue said excitedly.

    Yuan Ming nodded silently.

    Gu Yue, after experiencing the recent events, became more and more excited. Speaking of the colorful clown and the woman in white, he said, "From the final conversation between the woman in white and the colorful clown, it seems that they came specifically to assassinate the young master of White Dragon Ind. These two people are really bold, daring to act so tantly in ck Rock City, and even managed to escape from the hands of the city lord¡¯s mansion so calmly..."

    "Those two are indeed formidable. One kills without a trace, and the other is a master of formation who can set up a formation with a wave of his hand. They must be people of great background. Brother Gu Yue, can you guess their identities and origins?" Yuan Ming asked.

    He had stolen items from the storage bag of the ck-robed elder and made a considerable enemy of the clown in colorful clothes. He was quite curious about their origins, so he could be prepared.

    "Brother Yuan, don¡¯t joke with me! I¡¯m just a small broker in ck Rock City, how would I know the origins of those two experts? However, they dared to act so boldly, they must have some backing, perhaps they are from some assassin alliance." Gu Yue said.

    "Assassin alliance? Do you mean an alliance that specifically carries out assassination missions?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "You¡¯re right, Brother Yuan, but this is just my spection." Gu Yue said.

    "Would the major sects in the Southern Border allow them to exist?" Yuan Ming asked in surprise.

    He had thought that the alliances were all about hunting fierce beasts, collecting materials, and escorting bodyguards. He didn¡¯t expect that there were alliances that openly epted assassination missions, which was somewhat unexpected.

    "The major sects in the Southern Border naturally can¡¯t control them. The assassin alliance operates secretly. If they offend them, those sects would also suffer heavy losses. As long as it¡¯s not detrimental to them, the major sects don¡¯t bother with such desperados. Now that the young master of White Dragon Ind has been killed, and the location is even within ck Rock City, White Dragon Ind won¡¯t let it go, and ck Rock City will be busy for a while." Gu Yue pondered for a moment and then spoke confidently.

    Yuan Ming was not worried about this. Once things here were over, he would immediately return to Bi Luo Cave and retreat for a few months. No matter how powerful ck Rock City and White Dragon Ind were, they couldn¡¯t possibly find him.

    "Brother Yuan Ming, where are you going next?" Gu Yue asked, suppressing his emotions.

    "I¡¯ve already bought the Ice Spirit Material, so your guiding duty ends here. I can act on my own from now on." Yuan Ming thought for a moment and said.

    "Alright, Brother Yuan, if you evere to the market in ck Rock City again and need someone to guide you or need to inquire about news, you can find me at the Pine Wind Tavern in the West Market. I¡¯m usually there when I¡¯m not working." Gu Yue said, then hurriedly left.

    The assassin alliance had assassinated the elder and young master of White Dragon Ind. This was big news, worth a lot of money. He had to sell it quickly, or it would be meaningless if it was toote!

    Yuan Ming watched Gu Yue walk away, found an inn to stay in, closed the room door tightly, and quickly took out his storage ring.

    He had been in a hurry when he transferred the items from the ck-robed elder, and hadn¡¯t had time to look closely. Now he needed to examine them carefully.

    He activated his divine sense and entered the storage ring, his face couldn¡¯t help but light up with joy.

    The ck-robed elder had collected quite a few items. The first thing that his divine sense detected was a small pile of low-grade spirit stones, as many as five or six hundred. Among them, there were exactly seven medium-grade spirit stones. The total amount of spirit stones had already exceeded one thousand.

    Yuan Ming had risked his life before, and happened to find someone willing to pay a high price for Master Hei Mu¡¯s runes, and had only managed to gather more than six hundred spirit stones. He had almost spent all of them before, and now he had almost doubled his spirit stones. How could he not be surprised?

    However, considering that the other party was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, having so many spirit stones was normal.

    "The wealth of a Foundation Establishment cultivator is indeed substantial." Yuan Ming thought to himself, then moved his divine sense to look at other things.

    Four spirit materials, a ck token, a palm-sized water-blue small g, a square white jade box, and two medicine bottles, onerge and one small.

    The four spirit materials were a piece of earthy yellow shell, a yellow spirit wood, a fist-sized blue egg, and a head-sized gray object formed by numerous fine threads tightly wrapped around it.

    Although he didn¡¯t know what they were, all four items emitted unusual spiritual power fluctuations. If judged by the standard of spirit materials, they were all medium-grade spirit materials, or even higher.

    "This yellow shell seems to be the shell of some turtle-like fierce beast... I don¡¯t know what kind of yellow spirit wood it is, I can grind it into powderter and make it into incense to see the effect... I don¡¯t know what kind of fierce beast this blue egg is, the spiritual power fluctuation is so strong, the level of the fierce beast should not be low, as for this gray thread ball..." Yuan Ming took out the gray thread ball, it felt soft and hard, very stic, like a silkworm cocoon.

    He pinched a gray thread and pulled it, but it didn¡¯t move.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s cultivation had already reached the ninth level of Qi Refining. His physical strength had been nourished by his magic power and had increased a lot. Even without using the Hair Shedding Technique, he could break a hemp rope with his bare hands. He couldn¡¯t even pull this small gray thread.

    (Dear Daoist friends, it¡¯s the beginning of the month, please vote for the monthly ticket.)

 Chapter 150: Big harvest

    Chapter 150: Big harvest

    "Judging by its appearance, this object is likely left behind by some sort of spider or silkworm-like beast. I should have someone take a look at it when I get the chance," Yuan Ming muttered to himself. He didn¡¯t pay it much mind and after setting down the grey silk ball, he took out the ck token.

    One side of the token was engraved with a coiled dragon pattern and the word "Elder" written below it. On the other side was a name: Li Sha.

    Just as Yuan Ming was about to toss the ck token aside, he suddenly stopped and channeled his magic into it.

    A rich ck light emerged from the token, revealing a small knife-shaped ck rune at its center.

    "Why would a mere identification token be refined into a magical tool? Could it be that this token has other uses besides identifying one¡¯s identity?" Yuan Ming spected.

    He knew nothing about White Dragon Ind, so he couldn¡¯t guess its purpose. He didn¡¯t think much of it and put the ck token aside, then took out a small blue g to examine.

    The g was embroidered with a cloud pattern. Even without being activated, faint blue light seeped out from it. The humidity in the room quickly increased, and droplets of water appeared on the table, windowsill, and other ces. At the bottom of the g, three tiny characters were embroidered: Water Cloud g.

    After a brief moment of contemtion, Yuan Ming channeled his magic into it. The Water Cloud g floated up from his hand, emitting a bright blue light. The humidity in the room visibly thickened, and wisps of mist appeared in the air, creating a somewhat dreamy atmosphere.

    He didn¡¯t stop there, but increased the magic input. The light on the Water Cloud g grew brighter, and two blue rune shadows shed across the g, arranged in a trident shape."Two runes, a mid-grade magical tool!" Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but feel ted.

    The materials and runes are the foundation of a magical tool, both are indispensable.

    A low-grade magical tool can only be engraved with one rune, a mid-grade with two, and a high-grade with three.

    This Water Cloud g contained two runes, undoubtedly making it a mid-grade magical tool. It was a significant gain from his trip to ck Rock City!

    Considering that the ck-robed elder was a Foundation Establishment cultivator and an elder of White Dragon Ind, it was normal for him to have a mid-grade magical tool as his trump card. Unfortunately, his painstakingly refined treasure was not used before he was killed on the spot, which ended up benefiting Yuan Ming instead.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t continue to activate it, but carefully put away the Water Cloud g.

    After all, this was an inn with many people around. It was not suitable to refine magical tools and test their true power here.

    However, even without checking now, the Water Cloud g being a mid-grade magical tool, its power would certainly not disappoint him.

    Yuan Ming calmed his excited emotions, put away the small g and other items, and took out the jade box and medicine bottle.

    He opened the jade box first, his expression froze.

    Inside the jade box were some jade tes and small gs, all engraved with many patterns. There were about twenty or thirty of them, filling the box to the brim.

    "What are these?" Yuan Ming picked up a small g. The patterns on it somewhat resembled the array patterns he had seen before.

    But array patterns were usually engraved on immovable ces like the ground to set up arrays. What was the use of engraving them on this small g?

    "A Foundation Establishment cultivator wouldn¡¯t carry useless items. I¡¯ll ask someone about it when I return to the sect," Yuan Ming put the small g back and picked up two medicine bottles.

    He first opened therger one, which was filled with green pills. There were about a hundred of them, each emitting a faint wave of spiritual power.

    "Foundation Establishment Pills!" Yuan Ming had just bought five bottles of Foundation Establishment Pills at Changxian Tower, so he recognized these green pills at a nce.

    The Foundation Establishment Pills sold at Changxian Tower had ten pills per bottle and cost fifteen spirit stones. He actually wanted to buy more, but his funds were limited. Now that he had obtained so many, it was a great harvest, enough for his Qi Refining stage.

    "These basic Foundation Establishment Pills are definitely not useful to the elder. Perhaps he bought them for his disciples or nephews to use. It¡¯s perfect for me, letting me experience the joy of being stuffed with medicine by elders!" He spected secretly.

    His Nine Elements Form was already extremely fast to cultivate. Compared with the disciples in the Bi Luo Cave who had the resources of sect elixirs, he was not inferior. However, due to his previous financial constraints, he had never considered using elixirs to assist in cultivation.

    Upon thinking of this, Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but want to give it a try. He sat cross-legged, took out a green pill, and swallowed it.

    The green pill melted as soon as it entered his stomach, turning into a stream of energy that slowly infused into his body. It circted slowly through the meridians of his limbs and gradually gathered in his dantian.

    He closed his eyes and operated the Nine Elements Form. It took him a full hour to absorb this energy. Although the increase in his magic power was not significant, it was still faster than simply cultivating the Nine Elements Form.

    "The steward at Changxian Tower said it could double the cultivation speed. If his words are true, it should be referring to the cultivation of ordinary techniques," he said with a smile at the corner of his mouth. Then he put away therge jade bottle and picked up the smaller one.

    A small jade bottle was suspended in mid-air, attached to a white talisman. An invisible force enveloped the entire bottle.

    A glimmer of anticipation shed in Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes. The jade bottle was stored so solemnly, it must contain something extraordinary.

    He channeled his magic power, removed the white talisman, and opened the bottle cap.

    Three bright yellow pillsy quietly inside, crystal clear as jade, emitting a yellow halo.

    Yuan Ming poured out one, took a light sniff, but surprisingly, he didn¡¯t smell any medicinal fragrance, and he couldn¡¯t determine itsposition from its appearance either.

    He used his divine sense to probe the interior of the pill, but also found nothing.

    "I¡¯m ashamed that I can¡¯t even recognize what I¡¯ve obtained. I need to travel more and broaden my horizons in the future." Yuan Ming chuckled bitterly. After sorting and storing everything, he took out the spirit pine he had bought earlier, as well as the yellow spirit wood from the old man.

    After thinking for a while, he cut off a small part of both pieces of spirit wood, ground them into powder, then took out the tools and materials for making incense, as well as the most important incense ash, and started making incense. Before long, he had made three incense sticks.

    Due to the incense ash, the three incense sticks did not emit any spiritual power fluctuations.

    Next, he didn¡¯t summon the incense burner to light the incense. It had been about six days since hest used the incense burner, and it had not yet recovered.

    After storing the three incense sticks and the spirit pine, Yuan Ming changed into another set of clothes, put on a bamboo hat, and went out to the street again. After a while, he arrived at the magic tool shop that bought runes.

    Before entering the shop, he used a lower-grade talisman that could hide his aura and prevent his appearance from being probed by divine sense for a short time.

    Although he had a chance to refine a magic tool for free, he didn¡¯t want to use it right now. Instead, he wanted to see if he could persuade the other party to teach him some refining techniques in the future, which would be better than anything else.

    At this moment, there was a customer in the shop. The bald man was enthusiastically boasting about a ck knife magic tool that looked quite good.

    The customer was persuaded and finally gritted his teeth, took out a spirit stone, and bought the knife.

    After the bald man sent the customer away, he saw Yuan Ming standing next to the counter and greeted him warmly, "Sir, are you also here to buy magic tools? Although all the magic tools in our shop are of lower grade, their quality is excellent, and the prices are absolutely fair."

    "I heard that you can customize magic tools here?" Yuan Ming changed his voice with magic power and asked.

    "Are you a regr customer of our shop? Not many people know that our shop can customize magic tools." The bald man let out a light ¡¯eh¡¯, looked Yuan Ming up and down, and asked somewhat uncertainly.

    Yuan Ming gave a dryugh, nodded slightly without confirming or denying, and did not answer the bald man¡¯s question.

    "Our shop indeed epts orders for custom-made magic tools, but I must dere in advance that the materials need to be provided by yourself, and if the refining fails, our shop will not be responsible." The bald man didn¡¯t ask further and said seriously.

    "That¡¯s fine." Yuan Ming had already learned about the refining rules of this shop from Gu Yue, so naturally, he had no objections.

    "Then please wait a moment, sir. I¡¯ll go and invite Master Huolian... Since you are a regr customer, you should know that our shop only refines lower-grade magic tools and does not do business above the middle grade." The bald man turned to walk towards the inside of the shop, then suddenly stopped and turned back to confirm.

    "I know that. I¡¯m looking for Master Huolian to refine a lower-grade magic tool." Yuan Ming said.

    The bald man finally felt relieved and turned to enter the inner room.

    Yuan Ming folded his arms, his fingertips lightly tapping on his arm.

    The magic tool he wanted Master Huolian to refine was the Thousand Mechanism Mask.

    He had originally nned to ask the Third Cave Master to do it, and the reward had been prepared.

    Xiying had told him that the difficulty in refining the Thousand Mechanism Masky in the inscription of the runes. Master Huolian was particrly good at inscribing runes, so it seemed more appropriate to let him refine it.

    Master Huolian soon came out from the inner room, looked Yuan Ming up and down, and asked, "Are you the one who wants to order a magic tool?"

    "Yes, I¡¯ve heard of Master Huolian¡¯s exquisite refining techniques, so I came to visit." Yuan Ming said respectfully, keeping a low profile.

    "Save the pleasantries, just tell me what magic tool you want to refine." Master Huolian waved his hand and said,pletely ignoring Yuan Ming¡¯s respectful attitude.

    "The Thousand Mechanism Mask." Yuan Ming said straightforwardly without beating around the bush.

    As he spoke, he took out the face skin of the human-faced spider, the white jade grease, and other materials.

    "The Thousand Mechanism Mask is indeed effective, but the materials are hard to find. Not many people want to refine it. Especially the face skin of the human-faced spider and the white jade grease are often priceless. I didn¡¯t expect you to gather them all." Master Huolian picked up the two materials and looked at them for a few moments. His previous indifference changed, and a few traces of eagerness appeared in his eyes.

    "Master Huolian, how confident are you in refining it?" Yuan Ming asked directly.

    "You¡¯re in luck. The difficulty in refining the Thousand Mechanism Mask lies in the inscription of the runes. The rune required for the Thousand Mechanism Mask is the Thousand Illusion. I¡¯ve refined several illusion-type magic tools and am very familiar with this rune. I can¡¯t guarantee a hundred percent sess, but I have seventy to eighty percent confidence." Master Huolian said proudly.

    "Then I¡¯ll have to trouble Master. How much do you charge for refining a magic tool?" Yuan Ming asked with a bow, feeling relieved.

    Master Huolian didn¡¯t speak, and the bald man beside him stepped forward with a smile.Yuan Ming and the bald man had a lengthy discussion, finally settling on a price of twenty spirit stones, to be delivered in two days.

    Yuan Ming paid a deposit of ten spirit stones and was about to take his leave when he suddenly remembered something. He said, "Master Huolian is skilled in refining, and must surely have a deep understanding of various spirit materials. I have an item here, and I hope you can identify it."

    "Bring it over and let me take a look," Huolian said directly upon hearing this.

    Yuan Ming took out the fiery red horn and handed it over.

    Huolian carefully examined it for a long time before slowly putting it down, his gaze somewhatplex.

    "Master, what do you think?" Yuan Ming asked.

    Huolian didn¡¯t speak, his gaze flickering uncertainly, as if he was hesitant.

 Chapter 151: Generous remuneration

    Chapter 151: Generous remuneration

    "If you require an appraisal fee, Master, feel free to say so," Yuan Ming said upon seeing this.

    "There¡¯s no need for that. This red horn contains a powerful fire attribute spiritual power. I can¡¯t discern its origin, but I can say that it¡¯s no less than a mid-grade item, possibly even higher," the fire refiner waved his hand and said.

    Yuan Ming was delighted. Even a veteran refiner like the fire refiner couldn¡¯t identify the origin of the red horn, it seemed that it would be impossible to find out in a short time.

    "May I ask Master Fire Refiner to help refine this item into a magical tool?" He asked with a bow.

    "Using it to refine a low-grade magical tool would be a waste. I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t help you with that," the fire refiner shook his head and said.

    Yuan Ming was taken aback, then said, "Master Fire Refiner, I¡¯ve seen the magical tools you¡¯ve refined. Your smelting, forging, and rune carving are all excellent, definitely meeting the requirements for refining mid-grade magical tools. Why do you only refine low-grade ones?"

    "Do you also understand refining?" The fire refiner asked in return.

    "I know a little," Yuan Ming vaguely replied.

    "This matter involves my secrets, it¡¯s not convenient to tell," the fire refiner shook his head after ncing at Yuan Ming."I apologize for my rudeness. I¡¯ll leave the Thousand Mechanism Mask to Master Fire Refiner," Yuan Ming bowed in apology, put away the two materials, turned around and left the magical tool shop. However, the voice of the fire refiner came from behind him.

    "Young friend, if you have good runes, remember toe find me. The price won¡¯t disappoint you."

    "This Concealment Symbol is said to prevent cultivators below the Foundation Establishment stage from spying with their divine sense. It seems that Fire Refiner¡¯s cultivation is not low!" Yuan Ming paused slightly, then continued walking without looking back, thinking to himself.

    ......

    As evening approached, half of the western sky was red. It should have been a beautiful scene of the sky filled with red clouds, but unfortunately, tworge mountains around ck Rock City blocked most of the western sky, only allowing glimpses of the red clouds.

    Yuan Ming looked at the sky, but did not return to the inn. Instead, he headed towards the southern market of ck Rock City.

    He was actually quite interested in the Loose Cultivator Alliance in the southern market. However, he had been too busy collecting spiritual materials before and had no time to spare. Now that things had gone surprisingly smoothly, he had some free time and nned to take a look.

    However, when he passed by the central round square again, he saw an old Taoist in a worn-out robe setting up a stall. The stall was rather deserted with few customers.

    On the stall, there were no magical tools, talismans, pills, or books. The only thing was a kind of incense that emitted a faint wave of spiritual power.

    This piqued Yuan Ming¡¯s interest. After some inquiries, he learned that the old Taoist came from a remote small country in the Eastern Region. The incense he sold was not ordinary incense, but a special kind called "Spiritual Incense". Although it was not a magical tool, talisman, or pill, it was said to have a simr effect and could evenplement pills.

    The old Taoist sold three types: Green Mystery Incense that could enhance the cultivation speed of Qi Refining cultivators, Nourishing Spirit Incense that could nourish the soul, and True Subduing Incense that could ward off evil spirits.

    The reason why they were not popr was partly because not many people in the Southern Region burned incense during cultivation, and partly because the prices were too high. A bundle of thirty-six sticks of Green Mystery Incense cost twenty spirit stones, and each stick could onlyst for about a quarter of an hour. In terms of aiding cultivation, its effect was far inferior to that of spirit medicine of the same price.

    However, the old Taoist imed that he was selling the incense to exchange for spirit stones due to an urgent need, implying that he was selling the incense at a low price.

    When Yuan Ming proposed to try the effect before deciding, the old Taoist readily agreed.

    Under the old Taoist¡¯s guidance, Yuan Ming tried it and found that the incense was indeed effective. He then bargained with the old Taoist like Gu Yue did, and finally bought all thirty bundles of Green Mystery Incense at a price of fifteen spirit stones per bundle. He also bought ten bundles of Nourishing Spirit Incense, which was a bit more expensive.

    In this way, Yuan Ming spent over six hundred spirit stones in one go, but he was somewhat excited.

    His aptitude was not good, but now he had the Nine Elements Form and arge amount of Yuan Cultivation Pills, as well as these Green Mystery Incense to assist him. His cultivation progress during closed-door cultivation would greatly improve.

    The white-haired old Taoist was overjoyed and imed to have a fate with Yuan Ming. He introduced himself as "True Person Xuanhua" and gave Yuan Ming a dirty old bronze token. He told Yuan Ming to use the token to find him for a drink at Xuanhua View in the Eastern Region when he had time, and then packed up his things and left.

    After putting away the token and incense, Yuan Ming did not stay at the original ce for long and soon arrived at the southern market.

    Theyout here was simr to the eastern and western markets, but the buildings on both sides of the street were not shops, but the bases of the Loose Cultivator Alliance. They varied in size and were spaced apart from each other. The ques hanging on the doors read "Wind Cutting Loose Cultivator Alliance", "Army Breaking Loose Cultivator Alliance", and so on.

    There were strong men standing at the entrance of each base, either two or four, all looking very sturdy.

    Each building entrance had a red list hanging on it, listing what their alliance was good at, basically collecting spiritual materials, hunting fierce beasts, and providing bodyguard services.

    Compared with the eastern and western markets, there were not many pedestrians in the southern market at this time, making it seem somewhat deserted.

    Yuan Ming walked slowly, his gaze sweeping over the Loose Cultivator Alliances along the road.

    His steps suddenly stopped as he looked at one of the alliances.

    The people standing at the entrance all had Central ins faces, and the name of the alliance also had a Great Jin style: "Hundred Battles Loose Cultivator Alliance".

    "How strange, could it be an alliance formed by cultivators from the Great Jin?" Yuan Ming thought to himself.

    What caught Yuan Ming¡¯s attention about the Hundred Battles Loose Cultivator Alliance was not just these. There was a recruitment notice on its list, stating that anyone with a cultivation level above the sixth level of Qi Refining could join.

    At this moment, there were more than ten people gathered at its entrance, whispering about the recruitment notice, seemingly discussing matters about this alliance.

    After listening for a while, Yuan Ming had a rough understanding of the Hundred Battles Loose Cultivator Alliance.As he had expected, the Hundred Battles Alliance was indeed a loose alliance established by rogue cultivators from the Great Jin. They had only entered Heiyan City this year, mainly dealing in task reselling, transporting goods from the Great Jin to the Southern Border, and also bringing back special products from the Southern Border to the Great Jin, profiting in the process.

    Rather than an alliance, it was more like a merchant association.

    Its leader was a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment stage, and the members under hismand were not weak either. There were many who were at the eighth, ninth, and even tenth level of Qi Refining. Although they had only been in Heiyan City for a year, they had already made quite a name for themselves.

    Some time ago, they had returned to the Southern Border from the Great Jin and encountered danger on the way, losing many members. That¡¯s why they were openly recruiting members now.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming was somewhat moved.

    The Northern Region of the Southern Border was far away from the Great Jin, and he would have to cross several regions of the Southern Border. It would be difficult for him to return on his own. Since the Hundred Battles Alliance often traveled between the Great Jin and the Southern Border, he could use their power to return to the Great Jin.

    "The Bai Lu Hill Alliance Meeting is imminent. After participating in the meeting, it¡¯s not toote to consider joining the Hundred Battles Alliance." He thought for a moment, but did not step forward.

    At this moment, there was a suddenmotion in the crowd around him. Everyone surged forward, and from the front came vague words like "so much reward" and "incredible".

    After a moment of hesitation, Yuan Ming followed.

    The crowd stopped in front of a loose alliance¡¯s residence. The building of this alliance was red-roofed and white-walled, grand and majestic. On the que above the main gate were four vigorous and powerful characters in the Southern Border script.

    "Bai Ye Alliance..." Yuan Ming murmured to himself.

    During the day, when he and Gu Yue were strolling around the market, he had also asked Gu Yue about the loose alliances in Heiyan City and learned the names of several famous alliances. The Bai Ye Alliance was one of them. It was said that its leader, Bai Ye, was a cultivator in thete stage of Foundation Establishment and had quite a reputation among the rogue cultivators in the Southern Border.

    The crowd was attracted because of the red list of the Bai Ye Alliance. On it was also a recruitment notice, but they were recruiting temporary members to hunt a powerful beast. The reward was very generous, and ording to performance, the highest could be up to five hundred spirit stones.

    The recruitment requirements were not low either. It clearly stated that the cultivation level had to be at least at the eighth level of Qi Refining, and one had to pass the test of the Bai Ye Alliance to participate in this task.

    You should know that the tasks that ordinary loose alliances recruit Qi Refining cultivators for usually give five to ten spirit stones, and those that can give up to fifty spirit stones are generally tasks with extremely generous rewards.

    Tasks with such high rewards were very rare in Heiyan City. Although many people didn¡¯t believe it or were watching, there were still one or two people who walked out of the crowd from time to time and entered the Bai Ye Alliance¡¯s residence.

    Yuan Ming was also very tempted. Although he had more than a thousand spirit stones on him at the moment, which was considered wealthy among cultivators of the same rank, if he wanted to improve his cultivation and strength faster, even ten times more spirit stones could be spent in an instant.

    He had originally nned to return to Bi Luo Cave and look for ways to make money. He didn¡¯t expect to encounter a good task in Heiyan City. Although the description was not very clear, he was just qualified and should not be missed easily.

    Moreover, ording to Gu Yue, the Bai Ye Alliance¡¯s style of doing things was quite upright, and there were no bad records. This time they were recruiting people to hunt beasts in the street, it should not be a plot.

    After weighing the pros and cons in his heart, Yuan Ming stepped into the Bai Ye Alliance.

    Passing through the main gate, a courtyard appeared in front of him, and two men in white robes blocked his way.

    "Are you here to participate in the beast hunting task, fellow Daoist?" The tall and thin man on the left stood with his hands behind his back, nced at Yuan Ming, and asked.

    This man had a face full of pockmarks, yellowish skin, and looked quite ugly, but his eyes were exceptionally bright, seemingly due to some kind of cultivation method.

    "Indeed." Yuan Ming replied.

    "Fellow Daoist must have seen the requirements for participating in the beast hunting task. We need to test your cultivation level. Please don¡¯t take offense." The tall and thin man said.

    Yuan Ming naturally had no objections and nodded.

    Upon hearing this, the man on the right took out a crystal clear sphere, aimed it at Yuan Ming, and urged it with his other hand. The surface of the sphere began to show dots of crystal light flowing uncertainly.

    Although Yuan Ming didn¡¯t feel anything unusual, he felt as if his body and mind were beingpletely scrutinized by the other party.

    After a moment, the image of Yuan Ming appeared in the sphere, with nine green light shadows swirling around him, shining brightly.

    Yuan Ming took another look at the crystal sphere. Not only could it detect his cultivation level, but it could also detect the attributes of his cultivation method, which was quite interesting.

    "Fellow Daoist¡¯s cultivation level meets the requirements. Please enter the inner hall for the next round of testing." The tall and thin man said with a soft look in his eyes, indicating a hall in front.

    Yuan Ming knew that the next test was the real deal. The Bai Ye Alliance was not a big spender. Since they offered a high reward of five hundred spirit stones, they must have very strict requirements for personnel.

 Chapter 152: Night exploration of the scattered alliance

    Chapter 152: Night exploration of the scattered alliance

    Yuan Ming entered the hall, where a stern-looking middle-aged man sat, his aura deep and profound, a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

    Standing next to the middle-aged man were a young man and woman, both dressed in white. The man was handsome, the woman charming, they looked like a pair of wall paintings.

    Both were young, but their cultivation was extraordinary, their auras stronger than his own.

    "Are you the one who will be testing me?" Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze fell on the middle-aged man as he asked calmly, unaffected by the unique pressure of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

    "Indeed, I am Huan Shi, the vice leader of the Baiye Scatter Alliance. This hunting mission is of great importance. For your safety and the interests of our alliance, we must carefully select our personnel. I hope you understand," the middle-aged man replied with a polite smile.

    "Of course, may I ask what the test is?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "The test is simple. This mission requires a certain level of strength. If you can withstand one of the two behind me for a quarter of an hour, you pass. You are not allowed to use any magical tools or talismans," Huan Shi exined.

    "Is that all?" Yuan Ming had expected a difficult test, but it sounded straightforward.

    "You, a ninth level Qi Refiner, sure are confident. Let¡¯s see how strong you really are!" The young man in white couldn¡¯t help but retort coldly.Hearing Yuan Ming¡¯s words, Huan Shi raised an eyebrow and looked at Yuan Ming with interest.

    "Follow me!" The young man in white led the way to a side hall.

    Seeing that Huan Shi didn¡¯t stop him, Yuan Ming followed.

    The side hall was as spacious as the main hall. The thick stone walls were reinforced with restrictions, and the floor was covered with ayer of thick stone. It looked like a room specifically designed for duels.

    "You can make the first move," the young man in white said arrogantly after closing the door.

    Without a word, Yuan Ming gathered his Qi and assumed the stance of the Shadowless Step.

    ¡­¡­

    A quarter of an hourter, the door to the side hall was pushed open, and Yuan Ming walked out slowly. His aura was steady, his clothes were neat and tidy, and his hat was intact.

    A few breathster, the young man in white also came out.

    Half of his body was charred, half of his hair was burned off, and his right cheek was swollen. He looked rather embarrassed.

    "Senior Brother, are you alright?" The young woman in white hurriedly went up to support him.

    The young man in white looked dejected. He opened his mouth to say something, but in the end, he remained silent.

    In the side hall, he had been confident in his superior cultivation and had allowed Yuan Ming to make the first move. However, Yuan Ming had stood still and asked if he only needed tost a quarter of an hour, which had infuriated him.

    Unable to hold back, he had made the first move. But once Yuan Ming moved, his movements were strange and unpredictable. He simply dodged, and the young man in white couldn¡¯t catch up with him or hit him with his spells. His strange steps always narrowly avoided them.

    After more than a quarter of an hour, he had be frustrated and angry. He had even used his magical tool to try to intimidate Yuan Ming.

    However, Yuan Ming had suddenly raised his hand, a ball of fire lighting up at his fingertips. It looked like he was trying to cast a fireball spell, but whether he was unskilled or something else, he couldn¡¯t release it. He seemed a bit flustered.

    The young man in white naturally didn¡¯t want to miss such a good opportunity. He rushed up to Yuan Ming, intending to deliver a thunderous blow.

    However, just as he reached Yuan Ming, the "fireball", which wasrger than a normal fireball, suddenly exploded. He couldn¡¯t avoid it in time and suffered a considerable loss.

    Given his proud nature, and the fact that he had used his magical tool first, he naturally didn¡¯t feel like saying anything.

    Huan Shi, however, looked calm. He had used his divine sense to monitor the situation in the side hall.

    "Did I pass the test?" Yuan Ming looked at Huan Shi and asked.

    "Of course, you hid your strength well and easily defeated my foolish disciple. I¡¯m impressed," Huan Shi said with a smile.

    "I just followed the rules set by your alliance and luckilysted a quarter of an hour," Yuan Ming replied modestly.

    "You are humble in victory, which is even moremendable. I wonder which fortunate cultivator has taken you as a disciple. I¡¯m quite envious," Huan Shi sighed, probing for information.

    Yuan Ming just responded with a polite smile, not taking the bait.

    "Hehe, take this token. Gather at the Ghost Cry Gorge in the Hundred Thousand Mountains in ten days. The specific details of this mission will be exined to you there," Huan Shi said, handing Yuan Ming a white jade token.

    "Ten days from now..." Yuan Ming murmured.

    This would give him enough time to return to the Biluo Cave and refine the Green Fish Sword into a magical tool, which would greatly enhance his strength.

    "Senior Huan Shi, since I passed the test, could you tell me about the target beast? So I can prepare in advance," Yuan Ming asked after some thought.

    "It¡¯s not that our alliance wants to hide it, but we have no choice. If the information about the beast were to leak, our alliance would be at a disadvantage, and the mission might even fail. Don¡¯t worry, all the information about this mission will be disclosed to you at the gathering in Ghost Cry Gorge," Huan Shi shook his head and replied.

    Yuan Ming frowned slightly and said, "Since there¡¯s a reason for it, I won¡¯t ask what the beast is. But could you tell me about its strength?"

    "That I can tell you. The target of this hunt is a second-level beast. But don¡¯t worry, the Foundation Establishment experts of our alliance will also be there, and you won¡¯t be the only one recruited for this mission," Huan Shi said.

    Seeing that he couldn¡¯t get any more information, Yuan Ming bid his farewell and left.The sky outside had darkened, and the flow of people in the southern market had be increasingly sparse.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t go far. He found an inn nearby to stay in and closed his eyes to rest.

    Time passed bit by bit, and soon it was past midnight.

    He took out the incense burner, as usual, infused it with his mana. The Great Ultimate pattern on the incense burner quickly lit up, and the missing part was quickly filled.

    Yuan Ming put away the incense burner and looked out the window towards the headquarters of the White Night Alliance.

    "By this time, the selection should be over," he murmured to himself. He sat cross-legged on the bed, a ck light shed in his brow, and a soul crow flew out, heading towards the White Night Alliance.

    Although Huan Shi seemed very confident, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t dare to fully trust him. This hunting mission from the White Night Alliance was a matter of life and death, and he had to investigate it himself.

    With the speed of the soul crow, it quickly arrived at the headquarters of the White Night Alliance. The main gate was tightly closed, and the recruitment activity had ended.

    Although it waste at night, many rooms in the headquarters were still brightly lit, filled with people, and the sound of lively discussions was endless.

    Yuan Ming listened for a moment. They were all talking about trivial matters, unrted to the hunting mission, so he controlled the soul crow to fly deeper into the headquarters.

    The headquarters of the White Night Alliance was not small, with several buildings connected by small paths, spreading out like the veins of a human body, disappearing into the darkness. It was hard to tell where the important figures lived.

    The soul crow perched on a tree branch, considering where to go next.

    At this moment, the sound of footsteps approached, and a tall woman walked by. It was the white-clothed woman who had stood behind Huan Shi during the test.

    She was holding a tray with tea and snacks on it, apparently intending to deliver it somewhere.

    Judging from the situation during the day, this white-clothed woman held a high position. The person who could make her personally serve tea must be an important figure in the White Night Alliance, perhaps even Huan Shi.

    The soul crow pped its wings and followed her quietly.

    The white-clothed woman soon arrived at a two-story pavilion and pushed the door to enter.

    The soul crow also arrived near the pavilion and heard a faint conversationing from a room on the second floor. One of the voices was Huan Shi¡¯s.

    "Finally found him," Yuan Ming quickly controlled the soul crow to fly over.

    Considering that Huan Shi was a Foundation Establishment cultivator with a powerful divine sense, he didn¡¯t let the soul crow get too close. It stopped on arge tree two meters away, hidden in the darkness.

    "Is everything arranged?" Huan Shi asked.

    "Everything is arranged properly. As of today, we have recruited fifty-five people. ording to our previous estimates, even if only sixty percent of them stay, it should be enough to deal with those Golden Flower Poisonous Pythons and find the python king¡¯s nest," another voice responded, it was the white-clothed youth who had been defeated by him during the day.

    "Very good, the galldder of the Golden Flower Python King might have transformed into a snake pearl, which is a priceless treasure. We must not lose it," Huan Shi reminded.

    "Master, rest assured, I have been very careful. I only told the recruits that we are hunting a second-level beast. Those who tried to inquire about the specific information of the beast were all fooled by me. There were a few who seemed to be spies from other alliances, but I sent them away," the white-clothed youth replied.

    "Very good," Huan Shi said.

    Back in the inn, a hint of surprise shed in Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes.

    His spying with the soul crow had indeed yielded significant results, revealing the target of the White Night Alliance.

    As for the Golden Flower Poisonous Python, he had some understanding of it. It was one of the most difficult types of pythons to deal with in the Hundred Thousand Mountains, and it was also one of the most dangerous beasts that beast tamers generally dared not hunt. The real target of the White Night Alliance was obviously the Golden Flower Python King.

    Regardless of the strength of that snake king, just the fact that they needed to gather so many people for the hunt indicated that the mission was not as simple as they had described.

    As for the previously mentioned reward of up to five hundred spirit stones, although it seemed tempting, it probably wouldn¡¯t be that easy to get. There would likely be some stringent requirements.

    Anyway, with his current strength and familiarity with the terrain of the Hundred Thousand Mountains, as long as he was careful, he should be able to protect himself.

    Just then, another voice came from the soul crow. It was the white-clothed youth.

    "Master, I know you observed that man with the bamboo hat with your divine sense when I fought him during the day. Were you able to determine his background?"

    Yuan Ming was taken aback. He hadn¡¯t expected the conversation to suddenly turn to him. He quickly pricked up his ears to listen carefully.

 Chapter 153: Ghost Market

    Chapter 153: Ghost Market

    Inside the room, Huan Shi picked up his teacup and took a sip, looking at the young man in white, he said indifferently, "So, you¡¯re bothered by losing to him?"

    "Indeed, I¡¯m not willing to lose to someone at the ninth level of Qi Refining." The young man in white said with resentment in his voice.

    "You didn¡¯t lose unjustly in that duel," Huan Shi looked at the young man in white for a moment, then slowly said.

    The young man in white didn¡¯t speak, his breathing became heavy, clearly unconvinced.

    "Although your cultivation is higher than his, yourbat experience is far less than his. Moreover, you were reckless and overconfident. How could you not lose?" Huan Shi slowly said.

    "Master, your reprimand is justified," the young man in white responded in a low voice, his eyes flickering.

    "I know you want to challenge him again to regain your face, but with your current strength, you¡¯re no match for that straw hat boy. Moreover, with the big event approaching, don¡¯t stir up trouble over small matters. If it affects the leader¡¯s big n, you know the consequences!" Huan Shi frowned, his tone bing serious.

    "Master, rest assured, I understand the priorities," the young man in white changed his expression when he heard the word ¡¯leader¡¯, and responded solemnly.

    "Hehe, young people should have some spirit. If you lose this time, you should train hard to regain your face next time. Second brother, don¡¯t suppress Tuo Zhe too much and make him lose his youthful vigor." The room door was pushed open, and a mighty man walked in, followed by a woman in white."Big brother, weren¡¯t you in seclusion? Why did youe here?" Huan Shi stood up, surprised.

    "Leader," the young man in white quickly stood up and saluted.

    "Could this person be Bai Ye, the leader of the Loose Cultivators Alliance?" Yuan Ming heard this and quickly controlled the Soul Crow to conceal its aura, but listened more attentively.

    With the appearance of Bai Ye, the leader of the Loose Cultivators Alliance, they might discuss more confidential news next, which might be rted to the mission.

    "Cultivation breakthrough is not an overnight matter. I heard from Ling¡¯er that the preparations for the mission to hunt the Golden Flower Python King are almost done, so I came to ask about the situation," the mighty man said.

    "Everything is almost ready, we..."

    The Soul Crow was listening to the conversation in the room, but at this moment, the sound in the room suddenly stopped, and the breathing of the four people could not be heard.

    "The people are clearly in the room, why is there suddenly no sound? It seems that someone has used something like a soundproofing charm. Bai Ye is really cautious," Yuan Ming showed a regretful expression on his face.

    The people should be discussing more confidential matters next, but unfortunately, the Soul Crow¡¯s abilities are limited and cannot break through the soundproofing charm. This investigation can only stop here.

    Fortunately, he had already gathered quite a bit of information, and had a rough idea, so it wasn¡¯t a wasted trip.

    Yuan Ming summoned the Soul Crow back, got up from the bed, prepared to leave this ce, his eyes swept over his right arm, and suddenly had a thought.

    The Soul Crow couldn¡¯t investigate the soundproofing charm, but the incense burner seemed to have no such limitation. If he could attach himself directly like he did with the little emperor, maybe he could openly listen to their conversation?

    With the mystery of the incense burner, Bai Ye should not be able to detect it, and it would be a good opportunity to test the effect of his newly prepared incense.

    "Why didn¡¯t I think of this way of investigation before? It seems that I¡¯m not using the incense burner enough!" Yuan Ming muttered to himself, took out the incense burner, lit a newly made incense stick, and kept recalling the appearance of the young man in white during the day.

    Gradually, his vision darkened, and his consciousness fell into darkness. Soon, it recovered, and a spacious and elegant room came into view.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming was standing on the right side of the room, with the woman in white standing next to him, and Huan Shi and a burly man were sitting on tworge yellow wooden chairs opposite him.

    "It really works! It seems that the method of using thoughts to lock onto the target of attachment is correct!" Yuan Ming was delighted, but quickly calmed down.

    "Is this man Bai Ye?" He looked nervously at the burly man opposite him.

    Although Yuan Ming was very confident in the incense burner, a cultivator in thete stage of Foundation Establishment was not to be underestimated. He might have some mysterious technique and sense his presence.

    Bai Ye was looking at Huan Shi next to him,pletely unaware of Yuan Ming¡¯s attachment.

    Yuan Ming listened to their conversation.

    "...I¡¯ve never seen that man before, his cultivation is not high, only at the ninth level of Qi Refining, but his mana is exceptionally pure. He must be practicing some superior technique, he¡¯s definitely not an ordinary loose cultivator, most likely a core disciple of some sect." To Yuan Ming¡¯s surprise, Huan Shi was talking about him.

    "ck Rock City is a famous market in the Northern Territory. It¡¯smon for disciples of various sects toe here for experience and take on tasks in disguise. There¡¯s no need to pay attention to them," Bai Ye added.

    "Leader, you¡¯re right. With such a high reward this time, there should be more than just that boy from the sects who came to apply. With these people joining, this mission should be safe and sound," Huan Shi said.

    "Those people just need to help us find the nest. We can give more rewards to the person who finds it, and give the rest a little hardship fee. In this way, although we have exaggerated the rewards a bit, we haven¡¯t broken the rules. As for the final Python King, we still have to deal with it ourselves. Those people can¡¯t be relied on. Has the Barrier Pearl been prepared?" Bai Ye slowly shook his head and asked with a change of topic.

    "Du Ying just sent a message saying that the Barrier Pearl has been refined and will be traded at the Ghost Market tonight," Huan Shi said."Good, with the Barrier Pearl, the poisonous miasma of the Snake King Valley is no longer a concern. The Ghost Market isplex, to be safe, second brother, you should personally go there tonight and make sure this matter is handled properly." Bai Ye nodded and instructed.

    "I¡¯m afraid that won¡¯t work. The Poison Shadow is very cautious. He sent a message saying that only Qi Refining stage cultivators can go for the transaction." Huan Shi said, taking out a piece of white paper with a few lines of small characters written on it.

    Bai Ye took the paper, which detailed the method of transaction. It must be a Qi Refining disciple whoes to meet at a certain ce in the Ghost Market, verifies the secret code, and then trades the items.

    "Hehe, this Poison Shadow is indeed as cunning and careful as the rumors say. In that case, let Tuo Zhe handle this matter." Bai Ye chuckled and handed the paper to the young man in white.

    "Yes." The young man in white took the paper, and Yuan Ming also saw the content on the paper.

    At this moment, his vision quickly turned pitch ck. The time limit for his possession had arrived.

    ......

    Inside the inn, Yuan Ming slowly opened his eyes.

    This possessionsted for more than twenty breaths, which was twice as long as before. The incense made from ground spirit wood mixed with ash was indeed effective.

    "Overall, this mission doesn¡¯t seem to have any problems. At least Bai Ye¡¯s alliance doesn¡¯t have any malicious intentions. The reward is indeed a gimmick, but if it¡¯s about finding a nest, I don¡¯t have to worry too much with the Soul Crow. If I can earn a sum of spirit stones just like this, it¡¯s not a loss." Yuan Ming stroked his chin, pondering in his heart.

    He sat quietly in the room for a while, his face changing unpredictably. Then he got up again and left the inn.

    Half an hourter, in a private room of a tea house in the west market, Yuan Ming and Gu Yue sat facing each other.

    "I apologize for calling Brother Gu Yue out sote." Yuan Ming said.

    "Brother Yuan, you¡¯re too polite. You¡¯ve been taking care of my business, I¡¯m grateful and wouldn¡¯t me you. Just tell me what you need, I¡¯ll do my best to help." Gu Yue hurriedly said.

    "I would like to ask Brother Gu Yue, what is the Ghost Market?" Yuan Ming asked straightforwardly.

    When Bai Ye and Huan Shi mentioned the Ghost Market, their tones were obviously different. This ce must be extraordinary.

    "Brother Yuan, where did you hear about the Ghost Market?" Gu Yue was slightly surprised.

    "I overheard someone mentioning it while strolling around in the afternoon. Brother Gu Yue said in the daytime that Heiyan City has four markets: east, west, south, and north. Where did this Ghost Markete from?" Yuan Ming half-truthfully said.

    "Well, the Ghost Market is also a trading market, but it only opens after midnight. It¡¯s the opposite of the daytime market, hence the name Ghost Market. However, the items traded there are mostly things that can¡¯t be circted openly, such as stolen goods from killing and robbing, forbidden items in the cultivation world, etc. These transactions are too conspicuous during the day, so they choose to do it at midnight." Gu Yue scratched his head and exined.

    "So, there are a lot of good things in the Ghost Market, and the prices shouldn¡¯t be too high." Yuan Ming was not averse to this kind of business and asked with interest.

    "The Ghost Market has all kinds of magical tools, talismans, and elixirs, but most of the items are of dubious origin, and the prices are rtively low. However, it¡¯s a mixed bag, and the waters are too deep. I can¡¯t guarantee that everything will go smoothly, so those of us in this line of business don¡¯t easily get involved in the Ghost Market." Gu Yue confessed.

    Yuan Ming slowly nodded, calcting in his heart.

    "If I want to go to the Ghost Market, how do I get there?" Yuan Ming asked, sensing that the other party was reluctant to go to the Ghost Market.

    Gu Yue gave him an address and precautions for entering.

    "The Ghost Market has far-reaching implications. Some people have found good things there and made a fortune, while others have lost their lives because they sold or bought things they shouldn¡¯t have. Brother Yuan, if you go there for a transaction, be very careful." Gu Yue reminded.

    Yuan Ming agreed, wanted to give Gu Yue a reward, but Gu Yue declined this time, and Yuan Ming didn¡¯t insist.

    "The market opens at midnight, it¡¯s about time." Yuan Ming quickened his pace and soon arrived at a small alley in the northwest of Heiyan City where mortals lived.

    The night here was exceptionally dark, and he couldn¡¯t see clearly beyond a few feet. There seemed to be a surge of ck fog in the air.

    Yuan Ming sensed the fluctuation of magical power from the ck fog, knowing that he had found the right ce. He continued forward, the darkness around him getting thicker, almost to the point where he couldn¡¯t see his fingers.

    He activated his divine sense to probe, and his actions were not affected.

    After walking a few more feet, a high and thick stone wall appeared,pletely blocking his way.

    "I want to enter the Ghost Market." Yuan Ming didn¡¯t climb over the wall, but looked at an inconspicuous shadow on the right side of the stone wall and said in a deep voice.

    As soon as his words fell, a ck figure walked out of the shadow. There was no breath from top to bottom, as if it was a ghost.

    "Are you here to hang antern or to seek fire?" The ck figure looked Yuan Ming up and down and asked in a hoarse voice.

    This was the secretnguage of the Ghost Market. Hanging antern meant setting up a stall, and seeking fire meant buying things.

    "Seeking fire." Yuan Ming said.

    The ck figure didn¡¯t speak, but waved his hand on the wall.

    A "clicking" sound of gears turning came from the thick wall, a crack opened in the middle, slowly widened, and soon formed a three-foot-wide passage.

 Chapter 154: Soul Capturing Bell

    Chapter 154: Soul Capturing Bell

    "Thank you." Yuan Ming said, walking towards the passage.

    "Friend, is this your first timeing to the Ghost Market? Are you nning to enter like this?" The shadow suddenly spoke.

    "What do you mean by that?" Yuan Ming felt a little strange about this person suddenly speaking to him, but he didn¡¯t lie and asked.

    "Although you are wearing a hat, this level of disguise can be easily seen through by divine sense. Don¡¯t you know that it is very dangerous to be seen through your true appearance in the Ghost Market?" The shadow said.

    Yuan Ming was taken aback. Gu Yue did not mention this.

    The shadow¡¯s words made sense, but he couldn¡¯t hide his appearance without the Thousand Machine Mask, which was not yet refined.

    "Friend, there¡¯s no need to worry. Here is a hidden cloak that can conceal your aura and block divine sense. As long as you wear it, I guarantee that no one will recognize you. Since we have met today, I can sell it to you for fifty spirit stones, or rent it to you for five spirit stones for one use. How about it?" The shadow took out a gray-ck cloak with a hood and his tone became eager.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming understood and couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    This shadow stopped him because he wanted to do business.He used his divine sense to touch the cloak, but it was forcefully repelled by an invisible force.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes lit up. This cloak could really block divine sense, it was a good thing.

    However, his Thousand Machine Mask would be refined soon, so he didn¡¯t need to spend a lot of money to buy this item.

    "Rent it for one use, one spirit stone." Yuan Ming took out a spirit stone and handed it over.

    "Hehe." The shadow chuckled, took the spirit stone and threw the cloak over.

    Yuan Ming put on the cloak and his magical aura and scent disappearedpletely.

    He touched the cloak. It was not made of cloth, but woven from a soft ck grass stem. It seemed like he had seen it somewhere before.

    Yuan Ming carefully recalled and suddenly the figure of the old tobo pipe appeared in his sea of consciousness.

    Most of his memory had been restored, and he vaguely remembered the situation when he was picked up by the old tobo pipe and some other bodies.

    On that day, he was picked up by the old tobo pipe from the riverside. The old tobo pipe had used a grass mat to cover him and the other bodies, concealing the smell of the bodies. It seemed that the grass mat was made of this kind of grass stem, which seemed to be a specialty of Southern Region.

    "Please enter. Remember not to follow the sellers!" The ck figure reminded him and disappeared into the darkness again.

    Yuan Ming stepped into the wall passage and soon reached the end. The light ahead became normal and a dim square came into view.

    Looking around, he saw small stalls filled with various goods. All the stall owners were wearing masks and they looked a bit crude, far from the scale and grandeur of the ck Rock City market.

    There were a few scattered customers in the square, each of them hiding their true appearance. Most of them were wearing ck cloaks like Yuan Ming, obviously bought or rented from the ck figure, and they looked vague.

    After a quick nce, Yuan Ming casually walked towards the nearest small stall.

    There was nothing else on this small stall, only two bodies lying side by side. They were covered in green scales and a faint ck mist appeared on their bodies.

    "Corpse refinement."

    Combining the information he had seen in the sect, Yuan Ming recognized that the two corpses had reached the level of "Green Steel Corpse," which was a rtively high-level corpse refinement in the ck Fire Sect. They would not easily leave the sect, but unexpectedly, there were two of them appearing in the Ghost Market at once.

    Looking at these two Green Steel Corpses, Yuan Ming was a little tempted.

    The Green Steel Corpse had a body harder than iron and itsbat power wasparable to the peak of Foundation Establishment. It could even withstand attacks from cultivators in the Foundation Establishment stage. It was far superior to the Human Fiend refined by Hu Huo. If he could have one, it would be very useful in battle.

    "How much is the price for these two corpses?" Just then, another person wearing a ck cloak walked over and asked about the price.

    "Eight hundred spirit stones each, non-negotiable." The hooded gray-robed stall owner said without looking up.

    "Will you sell them for five hundred?" the person asked.

    "I said it¡¯s non-negotiable. If you leave here, even if you offer a thousand spirit stones, you won¡¯t be able to buy them." The gray-robed stall owner said coldly.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming shook his head and walked away.

    The price was too high, so he decided to look at other things.

    He continued to look at several stalls and found that there were many exquisite items, even some items suitable for cultivators in the Foundation Establishment stage.

    Before long, Yuan Ming stopped in front of another small stall.

    Behind the stall sat a person in a green robe with a bronze mask. Judging from the figure, it should be a woman.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze continued to sweep over the stall.

    His eyes fell on a silver-white bell-shaped magical tool.

    He was very familiar with this item. It was the one Hu Zha and the others used to collect wild souls.

    "What is the function of this item and how much does it cost?" Yuan Ming pointed to the bell and pretended not to recognize it as he asked.

    "This bell is called the Soul-capturing Bell. Although it is a low-grade magical tool, it has the effect of capturing and attacking souls. When used to attack mortals, it can make them lose their memory or even their soul. When used to attack cultivators, it can temporarily stun and make them lose their memory. Although it is a low-grade item, it is an exclusive magical tool of the Birolo Cave and many cultivators are eager to have it. It is sold for sixty spirit stones." The woman in the green robe said in a low voice.

    "It can make mortals lose their memory." Yuan Ming was taken aback.

    When he entered the Birolo Cave, he lost his previous memories and until now, he had only remembered most of them. If this Soul-capturing Bell had the effect of making people lose their memory, he suspected that he had also been attacked by this bell.

    Finally, he found the reason for his amnesia!

    Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but feel resentful!

    He must obtain this bell!"The effect of this Soul Capturing Bell is quite intriguing, but the spiritual power it contains is weak, and it¡¯s a low-grade magical tool. I¡¯m afraid it can only deal with low-level Qi cultivators. As for dealing with mortals, it seems a bit like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. Sixty spirit stones are too much, I can only offer twenty at most," Yuan Ming said.

    "Twenty? Don¡¯t underestimate this bell. If you spend a spring night with a mortal woman you fancy, this magical tool is most suitable. Fifty-five!" The woman in the green robe lowered her voice and said, "If it weren¡¯t for the death of the young master of White Dragon Ind, how could you get it so cheap?"

    "How could I possibly be that kind of person? Twenty-five, that¡¯s about right!"

    "Fifty!"

    After some haggling, the stall owner finally conceded to thirty-two spirit stones.

    After Yuan Ming left, the woman also quickly departed.

    At another stall, an ancient book was disyed with the title "Misceneous Discussions on Array Dao" written on it.

    During these days in the market, Yuan Ming hade into contact with many things rted to magical arrays and had developed some interest in them. Not that he wanted to distract himself with learning, but understanding them was necessary. So, he paid three spirit stones and bought it.

    Having browsed for half an hour, he got up from a small stall and spent thirty spirit stones to buy three somewhat shriveled ck fruits.

    ording to the stall owner, this fruit was from a unique tree owned by a family in the southern region of Nanjiang, which only bore fruit every few hundred years. After a fierce beast ate it, its fertility rate could be rapidly increased. If this fruit was ced in the forest, the faint scent it emitted would attract fierce beasts from hundreds of feet around to fight for it.

    By now, Yuan Ming had seen more than half of the stalls in the Ghost Market. In addition to these three ck fruits, he had bought a few other items: four talismans, three yellow pills, and more than thirty kinds of spirit wood and spirit grass.

    The four talismans, known as the Four Directions Sealing Spirit Talismans, must be used together. They could form a hidden boundary, concealing all fluctuations of aura inside and hiding one¡¯s tracks, suitable for use when resting in the wild.

    Unlike ordinary talismans, these talismans were of the type that slowly unleashed their power and could be used multiple times.

    The three pills were not ordinary elixirs, but amon attack method used in the Hundred Poison Cave. When they hit an enemy, they would explode into a cloud of poison powder, simr to the smoke bombs he used to use frequently.

    As for the spirit wood and spirit grass, he bought them on a whim, intending to use them for experimenting with making incense. After this investigation of the White Night Scattering Alliance, Yuan Ming had deeply realized the magic of the incense burner. However, the duration of the ck incense¡¯s effect was too short to bring out the effect of the incense burner, so he had to find a way to prolong the time of the ck incense.

    His understanding of incense-making materials was still insufficient, so he could only use the most straightforward method: buying various spirit materials and trying them out bit by bit.

    All these items were somewhat cheaper than the market price, but when added up, they were not a small amount. He had spent about two hundred spirit stones in total. Including his previous expenses, he only had a little over four hundred spirit stones left in his storage ring.

    This trip to the Ghost Market was quite fruitful.

    But he was surprised to see the Yin Ghost g of the Kun Diagram for sale in a corner!

    Although he didn¡¯t know the seller¡¯s face, it was undoubtedly one of Wu Lu¡¯s aplices. Yuan Ming was about to approach and start a conversation, but a cultivator beat him to it and bought it at an unknown price. The seller also left in a hurry, and Yuan Ming didn¡¯t dare to follow.

    Yuan Ming continued forward, and a ck stone pir appeared at the edge of the square ahead. Several luminous stones were embedded in it, illuminating arge area around it.

    There were four such pirs in the market, located in the four corners, and the light they emitted illuminated the entire square.

    Under the light, Yuan Ming looked around. By now, there were far fewer stalls than when he first entered.

    Under the stone pir was a stall run by a one-armed old man wearing a fox mask, who was currently sitting on a worn-out bamboo chair with his eyes closed.

    A few items were scattered on the small stall, most of them spirit materials, and one magical tool, a dark red small shield.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes lit up, and he squatted down in front of the stall, saying, "May I take a look at this magical tool?"

    "Please," the old man said without opening his eyes.

    Yuan Ming picked up the shield, channeled his spiritual power into it, and the shield immediately floated up, emitting a red glow, and a red rune appeared.

    "A low-grade magical tool, what a pity!" he thought to himself.

    With that thought, Yuan Ming put down the dark red small shield, intending to get up and leave.

    The one-armed old man opened his eyes and called out to Yuan Ming, "Please wait, fellow Daoist."

    "What is it?" Yuan Ming stopped and asked.

    "Do you want to buy a defensive magical tool? This Fire Rock Shield is not bad. If you like it, I can give you a discount," the one-armed old man said with a smile.

    "I¡¯m not interested," Yuan Ming replied.

    "Pardon my boldness, but do you have any beast eggs or exotic beasts on you?" the one-armed old man asked.

    Upon hearing this, a glint shed in Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes. Not only did he have the ck Toad, but he also had a blue beast egg.

 Chapter 155: Golden silk

    Chapter 155: Golden silk

    "Please don¡¯t misunderstand, Ie from Da Jin and have been trading various rare insects and beasts in the Southern Region for many years. Especially in this Southern Region ck market, disciples from various sects often sell the unique insects and beasts found here. And because transactions in the ghost market are always kept confidential, you know, I ask everyone who passes by my stall!" The one-armed old man hurriedly said.

    "Oh! Is that so?" Yuan Ming¡¯s expression remained tense.

    "This is something I just bought. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can verify it." The one-armed old man took out a small blue bag from behind, which looked like a spirit beast bag.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s doubts gradually disappeared when he saw this scene.

    It turned out that this person was actually selling goods in the ck market, but in reality, he was buying them.

    A thought shed through his mind. He realized that the origin of the blue beast egg was somewhat dubious, and he didn¡¯t want to invite trouble because of it. So he decided to take the opportunity to exchange it for some spirit stones.

    "I do have a rare beast in my possession, but I don¡¯tck spirit stones and have no intention of selling it. I¡¯m afraid I will disappoint you, Daoist friend." Yuan Ming said, pretending to be elusive.

    Upon hearing these words, the one-armed old man did not show much disappointment. Instead, he calmly stopped Yuan Ming.

    His family was skilled in raising venomous snakes and beasts. After obtaining rare beasts from the Southern Region, they would cultivate and sell them to sects in the Central Region. These rare beasts were often hard toe by in the Central Region.He would also buy low-priced magical tools and spiritual materials from the markets in Da Jin and sell them in the Southern Region, doubling his profits.

    "If you don¡¯tck spirit stones, I also have a collection of other things: spiritual materials, elixirs, talismans, and even two defensive magical tools. You can choose freely, Daoist friend." With that, the one-armed old man took out a storage bag and handed it over.

    The storage bag contained many talismans, elixirs, and two defensive magical tools, all of which were of the lower grade based on their aura.

    "I don¡¯t need any of these. In fact, I have a precious beast egg, but unfortunately, you can¡¯t afford it." Yuan Ming provoked.

    "Really? Can I take a look?"

    "Please have a look." Yuan Ming took out the blue beast egg. The old man focused his gaze on it and saw a species he had never encountered before, instantly revealing a look of delight.

    "I don¡¯tck spirit stones, but I want to exchange it for a middle-grade magical tool." Yuan Ming said.

    "A middle-grade magical tool? I¡¯m just an ordinary peddler. How could I have such a treasure? You overestimate me. How about exchanging it for something here? Take another look?" The one-armed old man pointed to the storage bag.

    "In that case, forget it." Yuan Ming didn¡¯t hesitate and handed the storage bag back, then turned and walked away.

    The one-armed old man was taken aback, watching Yuan Ming¡¯s figure about to disappear from sight. He immediately hurriedly caught up and said, "Daoist friend, please wait. I just remembered that I happen to have a middle-grade magical tool. Do you need it?"

    Yuan Ming heard this and walked back slowly.

    The one-armed old man gritted his teeth, reached into his chest, and pulled out a ck wooden box. He carefully opened a slit.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s divine sense entered the box and saw a pale golden gauze inside. It seemed to be woven from golden threads, three feet long and half a foot wide, neatly folded there, emitting a golden glow.

    Just by appearance, the golden gauze waspletely different from the previous red shield.

    Yuan Ming activated his divine sense and probed the interior of the gauze. A force invisible to the naked eye emanated from within, blocking his divine sense.

    He operated the Death Moon method, and his powerful divine sense surged out, instantly breaking through the barrier of the gauze and exploring its depths.

    The gauze bloomed with a bright golden light, leaking out from the slit of the wooden box, revealing two golden runes.

    The one-armed old man was startled and quickly closed the wooden box. The leaked golden light disappeared in an instant.

    "Do you still have any doubts about the grade of this treasure?" The one-armed old man asked.

    "This gauze can barely be considered a middle-grade magical tool. How can I exchange it?" Yuan Ming asked. He had just obtained the middle-grade defensive magical tool, the Water Cloud Banner, and when he returned to the Bi Luo Cave, the Third Cave Master would help him refine the Green Fish Sword. He already had enough magical tools for defense and offense.

    It was on the side of Xiying that he needed to consider. Xiying had helped him multiple times, and if he kept taking without giving anything in return, he would feel uneasy. With Xiying¡¯s picky personality, he should like this gauze, right?

    "What do you mean ¡¯barely¡¯? This golden gauze is a birthday gift I prepared for my daughter. Its defensive power is much stronger than an ordinary middle-grade magical tool. If it weren¡¯t for this beast egg, I wouldn¡¯t sell it no matter what. It¡¯s priced at seven hundred spirit stones!" The one-armed old man said loudly.

    "This gauze is just a middle-grade magical tool. In the ordinary magical tool shops outside, even a middle-grade defensive magical tool wouldn¡¯t cost more than five hundred spirit stones, let alone the fact that you¡¯re selling it in the ghost market. I can offer at most four hundred spirit stones." Yuan Ming said calmly.

    "This golden gauze is made from golden silkworm silk, mixed with soft gold stone, refined iron, and other precious materials. How can it bepared to an ordinary middle-grade magical tool? Moreover, this item has a clean origin. After you buy it, you can use it as you please. Naturally, it cannot be sold ording to the market price in the ghost market." The one-armed old man said."I don¡¯t care where this thing came from, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t havee to the Ghost Market. Actually, I just bought this beast egg for five hundred spirit stones. During this period, I¡¯ve also spent quite a few spirit stones to take care of it," Yuan Ming retorted sharply.

    After a brief exchange, the one-armed old man¡¯s tone softened. After some negotiation, they finally settled on a price of five hundred spirit stones for the golden silk.

    Yuan Ming exchanged his beast egg for two hundred spirit stones.

    After a heated argument, they both got what they wanted.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t stay in the Ghost Market any longer. He returned the ck cloak to the gatekeeper and left with thest middle-grade spirit stone in his storage bag.

    After taking a detour and confirming that he wasn¡¯t being followed by releasing his soul crow to investigate, Yuan Ming returned to the inn.

    As soon as he entered the room, Yuan Ming closed the doors and windows, took out four square sealing talismans, and stuck them on the walls and doors.

    Four waves of spiritual energy spread out and merged with each other, forming a barrier-like formation that enveloped the entire room,pletely blocking out any sound from outside.

    Yuan Ming waved his hand and summoned the golden silk. The golden silk floated in mid-air, emitting waves of spiritual energy that werepletely blocked by the sealing talismans.

    He was quite satisfied with the effect of the sealing talismans. He then turned his attention to the golden silk and infused it with his spiritual energy.

    The golden silk suddenly extended more than ten times in length and increased in width several times, wrapping around him easily for five or six rounds.

    He made a hand gesture and the golden silk tightened,yering five or sixyers of golden silk to form a thick golden curtain, leaving no blind spots for defense.

    Yuan Ming took out the Qingyu Sword, infused it with spiritual energy, and unleashed a sharp sword qi that was about a foot long, striking the golden curtain.

    The golden curtain remained motionless, as if the full force strike of the Qingyu Sword was nothing more than a mosquito bite.

    Yuan Ming put away the Qingyu Sword, extended his right hand, and chanted an incantation.

    He shot out seven or eight wooden thorns from his palm, which then merged into arge sword-shaped wooden thorn that was about half a zhang long. It was the Qing Sword Art!

    "Go!" Yuan Ming shook his arm, and the wooden thorn, resembling a green sword, shot out like a crossbow arrow, piercing the golden curtain.

    The golden curtain only trembled slightly before returning to its calm state.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming¡¯s face showed a satisfied expression. The Qing Sword Art, as a mid-level technique, could only slightly shake the golden silk. The defensive power of the golden silk was even better than he had expected.

    Although the Exploding Fire Art could test the defensive power of the golden silk to a greater extent, it consumed a lot of spiritual energy and made too much noise. The sealing talismans might not be able to conceal it. Moreover, he was also afraid of being too clever and ruining everything.

    Yuan Ming put away the golden silk and the sealing talismans, sat on the bed, and took out the "Misceneous Discourses on Formation Dao" that he had just bought from the Ghost Market, carefully reading through it.

    The book exined the basic principles of formations and provided introductory knowledge for beginners in formation dao. The author had a deep understanding of formations but used simple and easy-to-understandnguage, making it easy for outsiders like Yuan Ming to understand.

    After finishing the book, he had a preliminary understanding of formations.

    "Hmm, what¡¯s this..." Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze fell on thest two pages.

    These two pages described something called "Formation gs" and "Formation tes," which were special types of magical tools that could carry formation patterns.

    A formation master would engrave a set of formation patterns onto the formation gs and tes in advance. When they needed to activate them, they would arrange them in a certain order and use corresponding spirit stones to quickly set up a formation.

    Using formation gs and tes to set up formations was much faster than recording formation patterns on the spot. However, the power was weaker because the formation gs and tes didn¡¯t match the environment well.

    The book mentioned that engraving a set of formation gs and tes was even more difficult than setting up a formation. Even for a skilled formation master, the sess rate was not high.

    "So, the small gs and tes in the White Dragon Ind¡¯s Shark Jade Box should be a set of formation gs and tes! Unfortunately, I don¡¯t know what formation patterns are engraved on them," Yuan Ming thought to himself.

    Without knowing the positions and rules of the formation patterns on the gs and tes, it was impossible to set up a formation. He could only study them carefully when he had the opportunity in the future.

    Yuan Ming put away the "Misceneous Discourses on Formation Dao" and took out a Qingxuan Spirit Incense that he had purchased. He lit it up, and the spiritual energy contained in the incense filled the room, refreshing his mind and spirit.

    Then, he sat cross-legged on the bed, swallowed a Foundation Nurturing Pill, closed his eyes, and began to refine his cultivation using the Nine Elements Form.

    With the White Deer Summit meeting in the distance and the White Night Scattered Alliance mission approaching, he needed to make use of every moment to cultivate and improve his spiritual power for a little more security.

    After cultivating for a moment, Yuan Ming suddenly felt something. He summoned an incense burner and ced the lit incense on the table.

    The incense on the incense burner immediately changed. A wisp of green smoke rose straight up, swirling and gathering in the room, continuously condensing without dispersing.He felt a connection with the smoke, his nostrils red slightly, and he subconsciously took a deep breath. The drifting blue smoke gathered again into a wisp, rushing towards him like a living creature.

    Yuan Ming only felt a sense of coolness traveling straight from his nostrils to his lungs, then sinking directly into his dantian. An indescribable sense offort spontaneously arose.

    At this moment, he felt as if he was bathing in a cool river on a hot summer day. His whole body, limbs, and bones were all rxed at this moment. The blue smoke made a turn inside his body and was slowly exhaled by him.

    The spiritual power in the blue smoke remained in his body, and the exhaled turbid air took away all his fatigue.

    Between each inhale and exhale, the wisps of blue smoke around him seemed toe alive, swirling around Yuan Ming¡¯s body, repeating in cycles.

    In this world, it was as if he was in a fantasy.

 Chapter 156: Forge sword

    Chapter 156: Forge sword

    Two days passed in a sh.

    Inside the inn, Yuan Ming slowly opened his eyes, his gaze sharp.

    The fluctuations of his mana had be much stronger. With the Nine Elements Formbined with the Foundation Establishment Pill and the assistance of the Lingxiang, his mana had increased at an extremely fast rate. In less than two days, the effect of his cultivation was equivalent to nearly half a month of previous practice.

    It was likely that spiritual incense like the Qingxuan Fragrance was originally used to assist high-level cultivators in their cultivation or for offerings in sects.

    Moreover, each cultivation session required more than one stick of spiritual incense, and the consumption of spiritual stones was equivalent to several. This was not something that ordinary small sects could afford.

    There shouldn¡¯t be many people in this barrennd of the Southern Wilderness who had the financial resources to use it. No wonder that old Daoist¡¯s business was so poor.

    ording to the agreement, he could already collect the Thousand Machine Mask today. He wondered if Master Huolian had seeded.

    Yuan Ming checked out of the inn and went to Master Huolian¡¯s weapon shop.

    Since the other party already knew his identity, he didn¡¯t bother to hide it this time."Hehe, Daoist friend came at the right time. The Thousand Machine Mask has already been refined. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t disappoint." Before Yuan Ming could speak, the bald man chuckled.

    "Thank you! Is Master Huolian not in the shop?" Yuan Ming asked, his heart certain.

    "Oh, Master is busy in the back room. Please take a look, Daoist friend." The bald man said and took out a wooden box from under the counter, handing it over.

    Yuan Ming opened the wooden box and inside was a somewhat translucent white mask. It was extremely thin, soft to the touch, and felt almost like a human face when he touched it.

    He tried putting it on, and it fit perfectly. He could hardly feel the presence of the mask.

    "Master said that Daoist friend is lucky. This time, the refining of the Thousand Machine Mask was quite sessful. This mask can be used three times. Please be careful when using it." The bald man said again.

    "What! It can only be used three times?" Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes shed with surprise.

    "Don¡¯t you know, Daoist friend? The Thousand Machine Mask is a consumable-type magical weapon. Its main material is the face skin of the human-faced spider, which is only a first-grade ferocious beast material. Its spiritual power is too weak, so being able to maintain three transformations is already very good." The bald man exined.

    Yuan Ming fell silent.

    The weapon shop was a business that weed customers. They shouldn¡¯t deceive him in this matter. The Thousand Machine Mask was made from first-grade ferocious beast materials, and its effect was indeed amazing. Even a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator couldn¡¯t see through it. It was indeed unreasonable. It seemed that he had some unrealistic expectations.

    Thinking of this, he didn¡¯t dwell on it any longer, paid the remaining refining fee, and left with the Thousand Machine Mask.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t stay long in Heiyan City and quickly left, heading towards the Birodong Sect.

    ...

    On the way, Yuan Ming was still worried about being targeted and robbed, so he made adequate preparations. However, everything was calm and peaceful.

    After returning to Birodong, Yuan Ming hurriedly went to find the Third Cave Master.

    "Is this Yin Jade?" When the Third Cave Master saw the half piece of white Ruyi that he took out, his expression changed.

    "Not bad." Yuan Ming nodded.

    "I didn¡¯t expect you to be able to find Yin Jade as a substitute. Although its grade cannot bepared to the Thousand Year Cold Crystal, it is not easy to find. Combined with its unique attributes, you are quite lucky. Just be careful, using this kind of magical weapon for a long time may harm your own soul. I will try to reduce its bacsh during the refining process, but you still need to be cautious." After examining the Yin Jade that Yuan Ming brought back, the Third Cave Master nodded slightly and reminded him.

    "Thank you, Third Cave Master." Yuan Ming sped his fists.

    "Follow me." The Third Cave Master said, getting up and leading Yuan Ming to the backyard of the small courtyard.

    In the backyard, Yuan Ming immediately saw a ck casting furnace. Its style was simr to the one made by Master Heimu, and it was also engraved with many hidden patterns on the surface.

    The Third Cave Master approached the casting furnace and selected some charcoal and sulfur stones from a nearby shelf, throwing them into the furnace.

    Then, she raised her hand and formed a hand seal, pressing it on the surface of the furnace.

    In the next moment, a me ignited from her palm, spreading like a wildfire, lighting up the patterns on the furnace.

    Red light traces converged from all directions and concentrated into the furnace, condensing into a zing me, igniting the furnace.

    An extremely scorching aura rushed out of the furnace, blowing Yuan Ming¡¯s face and making his skin tighten. He instinctively stepped back.

    The Third Cave Master, on the other hand, remained calm and unaffected.

    On her shoulder, Huo Chan¡¯er raised her head, lowered her waist, and stretchedzily, looking veryfortable.

    "Give me the sword." The Third Cave Master said.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming immediately handed over the Green Fish Sword with both hands.

    Huo Chan¡¯er crawled along his outstretched arm and onto his shoulder.

    The Third Cave Master waved her hand and opened a sealed door on the furnace. A bunch of mes immediately rushed out like a flood.

    She raised her palm and pressed it against the iing mes, and an invisible force suppressed the mes back into the furnace.

    Then, she used her mana to lift the Qingyu Sword and slowly ced it into the furnace.

    As the Qingyu Sword entered the center of the fire pit, it was immediately surrounded by raging mes. The tongues of fire licked at the sword as if they had found a delicious meal.

    Yuan Ming was puzzled at first, but then he realized that it was the Third Sect Master manipting the mes.

    "You should have the Fire Spirit Root. During your daily cultivation, you can choose a fire attribute technique to practice controlling and manipting fire. This is necessary for a weapon refiner," the Third Sect Master¡¯s voice sounded, giving Yuan Ming some advice.

    Yuan Ming wanted to say that he already had a cultivation method, but he immediately stopped himself.

    Not to mention that his cultivation method itself was problematic, even the explosive nature of the Ignition Technique had nothing to do with controlling and manipting fire. If he were to use it, he would probably blow up the furnace immediately.

    "Yes," Yuan Ming nodded.

    "The second smelting is crucial, pay close attention," the Third Sect Master said.

    "I will remember your guidance," Yuan Ming replied.

    In fact, even without her reminder, Yuan Ming would not miss this rare opportunity to observe.

    After saying these words, the Third Sect Master stopped speaking and focused on controlling the temperature of the mes and furnace.

    The Qingyu Sword was different from the first smelting. It didn¡¯t need to melt all the materials, remove impurities, and fuse them together. Instead, it needed to be heated to a critical state where it remained solid but dispersed.

    Once it passed this critical state, the shape of the Qingyu Sword would melt, losing its original sturdy structure. But if it couldn¡¯t reach this state, it would be impossible to incorporate the Yin Jade into it.

    Yuan Ming understood this principle, but with his current cultivation level, he couldn¡¯t actually do it.

    After about half an incense stick¡¯s worth of burning, the temperature inside the furnace suddenly rose. The Qingyu Sword lit up with a bright white, golden, and crimson glow from the inside out.

    "Yin Jade," the Third Sect Master frowned and said.

    Yuan Ming immediately offered both hands.

    The Third Sect Master took the Yin Jade with one hand and lightly touched the seal on the furnace door with the other.

    The seal on the furnace door opened again, and a more intense wave of energy surged out, but the mes were still controlled by the Third Sect Master.

    Then, with a flick of her finger, a strand of mana pulled the Qingyu Sword out and ced it on the casting table.

    Almost at the same time, the Third Sect Master pressed her hand holding the Yin Jade onto the Qingyu Sword.

    "Hiss..."

    With a light sound, arge amount of white mist rose, obscuring Yuan Ming¡¯s vision.

    All he could see was that the Third Sect Master closed the seal on the fire pit and picked up the casting hammer next to her. She struck down on the casting table.

    "ng, ng, ng."

    One strike after another, sparks didn¡¯t fly up from the casting table, but one after another halo appeared with each strike.

    In the pervading mist, Yuan Ming could only see a vague and graceful figure. Her movements were smooth and elegant, without any coarseness.

    Yuan Ming focused his mana on his eyes, greatly enhancing his vision.

    At this moment, he finally saw that when the Third Sect Master struck with the hammer, a bright rainbow appeared on the Qingyu Sword. It was surrounded by a thinyer of white jade powder that remained attached to the sword no matter how it vibrated.

    After each strike, some jade powder would enter the sword and merge with it. After each fusion, the glow on the sword would dim slightly, and the heat on it would noticeably decrease.

    At this point, the speed of the Third Sect Master¡¯s hammer strikes became faster and faster. The continuous sound of hammering began to blend together.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes were dazzled, and he was secretly amazed. Not to mention the number of consecutive strikes, the speed alone was temporarily beyond his reach.

    But Yuan Ming could see clearly that the reason the Third Sect Master suddenly elerated was to maintain the temperature of the sword through the strikes, ensuring that all the Yin Jade crystal powder could merge into the sword.

    Just then, a voice suddenly came from outside the courtyard, "Is the Third Sect Master here? The Grand Sect Master has summoned disciples to discuss urgent matters."

    "What a coincidence," Yuan Ming frowned, afraid that the Third Sect Master would be affected.

    If the Grand Sect Master had urgent matters to discuss, how could it bepared to the matter of a small named disciple like himself? If the Third Sect Master were to stop now, all his previous efforts would be in vain. Not to mention the spiritual materials he had painstakingly found, the Qingyu Sword would probably lose the possibility of further advancement.

    Fortunately, the Third Sect Master¡¯s actions showed no signs of slowing down. It was as if she hadn¡¯t heard anything at all and was not affected in the slightest.

    The people outside seemed to have heard the movement inside and were afraid that the people inside hadn¡¯t heard them. They used their mana to shout loudly, and their voices immediately became clearer as they entered.

    But the Third Sect Master continued to strike the hammer without any interruption. It was as if nothing could disturb her.

    Seeing this scene, Yuan Ming finally rxed.He silently counted in his heart, until after the Master of the Third Cave had swung his hammer three thousand six hundred and eighty-one times in session, the sound of the hammering finally ceased, and the mist that had filled the surroundings had long since dissipated.

    The Master of the Third Cave put down his forging hammer, held the newly rejuvenated Green Fish Sword in one hand, and lifted it in front of him for inspection.

    The shape of the long sword hadn¡¯t changed much, but on the green body of the sword, there were now countless white spots that hadn¡¯t been there before. It was as if snow was falling in the blue sky, or as if a starry curtain was spread out, making it even more dazzling and magnificent than before.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes lit up, seeing faint traces of white cold air seeping out from the sword body.

    "Is it done?" He couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    "The fusion of the materials is very good, the properties of the Yin Jade and the Green Fish Sword can perfectly match. As long as there are no problems with the inscription and spirit infusionter, this sword will at least be a mid-grade magical weapon." The Master of the Third Cave was also quite satisfied, he said.

    "Thank you, Master of the Third Cave." Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming immediately knelt down and thanked him sincerely.

 Chapter 157: Gave the gift

    Chapter 157: Gave the gift

    "It¡¯s okay, just remember what you promised me. After I rest for a while and adjust my state, I can help you carve the symbols and infuse the spirit into the talisman." The Third Cave Master handed over the Green Fish Sword and said.

    Yuan Ming immediately respectfully received it with both hands, feeling a cold sensation as if holding a piece of ice. He sensed a faint chill entering his body. After weighing it, he felt that the sword was slightly heavier than before, but the change was not significant.

    Huochan¡¯er climbed along his arm and sniffed with a wrinkled nose, immediately showing a disgusted expression. It turned around and crawled back onto Yuan Ming¡¯s shoulder.

    It only liked things that were scorching hot, the hotter the better.

    "At the moment, it hasn¡¯t been inscribed with symbols yet, so it can¡¯t contain the cold aura. After the symbols are carved and the spirit is infused, it won¡¯t emit any more cold aura without the need for mana activation," the Third Cave Master said.

    As soon as she finished speaking, the disciple¡¯s voice could be heard again from outside the door.

    Without waiting for her instructions, Yuan Ming immediately ran to the front yard to open the door and led the disciple inside.

    "The Grand Cave Master asked you toe. Did he mention anything specific?" the Third Cave Master asked directly.

    "No, I only know that besides you, the Second Cave Master and Elder Meng Shan have also been invited," the disciple quickly replied.Upon hearing this, the Third Cave Master frowned slightly.

    After a moment of hesitation, she raised her hand and produced a rectangr metal box about three feet long in her palm.

    Yuan Ming immediately had a bad feeling when he saw this.

    "This is the Spirit-Infused Sword Box, which ensures that the spiritual power inside the sword does not be dormant. Put the Green Fish Sword in it for now. Come find me tomorrow morning, and I will help you carve the symbols and infuse the spirit," the Third Cave Master said.

    Yuan Ming naturally had no objections and could only nod in agreement.

    "Huochan¡¯er, you can stay with him for now," the Third Cave Master looked at the ferret perched on Yuan Ming¡¯s shoulder and said.

    Upon hearing this, Huochan¡¯er¡¯s eyes lit up like beans, clearly very happy.

    "Yes," Yuan Ming immediately responded.

    After returning to his residence, Yuan Ming¡¯s excited mood took a while to calm down. He really wanted to open the sword box and take a look, but he was worried about any taboos, so he could only endure and ce it on the bedside.

    He then took out Master Heimu¡¯s notes and carefully studied the recorded symbols, specting on what symbols the Third Cave Master would choose to carve.

    Late into the night, Yuan Ming finally calmed down his somewhat anxious mood, closed his eyes, and prepared to cultivate the Death Moon method.

    Huochan¡¯er happily curled up next to Yuan Ming, intending to lie down beside him.

    At this moment, it suddenly raised its neck and looked towards the window, its small bean-like eyes turning around.

    Seeing its reaction, Yuan Ming knew that the Silver Cat was nearby.

    "Xiying,e in quickly," Yuan Ming said.

    There was no response from outside, but after waiting for a moment, a graceful figure slowly walked in.

    "I bought a gift for you when I went to the market this time," Yuan Ming said.

    Upon hearing this, Xiying was visibly stunned, not expecting Yuan Ming to say this.

    "No need to be so polite." However, whenmunicating telepathically again, Xiying¡¯s tone remained indifferent, as if not caring too much, "What good thing do you have? I don¡¯t want cheap stuff."

    Yuan Ming turned his wrist, and a ck wooden box appeared in his palm, containing the golden silk.

    Then, he opened the wooden box, lifted the golden silk, and with a flick of his wrist, the golden silk floated in front of Xiying. Each thread shimmered with golden light, creating a dreamlike scene.

    Yuan Ming flicked his wrist again, and the golden silk suddenly expanded several times, surrounding Xiying. Layers of golden silk fluttered up and down like a huge golden ribbon.

    "It¡¯s so beautiful, is it a medium-grade magical tool? Did you strike it rich?" Xiying eximed in surprise.

    Yuan Ming heard this and flicked his wrist again, causing the golden silk to suddenly shrink and return to the ck wooden box.

    "I unexpectedly made a fortune when I went to the market this time. I¡¯ve been thinking about you, so I bought this specifically for you," Yuan Ming said.

    "I don¡¯t want it. Are you trying to bribe me again? Do you want my help?" Xiying retorted.

    "I really don¡¯t need anything," Yuan Ming defended.

    "Hmph, tell me how you made a fortune," Xiying raised its chin, waved its paw, and the golden silk floated in front of it. With a touch of its paw, the golden silk disappeared.

    Yuan Ming then recounted the incident of encountering the clown who assassinated the White Dragon Ind people in the market and being saved by a barefooted woman. He also mentioned the incident of stealing the storage bag using vines.

    During this time, Xiying asked questions from time to time. When it heard about the clown, Xiying snorted, and when it heard about the tall and slender woman in white clothes who used a mysterious escape technique to help the clown escape, its eyes lit up.

    After listening to the story, Xiying¡¯s mood seemed to improve.

    "Do you want me to give you some guidance on the Death Moon method?" Xiying¡¯s mood improved and it started to care about Yuan Ming¡¯s cultivation.

    "For now, it¡¯s going smoothly. It¡¯s just that asionally, there are fragments of memories that emerge in my sea of consciousness, which can be confusing," Yuan Ming said.

    "Your amnesia is caused by damage to your soul. The cultivation of the Death Moon method can help you repair the damage, but it also takes time. Perhaps when you reach the third level of cultivation, you will be able to remember everything," Xiying said. "If you want me to be your master, I can consider helping you restore your memories immediately."

    "No," Yuan Ming firmly refused. At the current rate of cultivation, his memories would eventually be fully restored. It felt like a disadvantage to owe Xiying a favor for no reason.

    "You¡¯re too proud." After saying this, Xiying left.

    After Xiying left, Yuan Ming once again sat cross-legged and continued to cultivate.

    ...

    Xiying returned to its tree hole nest.

    With a gentle wave of its w, the golden silk, which resembled a golden ribbon, floated out and spread out like a mattress, covering the thick fur and silk underneath.

    Xiying lightly tapped the golden silk with its w, easily refining it.

    Then, a bit of its mana entered the golden silk, causing it to emit a faint light, reflecting specks of golden starlight in the originally dim tree hole.The silver caty on the bed, feeling the silky coolness beneath it. It felt as if it was suspended in the clouds, incrediblyfortable and content, and couldn¡¯t help but stretchzily.

    "What a filial heart, haha..." It remembered Yuan Ming¡¯s appearance when he gave the gift earlier and couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    Then it seemed to remember something. It lifted a front paw and took out a blue book from nowhere, flipping through it casually. When it turned to thest page, its expression dimmed.

    This page depicted a group of hamsters happily eating together.

    At the end of the page, it was written, "Created by Yuan Ming during the Jin Dynasty."

    It gently stroked the book with a front paw, aplex emotion shing in its heterochromatic eyes. After a while, it sighed softly:

    "Father..."

    The night passed without a word. Yuan Ming had gone to the courtyard of the Third Cave Master early in the morning with his sword case.

    However, he called out for a long time outside the door but received no response.

    When he sent Huo Chan¡¯er in to check, Yuan Ming was dumbfounded. The Third Cave Master was not in the courtyard at all.

    "Did she stand me up?"

    Yuan Ming guessed that it was probably because of the meeting called by the Big Cave Master yesterday, so he went to find Senior Brother Fang Ge for confirmation.

    "What are you looking for the master for?" Fang Ge asked with a frown.

    Yuan Ming then told him about his request for the Third Cave Master to help refine his sword.

    "Junior Brother Yuan, I didn¡¯t expect that you could actually get the Third Cave Master to personally help you refine your sword." Fang Ge¡¯s serious face also showed an exaggerated look of surprise.

    "It¡¯s all thanks to Huo Chan¡¯er¡¯s face." Yuan Ming exined with a smile.

    In fact, he knew in his heart that besides considering Huo Chan¡¯er¡¯s face and the request she mentioned, the Third Cave Master probably also considered the face of the Green Fish Sword itself, and that¡¯s why she personally helped him refine it.

    "The master didn¡¯t leave any instructions this time, so she probably has some urgent matter. But since she promised to help you refine the sword, she will definitely do it." Fang Ge said, his gaze falling on the sword case in Yuan Ming¡¯s hand.

    "This is a Spirit-Containing Sword Case, isn¡¯t it?" He asked.

    Yuan Ming nodded.

    "Then there¡¯s no problem. She will definitely be back within three days." Fang Ge confidently said.

    "Why is that?" Yuan Ming asked, puzzled.

    "The Spirit-Containing Sword Case can keep the sword¡¯s spirit from falling silent, but it only has a three-day effect. So, she will definitely return within three days." Fang Ge exined.

    "What if she doesn¡¯te back?" Yuan Ming asked with a frown.

    "If she really doesn¡¯te back, once the sword¡¯s spirit falls silent, it will be impossible to continue inscribing symbols and infusing spirit. The key spiritual materials have not been added yet, so it can still be refined a second time. But now it can¡¯t be refined again, it¡¯s basically a waste." Fang Ge exined with an awkward expression.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming¡¯s heart sank. His bad premonition from yesterday was confirmed.

    "Don¡¯t worry, since she promised, she will definitely return within three days." Seeing this, Fang Ge quicklyforted him.

    Hearing this, Yuan Ming felt even more uneasy. It was precisely because the Third Cave Master was a trustworthy person that her absence today seemed unusual.

    "No, I have to go find Senior Brother Amuhe for a solution..." He said, then took his sword case and headed towards the back of the tool house.

    Yuan Ming hurried to the tool house with the sword case in his arms, heading straight for Amuhe¡¯s room.

    "Knock knock"

    After knocking on the door anxiously a few times, the door creaked open. Amuhe, with sleepy eyes and a tired face, mumbled after seeing Yuan Ming:

    "Junior Brother Yuan, what¡¯s the matter?"

    "Senior Brother, help me." Yuan Ming said as he squeezed into Amuhe¡¯s room.

    "Spirit-Containing Sword Case? What¡¯s inside?" Thetter didn¡¯t seem to mind much. After closing the door, his gaze fell on the sword case in Yuan Ming¡¯s hand, and he frowned slightly.

    "It¡¯s a sword of mine. The Third Cave Master was helping to refine it, but there was a problem..."

    Yuan Ming quickly told him the whole story.

    "I feel that the master probably has some urgent matter and may not be able to get away for a while." After hearing the story, Amuhe scratched his messy hair.

    "Senior Brother, you have to help me." Yuan Ming said with a bitter face.

    "Uh... It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to help you, but as you know, infusing spirit is something that only a refiner at the Foundation Establishment stage or above can do. I can help you inscribe symbols, but I can¡¯t infuse spirit." Amuhe said helplessly.

    "I understand that. Could you please help me find the elders of our Fire Refining Hall? I can pay a reward, and the price is negotiable." Yuan Ming quickly said.

    "Heh, you¡¯re really ambitious. Do you think you, a registered disciple, can afford the reward for the elders to refine a magical tool? I¡¯ll go ask for you, but don¡¯t get your hopes up." Amuhe obviously didn¡¯t believe him, but he still agreed.

    "Thank you, Senior Brother." Yuan Ming quickly thanked him with a fist salute.

    Amuhe waved his hand, told him to wait here, and then turned and left the room.

    "You wait here." After saying that, Amuhe left.

 Chapter 158: Spirit Gathering Array

    Chapter 158: Spirit Gathering Array

    Yuan Ming did not feel that time had passed so slowly.

    He didn¡¯t know how many times he had stood up and sat down before Ah Muhe returned to this side. As soon as they met, Ah Muhe shook his head at him.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s heart sank.

    "Except for the Master, we only have three elders in the Fire Refining Hall who are at the Foundation Establishment stage or above. They are all in seclusion refining tools and none of them havee out. No one can help you." Ah Muhe said helplessly.

    "What should I do then? Can¡¯t I just watch the Qingyu Sword Spirit¡¯s power fade away and be an ordinary item?" Yuan Ming frowned.

    "You can only rely on luck and wait to see if the Master can return within three days." Ah Muhe sighed, feeling helpless.

    Yuan Ming could only thank Ah Muhe and leave in a hurry.

    First, he went to the courtyard of the Third Cave Master, but still couldn¡¯t find anyone, so he had to return to his residence.

    As soon as he pushed open the door and entered, he saw Huo Chan¡¯er lying on the table by the window. But when she heard the movement from Yuan Ming¡¯s side, Huo Chan¡¯er immediately got up.Yuan Ming looked out the window and saw Xiying seemingly sunbathing on the horizontal branch of a pine tree.

    When Silver Cat Xiying noticed Yuan Ming looking at her, she ignored him and turned over.

    Seeing Xiying like this, Yuan Ming wanted to speak but swallowed his words. He just brought the sword box to the table and sat down, pondering with a worried expression.

    Huo Chan¡¯er came over to him in a pleasing manner, but he didn¡¯t have time to pay attention to her.

    It had been almost a day since yesterday.

    There were still two days left for the preservation period of the Spirit Nurturing Sword Box. He had toplete the inscription and infusion within these two days.

    But he had a premonition that the Third Cave Master probably wouldn¡¯t be back anytime soon.

    "Otherwise, should I go to the market again?" Yuan Ming hesitated whether to find a refiner there to help him, but when he calcted the distance, he realized that there was not enough time.

    "Let me see what¡¯s inside the Spirit Nurturing Box." At this moment, the curious voice of Silver Cat sounded in his sea of consciousness.

    Yuan Ming instinctively looked up and saw that Silver Cat Xiying had alreadye to his window, and Huo Chan¡¯er had fallen to the ground without him knowing when.

    "This is a sword that the Third Cave Master helped me refine. Without the Foundation Establishment cultivation base, is it impossible to infuse spiritual energy into the magic tool?" he couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    "Naturally, it¡¯s impossible... but there are no absolutes." Silver Cat understood why Yuan Ming had a worried expression as soon as he asked this question.

    "Do you have a way?" Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes lit up and he immediately became overjoyed.

    "In the field of Taoist cultivation, there are symbol masters who are proficient in talismans and formation masters who are proficient in formations. They specialize in talismans and formations, and can exert unique abilities that other cultivators do not have using symbols or formations. Among them, formation masters have created a rune formation called ¡¯Gathering Spirit Formation¡¯, which can rece refiners to infuse spiritual energy into magic tools and treasures." Silver Cat Xiying exined.

    "Aren¡¯t you a soul cultivator? Are you also a formation master?" Yuan Ming was surprised when he heard this.

    "I¡¯m not a formation master, but I know the Gathering Spirit Formation." Xiying nced at him and said.

    "You only know it? Can you draw it or... how can you help me?" Yuan Ming didn¡¯t know how to use the Gathering Spirit Formation.

    "I¡¯m not a formation master, so I don¡¯t know how to draw it. Besides, the Gathering Spirit Formation is not a talisman. It can¡¯t be used just by drawing it on a talisman paper." Xiying said.

    "Forget it, in two more days, if I can¡¯t find a way to infuse spiritual energy, my Qingyu Sword will be useless. You can¡¯t help." Yuan Ming said.

    "What? Is there something I can¡¯t do?... Actually, you have seen the Gathering Spirit Formation. It was on that misty ind, on the furnace of that Master Heimu you discovered. It¡¯s just that you were blind and didn¡¯t take it away." Xiying said angrily.

    It didn¡¯t know that Yuan Ming didn¡¯t fail to recognize its value, but at that time his abilities were limited, otherwise he would have taken the furnace away long ago.

    "The furnace on the ind seemed to have other people on it at that time. I¡¯m afraid the furnace has long been gone." Yuan Ming was first delighted, then worried.

    "The furnace is still there." Silver Cat Xiying immediately gave him a reassurance pill.

    "Really?" Yuan Ming was overjoyed when he heard this.

    Silver Cat Xiying snorted disdainfully with its nose and didn¡¯t bother to answer.

    "Thank you!" Yuan Ming was overjoyed and picked up the sword box and ran out.

    "Next time, I will definitely find something you don¡¯t know to test you." When he reached the door, Yuan Ming remembered something and added.

    "I¡¯ll apany you!" Silver Cat replied.

    As Yuan Ming passed by Huo Chan¡¯er, thetter immediately followed his leg and jumped onto his shoulder.

    Silver Cat Xiying watched his departing figure and a hint of smile appeared in its eyes. After a moment of hesitation, its figure leaped down from the pine tree and quickly disappeared.

    ...

    Half a dayter, on the Misty Ind.

    On a steep mountain wall, patches of moss grew, and green and ck vines hung down, covering a hidden semicircr cave entrance.

    In the sky outside the cave, a ck raven spread its wings and flew, circling for a long time before slowlynding.Itnded on a stone outside, pecking its head as if eating, but its pitch-ck eyes were spinning around, secretly observing its surroundings.

    Seeing that everything around was normal and there was no abnormality, the raven changed direction and flew into the vine-covered cave entrance on the mountain wall, disappearing.

    Ten miles away, Yuan Ming sat quietly in the dense canopy of a towering ancient tree, using the vision of the soul crow to observe the situation on the other side of the cave.

    "Fortunately, it¡¯s still here." When he saw the casting furnace, he couldn¡¯t help but breathe a sigh of relief.

    Then, he stood up and used the Wind Swift Technique to leap down from the canopy, rushing towards that direction.

    The figure of the silver cat appeared not far away and followed closely behind.

    In no time, Yuan Ming was already carrying the Fire Greedy Child and arrived inside the cave.

    When he saw the casting furnace, Yuan Ming immediately waved his sleeve, blowing away all the dust on the casting furnace, and then quickly approached, looking for the Spirit Gathering Array mentioned by Xiying.

    He circled around the casting furnace but didn¡¯t see any array engraved on it.

    "How could there be none?" He pondered while bending down and crawling under the casting furnace.

    At the bottom of the casting furnace, there were only me patterns, and Yuan Ming didn¡¯t see anything special.

    "It¡¯s inside the furnace chamber." At this moment, the voice of the silver cat Xiying sounded timely in Yuan Ming¡¯s mind.

    Yuan Ming suddenly raised his head, and with a "thud," his head bumped into the casting furnace.

    When he crawled out from under the furnace body, he saw Xiying already lying on the casting furnace, leisurely watching him in a fluster.

    "Even if you found it, do you know how to use the Spirit Gathering Array?" Xiying nced at him with a mocking expression.

    Yuan Ming was also stunned for a moment, then asked, "Do you know?"

    "Of course, open the furnace door and look at the bottom." Xiying instructed.

    Yuan Ming quicklyplied, opening the furnace door as instructed. Before he could see clearly, the Fire Greedy Child took the opportunity to crawl in along his arm, ran around inside, and then ran out.

    Only then did Yuan Ming see that the bottom of the furnace was not smooth and t, but engraved with aplex set of runic arrays.

    At first nce, he felt that one of the runes looked somewhat familiar, resembling a transformed me rune, but he couldn¡¯t recognize the other five runes withplex lines around it.

    These five runes were connected to the me rune at the center, supporting each other and forming a stable framework structure.

    "Is this the array?" Yuan Ming murmured to himself.

    "This Spirit Gathering Array is simple. Although the design is exquisite, its power is limited. At best, it can only assist in the infusion of medium-grade artifacts. It can be considered the most rubbish kind." Xiying said.

    "Where do you see the simplicity?" Yuan Ming felt that the lines were already quiteplex.

    "This Spirit Gathering Array is centered around the me rune and uses it as the starting point. It is constructed with the support of five Spirit Gathering Runes. There are no extra runes orplicated lines, so its power is limited, but it also avoids the loss of spiritual power. Isn¡¯t that simple?" Xiying¡¯s voice sounded in Yuan Ming¡¯s mind.

    "So, the runic array is not a simple stacking of runes. If thebination is not appropriate, it may have a half-hearted effect?" Yuan Ming pondered for a moment and asked.

    "Of course, it is impossible to simply stack them. In fact, this kind ofbination is quite difficult to control. Not only do you need to consider thepatibility of rune attributes, but also whether the lines between the runes are smooth and whether they will cause mutual interference. Otherwise, every rune master would be able to be a formation master." Xiying said.

    "I see. Then how do you use this Spirit Gathering Array?" Yuan Ming suddenly realized and asked.

    "Did you see the grooves at the center of the five runes around it?" Xiying asked.

    "I see, what are they for?" Yuan Ming asked in confusion.

    "They are for cing spirit stones to absorb spiritual power. Your own mana is not enough, so you need to fill it with the spiritual power of the spirit stones. The me rune in the middle is the key to transformation, controlling the flow of spiritual power into the Bluefish Sword." Xiying answered.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming immediately turned his wrist and took out five low-grade spirit stones.

    "Is this enough?" Yuan Ming humbly asked.

    "It¡¯s enough to infuse your sword." Xiying nced at it and nodded.

    Yuan Ming carefully ced the five spirit stones into the furnace as instructed.

    "Open the Spirit-Infusing Sword Box." Xiyingmanded.

    Because Yuan Ming really didn¡¯t understand the Spirit Gathering Array and didn¡¯t dare to be negligent, he obediently acted as instructed.

    He opened the Spirit-Infusing Sword Box, and the Bluefish Sword immediately revealed its true appearance. Strands of cold air emanated from it, and the Fire Greedy Child immediately showed a disgusted expression and ran to the side."The sword has a basic attribute of coldness, what kind of rune do you n to engrave?" Xiying asked.

    Regarding this, Yuan Ming had already thought it through on his way here. However, when it came time to speak, he hesitated a bit.

 Chapter 159: Carving talismans

    Chapter 159: Carving talismans

    "Originally, the three sect masters helped me carve the talisman and infuse it with spiritual energy. I was nning to use a basic ice runebined with a swift wind rune, which should give me good prating power. But now, if I have to carve the talisman myself, I don¡¯t know if I can do it," Yuan Ming looked at the Qingyu Sword and said slowly.

    "I¡¯ve seen you draw talismans, and you have a bit of talent in this aspect," Xiying said slowly.

    "This may be rted to my practice since childhood. I used to practice carving talismans on some iron embryos, but at that time, my mindset waspletely different from now. Afterwards, I only had others help me look at it, and I never really infused it with spiritual energy, so I couldn¡¯t verify if it was truly sessful," Yuan Ming hesitated.

    Xiying nodded to confirm this.

    "It¡¯s impossible to have everything go perfectly. Cultivation is about opportunities and fate. Today is your chance. Just give it a try. After all, this is not a good material. If it fails, you can find a new one," Xiying said dismissively.

    Yes, it¡¯s better to take a chance with a glimmer of hope than to miss it. If he hesitates, he will lose everything.

    Moreover, the arrow is already on the string and he has to shoot. If he hesitates any longer, he won¡¯t have the chance to continue.

    Yuan Ming found a stone to sit down on, his wrist turned, and a strange carving knife three inches long appeared in his palm. The tip of the knife was not sharp, but embedded with a small dark red multi-faceted crystal.

    "My disciple is well-prepared, even the carving knife for opening the spirit is ready," Xiying praised.Yuan Ming didn¡¯t refute, he had already started adjusting his breathing and calming his mind, no longer responding to Xiying.

    He held the hilt of the Qingyu Sword with one hand, ced the long sword horizontally on his knee, and held the carving knife in the other hand. Instead of rushing to start, he slowly closed his eyes.

    At this moment, the appearance of the ice rune and the wind rune had already begun to take shape in his mind.

    After a long time, Yuan Ming opened his eyes, without any hesitation in his gaze.

    He brought the carving knife close to the sword, pressed it against the de, and a strand of mana entered it. The dark red crystal embedded in the tip of the knife immediately lit up and became hot.

    Huo Chen¡¯er was also attracted by the light and approached Yuan Ming, but was driven away by the Silver Cat with its ws.

    Yuan Ming began to slide the carving knife on the de, without making any harsh sounds, and there were no visible scratches on the de. However, a clear mark began to appear on it.

    With Yuan Ming¡¯s movements, as the carving knife moved, an ice rune resembling a snowke waspleted.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze focused, and all his attention was on the de. His movements did not stop as he connected it with a gentle curve, carving out a wind rune resembling a vortex.

    The moment the rune waspleted, Yuan Ming immediately lifted the carving knife, and there were no additional marks on the de.

    The Silver Cat had been lying on the casting furnace all this time, seemingly indifferent, but its gaze never left Yuan Ming¡¯s hand.

    At this moment, when it saw that he had finished carving, it was about to raise its head, but then turned its head to look elsewhere.

    During the entire process of carving the talisman, Yuan Ming was so nervous that he almost stopped breathing. It wasn¡¯t until he raised his head that he let out a long breath and stood up in front of the Silver Cat.

    "Xiying, take a look for me, how is it?" he couldn¡¯t wait to ask.

    He believed that the Silver Cat¡¯s eyes were definitely above his own.

    However, Xiying didn¡¯t even look, but a voice sounded in his mind, "You¡¯ll know if it works when you try."

    "Then let¡¯s give it a try," Yuan Ming said with a smile.

    With that, he sent the Qingyu Sword into the furnace.

    "Don¡¯t be in a hurry, you have to ignite and activate the spirit gathering array first, melt the spirit stones, and then you can send the sword in for infusion," Xiying said as it stood up.

    Yuan Ming awkwardly withdrew the long sword and began to search for materials to ignite the fire from his storage bag.

    "No need to look, it should be able to help," Xiying said, looking at the Fire Greedy Child on the ground.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming immediately picked up the Fire Greedy Child and aimed it at the casting furnace.

    "Fire Greedy Child, help me out and I¡¯ll give you something delicious," Yuan Ming smiled and took out a pill to feed the Fire Greedy Child.

    After eating the pill, the Fire Greedy Child looked at the direction of Yuan Ming¡¯s finger and quickly understood.

    Its eyes lit up, its cheeks puffed up, and it suddenly opened its mouth and spat out a zing me, uratelynding on the me rune in the center of the fire pit.

    In the next moment, the me rune lit up, and a red light spread along the runes of the array, illuminating the surrounding five spirit gathering runes one by one.

    The entire array lit up like a five-petal fire lotus.

    The temperature in the furnace suddenly rose, and due to the door not being closed, a scorching heat wave immediately spewed out.

    Yuan Ming nervously stared at the changes in the fire pit, and then saw that the several red spirit stones began to reveal a spiderweb-like pattern, spreading from the bottom to the top.

    Apanied by a crisp "crack" sound, all the spirit stones shattered.

    A surge of spiritual power overflowed from them, turning into tiny streams and converging towards the top of the array, forming a cluster of red spiritual mist, which was restrained by the array and did not dissipate.

    "It¡¯s ready," Xiying reminded in a timely manner.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming immediately sent the long sword into the furnace.

    The Qingyu Sword entered the fire pit and was immediately suspended in mid-air by an invisible force.

    The red spiritual mist surrounded the sword, but did not pour into it.

    "Close the furnace door, and then start infusing your mana into the casting furnace. Use your mana as a guide to inject spiritual power into the sword," Xiying reminded again.Without hesitation, Yuan Ming immediately closed the furnace door and pressed his hand onto the casting furnace.

    The scorching heat radiating from the furnace almost made him retract his hand.

    However, he knew that this was a crucial moment for the spirit infusion, and he couldn¡¯t afford to back down, or else he would surely fail.

    He immediately activated the Nine Elements Form, mobilizing the mana in his dantian, flowing through his arm meridians, and pouring into the casting furnace.

    Following that, just like the scene he saw when the Three-Hole Master was refining tools the other day, a green light shone under his palm. The light traces flowed along the rune lines on the furnace, illuminating the entire casting furnace.

    Yuan Ming could clearly feel his mana, flowing along the runes on the furnace body, continuously pouring into the bottom of the furnace, merging with the spirit gathering array.

    At the same time, the burning sensation in his hand also faded away.

    Then, he saw a strand of green light rising from the center of the spirit gathering array, like a towering tree growing out of a sea of fire, connecting directly to the Green Fish Sword.

    The Green Fish Sword, which had been hovering motionlessly, suddenly began to tremble violently at this moment.

    And those self-floating spiritual powers, like ownerless objects finding their master, followed Yuan Ming¡¯s mana guidance and poured into the Green Fish Sword.

    The green light on the Green Fish Sword flourished, and the tiny white marks on the sword body lit up like stars.

    The ice rune engraved on it was the first to light up a bit, and spiritual power began to reside on it, gradually filling and illuminating the rune lines.

    When the entire rune waspletely lit up, the spirit infusion was considered to bepletely finished.

    Just as Yuan Ming felt his mana was rapidly depleting, he suddenly noticed that the ground connected to the casting furnace, which originally had some runes, was now also flickering with a faint light.

    He immediately used his other hand to strike a mana onto the rune.

    As his mana fell, the runes on the ground were immediately lit up, and a yellow array immediately lit up. A not very strong, but continuous spiritual power rose from the ground and poured into the casting furnace.

    Yuan Ming immediately felt a lightening of pressure, and his mana depletion was not so fast.

    "I underestimated this guy called Heimu, his arrangement is really good, there is even a ground array to assist." Xiying couldn¡¯t help but sigh when she saw this.

    Yuan Ming was fully focused at this moment, not daring to be distracted at all.

    But the process of spirit infusion was very slow, and after a long time, only half of the ice rune lines were lit up.

    Yuan Ming noticed that his mana was depleting too quickly, fearing that he would not have enough for the next steps, he immediately took out a spirit stone and held it in his hand, recovering as much as he could while continuing to output.

    Time trickled away, and the spiritual power in the spirit gathering array was also rapidly consumed.

    Silver Cat Xiying watched the changes in the furnace body, her eyes flickered slightly, seeming to sense something wrong.

    "Yuan Ming, what runes did you draw?" Xiying asked.

    "Ice runes and Wind runes." Yuan Ming repeated.

    Deep suspicion emerged in Silver Cat¡¯s different-colored eyes. She stepped forward and waved her cat paw.

    The door of the casting furnace was immediately opened, and the scorching heat wave swept out again, but she ignored it.

    Seeing the ice rune on the Green Fish Sword that was about toplete the spirit infusion, her mood changed slightly. She no longermunicated with Yuan Ming through telepathy, but spoke directly:

    "This is not an ice rune at all, but a much rarer extreme cold rune!"

    Yuan Ming was taken aback when he heard this, and didn¡¯t even notice that Silver Cat had spoken.

    The rune description he saw in Master Heimu¡¯s notes was an ice rune, which was said to be more powerful than ordinary five-element runes, but there was no further exnation.

    "So that¡¯s how it is." Yuan Ming said.

    Upon hearing this, Xiying didn¡¯t respond to his words, but said, "Do you have any more spirit stones? Throw five more in."

    Hearing her urgent tone, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t dare to dy and quickly took out five spirit stones and threw them into the casting furnace.

    The Silver Cat¡¯s eyes lit up, and an invisible force held the five spirit stones, urately dropping them onto the five spirit gathering symbols.

    As soon as the spirit stones settled, they were immediately affected by the array, turning into spiritual power mist and rising, enveloping the Green Fish Sword.

 Chapter 160: Scrape the ground three feet

    Chapter 160: Scrape the ground three feet

    "Focus all your energy on controlling the mana input, don¡¯t get distracted," Xiying reminded again.

    Although Yuan Ming didn¡¯t understand, he could tell from the change in Xiying¡¯s emotions that there must be an urgent unexpected situation.

    He immediately stabilized his mind and fully transferred the mana into the casting furnace.

    On the Green Fish Sword, the extremely cold runes were gradually connected by spiritual power and mana, finally lighting uppletely.

    But at this moment, a sudden change urred.

    Thepleted extremely cold runes seemed to lose control, and the snow-white light became brighter and brighter. A wave of extreme cold air instantly spread out, directly suppressing the gathering spirit formation and instantly lowering the temperature of the casting furnace.

    If it weren¡¯t for the early replenishment of spiritual stones, the entire gathering spirit formation would havepletely failed in just an instant.

    "Oops," Yuan Ming eximed inwardly.

    At this moment, he had no time to react to anything else, and could only fully operate the Nine Elements Form, continuously transferring mana into the Green Fish Sword, trying to maintain the casting process without interruption.If it were interrupted now, the Green Fish Sword would not be able to sessfully advance to a magic weapon, and the imbnce of spiritual power due to the runes not being connected would cause it to lose control and shatter.

    Just then, Yuan Ming felt a warm current rising behind him, and then it became extremely hot.

    Before he could turn around to look, a fiery line surged out from beside him and rushed into the casting furnace.

    The intense mes brought a scorching temperature, which shed with the extreme cold aura released by the runes, immediately stabilizing the temperature of the casting furnace and saving the gathering spirit formation on the verge of losing control.

    "Well done."

    Seeing that it was Huo Chen¡¯er puffing out mes into the casting furnace, Yuan Ming was overjoyed.

    He had only brought the little guy here to take care of it, but unexpectedly, it yed such an important role at a critical moment.

    Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t afford to be distracted at all, and could only take advantage of the opportunity when Huo Chen¡¯er was helping, and speed up thepletion of the infusion.

    Fortunately, the infusion speed of the Gale Rune was much faster than that of the extremely cold rune. Before Yuan Ming ran out of mana and before Huo Chen¡¯er became exhausted, he finally achieved his goal.

    At the moment ofpletion of the infusion, the two connected runes lit up at the same time, but there were no anomalies. Instead, all the originally emitted extreme cold aura unexpectedly converged.

    The entire Green Fish Sword seemed to be instantly subdued, concealing all its sharpness.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming was already soaked in sweat and copsed on the ground, exhausted.

    Not far behind him, Huo Chen¡¯er also fell to the ground, tilting its head, sticking out its tongue, and its abdomen rising and falling, obviously also exhausted and tired.

    Yuan Ming struggled to get up, took out three or four fire crystals and fire jade, and then took out a piece of fire jade marrow, cing it next to Huo Chen¡¯er¡¯s mouth.

    The little guy¡¯s eyes lit up, but instead of immediately eating, it continued to breathe and recover its strength.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming felt somewhat embarrassed, he touched Huo Chen¡¯er¡¯s head, and then got up and took out the Green Fish Sword from the casting furnace.

    He stared at the runes on the Green Fish Sword, poured his mind into it, and suddenly his vision became blurred. He immediately had the illusion of a white whirlwind sweeping towards him, but it disappeared in an instant.

    Yuan Ming was overjoyed, he had heard Senior Brother Amu mention this phenomenon before.

    After the infusion, the runes of the magic weapon already had the basic attribute ofmunicating with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. When the person¡¯s divine soul was poured in and the divine consciousness was focused enough, corresponding anomalies would appear.

    "Give it a try," Xiying¡¯s voice came.

    Yuan Ming nodded at the words, and suddenly woke up, "You, you can speak?"

    He had been focused on the infusion, and had always thought that the voice came from his sea of consciousness. It wasn¡¯t until now that he realized it was actuallying from the silver cat¡¯s mouth.

    "I¡¯ve been able to speak for a long time, what¡¯s so surprising?" Xiying gave him a disdainful look.

    "Then why didn¡¯t I hear you speak before?" Yuan Ming asked in confusion.

    "Isn¡¯t it troublesome if someone hears my voice? Why are you so stupid? There¡¯s no one else nearby." Xiying replied.

    "It¡¯s nothing, it¡¯s just that the voice I heard in my sea of consciousness and the voice I heard from your mouth feel a bit different," Yuan Ming smiled.

    "What¡¯s different?" Xiying immediately asked, apparently very concerned about the answer to this question.

    "The voice that is spoken out is more real, pleasant, and pleasant to listen to," Yuan Ming pondered for a moment and said.

    Xiying was quite satisfied with Yuan Ming¡¯s answer.

    "Why do I feel that you have been speaking more pleasantlytely?" After saying this, Yuan Ming found that Yuan Ming had already lowered his head to study the newly transformed Green Fish Sword, so he could only mutter to himself with a voice that only he could hear, "It sounds so unpleasant, can it be pleasant when spoken with Guoguo¡¯s mouth?"

    The newly refined magic weapon naturally didn¡¯t need to be refined. Yuan Ming grasped it with one hand and mana flowed into it along the sword handle.

    As the runes on the sword lit up, the Yin Jade scattered on the sword also lit up, like lonely stars in the dark night, reflecting on the green river.

    An extreme cold aura instantly spread, and the temperature in the entire cave began to rapidly drop, as if stepping into the depths of winter.

    Yuan Ming casually picked a sword flower, lifted the sword edge, and shed it towards the cliff in front of him.

    A white sword qi shot out from the de, almost in the blink of an eye, it struck the cliff three zhang away.

    The sound of earth and stones cracking came from the cliff, and a white crack appeared on the sturdy rock wall.

    Yuan Ming went forward to check, only to see that the crack was about three feet long and about one foot deep, with ayer of white ice crystals on top, showing no signs of melting for a long time.

    "Although it¡¯s still impossible to urately judge based on the situation of the rock wall, the power of your sword is probably approaching that of a top-grade magic weapon. Even if it¡¯s still slightly inferior, it¡¯s only a hair¡¯s breadth away," Xiying¡¯s voice came from behind.

    "Top-grade magic weapon? But it only has two runes," Yuan Ming said in surprise.

    "That¡¯s why I said it¡¯s only infinitely close, not that it is," Xiying said.

    Yuan Ming nced at the long sword in his hand, then at the sword mark on the wall, and a joyful smile appeared on his face.When he was channeling his spirit before, his mana was severely depleted, and he did not exert his full strength when he was testing the sword just now, so the power of the Green Fish Sword was not fully demonstrated.

    "The quality of the materials used in the sword is one reason, and the amplification brought by the extreme cold rune is another. Of course, it also has its merits." Xiying nced at the fire glutton next to him and said.

    The little guy had regained a bit of strength and immediately started eating, biting the crispy fire crystal stone, causing sparks to fly.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming¡¯s smile deepened. It was a pity that the fire glutton belonged to the three-hole master and had to be returned at any time.

    He held the sword horizontally in front of him, looking at the starlight scattered on it, and frowned.

    "After bing a magic weapon, I always feel that the name of the Green Fish Sword is a bit unpleasant. Xiying, can youe up with a name for the sword?" Yuan Ming turned his head and asked Xiying.

    He actually had a name in mind, but he wanted to thank the Silver Cat for its help, so he wanted it to name the sword.

    "The cold star moves with the light, and the frost is even more pervasive. Let¡¯s call it the Cold Star Sword." Xiying thought for a moment and said.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming said, "What a coincidence, we thought of the same thing. I meant the same."

    In fact, the name he thought of was "Cold Frost".

    But the name Xiying gave to the sword, even if it wasn¡¯t a poem, made him envision the scene of a "lonely night cold star", which was most suitable for his sword.

    "You¡¯re lying, you¡¯re teasing me." Xiying jumped onto the casting furnace and looked at Yuan Ming, saying.

    "How could it be, we really thought of the same thing. Xiying, which country¡¯s poetry does your poeme from?" Yuan Ming quickly shook his head and said.

    Hearing this, Xiying¡¯s eyes of different colors closed slightly, and her gaze became dim.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming knew that he had said something wrong and upset her. He couldn¡¯t speak tofort her, so he fell silent with Xiying.

    Fortunately, the Silver Cat quickly calmed down, but it also stopped paying attention to Yuan Ming.

    After putting away the Cold Star Sword, Yuan Ming began to sit cross-legged, closed his eyes and meditated, running the Nine Elements Form to restore his mana.

    ...

    The next day, early morning.

    Yuan Ming, who had restored his mana, got up refreshed. He only saw the Silver Cat Xiying lying on the casting furnace, but did not see the figure of the fire glutton, and immediately asked.

    "The little thing slipped out after eating." Xiyingzily transmitted a sentence.

    "We need to return to the sect as soon as possible. In a few days, I have to go out." Yuan Ming said.

    Hearing this, Xiying looked over.

    Yuan Ming exined, "It¡¯s just a short trip, it shouldn¡¯t take a few days, I should be able toe back."

    He estimated that it was just a task for the Loose Alliance, which wouldn¡¯t take much time.

    "What are you going to do?" Unexpectedly, Xiying asked.

    Yuan Ming thought for a moment, and then told it about the Loose Alliance task.

    After listening, Xiying said, "Killing the Snake King, it¡¯s fun, this guy is full of treasures. It¡¯s a pity that I¡¯m at a critical time in my cultivation and can¡¯t go."

    Yuan Ming was not disappointed when he heard that Xiying was not going.

    In his heart, he didn¡¯t fully trust the Loose Alliance, but if he needed help for everything, how could he stand in the world of cultivation in the future.

    After a brief rest, Yuan Ming prepared to leave, his gaze once again fell on the casting furnace.

    Thest time he wanted to take this casting furnace away, but because of the influence of the ground array, he couldn¡¯t do it.

    This time, knowing that there was a spirit gathering array on the casting furnace, Yuan Ming was even more reluctant to give up this treasure.

    "If you destroy the array on the ground, you can move the casting furnace." Xiying immediately saw through his thoughts and said.

    "Those who have been trapped for a long time, when they enter a treasure mountain, often wish to scrape the ground three feet." Xiying nced at Yuan Ming and urately mocked him.

    Yuan Ming continued to look down at the rune array, ignoring Xiying¡¯s mockery.

    He looked very carefully at the rune array on the ground, remembering all the curves and connections of the lines clearly, then flipped his wrist and took out the Cold Star Sword.

    The next moment, the Cold Star Sword was filled with cold air, and the sword edge swept across the ground, causing the array to disintegrate instantly.

    Then, Yuan Ming lightly touched the casting furnace with his hand and swallowed it into his bag.

 Chapter 161: Borrow yarn

    Chapter 161: Borrow yarn

    When a person and a cat walked out of the cave, it was already bright outside.

    "Roar..."

    At this moment, a beast roar suddenly came from the distant mountains.

    "Tsk, it¡¯s that little thing, seems like it has provoked something big." The silver cat¡¯s eyes shed slightly as it spoke.

    Yuan Ming also tried to release his divine sense to investigate the surroundings, but the distance was too limited, and he couldn¡¯t detect the whereabouts of Huo Chan¡¯er at all.

    However, there was a greatmotion in the distance, and when Xiying confirmed that it was Huo Chan¡¯er, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t hesitate and immediately disyed his Wind Swift Art, rushing towards that direction.

    Huo Chan¡¯er was the beloved pet of the Third Cave Master, and it must not be lost!

    He ran for less than the time it takes to brew a cup of tea and saw Huo Chan¡¯er running towards him with a three-inch long, red-colored nt root in its mouth, waving its short legs like crazy.

    Behind it, there was a three to four zhang long fire-scaled lizard, spitting out red cores, relentlessly chasing after it.Obviously, Huo Chan¡¯er had stolen someone¡¯s treasure.

    The little guy relied on its agile figure to dodge the attacks of the fire-scaled lizard in the mountains, and when it saw Yuan Minging, it was like seeing a life-saving straw. Its eyes lit up and it ran towards him.

    The tongue of the fire-scaled lizard kept attacking, causing trees in the forest to copse and rocks to fly.

    Yuan Ming watched in silence. It was just a mid-level second-grade fierce beast. As long as Huo Chan¡¯er was willing to let go of what was in its mouth and breathe out a me, even if it couldn¡¯t kill the fire-scaled lizard, it could force it to retreat.

    But this foodie would rather be chased than let go of the delicious food in its mouth.

    When it ran behind Yuan Ming, it stopped and no longer dodged.

    Yuan Ming looked at the fire-scaled lizard running towards him and sighed lightly, "You¡¯re unlucky, let me test its power!"

    After speaking, he held the newly refined Cold Star Sword in his hand and shed down.

    An extremely cold wind de burst out from the sword, instantly shing the head of the fire-scaled lizard.

    The fierce beast¡¯s momentum did not stop. After running two steps, its body suddenly stiffened, a crack ran through its entire body, and it fell to the ground, split in half.

    Yuan Ming immediately went forward to check and found that the fallen fire-scaled lizard was frozen all over, with no trace of blood.

    At this time, Huo Chan¡¯er also caught up, biting something in its mouth and jumping onto the head of the fire-scaled lizard, kicking it with its short legs.

    Yuan Ming finally saw that it was holding a "Red Yellow Ginseng" in its two front paws, a fire attribute spiritual medicine that seemed to have a hundred years of medicinal age.

    No wonder the fire-scaled lizard was desperately chasing after it.

    Yuan Ming grabbed the back of Huo Chan¡¯er¡¯s neck, lifted it up, and threw it onto his shoulder. He then looked back at Xiying, who was slowly catching up.

    The little guy was obviously a little afraid of Xiying. Its body shrank, only showing half of its head as it secretly nced at the silver cat. When thetter¡¯s gaze swept over, the little guy shivered and slid down from Yuan Ming¡¯s body, hugging his leg.

    Xiying nced at Huo Chan¡¯er, then leaped lightly onto a nearby tree branch, disappearing after a few jumps.

    Yuan Ming watched Xiying leave and then left the Misty Ind with Huo Chan¡¯er, returning to the sect.

    By the time they returned to the Biro Cave, it was already evening.

    To Yuan Ming¡¯s surprise, the Third Cave Master had actually returned and took the initiative toe to him.

    "Come with me, I¡¯ll help you refine your sword." She didn¡¯t look well, as if she had just experienced a battle, and she seemed a bit tired.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but feel moved.

    No wonder Fang Ge respected the Third Cave Master so much. Although she held a high position, she was indeed a person who kept her promises.

    Seeing Yuan Ming standing still, the Third Cave Master frowned, "What are you still dawdling for? We don¡¯t have much time left."

    "Thank you, Third Cave Master. The disciple¡¯s sword has already been refined." Yuan Ming bowed and said.

    This time, the Third Cave Master was stunned.

    "Which elder did you ask for help to refine your sword?" After recovering, the Third Cave Master asked.

    "All the elders are in seclusion refining tools. Helpless, I had to go to the market and find an outside craftsman for help." Yuan Ming exined and took out the Cold Star Sword.

    "Do outside craftsmen run rampant everywhere?" The Third Cave Master nced at the sword and smiled, not caring.

    "This craftsman¡¯s attainments are not bad, and his selection of runes is also outstanding. The quality of this sword should be above a middle-grade spiritual weapon, almost reaching the level of a top-grade one." The Third Cave Master praised.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming put down his worries and took out the Spirit Sword Box, returning it to the Third Cave Master.

    "Let¡¯s go, follow me again." After putting away the sword box, the Third Cave Master said to Yuan Ming.

    Confused, Yuan Ming immediately followed.

    When they returned to the Third Cave Master¡¯s small courtyard, she spoke again, "Give me the Blue Fish Sword."

    After a slight hesitation, Yuan Ming took out the long sword and respectfully handed it over with both hands.

    "This sword has changed in appearance and power. I have already named it ¡¯Cold Star¡¯." Yuan Ming said.

    "The name is good. However, your magic sword has not yet been inscribed with a prohibition formation. I will add thisst step for you." The Third Cave Master frowned slightly upon hearing this, but soon rxed.

    "Prohibition formation?" Yuan Ming was surprised.

    "When I taught you the refining technique, I mentioned that most magic weapons have prohibitions. The higher the level of the magic weapon, or even the magic treasure, the moreplex the prohibition formation attached to it. This is to prevent the enemy from immediately activating it with magic power if they were to seize it, causing harm to you instead." The Third Cave Master exined.

    "I see. Thank you, Third Cave Master." Yuan Ming immediately bowed.

    "Originally, I promised to help you inscribe runes and infuse spiritual energy, butpared to that, inscribing the prohibition formation is much easier." The Third Cave Master said.

    After speaking, she took the long sword from Yuan Ming¡¯s hand, took out the Opening Spirit Engraving Knife with her other hand, and began to carve aplex rune formation on the other side of the sword.

    After about an hour.

    The Third Cave Master returned the sword to Yuan Ming, and the prohibition formation had been inscribed."The prohibition array has not been activated yet. Once you channel your mana into it, it will take effect. Anyone other than you will not be able to wield this magic sword easily," the Third Cave Master said.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming was delighted. After expressing his gratitude, he immediately held the sword hilt and eagerly channeled a strand of mana into it.

    "Don¡¯t get too excited. It¡¯s just temporarily unmanageable. If you die and someone takes it, they can still refine it," the Third Cave Master warned.

    "I understand," Yuan Ming replied.

    As the mana flowed in, a sh of light appeared on the sword body, and a red prohibition array emerged, then disappeared into the sword body, invisible to the naked eye.

    At this time, Yuan Ming noticed that the words "Qing Yu" originally engraved on the sword body had changed to "Han Xing".

    He remembered that he had left Huo Chan in the spirit beast bag because of the journey. He quickly opened the bag and let it out.

    As soon as the bag was opened, the little guy rushed out like a bullet.

    However, it ran into the Third Cave Master head-on and was caught in her plump bosom, losing its freedom again.

    "Since you are going to participate in the Bai Lu Qiu Alliance, like Chen Wan, you should retreat and practice for a while. You don¡¯t need to go to the Fire Refining Hall for now. Try to improve your cultivation before then. Go," the Third Cave Master instructed, then dismissed him.

    "I will remember," Yuan Ming bowed.

    After returning to his residence, Yuan Ming tidied up a bit, then took out the incense burner, began to channel mana, and lit up the pattern of The Great Ultimate.

    ...

    A few dayster, Yuan Ming packed up his things, put on a ck robe, wore a hat with a veil, and prepared to leave.

    Before leaving, he looked back at the window. He hadn¡¯t seen Xiying for several days. Perhaps it was a critical moment in its cultivation. Yuan Ming shrugged and closed the door.

    Just as Yuan Ming was about to leave, a silver figure suddenly appeared on the window sill and snorted, "Going out to y the hero again?"

    Then it threw the golden gauze Yuan Ming had given it.

    "Why is this?" Yuan Ming caught the golden gauze, puzzled.

    "Borrowing this from you, if it¡¯s damaged, you have to pay for it! Goodbye!" As soon as the voice fell, the silver cat¡¯s figure had disappeared.

    ...

    Two dayster, Yuan Ming finally arrived at the Ghost Cry Canyon deep in the Hundred Thousand Mountains at the agreed time.

    At this time, about fifty people had gathered in the cool entrance of the canyon, sitting or standing in groups, each keeping a certain distance from each other.

    For Yuan Ming, who had already understood the inside story, he didn¡¯t find the scale of this number of people strange.

    Seeing Yuan Ming¡¯s arrival, everyone turned their eyes to him.

    However, everyone else quickly looked away, only the white-clothed youth who had previously tested Yuan Ming¡¯s qualifications kept staring at him, and walked towards him.

    "Fellow Daoist, this way please." When he got close, the white-clothed youth suddenly showed a friendly smile and greeted.

    Yuan Ming also smiled and nodded in response.

    As he walked towards the group, he saw that most of them were men, with few female cultivators. Their appearances and clothes varied greatly, forming a stark contrast with the members of the Bai Ye San Meng, who were all dressed in white.

    Among these people, many, like him, either wore hats to cover their heads or masks to hide their faces, appearing unwilling to reveal their true faces in front of others.

    Although it was just a temporary mission, Yuan Ming, who was participating in such a San Meng organized mission for the first time, was both nervous and excited. He quietly walked into the crowd, found a stone to sit on, and quietly waited for the arrangement of the Bai Ye San Meng.

    At this time, he suddenly realized that among the Bai Ye San Meng people gathered together, he did not see Bai Ye and Huan Shi, the two main and deputy leaders.

    Just as he was wondering, he saw two figures walking out side by side from the canyon, and it was indeed those two.

    Bai Ye, as the leader, did not speak, but returned to the official members of the Bai Ye San Meng and whispered something to them.

    On the contrary, Huan Shi, who seemed to be the one who always handled mundane affairs in the alliance, walked towards this group of waiting temporary members with a warm smile on his face.

    Seeing himing, most people politely stood up, while some still sat on the ground, not taking him seriously, as if they often participated in such missions and didn¡¯t care.

 Chapter 162: Grasp the rhythm

    Chapter 162: Grasp the rhythm

    "Dear fellow cultivators, it¡¯s about time. Those who haven¡¯t arrived on time will be considered as having given up on this mission. I would like to thank everyone foring as promised," Huan Shi politely said some pleasantries.

    "No need for pleasantries. We¡¯re not here for sightseeing. Old man, please quickly exin the details of this mission," a rough-looking man sitting cross-legged on a giant rock impatiently shouted.

    "Leave those formalities to the disciples of the sects. We, as independent cultivators, don¡¯t have time for such nonsense! We¡¯re here for the spirit stones, so let¡¯s get to the point!" another person immediately added.

    "Yes! The activities of the Independent Alliance are so secretive. We¡¯re about to set off, and we still don¡¯t know what we¡¯re going to do!"

    As soon as the rough-looking man spoke, others also chimed in.

    "Alright, alright. I¡¯m d to see that you all are straightforward and decisive. My friends, the reason why our Independent Alliance has gathered everyone here is to pass through the Ghost Cry Gorge behind you and enter the Snake King Valley to hunt down the Snake King, a venomous python," Huan Shi said, and most people had a confused look on their faces, seemingly unaware of what the Snake King was.

    Yuan Ming had already known their objective and had done some research after returning to the Bi Luo Cave.

    Ordinary Golden Flower Poison Pythons were only mid-level Tier 1 demonic beasts, equivalent to the fourth to sixth levels of the Foundation Establishment stage.

    However, one should not be deceived by their seemingly unimpressive strength. These snakes usually reproduced rapidly, liked to live in groups, and had a violent temperament. When hunting, they would often attack in groups relentlessly.So once encountered, they would be quite troublesome.

    This was probably the reason why the Independent Alliance recruited arge number of temporary members.

    "May I ask, Alliance Leader, what exactly is the Snake King of the Golden Flower Poison Python, and what special attack methods does it have?" Yuan Ming took the initiative to ask.

    "The Snake King of the Golden Flower Poison Python is a mid-level Tier 2 demonic beast, equivalent to the early to mid-stage of the Foundation Establishment stage. This beast has a strong physique, immense strength, and is apanied by potent venom," Huan Shi looked at Yuan Ming and then exined to everyone.

    Yuan Ming nodded inwardly upon hearing this. It was consistent with the information he had found in his research.

    When the others heard that the Snake King of the Golden Flower Poison Python was a mid-level Tier 2 demonic beast, their expressions, gazes, or movements all changed in unison.

    Some even showed a hint of retreat.

    "Lord Alliance Leader, killing a mid-level Tier 2 demonic beast... is really overestimating us. We can¡¯t handle this task," a tall and thin middle-aged man said first.

    "A Foundation Establishment cultivator hunting a mid-level Tier 2 demonic beast would inevitably result in heavy casualties, no matter how many people there are. We¡¯re just here to earn some spirit stones. There¡¯s no need to risk our lives," another person immediately added.

    "What a joke..."

    ...

    For a while, voices of doubt kept ringing out.

    "Fellow cultivators, please calm down. I haven¡¯t finished speaking yet. Your main task is to kill the obstructing demonic beasts and poisonous creatures along the way, and search for the traces of the Snake King. If someone can find the trace of the Snake King, we will reward them with an additional three hundred spirit stones. Those who participate in killing the Snake King of the Golden Flower Poison Python will be rewarded based on their contributions, with no less than one hundred spirit stones and up to five hundred spirit stones," Huan Shi pressed his hand in front of him twice, suppressing the voices of doubt.

    Under heavy rewards, the voices of doubt and opposition diminished.

    "Why did you hesitate to exin this before? Why did you have to wait until we gathered here?" someone still questioned.

    In fact, most people had already figured out the answer. It was to deceive them intoing here first.

    "This is a secret operation of our Independent Alliance. It shouldn¡¯t be revealed in advance. However, if any of you want to withdraw now, it¡¯s still possible, and we willpensate you ordingly," Huan Shi said.

    Upon hearing aboutpensation, the faces of those people eased, and they immediately asked about thepensation.

    Huan Shi held up two fingers and said, "Those who choose to give up now can receive two spirit stones and leave."

    "Two spirit stones?"

    For ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators, two spirit stones were not considered few. Butpared to the maximum of five hundred spirit stones they could receive for participating in the mission, it seemed insignificant.

    Theparison of the limited number of spirit stones made it difficult for them to be satisfied.

    Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but admire the cleverness of the Independent Alliance. They urately grasped the mentality of these people, whether it was the idea of the Independent Alliance or Huan Shi¡¯s idea.

    The atmosphere suddenly became cold, and all the temporary members were caught in a dilemma, contemting whether or not to take the risk and give it a try.

    Regardless of the high risk involved in killing the Snake King, just finding its trace alone was worth three hundred spirit stones!

    "I have another question. If the situation inside the Snake King Valley is more severe than we imagined, can we withdraw halfway?" the tall and thin middle-aged man asked again.

    "Once you enter the Snake King Valley, it¡¯s a matter of life and death. Your fate will be in the hands of yourrades. Anyone¡¯s retreat could potentially cause the death or injury of others, so in principle, you cannot withdraw," Huan Shi said.

    In principle, it was not allowed, but in practice?

    As expected, Huan Shi added, "However, considering theplexity of the situation, before finding the trace of the Snake King, each of you will have one opportunity to withdraw, and we will reward you with ten spirit stones."

    Upon hearing this, the people present once again fell into a dilemma."Having money is certainly good, but one must also have a life to spend it." However, voices of doubt still lingered.

    "At least there¡¯s an extra chance to withdraw, and there¡¯s also apensation of ten spirit stones, which is not a small amount..." A lone cultivator pondered.

    "I¡¯ll give it a try." Someone made a decision.

    "Sorry, I¡¯m out of this mission." Some chose to withdraw.

    Once one person withdrew, seven or eight more followed suit, though the number was much less than at the beginning.

    After the few who withdrew left the crowd, the members of the White Night Alliance indeed did not make things difficult for them.

    "Everyone has their own ambitions. Since some of you have chosen to withdraw, we won¡¯t force you. We will give each of you two spirit stones aspensation for your wasted trip." Huan Shi spoke.

    After saying this, he nced at the young man in white standing beside him and called out, "Tuo Zhe."

    The young man in white understood and immediately stepped forward to distribute the spirit stones to the seven or eight temporary members who had withdrawn.

    Seeing the fair and square actions of the White Night Alliance, those temporary members who were originally skeptical and worried about being deceived, instantly had all their anger and worries dispelled.

    Among them, two even changed their minds on the spot, admiring the straightforwardness of the White Night Alliance, and decided to continue participating in the beast hunting mission.

    The rest who decided to leave, after receiving the spirit stones, also bid their farewells with a fist salute.

    "Ladies and gentlemen, the White Night Alliance has no other requests for you, only that you do not spread the word about what happened here after you leave. At least not for the next few days, otherwise, if you bring unnecessary trouble to us, you may also find yourselves in trouble." Huan Shi warned them after soothing them with sweet dates.

    Those who had just received the spirit stones understood that this was abination of carrot and stick, and they all promised not to spread the word.

    After they all left, Huan Shi then continued to speak to the remaining people:

    "All of you are of strong will, and I believe our cooperation will be very smooth. Inside the Snake King Valley, poisonous miasma is everywhere, and ordinary antidote pills are useless. We have already prepared miasma-avoiding beads in advance to dispel the poisonous miasma."

    After saying this, he let several official members of the White Night Alliance step forward and distribute the miasma-avoiding beads to everyone.

    The one Yuan Ming received was a fist-sized ss bead, with flowing light flickering on it, looking like a precious pearl.

    "This is the miasma-avoiding bead. You don¡¯t need to refine it. You just need to infuse some of your mana into it, and the clear light emitted by it will form a safe zone within a hundred feet around you." Huan Shi exined.

    After saying this, he let Tuo Zhe and a few others distribute a green jade talisman to everyone.

    "This is a sensing jade talisman. Keep it safe. Once you get lost in the miasma, you can crush this item, and the people nearby will sense it and find your location. If any of you find the location of the Golden Flower Poisonous Python King, you can also crush this item to send a signal." Huan Shi continued.

    Upon hearing this, everyone lowered their heads to examine the jade talisman in their hands.

    Yuan Ming rubbed the jade talisman, feeling the rune patterns on it. After looking at it for a moment, he put it away.

    "For the sake of orderly exploration and mutual support, we will divide you into seven small teams to explore different areas." Huan Shi said.

    After he finished speaking, he directed the remaining twenty-seven temporary members to form seven teams, each with four people.

    The first person assigned to the same team as Yuan Ming was a burly iron giant. He was tightly wrapped in a cloth robe, with little skin exposed except for his face.

    The second person was one of the few women in the team. She was dressed in a tight ck outfit that perfectly outlined her slender figure. A thin ck veil covered half of her face, but one could still vaguely see her delicate and perfect features underneath.

    Especially at the corner of her eye, there was a rose-red teardrop mole, giving her a naturally pitiful charm.

    Thest person was also dressed in ck, with a neat and short outfit. Around his waist hung seven or eight small and exquisite bottles and jars, as well as a dark gourd.

    This made Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but guess that he might be from the Hundred Poison Cave.

 Chapter 163: Each act separately

    Chapter 163: Each act separately

    Fourteen members of the Baiye Sanmeng Alliance, also dispersed and joined temporary teams of two people each.

    The white-d youth Tuo Zhe walked into the team where Yuan Ming was, showing a meaningful smile towards him. Vice Alliance Leader Huan Shi happened to be in their team as well.

    Afterwards, the seven teams set off and entered the Ghost Cry Gorge.

    The narrow Ghost Cry Gorge was hundreds of zhang long. The outermost section was normal, but as they walked halfway, white mist began to fill the gorge, bing denser the further they went.

    "Don¡¯t be nervous, we have already investigated this area. It¡¯s just ordinary mist. The color of the poison mist is yellow. You will see it when we enter the Snake King Valley." Huan Shi timely reassured, dispelling everyone¡¯s doubts.

    The members of each team began to whisper andmunicate in low voices.

    "Please introduce yourselves, so we can address each other inside. I am Tuo Zhe from the Baiye Sanmeng Alliance." Yuan Ming, in the six-person team, took the initiative to speak.

    "Ha Gong." Yuan Ming responded first.

    "I am Mang Tun." The burly man with an iron tower-like voice said."I am Bai Rong." The woman in ck veil said softly, her voice pleasant to the ears.

    The young man in a ck short-sleeved shirt spokest, his voice hoarse like that of a seventy-year-old.

    "Kun Sha." He sinctly uttered two words.

    That¡¯s how they got to know each other.

    The distance of a hundred zhang was not far, and they quickly reached the end of the gorge.

    Yuan Ming looked into the distance and saw not a narrow and cramped valley, but a vast ancient forest.

    The trees in the forest were towering, each reaching a hundred zhang in height. What was peculiar was that their crowns were extremely high, almost concentrated at the top of the trees. From a distance, they looked like towering umbres.

    Within a range of tens of zhang below the trees, there was a dense white mist.

    The mist near the gorge was still white, but as they went further in, it became a thick and unbreakable milky white.

    Before Huan Shi could speak, Yuan Ming had already rushed into the dense fog.

    The pervasive mist instantly concealed his figure.

    "Come back, don¡¯t act on your own." Huan Shi immediately shouted upon seeing this.

    Tuo Zhe¡¯s expression also changed, obviously not expecting Yuan Ming to be so reckless, and couldn¡¯t help but curse silently, "Idiot."

    The members of the other teams from the Baiye Sanmeng Alliance frowned, while the temporary members looked on with a mocking attitude, as if watching a show.

    Fortunately, after Huan Shi spoke, Yuan Ming quickly returned.

    "What¡¯s wrong with you all? Aren¡¯t you going in?" He looked surprised, as if he didn¡¯t know he had made a mistake.

    "The poison mist is dangerous, don¡¯t act on your own." Huan Shi felt embarrassed by the gazes of the members of the other teams, but still suppressed his anger and reminded them.

    "Didn¡¯t you say that the white mist is not poisonous?" Yuan Ming blinked his eyes in confusion.

    "Just because it¡¯s not poisonous doesn¡¯t mean you can run around recklessly. If you continue to act like this, if you fall into danger, no one will save you." Huan Shi frowned and reminded.

    Without further ado, Yuan Ming immediately returned to the team.

    His gaze subconsciously nced upwards, only to see a ck crow circling silently and flying into the dense fog at the upper end of the mist.

    His seemingly reckless action just now was to release the Soul Crow silently and assist in exploring the path. The mist was a natural barrier, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t be able to do it without attracting anyone¡¯s attention.

    With his current cultivation and soul power, maintaining a Soul Crow for a long time was not difficult.

    After this little incident, Huan Shi began to assign exploration areas to each team in order.

    Different teams were responsible for exploring and searching in different directions within a fan-shaped area.

    The team Yuan Ming was in did not rush to explore the valley, but first followed the boundary between the white mist and the yellow poison mist, heading towards the left side of the valley. After finding the left side of the valley wall, they would then explore inwards, using the left side of the valley as the boundary and expanding their search towards the direction of the adjacent team.

    "All teams, maintain a distance of a hundred zhang and set off." Huan Shi gave the order.

    All the teams began to move one after another, heading towards their respective assigned areas.

    The team Yuan Ming was in did not rush to explore the valley, but first followed the boundary between the white mist and the yellow poison mist, heading towards the left side of the valley. After finding the left side of the valley wall, they would then explore inwards, using the left side of the valley as the boundary and expanding their search towards the direction of the adjacent team.

    "Everyone, spread out and search on your own. If there is any danger, don¡¯t forget to shout loudly and remind each other, support each other." Huan Shi spoke up.

    After everyone responded, they moved away from each other and walked towards the depths of the valley.

    In order to easily distinguish their positions, Yuan Ming voluntarily chose the side closer to the valley cliff.

    He carefully infused his mana into the Antidote Bead.

    In the next moment, the Antidote Bead emitted a circle of ss-like light, spreading outwards.

    Under the reflection of the ss-like light, the surrounding mist still pervaded, but the sticky and dense feeling seemed to have eased a bit.

    Upon entering the mist, there was no abnormality, only obstructed vision.

    Although they were cultivators, they still couldn¡¯t see through the mist.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s eyesight was slightly stronger than others, but he could only see things within ten zhang, and beyond that, he couldn¡¯t see anything clearly. His spiritual sense range was even smaller than his eyesight, so he didn¡¯t bother using it since he had the Soul Crow exploring the surroundings.Upon hearing his reminder, everyone became fully alert.

    The ck-clothed youth, Kun Sha, unfastened a ck porcin bottle from his waist and removed the stopper.

    From the mouth of the bottle, a peanut-sized, bright red ant slowly crawled out, dropped to the ground, and crawled into the poisonous fog.

    Yuan Ming looked up at the sky. A ck crow spread its wings and glided, entering the poisonous fog ahead of him.

    The fog inside was even denser, obstructing the view more than before.

    However, the crow was not attacked, so Yuan Ming followed it in.

    As soon as he entered the yellow fog, he felt a slight prickling pain on his exposed skin. After a few steps, a burning sensation arose in his nostrils.

    Yuan Ming checked his condition, and only after confirming that it was a mild reaction, not poisoning, did he breathe a sigh of relief.

    In the hazy fog, he could faintly hear the others¡¯ muffled coughs, suggesting that their throats were also ufortable.

    Just then, an image from the crow¡¯s perspective suddenly appeared in Yuan Ming¡¯s mind. A mass of small ck dots in the dense fog was pressing towards them.

    At the same time, Kun Sha¡¯s shout came from afar:

    "Poisonous creatures areing."

    Not long after his words fell, a flurry of wing pping sounds came from the fog. Then, arge swarm of ck dots broke through the poisonous fog, numbering in the thousands, and rushed towards them.

    Yuan Ming took a closer look and found that they were a swarm of walnut-sized poisonous bees. Their bodies were covered in ck and yellow fur, and they had sharp poisonous stingers at their tails.

    "Tiger-tail bees, highly poisonous," Yuan Ming recognized them at a nce.

    The books said that these poisonous bees could be found in many ces in the southern border, but their size was muchrger than described, muchrger indeed.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he drew out his Cold Star Sword. Without using any magic power, he relied solely on the cold aura emitted by the sword itself to sh at the flying poisonous bees around him.

    Wherever the sword aura passed, even the bees that were not killed but got too close were eroded by the cold and fell stiffly.

    They were crushed by Yuan Ming¡¯s foot, bursting with a "pop".

    In the fog, everyone else also took action.

    Huan Shi raised his palm and waved it forward. A red light shone from his palm, and arge me surged out, instantly engulfing half of the bees rushing towards him.

    Bai Rong wore a pair of ck gloves, seemingly made of metal. They emitted a faint ck mist. Every time she swung her hand, a wisp of smoke enveloped the bees.

    In no time, the tiger-tail bees stopped flying and fell to the ground.

    Kun Sha opened another red porcin bottle, and a swarm of white poisonous insects flew out, fighting the tiger-tail bees with poison against poison, causing casualties on both sides.

    Under his feet, the red ant was eating frantically, continuously devouring the bodies of the fallen tiger-tail bees.

    The burly man was more direct. He held a wolf-tooth club in his hand, swinging it with great force, continuously striking the attacking bees.

    In the "bang bang" explosion sounds, the tiger-tail bees burst open, sttering blood mist.

    These creatures, which couldn¡¯t even be considered as low-level beasts, only slightly hindered their progress and didn¡¯t pose much danger to them.

    After a bit of effort, everyone managed to eliminate all the attacking bees.

    Compared to them, the other teams had simr experiences, but there were also some unlucky ones.

    One team had been safe and sound during their journey, not attacked by any poisonous insects or beasts.

    At first, they thought they were just lucky. But as they continued, they noticed something was wrong when their necks inexplicably swelled up.

    By the time they noticed the anomaly, it was toote.

    Out of the six people in the team, besides the two official members and one temporary member of the White Night League, the rest of the temporary members mistakenly thought they were poisoned and tried to force out the toxins in their necks with magic power.

    In reality, they had mistakenly entered a breeding area of grey haze poisonous mushrooms and were parasitized by the mushroom spores.

    When they tried to force out the toxins with magic power, they were actually feeding the spores parasitizing their necks, elerating their growth until they matured and burst, severing their necks.

    Another team stumbled into an area where poisonous vines grew.

    Those green vines full of poisonous thorns were extremely sensitive to living creatures. The moment they entered, the vines attacked like sentient demon vines.

    The overwhelming demon vines surged forward, instantly strangling two temporary members.

    The others, after recovering from their initial panic, immediately fought back and finally managed to escape.

 Chapter 164: All are equal

    Chapter 164: All are equal

    Compared to the other members of the six-person team, Yuan Ming was actually in a rtively safe environment.

    He continued to move forward in the poisonous mist, with the help of the Soul Crow to investigate, always able to anticipate the danger and make preparations in advance.

    However, in this vast poisonous mist, there were an absurd number of venomous snakes, insects, rats, and ants, as if they could never be killed.

    After Yuan Ming finally killed all the poisonous bees that attacked him, he heard a series of rustling soundsing from the dense fog.

    The Soul Crow hovered in the thick fog and didn¡¯t see anythinging.

    While Yuan Ming was still puzzled, he suddenly felt that the ck Toad in his spirit beast bag was restless.

    Without any hesitation, Yuan Ming immediately patted the spirit beast bag and took it out.

    Yuan Ming held the ck Toad in his hands and only then did he realize that the reason why the ck Toad was restless was not because it sensed any danger, but because it was excited and unable to contain itself.

    "What does this mean?"Before Yuan Ming could figure it out, the ck Toad suddenly leaped out of his palm andnded on the ground in front of him.

    As the ck Toadnded, Yuan Ming¡¯s line of sight also shifted downwards.

    At this moment, he was astonished to find that where the ck Toadnded, within a three-foot radius, a "white spot" suddenly appeared on the originally pitch-ck ground.

    This white spot, with the ck Toad at its center, looked very abrupt.

    Yuan Ming carefully observed for a while and discovered that the edges of the white spot were blurry, as if they were constantly undergoing slight changes.

    Suddenly, his pupils contracted and his brows furrowed.

    He originally thought it was ck moss on the ground, but it turned out to be ayer of ck moths that were invisible to the naked eye.

    These moths had their wings almost t against the ground, and if they didn¡¯t flutter slightly, it would be impossible to tell. The rustling sound also came from them.

    Just as Yuan Ming was about to remind the other members of the team, he heard the shout of the burly man, Mang Tun, not far away, "What is this? So many... Ah, it¡¯s so itchy, so itchy..."

    In a ce Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t see, arge number of ck moths under Mang Tun¡¯s feet suddenly fluttered their wings and flew up from the ground.

    Countless ck moths, like a ck whirlwind, swarmed towards him. Before he could react, they tightly wrapped around him.

    The ck moths sprinkled arge amount of ck phosphorus powder, which quickly corroded the robe that covered Mang Tun¡¯s entire body.

    In just a few moments, the clothes on Mang Tun¡¯s body became tattered, revealingrge areas of dark blue tattoo patterns on his exposed skin.

    Arge number of ck moths then crawled into the holes in his clothes.

    In a panic, Mang Tun quickly began to p himself.

    But with his movements, more and more ck moths stuck to him. He felt his skin bing hot and itchy, and an unbearable itchiness spread from all over his body. At the same time, he felt his spiritual energy slowly flowing out at a slow pace.

    As more and more ck moths stuck to him, the speed at which his spiritual energy was being drained also increased.

    "Roar!"

    Mang Tun suddenly let out a roar, and the tattoo patterns on his body lit up, apanied by ayer of dark red light. His skin quickly darkened, revealing a crocodile-like scale pattern on the surface.

    At the same time, his figure also grew taller, and the originally ck circr pupils in his eyes contracted and narrowed, turning into slender dark golden vertical pupils.

    After being covered in animal skin, the itching on Mang Tun¡¯s body disappeared, his aura increased significantly, and the loss of spiritual energy also stopped.

    He raised his hand and took out a yellow paper talisman, throwing it towards the front. The talisman instantly turned into a burst of yellow light and fell to the ground.

    In the next moment, the yellow paper talisman burst into mes, spreading like a carpet, burning arge number of ck moths to death.

    On the other side, the rest of the team members were also using their own methods to kill the ck moths.

    Only Yuan Ming didn¡¯t make a move from beginning to end.

    After releasing the ck Toad, it seemed to have turned into a mouse thrown into a rice jar. With its long tongue extending and curling, it swallowedrge numbers of ck moths.

    The poisonous insects that others avoided like the gue had be the desired delicacy for the ck Toad.

    When these ck moths saw the ck Toad, they acted as if they had encountered their natural enemy, not even bothering to dodge, let alone actively attacking Yuan Ming.

    So he proceeded smoothly and quickly left the area filled with ck moths behind.

    As he left the area filled with ck moths, the forest ahead began to change. Instead of towering giant trees, there were low trees intertwined with ck vines.

    The ck Toad hopped to the edge of the low trees and didn¡¯t enter directly, but stopped vigntly.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming immediately controlled the Soul Crow, which was still outside, to fly into the ck forest and investigate.

    Following the Soul Crow¡¯s line of sight, he saw the twisted ck vines intertwining with each other inside, making it almost impossible to find a smooth path.

    And beneath the ck vines, mist filled the air, and water vapor rose from the ground, indicating the presence of many water puddles.

    The Soul Crownded on a ck vine, its ck eyes staring intently below, trying to see the situation inside as clearly as possible.

    In an instant, a snake as thick as an arm suddenly protruded from a nearby vine and attacked the Soul Crow. Itsrge bloody mouth revealed terrifying fangs as it bit towards the Soul Crow.Fortunately, Yuan Ming reacted quickly, controlling the Soul Crow to p its wings and dodge, soaring into the sky.

    Yuan Ming was startled by this sudden attack. When he looked down again through the eyes of the Soul Crow, a scene that made his scalp tingle unfolded in the forest below.

    On the vast ck vines, numerous ck venomous snakes hung upside down, their mouths wide open, swaying like willow branches. However, there was no sense of gentle breeze or drizzle, but rather an eerie horror.

    "How am I supposed to get through this ce?" Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but feel troubled.

    It wasn¡¯t that he was afraid of not being able to defeat these venomous snakes, but these pitch-ck creatures were indistinguishable from the color of the vines. If they clung to the vines and remained motionless, he wouldn¡¯t be able to tell them apart.

    Moreover, there were puddles and pits underfoot, who knew what else might be lurking inside.

    As he hesitated, a ck toad suddenly hopped onto his foot. The vine protruding from the lump on its back wrapped around his calf and tugged forcefully.

    "Do you mean for me to follow you?" Yuan Ming asked, puzzled.

    The ck toad released Yuan Ming¡¯s trouser leg and hopped into the dark forest ahead.

    Yuan Ming nced back at the way he hade, hesitated for a moment, and then followed.

    As soon as he stepped into the dark forest, Yuan Ming felt a moist and soft sensation under his feet, as if he were stepping on grass growing on a mudt, with a slight sinking feeling.

    With a "plop", the ck toad ahead hopped and plunged into the nearest puddle.

    Bubbles rose from the puddle with a "gurgle", but there was no sign of the ck toad for a long time.

    Yuan Ming waited for a while, then saw the already dark puddle suddenly churn with ink-like ck water. One by one, eel-like venomous creatures, belly-up, emerged from it.

    "Well done!" Yuan Ming praised in a low voice.

    At this time, in another puddle a little further away, ck water also bubbled up, and arge number of eel-like venomous creatures emerged belly-up.

    Following that, the figure of the ck toad also emerged from the water, waving the vine on its back as if beckoning to Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming immediately understood. The ck toad was leading him.

    He only needed to walk along the edge of the puddles that the ck toad had cleared, ignoring the potential dangers on the ground and focusing on dealing with the ck snakes in the trees.

    With this in mind, Yuan Ming held the Cold Star Sword in one hand and pointed at his forehead with the other.

    Two more ck Soul Crows flew out from his forehead, circling above his head.

    The three Soul Crows helped him watch his left, right, and rear, while Yuan Ming kept an eye on the front. There were no blind spots in his field of vision, so he didn¡¯t need to worry about the ck snakes¡¯ sneak attacks.

    Yuan Ming continued to walk deeper into the dark forest, and this arrangement proved to be surprisingly effective.

    Now, no matter from which angle the ck snakes tried to attack him, he could immediately detect them and easily kill them with a swing of his sword.

    When he passed through some areas where the ground was overflowing with water, almost like a swamp, Yuan Ming would insert the Cold Star Sword into the ground. With the stimtion of his magic power, it would release an extreme cold aura, instantly freezing the ground water.

    With the cooperation of the Soul Crows and the ck toad, this originally dangerous ck vine forest became a smooth path for Yuan Ming.

    Apart from consuming some soul power and magic power, Yuan Ming passed through easily without any cost.

    Other teams were not so lucky. Just in this same forest, many people were lost.

    ¡­¡­

    After Yuan Ming walked out of the ck vine forest, he didn¡¯t rush to continue on his way. Instead, he recalled two of the Soul Crows, leaving only one and the ck toad on guard.

    He sat down cross-legged, holding a spirit stone in each hand, and began to recuperate.

    However, not long after, there was a sudden burst of strange noises from the forest, sounding quite rming.

    Yuan Ming quickly got up and controlled the Soul Crow to fly towards the source of the noise.

    Before the Soul Crow could find out what was happening, there were hurried footsteps rushing towards him from the other side.

    Yuan Ming gripped the Cold Star Sword, on high alert.

    A slender figure burst out of the thick fog. It was Bai Rong.

    Behind her, a vague giant shadow could be seen, pursuing her in a peculiar manner.

    Bai Rong¡¯s face was covered with a ck veil, so her expression was not visible. However, from her disheveled hair, one could tell she was in a state of disarray.

    Yuan Ming immediately ran to the side and hid behind an ancient tree, watching the scene.

    From the fog behind Bai Rong, a golden python, as thick as a sea bowl and seven or eight zhang long, rushed out. Its long body twisted and turned at a high speed.

    Its body was covered with brilliant patterns, its huge python head stood tall, its mouth wide open, with two pairs of white venomous fangs and a red tongue flicking in and out.

    "Golden Flower Venomous Python." Yuan Ming recognized the creature at a nce.

 Chapter 165: Huangquan Tree

    Chapter 165: Huangquan Tree

    Although the Golden Flower Poison Python isrge in size, its movements are extremely agile. It moves through the dense forest without any hindrance and at an extremely fast speed.

    In just a few breaths, the Golden Flower Poison Python has caught up to Bai Rong. Its blood-filled mouth expands, and a purple poisonous gas sprays out, rushing towards her.

    Seeing that she couldn¡¯t dodge in time, Bai Rong immediately turns around and raises her hand, gripping a small bronze mirror. She reflects it towards the Poison Python.

    A bright light shines on the mirror, condensing into a white light shield, blocking in front of her.

    The surging purple gas falls on the shield, making a "pu pu" sound, but it is unable to break through.

    However, the dispersed poisonous gas leaks out from both sides of the shield and approaches Bai Rong.

    When Yuan Ming sees that she is about to be engulfed by the poisonous gas, he hesitates whether to go forward and help. Suddenly, he sees Bai Rong quickly retreating, and another ancient-looking bell appears in her other hand.

    "Dang!"

    She shakes the bell vigorously, making a loud sound.At this moment, a ck shadow suddenly swoops down from a tree beside the Golden Flower Poison Python.

    Apanied by a "chi" sound.

    The huge head of the Golden Flower Poison Python immediately falls down, and as blood stters, the poisonous gas sprayed from its mouth also stops.

    A man in ck clothes walks out from behind the Golden Flower Poison Python.

    "Necromancy! Is she a disciple of the ck Fire Sect?"

    When Yuan Ming sees the appearance of the man in ck, his eyebrows furrow involuntarily.

    He is not wearing ck clothes all over his body, but is wrapped in ck ribbons from head to toe, with only two deep eye sockets exposed, revealing a green glow.

    On the outer sides of his two arms, there are two slender curved knives installed by some unknown method, stained with the blood of the Poison Python.

    After killing the Golden Flower Poison Python, Bai Rong does not approach, but quicklyes to a stone wall nearby and carefully examines it, as if looking for something.

    Yuan Ming is surprised to see this and silently observes without revealing himself.

    After a while, he sees Bai Rong searching on this side of the stone wall and taking out something, pressing it on a stone under the wall.

    After cing it, Bai Rong hurriedly leaves with the corpse.

    When her figure disappears, Yuan Minges out from behind the tree and searches under the stone wall with suspicion.

    After lifting the stone, he finds that there is a jade symbol simr to the one given by the White Night Scattered Alliance underneath, seemingly some kind of guiding beacon.

    Yuan Ming hesitates for a moment and doesn¡¯t dare to touch it without knowing what it is.

    He covers the stone back.

    When he wants to chase after Bai Rong, he can no longer find any trace.

    When Yuan Ming turns around, he sees his ck Toad, which was ced on the outer perimeter for surveince, now on top of the Poison Python¡¯s corpse.

    He quickly catches up and sees the vines extending from the bulging back of the ck Toad, piercing into the remains of the Poison Python, seemingly absorbing the remaining power.

    After a while, the originally swollen body of the Golden Flower Poison Python gradually bes withered and shrinks.

    Meanwhile, the ck Toad crouching on the side emits a faint ck mist, and the vines on its back are lively and shaking, apparently gaining a considerable benefit.

    "I¡¯ve only heard of snakes swallowing toads, but this is the first time I¡¯ve seen a toad swallowing a snake," Yuan Ming murmurs to himself.

    The ck Toad immediately jumps up in front of him, giving a definite answer.

    Yuan Ming understands in his heart.

    When he relied on the Fur Transformation Technique to survive, didn¡¯t he also hunt and devour fierce beasts to enhance his strength?

    So it¡¯s normal for this little ck Toad to eat poisonous creatures.

    "Since you love eating poisonous things so much,e, I¡¯ll take you to eat until you¡¯re full." Yuan Ming smiles.

    The little ck Toad immediately lets out an excited low growl and leaps onto Yuan Ming¡¯s shoulder.

    Guided by the Soul Raven, Yuan Ming continues to explore forward.

    The deeper they go, the denser the poisonous mist bes.

    Towards the back, Yuan Ming gradually feels ufortable, and his breathing bes heavy.

    Just as he was about to stop and rest for a while, a sudden burst of fighting soundses from not far ahead.

    "Bai Rong?" Yuan Ming instinctively thinks of that woman.

    With a thought, the Soul Raven flies ahead.

    But when Yuan Ming uses the Soul Raven¡¯s vision to see clearly, he realizes that it¡¯s not Bai Rong who is fighting there, nor is it just one person, but Mang Tu and Kun Sha.

    The two of them are surrounded by fourrge Golden Flower Poison Pythons, barely holding on with a defensive artifact in Mang Tu¡¯s hand.

    However, the protective barrier emitted by the artifact is already riddled with holes and won¡¯tst much longer."Are you done? Can you do it or not?" Mang Tun, who controlled the magic tool, urged repeatedly.

    Kun Sha also worked anxiously, constantly responding, "Almost there, almost there..."

    Yuan Ming saw this scene and vaguely felt that something was wrong.

    At most, these four Golden Flower Poison Pythons were only at the Qi Refining stage, so how could they have pushed these two to such a desperate situation?

    Just then, there was a sudden disturbance in the mountains and forests.

    Even from a distance, Yuan Ming could feel the intense trembling of the earth.

    At this moment, he saw through the eyes of the Soul Raven that in the rolling mist, huge shadows emerged one after another, and hundreds of Golden Flower Poison Pythons rushed out like a tide, surging towards Mang Tun and the others.

    Under the tremendous pressure, Mang Tun¡¯s defensive magic tool finally couldn¡¯t hold on and copsed with a loud bang.

    But at the same time, a red light rose from the center of the two, followed by a burst of red mist.

    Apanying it was Mang Tun¡¯s painful roar.

    The pervasive red mist had a strong corrosive effect and forced the approaching Golden Flower Poison Pythons to retreat.

    Due to the diffusion of the mist, arge number of Golden Flower Poison Pythons actually changed direction and rushed towards Yuan Ming.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming quickly summoned the Soul Raven back and put away the ck Toad, dodging towards the direction of the mountain wall.

    However, before he could run far, the Golden Flower Poison Pythons had already twisted their bodies and rushed towards him.

    "Not good! This is a disaster on the level of a beast tide!" Yuan Ming knew that he couldn¡¯t fight back at all and quickly climbed towards the mountain wall.

    Just as the beast tide was about to surge, he climbed up a stone cliff located in the middle of the mountain wall and saw a ck cave that was taller than a person.

    Yuan Ming rushed into the pitch-ck cave entrance, but as soon as he took a step, he lost his bnce and fell forward.

    Fortunately, it was only a steep slope in front, not a cliff. After a few rolls, Yuan Ming stopped the rolling motion with one hand and stood up.

    At this moment, he noticed that the passage inside the cave was unusually spacious.

    Inside the passage, a warm airflow continuously blew out, blocking the poisonous mist outside the cave. Besides darkness, there was no poisonous gas inside.

    Yuan Ming reached out his palm and condensed some spiritual energy, forming a fist-sized fireball.

    With a flick of his finger, the fireball swiftly flew forward and swooped down, exploding suddenly about thirty feet away.

    Yuan Ming dodged the scorching air wave and, with the sparks from the explosion, saw the situation inside.

    The nting passage was extremely deep, and it was not empty inside. The ground was scattered withrge white beast bones, and the further down, the more there were, resembling a graveyard of beasts.

    With a thought, the Soul Raven flew in first to help him explore the route.

    After about the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, the Soul Raven finally passed through a pile of bones that almost blocked the entrance of the cave and flew into a spacious and dim space.

    It was called dim, not dark, because this space was notpletely underground.

    Above it, there was a small opening, and faint sunlight leaked through, barely qualifying as a sinkhole.

    Following closely behind, Yuan Ming punched open therge pile of bones blocking the entrance of the cave and arrived here.

    As soon as he entered, he couldn¡¯t help but shiver.

    Although it was a sinkhole with sunlight shining through, it felt colder than the passage just now.

    The higher the sinkhole went, the more vibrant the surrounding stone walls became, covered with green moss and various ferns. Near the entrance of the cave, there were even arge number of vines, making the already small entrance even more concealed.

    On the ground of the sinkhole, there were also scattered beast bones everywhere, most of which had already decayed, with only a few still having intact fur.

    After carefully inspecting the surroundings and not finding any danger, Yuan Ming saw a peculiar ck withered tree in the center of the sinkhole.

    It was only about three feet tall, shaped like coral, with many tentacles. It was pitch ck like ink, but had a metallic luster, as if it was made of ck iron.

    So at first, Yuan Ming really thought it was a piece of iron.

    But when he looked closely, he found that there were wooden textures on this "piece of iron", with scars like an old tree, and exposed roots at the base.

    However, the entire tree was obviously dead, without any leaves.

    At the base of the tree roots, there was a slightly sunken small pit, with traces of liquid that had once gathered inside.

    Yuan Ming reached out his hand and waved it above the pit without directly touching it, but he felt a cold breath.

    "Could this be the rumored Yellow Springs Tree?" A sh of insight came to his mind, and he suddenly remembered what this thing was.ording to the records in the book, in some ces where yin energy gathers, under fortuitous circumstances, spring water can umte, attracting the yin energy of the earth¡¯s veins to form a spring eye.

    The spring water that forms is known as Yinling Spring.

    And if a seed falls into it and is able to take root and sprout, the tree that grows out of it is called a Huangquan Tree.

    Therefore, depending on the type of seed that falls into the Yinling Spring, the appearance of the Huangquan Tree can vary. Some can grow into robustrge trees, and coffins made from them can preserve the body for a hundred years without decay.

    Some can only grow into small nts like the one in front of Yuan Ming. The prayer beads or incense made from them have excellent calming and soothing effects.

    And the wood of the Huangquan Tree can also be used as one of the main spiritual materials for the refinement of certain special magical instruments.

    In short, this is indeed a very rare and good thing!

 Chapter 166: Second chance

    Chapter 166: Second chance

    Yuan Ming naturally wouldn¡¯t easily let go of such a good thing right in front of him. He immediately dug three feet into the ground and pulled out the entire Huangquan Tree, carefully storing it in his bag.

    At the same time, the Soul Crows that were searching around in the sinkhole also made a new discovery.

    Yuan Ming immediately rushed towards their location and saw anotherrge opening at the other end of the sinkhole, covered by vines hanging down from the walls, making it somewhat concealed.

    At this moment, the Soul Crow was standing on a stone protruding above the vines, with a round golden shiny piece in its mouth.

    Yuan Ming reached out and called back the Soul Crow, taking the metallic piece from its mouth. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was a golden-colored scale with unique patterns.

    At first nce, this scale looked very simr to the one from the Golden Flower Poison Python he had killed earlier, but it was obviously muchrger.

    While pondering, Yuan Ming noticed something white sandwiched between the vines below.

    He quickly reached out and pulled it out.

    To his surprise, it was a shed skin from a snake or python-like fierce beast.This piece of snake skin was about six feet long and as thick as a water bucket. It faintly reflected phosphorescence, giving it a distinct appearance.

    "This scale and shed skin of this size are most likely from the Golden Flower Poison Python King," Yuan Ming thought, his heart skipping a beat.

    He first released his spiritual sense to investigate and found no signs of living creatures inside. He then carefully pushed aside the vine curtain in front of him, revealing a gap, and began to explore inside.

    Behind the vines was a not-too-long passage, and at a nce, he could see the other end. It seemed to be a wider underground cave, with either fluorescent stones or something else emitting ayer of eerie white light, adding a touch of strangeness to the atmosphere.

    Naturally, Yuan Ming wouldn¡¯t risk his life. With a thought, the Soul Crow flew into the cave through the opening.

    Upon entering, he discovered that the vast cave was filled with towering stone pirs and hanging stctites. The stones and walls were embedded with pieces of fluorescent stones emitting a blue-white light.

    This cave was muchrger than Yuan Ming had imagined.

    After his Soul Crow flew inside for a while, he suddenly saw a huge creature that made him gasp in astonishment.

    It was an extremelyrge Golden Flower Poison Python, coiled around a thick stone pir like a small mountain. Its raised tail was still trembling slightly, making a "rustling" sound.

    Outside its body, the golden scales emitted an extremely cold metallic aura under the blue-white cold light, appearing incredibly sturdy.

    After observing for a moment, Yuan Ming had no doubt that this must be the Snake King of the Golden Flower Poison Python.

    He calmly called back the Soul Crow and retreated to a safe distance from the cave entrance. He then took out the jade token given by the Baiye Scattered Alliance from his sleeve without any hesitation and crushed it.

    The shattered jade token made a slight sound, shed a blue light on the surface, and then went silent, without any further movement.

    Yuan Ming temporarily stayed away from the cave entrance and returned to the entrance he came in from, remaining vignt while quietly waiting for the members of the Baiye Scattered Alliance to arrive.

    After a long time, people gradually arrived one after another.

    Among them, only a small number of them found their way here through the passage Yuan Ming entered. Most of them relied on the mark of the jade token to find the incredibly concealed entrance to the sinkhole. Altogether, there were about a dozen people.

    After waiting for about half an hour, Baiye arrived with two official members of their alliance.

    "Is this the mark you sent?" Baiye came to Yuan Ming and asked.

    "Yes." Yuan Ming opened his palm, revealing the broken jade token in his hand.

    "Did you find the Snake King?" Baiye¡¯s tone was serious, his eyebrows furrowed.

    Before Yuan Ming, three people had already crushed the jade token, but when they arrived, they only saw the miserable corpses.

    These people had all crushed the jade token while hoping someone woulde to save them when they were in a dangerous situation and unable to escape.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t have any obvious injuries, obviously not like the previous cases.

    "I found it." Yuan Ming nodded.

    As he spoke, he raised his hand and touched the storage bag at his waist. Anotherrge golden scale and a piece of white snake skin appeared in his palm.

    Baiye quickly took them over and carefully examined them.

    At this time, Huan Shi also arrived and saw the situation, so he hurriedly approached and carefully examined them.

    After a moment, the two of them looked at each other and nodded silently.

    "Where did you find them?" Baiye asked.

    Yuan Ming immediately led Baiye and the others to the vine-covered entrance, opened a gap, and pointed inside, lowering his voice, "I found these things here, and the Snake King is inside.""Have you been inside?" Bai Ye frowned and asked.

    "I quietly went in to investigate and saw the figure of the Snake King. That¡¯s why I dared toe out and report. Otherwise, it would have been baseless rumors," Yuan Ming continued, lowering his voice.

    This cautious behavior made everyone present nervous, and they couldn¡¯t help but believe him a little.

    "Confirm it," Bai Ye turned his head and unconsciously lowered his voice, saying to an old man with gray hair.

    Thetter was also one of the formal members of the Bai Ye Alliance and immediately nodded.

    Then, he took out a shiny white mouse from his sleeve and ced it at the entrance of the vine cave.

    The little white mouse sniffed with its nose and crawled inside.

    The group waited outside for a long time, and suddenly a small white shadow rushed out from inside, obviously frightened by something, looking very panicked.

    The old man with gray hair quickly grabbed the mouse and put it next to his ear, as if listening to its story.

    But the others could only hear the urgent squeaking sound.

    After a while, the old man put away the little white mouse and said to Bai Ye, "Leader, it¡¯s confirmed. This is the Snake King¡¯s cave."

    As soon as he finished speaking, Bai Ye¡¯s eyebrows rxed, and a hint of joy appeared in his eyes.

    "Find a way to notify everyone to gather here immediately! Others can rest on the spot," Bai Ye said to Huan Shi.

    "Okay!" Huan Shi nodded and walked outside with Tuo Zhe.

    ...

    In the next moment, more people arrived one after another and gathered on the other side of the sinkhole.

    Yuan Ming nced over and found that out of the forty-one people who entered the Snake King Valley together, only thirty-one had arrived here.

    Among them, fourteen were formal members of the Bai Ye Alliance, leaving only twelve, and the twenty-seven temporary recruits, including himself, were reduced to neen.

    Except for the ck-clothed man named Kun Sha, all the members of his original six-person team were present.

    Yuan Ming knew very well that many of those who didn¡¯t make it here would probably never appear again.

    The casualty rate of temporary members was much higher than that of formal members.

    Among the people who arrived here before and after, except for Bai Ye and Huan Shi, two Foundation Establishment cultivators, and a few formal members, the rest all looked somewhat disheveled, with more or less bruises and injuries. Many of the temporary members hadplex expressions, with a hint of regret.

    Compared to others, Yuan Ming was already in the best condition.

    "Hao Gong, you have made great contributions by finding the location of the Snake King. Are you interested in officially joining our Bai Ye Alliance?" Huan Shi looked at Yuan Ming with admiration and said.

    He had a deep impression of Yuan Ming, from the beginning when he made Tuo Zhe suffer, to Yuan Ming¡¯s performance in the poisonous miasma, and now finding the location of the Snake King. So he sincerely invited Yuan Ming to join, not just empty words.

    "I should ept the Vice Leader¡¯s kind offer, but this matter involves many things, so let¡¯s discuss itter," Yuan Ming smiled and sped his fists.

    "Alright. Let¡¯s wait until we leave the Snake King Valley. The reward of three hundred spirit stones will be settled together," Huan Shi nodded with a smile.

    Just as he finished speaking, Yuan Ming spoke up, "Vice Leader, can we settle my spirit stones now?"

    "Hmm?" Huan Shi was taken aback by his eagerness.

    Why so urgent? Huan Shi¡¯s impression of Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but decrease a bit.

    "Didn¡¯t we agree beforehand that everyone would have one chance to withdraw before attacking the Snake King? I want to withdraw now," Yuan Ming exined.

    "Hao Gong, you were able to find this ce almost unscathed, which shows that your strength is not weak. Why not take another step forward?" Bai Ye also became interested in Yuan Ming and asked.

    His meaning was clear. Since they hade this far, why not take a risk? After the sess, they might receive more rewards.

    This was probably the thought in the minds of all the temporary members.

    "I am just a mere Qi Refining cultivator. I am well aware of my own strength. I was able to safely arrive here all thanks to good luck. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to help everyone find the Snake King. As for the joint hunt, I won¡¯t participate," Yuan Ming smiled and declined.

    His words were very measured and didn¡¯t overly mention his fear of the Snake King, so as not to affect others.

    Seeing this, Bai Ye didn¡¯t say anything more.

    "Is there anyone else who wants to withdraw now?" Huan Shi then took out three hundred and ten spirit stones and gave them to Yuan Ming, then asked the others.

    The formal members of the Bai Ye Alliance had nothing to say, but a woman¡¯s voice came from the temporary members.

    "I, I also want to withdraw."

    Yuan Ming followed the sound and saw a woman with ck armor on her body, revealing fair skin and a curvaceous figure. Her face was covered with a thin ck veil. She was none other than Bai Rong, a member of their team from before."Is she also withdrawing?" Yuan Ming wondered in his heart.

    Previously in the poisonous miasma, he had noticed her strange behavior, guessing that she was targeting the members of the Baiye Alliance. But now she also chose to withdraw, which made Yuan Ming somewhat puzzled.

    Just when everyone thought the dust had settled and only these two were withdrawing, ten more people in the team voiced their intentions.

    They also wanted to withdraw.

    Seeing twelve people withdraw all at once, the expressions of Baiye and Huan Shi also slightly darkened.

    Each person less meant that the pressure shared by the official members of the Baiye Alliance would increase, and the potential damage could be even greater.

    However, in the end, they did not make things difficult for these people.

    And these people, including Yuan Ming, after receiving thepensation of ten spirit stones, left the sky pit one after another, choosing to leave.

 Chapter 167: What can I do for you?

    Chapter 167: What can I do for you?

    Yuan Ming turned around and left the Tiankeng with the other eleven people. Everyone dispersed without a word.

    Yuan Ming stood in ce, looking at the backs of those who left, feeling a little emotional.

    Perhaps this is the style of the scattered alliance missions. There is no sect¡¯s protection or position constraint. There is only a rtionship of reward between the hired and the scattered alliance.

    Today, he ventured into the Dragon Pool and Tiger Cave, fought against strange birds and fierce beasts, achieved his goal and left. In the future, he will travel the world on horseback and enjoy the exotic scenery, wandering to the ends of the earth.

    The choice is bidirectional, and he can stay or leave as he pleases.

    This stirred up some hidden memories in his mind, the longing for the chivalrous heroes who held swords and drank wine.

    At that time, he didn¡¯t know much about the martial world, but he liked to listen to people talk about it.

    Now that he has experienced a lot and seen a lot, he has realized that what he sees is far from being as beautiful as what he hears.

    In today¡¯s journey to the Snake King Valley, some people silently fell, unable to even obtain the hard-earned reward of ten spirit stones, and no one will remember them.Afterpletely leaving the sight of others, a ck light shed in Yuan Ming¡¯s brow, and two soul crows flew out silently. One flew towards the Tiankeng, while the other flew in another direction.

    In the field of vision of the second soul crow, a figure quickly appeared, and it was Bai Rong.

    This woman seemed to be a disciple of the ck Fire Sect, and she had been secretly leaving some kind of mark along the way, making Yuan Ming curious about her intentions.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t go far, he just found a secluded mountain wall and stopped. He took out the Hanxing Sword and quickly dug a cave on the mountain wall.

    He released another soul crow to guard outside, and then took out four square sealing spirit talismans and pasted them around the cave, opening a hidden barrier. Only then did he sit cross-legged and focus on controlling the soul crow that went to the Snake King Cave and the one tracking Bai Rong.

    The soul crow from the Snake King Cave had already flown into the cave, and soon there were sounds of fighting.

    Yuan Ming controlled the soul crow to approach carefully, only to see Bai Ye and the others fighting against a group of Golden Flower Poison Pythons.

    These Golden Flower Poison Pythons were obviouslyrger than the ones they encountered in the valley before, and they were stronger. They moved like the wind and could even spit venom, making it difficult for the temporary members to defend themselves.

    However, at this moment, Bai Ye and the others showed their true strength. In addition to Bai Ye and Huan Shi, each of the other ten people sacrificed a white g magic weapon embroidered with purple me patterns, forming a set of magic weapons.

    When all ten people activated them at the same time, fist-sized purple mes shot out from the top of the white gs and hit the Golden Flower Poison Pythons.

    These purple mes were powerful enough to easily burn through the tough python scales, turning them into ashes.

    No matter how many Golden Flower Poison Pythons attacked, they all perished under the attack of the purple me rain. asionally, one or two pythons that slipped through were dealt with by the scattered cultivators who followed them. Bai Ye and Huan Shi didn¡¯t even need to make a move.

    "The White Night Scattered Alliance has such means. No wonder they dare to enter the Snake King Cave to hunt the Snake King. However, the Golden Flower Snake King should still be deeper inside..." Yuan Ming thought to himself.

    His thoughts shifted and he looked towards Bai Rong.

    At this moment, Bai Rong was flying forward at an astonishing speed, even faster than when Yuan Ming used the Wind Swift Art. Although the soul crow was trying its best to catch up, it was still far behind.

    Fortunately, Bai Rong was still leaving marks along the way, just like before. The soul crow followed these marks and barely kept up with her.

    After a while, the soul crow arrived in a dark forest, and a new mark appeared on a tree outside the forest, pointing to the interior of the forest.

    "I hope Bai Rong doesn¡¯t continue forward." Yuan Ming controlled the soul crow to fly into the forest, thinking to himself.

    At first, the range of the soul crow¡¯s roaming was only ten li. After his Death Moon method broke through the secondyer, the range doubled, but it was still only twenty li. Now it was almost reaching its limit, and if Bai Rong continued forward, he would not be able to keep up.

    The soul crow flew through therge trees, and the field of vision suddenly became open. A ruined castle appeared in front of them.

    "Could it be that someone used to live in this Snake King Valley!" Yuan Ming was quite surprised to see this.

    On arge tree in front of the castle, there was a not-so-obvious mark. Based on Yuan Ming¡¯s deduction and understanding of various marks along the way, the meaning of this mark was not difficult to understand. It should be pointing to the interior of the castle.

    The soul crow pped its wings and flew in. It quickly found Bai Rong¡¯s figure outside a hall.

    Bai Rong was looking excitedly at the interior of the hall but did not enter.

    The entire hall was covered in ayer of ck light at the moment, making it impossible to see what was inside.

    Bai Rong pondered for a moment, took out a fiery red round mirror, and chanted something.

    The surface of the round mirror emitted ayer of red light, and then a beam of red light shot out, hitting the ck barrier.

    However, the ck barrier only rippled slightly and quickly returned to its original state.

    "The Crimson Seal Mirror is also ineffective. It seems to be a quite advanced restriction. I can¡¯t break it alone." Bai Rong¡¯s eyes flickered as she muttered to herself.

    As she finished speaking, she took out a purple talisman, whispered a few words to it, and then crushed it...

    At this moment, the soul crow outside suddenly let out a sharp warning cry. Yuan Ming¡¯s face changed suddenly, and he pped the ground with his palm, his sitting body floated backward.

    Two hazy yellow hands suddenly burst out of the ground and fiercely grabbed the spot where he had just been sitting.

    With a loud bang, the ground shattered and rocks flew everywhere.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s divine sense spread out and probed into the ground.

    It turned out that there was a figure lurking underground, enveloped in ayer of yellow light, and those two yellow hands were some kind of magical power.

    Yuan Ming reached out his hand, and the Hanxing Sword appeared in his hand. A white sword aura shed by, easily cutting off the two yellow hands, and ayer of white frost appeared on the nearby ground.

    He then held the sword with one hand and stabbed it into the ground, with almost half of the sword buried.

    A burst of extremely cold sword aura erupted, heading straight for the person underground.The man underground sensed the iing sword qi and quickly dodged to the side. The yellow glow around his body allowed him to move freely underground, evading the chilling strike.

    A faint smile appeared on Yuan Ming¡¯s face. He pointed at the Cold Star Sword and activated the extreme cold runes within it, shouting, "Explode!"

    The extreme cold sword qi erupted violently, and the intense cold instantly engulfed the surrounding area within a radius of several feet.

    The underground soil was frozen, turning into hard ground like stone. The figure underground was also affected by the erupting cold, shivering uncontrobly.

    His magical power was affected, and the yellow glow around his body was mostly extinguished. Half of his body was stuck in the soil, unable to move.

    "Damn Guo Ge, didn¡¯t he say this guy was just an ordinary Qi Refining Ninth Layer cultivator? He didn¡¯t even find out that he had such a powerful magical tool!" The man underground couldn¡¯t help but curse, fully activating the Earth Travel Talisman on his body. The extinguished yellow spiritual light began to recover.

    However, the man was surrounded by the extreme cold power of the Cold Star Sword, and the recovery speed of the yellow spiritual light was very slow.

    "If I let you escape easily, my Cold Star Sword would have been refined in vain!" Yuan Ming sneered slightly, once again pointing out a spell. Another extreme cold sword qi shot out, directly hitting the man underground.

    A low, mournful scream came from underground, then all was silent.

    Arge hole was pierced through the man¡¯s chest and abdomen, and he was no longer breathing.

    Yuan Ming patted the spirit beast bag at his waist, and a ck toad leaped out, shooting out a purple-ck demon vine from its back.

    He took off the storage ring, let the purple-ck demon vine wrap around it, and quickly brought up the man¡¯s body from underground using the same method he used to steal Li Shark¡¯s collection.

    The man had yellow hair and looked to be in his twenties or thirties. His entire body was frozen like an icicle, his face was full of terror, and his features were twisted. But his face could still be recognized, it was a member of the small team that had chosen to leave earlier.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s face was expressionless. He didn¡¯t care why this man wanted to ambush him. When facing enemies, he never showed mercy.

    He took the storage bag from the yellow-haired young man and reached into his frozen clothes, pulling out a palm-sized yellow talisman.

    Judging from the effect the yellow-haired young man had used earlier, this should be a talisman with an earth escape effect.

    Such talismans were very rare. Yuan Ming had wanted to buy one when he went to ck Rock City, but unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t find one.

    Although the yellow talisman had been used, it still emitted a rather strong magical fluctuation.

    "It seems that this talisman, like the Four Corners Sealing Spirit Talisman, can be used multiple times." Yuan Ming muttered to himself, then put the talisman away.

    He took the yellow-haired young man¡¯s storage bag, and his eyebrows twitched as he looked outside.

    Inside the dense poisonous miasma outside the stone cave, three figures were slowly approaching. They were a burly man, a woman in red, and a young man with a cold look. They were the other three members of the team the yellow-haired young man belonged to.

    After approaching the stone cave, the three of them hid behind arge rock, seemingly waiting for something.

    Unbeknownst to them, a ck crow was quietly squatting on a rock not far from them.

    "It¡¯s them..." Yuan Ming murmured, guessing their purpose.

    However, he didn¡¯t go out, but continued to check the yellow-haired young man¡¯s storage bag.

    Speaking of which, this yellow-haired young man was quite poor. There were only twenty or thirty spirit stones in his storage bag, and the rest were somemon materials and a lower-grade long knife magical tool.

    After categorizing these items and putting them into his storage bag, Yuan Ming stood up and went to the entrance of the cave.

    The ck toad leaped forward and disappeared into the dense poisonous miasma.

    The three people behind therge rock were getting impatient. Seeing Yuan Ming suddenly appear, they were all startled and quickly concealed their breaths.

    "Since you¡¯re here, why hide?" Yuan Ming called out.

    The burly man and the other two, realizing they had been discovered, came out from behind the rock.

    "How did you find us?" the burly man asked.

    All three of them had used spells to conceal their breaths. They were a good ten feet away from the cave, and the poisonous miasma was in between. Even a Foundation Establishment cultivator might not have been able to detect them.

    "How I found you isn¡¯t important, is it? What¡¯s important is, what brings you three here?" Yuan Ming retorted.

 Chapter 168: Try the power

    Chapter 168: Try the power

    The burly man was stunned when he heard Yuan Ming¡¯s words, unsure of what to say.

    He had thought that Yuan Ming was just an ordinary lone cultivator, so he and the other three followed him, intending to kill him and take the three hundred spirit stones given by the Baiye Sanmeng.

    But the situation in front of him waspletely different from what he had expected. Cha Ha had not appeared after using the Earth Traveling Talisman to ambush Yuan Ming, and instead, Yuan Ming appeared unharmed. The burly man couldn¡¯t help but hesitate.

    The red-clothed woman felt the same, a sense of retreat rising in her heart.

    "What are you two afraid of? With three against one, do you think we will lose? Kid, be smart and hand over your storage magic tool, and maybe we¡¯ll let you die intact!" The sinister young man, not fearing the tiger despite being a newborn calf, shouted harshly.

    "Fool!" The burly man was startled and cursed under his breath, but it was toote to stop the sinister young man.

    "So, the three of you came for the three hundred spirit stones? Since you want to kill and rob, you must be prepared to be killed," Yuan Ming said calmly.

    "Want to kill us? Just with your cultivation at the ninth level of Qi Refining!" The sinister young manughed arrogantly and a green bead magic tool appeared in his hand, shooting straight towards Yuan Ming¡¯s heart like an arrow.

    With things havinge to this point, the burly man had no choice but to take action. He summoned a yellow giant hammer, half the length of a zhang, with a hammerhead asrge as a millstone, and fiercely smashed it towards Yuan Ming.The red-clothed woman also took action, summoning a blue feather fan and fiercely waving it towards Yuan Ming.

    Swoosh swoosh swoosh!

    Dozens of sharp ice cones condensed out of thin air and shot towards Yuan Ming¡¯s body.

    Thebined strength of the three was formidable, and the burst of energy forced back the poisonous miasma within a dozen zhang of the surroundings.

    Yuan Ming remained calm and pinched a seal. A golden light shed in front of him, and a golden silk appeared, wrapping around his body several times to form a thick golden curtain.

    The green flying sword, the yellow giant hammer, and the sharp ice cones all struck the golden curtain almost simultaneously, causing ripples of shockwaves to appear, but it immediately stabilized.

    "How is this possible!" The burly man and the others were dumbfounded. They had already attacked with all their strength, but they couldn¡¯t shake Yuan Ming¡¯s defense!

    Yuan Ming looked at the stable silk curtain, his expression unchanged, feeling quite satisfied.

    He deliberately used the golden silk to withstand the attacks of the three to see how strong its defense was, and fortunately, it didn¡¯t disappoint him.

    "Swift!"

    Yuan Ming raised the Hanxing Sword and pointed it towards the green flying sword and the yellow giant hammer outside the golden curtain.

    The two magic tools were surrounded by a strong chill, and arge piece of white ice condensed out of thin air, freezing the two magic tools within it.

    The burly man and the sinister young man¡¯s expressions changed drastically. The connection between them and their magic tools was instantly severed, and for a moment, they couldn¡¯t control them.

    The two had never encountered such a situation before and panicked. The burly man, who had a higher cultivation level, forced himself to calm down and raised his hand to summon other magic tools.

    At this moment, the ground under his feet suddenly cracked open, and a purple-ck vine shot out, instantly entangling his legs.

    The burly man¡¯s heart trembled, and he leaped backward with all his strength, trying to break free from the vine¡¯s restraint. However, the purple-ck vine was extremely tough and not only did he fail to break free, but he was also dragged to the ground.

    A white light shot out from the front and instantly arrived in front of the burly man, piercing through his body with a "pu" sound. It was the Hanxing Sword.

    A sharp cold burst forth, and the burly man¡¯s body was frozen into an ice stick, his vitality instantly cut off.

    The burly man had the highest cultivation level among the four, yet he couldn¡¯t even withstand two moves from Yuan Ming.

    The sinister young man and the red-clothed woman were already full of fear on their faces and turned to escape in different directions.

    Yuan Ming pinched a seal from a distance, and two spiritual lights shot out from his sleeve, heading straight for the red-clothed woman. It was the Water Cloud Banner and the ck hairpin of the one-eyed woman.

    At the same time, the white light on the Hanxing Sword pierced through the burly man¡¯s body, chasing after the sinister young man.

    "Stop, stop! I am from the Xue Family Fort in the Eastern Region, you can¡¯t kill me..." The sinister young man sensed the Hanxing Sword shooting towards him from behind and let out a desperate roar. While continuing to run forward, he took out talismans one after another and threw them behind him.

    Dozens of fireballs, wind des, water arrows, and other spells appeared, all rushing towards the Hanxing Sword.

    Yuan Ming remotely activated the Swift Wind Rune inside the Hanxing Sword, and the Hanxing Sword suddenly became illusory, its speed doubling as it easily dodged the attacks of the fireballs and wind des, catching up to the sinister young man in the blink of an eye.

    A white light suddenly burst forth from the jade pendant hanging from the young man¡¯s waist, forming a translucent white glow that enveloped him.

    "Bang!"

    The Hanxing Sword struck the young man¡¯s back, but it was directly blocked by the white glow. However, the powerful impact still caused the sinister young man to stumble forward and fall to the ground.

    Before the young man could make any other moves, a sharp and icy sword qi swept down, freezing the sinister young man along with the white glow shield.

    Then, the long sword fell, shattering the young man and the ice block into pieces.

    Almost at the same time, a mournful scream came from the other side, followed by silence.

    Yuan Ming took the storage magic tools from the burly man and the sinister young man and walked towards the red-clothed woman, quickly arriving by her side.

    The red-clothed woman¡¯s legs were also entangled by the purple-ck vine, and a huge wound had opened between her chest and abdomen, seemingly cut by a sharp weapon. The ck hairpin had also pierced her heart, and she was already dead beyond death.Yuan Ming picked up the blue feather fan and the red storage bag that had fallen nearby, and turned back to the cave.

    Looking at the Cold Star Sword in his hand, a smile appeared on his face.

    The burly man and hispanions were not weak, but their defeat today was mainly due to the Cold Star Sword¡¯s ability to freeze other people¡¯s magical weapons, temporarily removing them from their control.

    Ordinary ice magical weapons couldn¡¯t do this, at most they could only affect the magical power within the weapon, and couldn¡¯t affect the spirit residing within the weapon. However, Yuan Ming¡¯s Cold Star Sword was forged from Yin Jade, which could attack the spirit of a person. After freezing the two people¡¯s magical weapons, it also cut off their spiritual senses.

    A Qi Refining cultivator who lost their handy magical weapon, if panicked for a moment, would naturally be at the mercy of others.

    Yuan Ming activated his spiritual sense to inspect the three magical weapons.

    The blue feather fan, the green orb, and the burly man¡¯s yellow hammer were all lower-grade magical weapons. The runes inscribed in the blue feather fan were something he had seen in the ckwood Manual, named "Ice Cone", capable ofunching ice cone attacks.

    Although the cold youth¡¯s orb was green, it was made of metal. It was small, but weighed a hundred pounds.

    As for the runes inside the green orb, Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t recognize them. Judging from the effect of the green orb, it was a kind of collision rune.

    The runes inside the burly man¡¯s yellow hammer were also in the ckwood Manual, named "Vibration", capable of transforming power into vibrations. The golden curtain had just rippled, which was the attack effect caused by this yellow hammer.

    "I already have a forging hammer, and I didn¡¯t expect to get a bigger one today. It seems that I have a fate with hammer-type magical weapons. Eh, this hammer has a name..." Yuan Ming gently swung the yellow hammer, his gaze falling on the end of the hammer handle.

    There, it was inscribed: Mountain Shaking Hammer, three small characters.

    "Mountain Shaking Hammer, the name is quite fitting." A smile appeared at the corner of Yuan Ming¡¯s mouth.

    Of these three magical weapons, the only one he found impressive was the Mountain Shaking Hammer. This hammer was made of a certain metal, extremely heavy, even heavier than the green orb and Master ckwood¡¯s forging hammer. Combined with the Vibration rune, its attack power was extraordinarily strong, especially suitable for closebat.

    If he were to use the White Ape Transformation and pair it with this Mountain Shaking Hammer, they would definitelyplement each other.

    Yuan Ming put away the three magical weapons and inspected the storage bags of the three people.

    Inside the red-clothed woman¡¯s storage bag, there were a few spirit stones, somemon materials, and a lower-grade magical weapon of very poor quality, even worse than the ck wooden hairpin.

    On the other hand, the cold youth¡¯s storage bag contained more than two hundred spirit stones, including a medium-grade spirit stone, and two lower-grade magical weapons of decent quality.

    Finally, Yuan Ming opened the burly man¡¯s storage bag and was taken aback.

    Apart from a few spirit materials, the rest of the storage bag was filled with arge number of talisman papers, a talisman pen with a gold shaft and white tip, several bottles of talisman drawing spirit liquid, and a thin book.

    "This burly man is rough and simple, I didn¡¯t expect him to be a talisman master." A surprised look appeared on Yuan Ming¡¯s face.

    The talisman paper, talisman pen, and spirit liquid all revealed the burly man¡¯s identity.

    Yuan Ming counted the talismans in the storage bag, there were thirty-two finished talismans, all were low-grade Fireball Talismans, Wind de Talismans, Water Arrow Talismans, etc., not a single mid-grade talisman.

    "It seems that this man¡¯s talisman making skills are just average." Yuan Ming muttered to himself, and opened the thin book.

    The book was simr to the ckwood Manual, the first few pages recorded the burly man¡¯s cultivation career, insights, etc., thest three pages depicted six talisman runes, namely Fireball Talisman, Wind de Talisman, Water Arrow Talisman, Rock Spike Talisman, Wood Spike Talisman, and Earth Travel Talisman.

    The first five talismans were all lower-grade, but the Earth Travel Talisman was mid-grade.

    "So that yellow talisman is called the Earth Travel Talisman."

    Next to the talisman records, the effect of the Earth Travel Talisman was clearly written. It allowed one to move freely underground for a short period of time, as if swimming in water, which was more sophisticated than ordinary earth escape techniques.

    Unfortunately, the burly man only made one Earth Travel Talisman.

    Yuan Ming sighed in regret, then put the book and other items into his storage ring, without any intention of trying to draw talismans himself.

    When he was studying artifact refining in the Bi Luo Cave, he had heard people talk about talismans and had a slight understanding of talisman drawing.

    Being a talisman master was a profession that consumed a lot of resources and time. To master a talisman, one had to go through hundreds or thousands of failures, consuming countless materials and energy, to slowly umte experience and improve the sess rate.

    For those with slightly poorer talent in talisman drawing, it was normal for the number of failures to double or triple. And if they switched to another talisman, they had to start all over again.

    To cultivate a qualified talisman master, there was no other way than to spend countless resources over the years.

    Moreover, drawing talismans was very energy-consuming and would inevitably affect cultivation. Any cultivator with ambition would not be distracted to learn this.

    Yuan Ming had neither the resources nor the extra energy, so naturally he would not try to learn to draw talismans.

    Biting off more than one can chew!

 Chapter 169: Peeping

    Chapter 169: Peeping

    Yuan Ming turned around and returned to the cave, closing his eyes and sensing the situation of the two Soul Crows in the distance, his face showing surprise.

    Inside the ancient castle where Bai Rong was, there were now three men and one woman.

    Yuan Ming vaguely remembered that these four people were all members of this mission, but they chose to leave the team at the entrance of the Ghost Cry Gorge. Unexpectedly, they appeared again now.

    It seems that these four people are together with Bai Rong, and they have other intentions for participating in the mission of the White Night Scattered Alliance. The mark left by this woman earlier may be to guide these people.

    "Sang Yan, are you sure this is the ce?" One of the four men in gray robes asked.

    "Reporting to Elder Gutu, ording to the description on that scroll, I found this ce after searching for twenty miles west from the Snake King Cave." Bai Rong respectfully said.

    ...

    "Sang Yan! This Bai Rong is Sang Yan!" Yuan Ming trembled slightly when he heard their conversation.

    The Third Cave Master had mentioned Sang Yan to him before. The condition for helping him refine the Qingyu Sword was to obtain the spiritual material, White me Essence Gold, from Sang Yan in the White Deer Hill. Unexpectedly, he encountered her here by chance."The Third Cave Master said that Sang Yan is a disciple of the ck Fire Sect. Is this gray-robed man also from the ck Fire Sect? Sang Yan calls him Elder, could it be that he is a Foundation Establishment cultivator hiding his cultivation level!" Yuan Ming became vignt.

    ...

    Inside the ancient castle.

    "That should be correct. However, this ck prohibition seems to be the Locking Yin Formation, which can automatically absorb Yin Qi and maintain the operation of the formation for a long time. This castle is filled with dense Yin Qi, which is constantly replenished. It may not be easy to break this prohibition." Elder Gutu pondered.

    "What should we do then? Are we just going to waste our efforts? We have spent a lot of spirit stones to resist the miasma of the Snake King Valley." A ck-d young girl beside Elder Gutu said grumpily.

    "Don¡¯t worry, Junior Sister N. Elder Gutu is proficient in formations and prohibitions. He can rank in the top five in our sect. Breaking a small formation like this should not be a problem for him." Sang Yan said with a smile.

    "Stop ttering me. Who is your Junior Sister!" The ck-d young girl frowned slightly and retorted.

    Sang Yan smiled and did not seem to care about the impoliteness of the ck-d young girl.

    Behind Sang Yan stood a rough-looking man carrying a ck knife, who seemed to be her bodyguard. His eyes shed with anger as he took a step forward.

    Beside the ck-d young girl stood a young man with sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes. He also took two steps forward to protect the ck-d young girl.

    "Stop fooling around. The important matter has not been aplished yet. All of you, step back!" Elder Gutu shouted.

    Sang Yan waved her hand, and the rough-looking man stepped back, while the young man with sword-like eyebrows beside the ck-d young girl also stepped back.

    "Elder Gutu, although the Locking Yin prohibition is troublesome, with your attainments in formations and prohibitions, you should have already thought of a way to break it, right?" Sang Yan asked.

    "If it was a Locking Yin Formation set up in recent years, I may not be able to break it. However, this prohibition seems to have existed for many years. Although it is still operating, the formation tools have begun to decay in many ces, showing signs of instability. There should be a way to break it. Listen to my instructions..." Elder Gutu pondered for a moment and said so.

    Sang Yan and the others were delighted and listened attentively. Then, following Elder Gutu¡¯s instructions, they stood in different ces outside the main hall, holding the white jade talisman given by Elder Gutu, and activated the spell.

    Arrows of white light in the shape of arrows shot out from the jade talisman, containing faint runes, and hit the ck prohibition.

    This time, the ck prohibition failed to devour the white light and trembled incessantly. It was obvious that strands of ck Qi were constantly dissipating.

    "It seems that Elder Gutu is quite aplished in formations. I wonder who is more powerful, him or the masked woman who formed a formation in ck Rock City?" Yuan Ming thought to himself as he saw this.

    There would be no immediate result in the castle for a while. Yuan Ming¡¯s thoughts shifted, and he looked at the situation inside the Snake King Cave through another Soul Crow¡¯s vision.

    At this moment, Bai Ye and the others had already fought for a while and had entered the depths of the Snake King Cave.

    With Bai Ye and Huan Shi, both Foundation Establishment cultivators, and everyone sticking together and steadily advancing, there were no casualties.

    The space here not only did not shrink, but instead becamerger. The surrounding miasma became more intense, and both the members of the White Night Scattered Alliance and the scattered cultivators gradually showed signs of fatigue, despite having the protection of the Obstacle-Avoiding Beads.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s Soul Crow was not a living creature and was not affected by the miasma, so it easily followed behind.

    By this point, the number of Golden Flower Poison Pythons attacking from the surroundings had already decreased. The resistance encountered by the group was greatly reduced.

    Bai Ye and Huan Shi¡¯s expressions were not rxed, but rather more serious.

    "We should be very close to the Snake King¡¯s nest. Don¡¯t let your guard down. Stay alert!" Huan Shi shouted.

    Before his voice fell, a low and hoarse roar came from the cave ahead, with a momentum that seemed to prate the soul.

    The bodies of the Qi Refining cultivators trembled, and their faces turned pale.

    The surface of the Soul Crow hiding in the back emitted scattered ck light and trembled."The roar carries a sonic attack that can actually harm the soul!" Yuan Ming hurriedly controlled the Soul Crow to retreat.

    In his contemtion, a golden shadow shed through the miasma ahead, and a thick, bucket-sized golden snake tail shot out, heading straight for the crowd, creating a hurricane that almost blew everyone away.

    Huan Shi swiftly moved forward and stood in front of the crowd. He held a bronze shield in his hand, and a sh of green and golden light erupted.

    With a loud bang, Huan Shi was pushed back several steps along with his shield, and the golden snake tail was also blocked.

    "It¡¯s the Golden Flower Snake King! Set up the formation!" Huan Shi shouted without waiting for his figure to stabilize.

    The ten members of the White Night Scattered Alliance quickly formed a circle, inserting white gs into the ground, almost halfway in.

    With a wave of his sleeve, Bai Ye shot out several formation discs,nding in various ces within the circle.

    Boom!

    The ten gs rose up with dazzling white light, connecting with each other to form a circr white formation, enveloping the ten people within.

    The five recruited scattered cultivators, seeing the power of the Snake King, were extremely frightened and instinctively retreated.

    "Retreating will only lead to a dead end. Hide in the formation! The Golden Flower Snake King is a second-level fierce beast. Without relying on the formation, you won¡¯t stand a chance!" Bai Ye shouted.

    The already closed white formation made a sound and opened a passage.

    The five scattered cultivators, in a panic, rushed towards the opening in the formation.

    The dense miasma in front stirred, and a giant python, about forty to fifty zhang long, covered in golden scales, shot out from the poisonous miasma. The snake¡¯s head, as big as a fight, spewed out a green venom, aiming at the five scattered cultivators.

    Bai Ye took out a purple token and infused it with his mana.

    The token suddenly emitted a burst of purple light, andrge purple mes also emerged within the white formation, burning fiercely.

    With a light shout from Bai Ye, a purple fire snake, about a zhang long, shot out from the formation and collided with the green venom.

    The purple fire snake sizzled and disappeared, and the green venom was also scattered, sshing in all directions.

    The sound of sizzling could be heard asrge and small pits were corroded on the ground and stone walls.

    A drop of the scattered venom happened to hit the head of one of the fleeing scattered cultivators.

    The person¡¯s head instantly melted into a sticky mud, and he died without even being able to scream.

    Yuan Ming witnessed this scene and was secretly shocked and relieved that he didn¡¯t greedily follow them into the adventure.

    The toxicity of this Golden Flower Snake King was unexpectedly terrifying. It was much stronger than the venom of the ck Toad, and even Qi Refining cultivators couldn¡¯t resist it at all.

    The remaining four scattered cultivators were terrified and used all their strength to rush into the white formation like the wind, and the opening in the formation immediately closed.

    "Swift!" Bai Ye¡¯s eyes rxed as he activated the token in his hand.

    The purple mes within the formation surged, shooting out arge mass of purple mes, making crackling sounds as they burned, heading towards the golden snake head.

    The golden snake head seemed to be wary of the purple mes and dodged, avoiding this attack.

    Huan Shi, beside him, also had a purple token in his hand, which he waved towards the purple mes.

    The purple mes spread in the air, forming a giant purple fire several zhang in size, enveloping the huge snake head.

    Sizzling sounds of burning could be heard as the golden snake head was burned with ck bloodstains, emitting painful screams. It opened its mouth and spewed out a green venom.

    The venom was highly corrosive, and the purple fire couldn¡¯t withstand it. It was corroded, leaving arge hole and copsing.

    The golden snake head shook its head, opened its blood-filled mouth, and let out another dragon-like roar towards Bai Ye and the others.

    This roar was much more powerful than before, causing ripples in the air in front of the snake¡¯s mouth.

    Yuan Ming was startled and didn¡¯t have time to continue watching. He immediately controlled the Soul Crow to turn around and fly away.

    However, before he could escape far, the residual shockwaves of the roar¡¯s sonic attack shook the Soul Crow violently. Its body trembled intensely, and arge amount of ck energy overflowed from its body, almost turning it semi-transparent. Fortunately, it didn¡¯tpletely copse.

    Yuan Ming felt his head go nk, and the vision transmitted back by the Soul Crow quickly became blurry.

    He didn¡¯t have time to think too much and took advantage of the next wave of sonic attacks not yet appearing. He quickly controlled the Soul Crow to retreat from the Snake King¡¯s cave and returned it to his sea of consciousness.

    At the same time, another Soul Crow flew out from his forehead and returned to the depths of the Snake King¡¯s cave.

    He still wanted to grasp the situation of the battle over there in a timely manner, even if it meant paying the price of some damage to his soul.

    After doing all this, Yuan Ming suddenly thought of something and called the Soul Crow guarding outside the cave toe in.

    He controlled the Soul Crow to possess the ck Toad, took out the Earth Travel Talisman and Storage Ring, and handed them to the ck Toad. Then, he activated the Earth Travel Talisman.

    Ayer of yellow light appeared on the ck Toad, and with a "pu" sound, it burrowed into the ground and disappeared, heading towards the Snake King¡¯s cave.

    ...

    The Soul Crow flew back to the depths of the Snake King¡¯s cave, cautiously reaching the ce where it had previously hidden, and looked ahead.

    Green mist had appeared in the air ahead, mixed with the miasma of this ce, making the vision even narrower, and everything around seemed somewhat blurry.The green poisonous fog carried a sour, stenchy smell, clearly indicating its deadly toxicity. The ground and stone walls were corroded and pitted, and the body of the fallen rogue cultivator from before had beenpletely dissolved, leaving only a puddle of sticky fluid.

    Within the green poisonous fog, the formation set up by the Baiye Alliance had already copsed. The ten white gs had all been destroyed, with fragments scattered all over the ground.

    The ten members of the Baiye Alliance who had been hiding within the formation, along with four rogue cultivators, had all fallen dead. Their bodies were nearly half melted, their skin turning into a strange, ghostly green.

    Of the group that had entered, only Baiye and Huan Shi were still alive, currently engaged in a fierce battle with the Snake King using their magical instruments.

    However, both of their cheeks were tinged with a faint green, indicating that they too had been poisoned by the snake. Their movements were much slower than before.

    "The Baiye Alliance went to such great lengths toe here and y the Snake King, they must have been fully prepared. How could they have suffered such a disastrous defeat!" Yuan Ming found it hard to believe. Between the release and recall of his soul crow, it had only been half an incense stick¡¯s time, yet the situation had taken a drastic turn for the worse.

    But then, his gaze suddenly hardened.

    He was shocked to find that something seemed off about the Snake King that Baiye and Huan Shi were fighting. It didn¡¯t seem to be the same one as before.

 Chapter 170: Steal Dan

    Chapter 170: Steal Dan

    Yuan Ming controlled the Soul Crow to fly a little closer, and upon closer inspection, his heart trembled.

    The Snake King in front of him was indeed different from the previous one. It had grownrger in size, with a hooked horn growing from its forehead and four protrusions on its abdomen. It looked like it was about to shed its snake body and transform into a Flood Dragon.

    The Snake King that had fought against Bai Ye and Huan Shi earlier was now lying in the poisonous gas behind them, barely breathing.

    This Snake King had nearly half of its snake scales damaged, blood flowing continuously. Its head was severely injured, with half of its python head crushed, but it was not dead yet. Its snake mouth was slightly opening and closing, seemingly recovering from its injuries.

    "There are actually two Snake Kings here? Bai Ye and the Scattered Alliance¡¯s intelligence was wrong, otherwise it wouldn¡¯t be so miserable." Yuan Ming sighed inwardly.

    The strength of the Horned Snake King was much stronger than the previous one, with its power doubled. The green venom it sprayed was also more toxic, easily corroding rocks to form deep craters. The venom that fell on the ground would quickly evaporate, forming a green poisonous mist.

    The most terrifying thing was the horn on its forehead, which could shoot out golden rays with extremely strong prating power. Bai Ye and Huan Shi didn¡¯t dare to let it hit them.

    However, the two of them were Foundation Establishment cultivators after all. Although they were poisoned by the snake venom, they still cooperated tacitly and were quite skilled in various spells and magic tools. For a while, they were notpletely defeated.

    Bai Ye controlled a golden flying sword, while Huan Shi activated the bronze shield. Sword qi filled the air, and the shield¡¯s shadow flew around, defending and attacking appropriately, blocking wave after wave of attacks from the Horned Snake King.However, the cave was filled with poisonous mist. Although the two of them had antidote treasures on them, they still couldn¡¯tpletely resist it. The green gas on their faces gradually intensified, and their movements became slower.

    The narrow snake pupils of the Horned Snake King revealed a bloodthirsty excitement, and its attacks became more and more fierce.

    Yuan Ming ignored the battle inside the cave and stared intently at the heavily injured Snake King. He secretly controlled the ck Toad lurking underground and moved towards the fallen Snake King.

    There were two Foundation Establishment cultivators and two second-level ferocious beasts inside the cave. In order to avoid being discovered, the ck Toad had to travel underground for about fifteen meters before reaching the Snake King.

    A dark purple vine silently emerged from the ground and swiftly pierced into the wound on the head of the Golden Flower Snake King, deeply embedding itself inside.

    The Snake King, who was still breathing and recovering, was suddenly attacked. It couldn¡¯t help but let out a miserable scream when it was attacked on its head.

    "Now is the time!"

    A ck shadow shot out from the ground beside the Golden Flower Snake King¡¯s mouth and swiftly entered its wide-opened jaws. The dark purple vine also retracted like lightning, entering the snake¡¯s mouth as well.

    The series of changes happened as fast as lightning. Only at this moment did the Golden Flower Snake King react and try to investigate what the ck shadow that had entered its body was.

    Just at this moment, it felt a piercing pain in its abdomen, as if a sharp knife was piercing through its internal organs.

    The Snake King howled in pain, and its thick snake tail wildly thrashed around, directly shattering the rocky ground and raising a cloud of dust.

    Bai Ye, Huan Shi, and the Horned Snake King all noticed the movement nearby. Under their hesitation, the battle slowed down.

    "What was that ck shadow just now? Could there be someone else nearby?" Bai Ye and Huan Shi retreated a distance, both shocked and delighted.

    The appearance of a second Snake King, who was even stronger, had already shattered their hopes of achieving their original goal. They only wanted to escape with their lives now, but this Horned Snake King seemed to be enraged by the injuries to itspanions and was fiercely entangling them, not giving them any chance to escape.

    Although the two of them could still barely hold on, their hearts were already filled with despair. Now that there was a sudden change, there might be hope of escaping.

    The Horned Snake King turned its head and nced at itspanion, but did not go over. It roared angrily and continued to pounce on Bai Ye and Huan Shi, its speed even faster than before.

    "Get out of the way!" Bai Ye shouted loudly, dodging to the side, while Huan Shi hurriedly moved to the other side.

    Bai Ye had a deep cultivation and could barely resist the snake venom in his body, but Huan Shi was gradually unable to suppress it. The poison suddenly surged, causing his footsteps to stagger.

    The Horned Snake King had already opened its intelligence and was no less inferior to ordinary cultivators. Seeing this scene, it immediately abandoned Bai Ye and pounced towards Huan Shi. Its thick snake tail moved abnormally flexibly and struck horizontally, with a sh of golden light reaching Huan Shi in an instant.

    Huan Shi couldn¡¯t dodge in time and could only use the bronze shield to block in front of him.

    With a loud bang, the snake tail fiercely struck the shield.

    A tremendous force surged forth, causing the originally smooth surface of the shield to sink in, and it was sent flying to the side.

    Huan Shi, who was behind, was also shaken by a great force and was sent flying, crashing heavily onto the ground like a sandbag, losing consciousness.

    "Younger Brother!" Bai Ye was greatly rmed and immediately counterattacked with all his strength.

    His golden flying sword shot out, aiming for the head of the Horned Snake King. The sword qi was dazzling, making it almost impossible for people to open their eyes.

    The Horned Snake King opened its mouth and spat out a fist-sized white bead. It was surrounded by astonishing demonic energy fluctuations and collided with the golden flying sword.

    With a loud boom, a fierce demonic energy erupted, causing a gust of wind to sweep through the cave, engulfing the figures of the Horned Snake King and Bai Ye.

    The Soul Crow in the distance couldn¡¯t see the situation inside clearly and could only hear the sound of collisions.

    After a few breaths, a white figure shot out and crashed heavily into the nearby mountain wall, embedding itself inside. It was Bai Ye.He was covered in bruises, with his right arm bent at a strange angle. The green snake venom on his skin had be even more concentrated, and he remained motionless, falling into aa.

    The One-Horned Snake King leaped out of the dust, with a huge wound on its neck. Blood stained half of its snake body, but it still moved agilely and quickly arrived next to the injured Snake King.

    At this moment, it didn¡¯t care about the life or death of Bai Ye and Huan Shi, but wanted to save itspanion.

    However, the ck Toad was hiding inside the injured Snake King. Although the One-Horned Snake King was powerful, it had no way to deal with it and could only be anxious on the side.

    ...

    Yuan Ming saw this scene through the nearby Soul Ravens and sighed.

    Bai Ye and Huan Shi were easily defeated even when they joined forces. This One-Horned Snake King¡¯s strength was truly formidable, and it was probably already at the Second Stage of the Advanced Level. Although controlling the ck Toad temporarily saved them from harm, it seemed that they would not be able to leave this ce alive today.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t have a bad impression of Bai Ye and Huan Shi. If he had the ability, he wouldn¡¯t mind saving them. Unfortunately, his strength hadn¡¯t even reached the Foundation Establishment stage, so he could only choose to stand by and watch.

    He focused on urging the ck Toad to devour the demonic power of the heavily injured Snake King.

    The aura of the ck Toad soared, reaching the peak of the First Stage, and continued to rise.

    The heavily injured Snake King¡¯s robust body had shrunk by nearly half, and its struggling became smaller and smaller. Its body continued to wither, and its aura became weaker and weaker.

    On the contrary, the strength of the ck Toad continued to advance by leaps and bounds, far surpassing the level of a First Stage demonic beast.

    "Just a little more, just a little bit, and it will reach the realm of a Second Stage demonic beast!" Yuan Ming thought to himself.

    However, most of the demonic power of this Snake King had been absorbed by the Purple-ck Demon Vine, causing the progress of the ck Toad¡¯s strength to slow down.

    At this moment, the Purple-ck Vine touched a white bead the size of an egg, just like the bead that the One-Horned Snake King had just spat out.

    "This must be the snake bead that Huan Shi mentioned before, transformed from the snake gall!" Yuan Ming was secretly delighted and immediately controlled the Purple Vine to pick it.

    As the bead separated from the Snake King¡¯s dying body, thest trace of vitality finally dissipated.

    A substantial anger shot out from the One-Horned Snake King¡¯s eyes, and the golden light on its forehead surged. A thick golden beam, as thick as an arm, burst out and headed straight for where the ck Toad was.

    The ck Toad remained calm and activated the Earth Escape Talisman, swiftly passing through the thin snake skin and burrowing into the ground.

    Just as its figure disappeared, the golden beam arrived fiercely, easily cutting the withered snake body in half and splitting the ground, creating a huge crack several zhang long. However, it didn¡¯t touch even half of the ck Toad¡¯s toe.

    "Roar..." The One-Horned Snake King roared angrily at the sky, and its tail angrily mmed the ground, causing countless stones to fly and raising a cloud of dust.

    Yuan Ming controlled the ck Toad to burrow about seven or eight zhang underground before stopping. It opened its mouth and swallowed the white snake bead.

    The white snake bead contained most of the Snake King¡¯s demonic power, but unfortunately, it was locked inside the bead. If an ordinary cultivator obtained it and wanted to use it, they would have to go through some difficulties.

    However, after the ck Toad fused with the Demon Vine, it awakened the ability to devour, making it easy to refine the bead.

    The Purple-ck Demon Vine wrapped around the white snake bead, and a huge demonic power merged into the ck Toad¡¯s body. Its aura continued to soar, and after a few breaths, it broke through the bottleneck and reached a new realm.

    The spiritual energy of heaven and earth poured in from all directions, causing tremendous changes in the ck Toad¡¯s organs, muscles, and skin. They continued to strengthen, and the Purple-ck Demon Vine residing in its body wriggled incessantly, quickly bing tougher.

    The size of the ck Toad¡¯s body inted, and all the poison sacs on its back disappeared, reced by more than a dozen purple patterns, making it much more pleasing to the eye than before.

    Those poison sacs didn¡¯t disappear; all the potent toxins flowed to a certain part of the ck Toad¡¯s body, and the surging demonic power also rushed there, condensing into a purple-ck bead.

    The aura on the ck Toad¡¯s body quickly stabilized, and a tremendous pressure burst forth, no less than that of a fallen Snake King.

    "Could it be that it has advanced to the Second Stage Spirit Beast!" Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes shed with joy.

    A Second Stage demonic beast wasparable to a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment stage. He finally had a capable helper.

    "Speaking of which, now that this Spirit Beast has advanced to the Second Stage, will it resist the Beast Control Rune?" He suddenly remembered something and sensed the Beast Control Rune inside the ck Toad.

    His worries did not materialize. The ck Toad did not resist the Beast Control Rune inside its body and still obediently followed his orders.

    Yuan Ming breathed a sigh of relief and sensed the current abilities of the ck Toad.

    The purple-ck bead inside the ck Toad¡¯s body was its inner core, simr to the snake bead of the Snake King. It was condensed from its entire demonic power and could be used as a magic tool once it waspletely stable.

    The inner core of each demonic beast had different abilities. The snake bead of the Golden Flower Poison Python was indestructible and could be used to directly attack enemies. The inner core of the ck Toad was different; its ability leaned more towards potent toxins.

    The purple-ck inner core contained the ck Toad¡¯s poison, and its toxicity had greatly increasedpared to before. It also had many more ways to use it.

    In addition to poisoning, the inner core of the ck Toad also had another ability: it could absorb the potent toxins of other poisonous substances and store them in the inner core, releasing them when necessary.

    "It can also absorb potent toxins? Let¡¯s give it a try..." Yuan Ming had a thought and controlled the ck Toad to open its mouth and suck.

    The green poisonous mist in the snake cave, as well as the poisonous miasma, flowed into the ground like a whale sucking in water, merging into the ck Toad¡¯s inner core.The originally purple-ck surface of the inner elixir began to show specks of green, adding a touch of mystery to its appearance.

 Chapter 171: Coffin

    Chapter 171: Coffin

    Yuan Ming was delighted to see that the ck Toad could enhance its cultivation by absorbing highly toxic substances.

    The green poisonous mist in the snake cave quickly became thin. The Snake King, witnessing this scene, stopped ravaging and coiled its thick snake body together, showing caution in its snake eyes.

    The poisonous mist in the snake cave quickly disappeared, and the poison gas was also reduced.

    When the ck Toad finally stopped absorbing, nearly half of its inner core turned into a dark green color, and it became unusually excited, as if it hadn¡¯t absorbed enough.

    Yuan Ming was originally worried that the ck Toad would not be able to withstand absorbing too much external poison, but now it seemed that he was overthinking. The ck Toad¡¯s ability to resist poison far exceeded his expectations.

    In addition to cultivating an inner core, the demonic vine residing in the ck Toad¡¯s body seemed to have gained new vitality and grown stronger.

    With just a thought from Yuan Ming, a cracking sound of "pupupu" was heard.

    More than a dozen purple-ck demonic vines emerged from the ck Toad¡¯s back, each one thicker than before, with purple vine leaves growing on the surface, resembling a forest of purple-ck vines.

    These purple-ck demonic vines were already difficult to deal with, and now their numbers had increased significantly, and they were even tougher than before. Ordinary second-level savage beasts would probably not be able to match them....

    On the ground, the Snake King looked vigntly at the surrounding area, and golden light flickered on its horn.

    At this moment, it seemed to have sensed something and swiftly flew to the side with its huge snake body.

    More than a dozen thick purple-ck demonic vines drilled out of the ground and coiled around the Snake King¡¯s body, but unfortunately, most of them missed, and only two vines wrapped around the Snake King¡¯s tail.

    The tops of the two vines suddenly became sharp and directly pierced through the Snake King¡¯s tough scales, entering its body.

    The Snake King only felt a sharp pain in its tail, and its demonic power was also absorbed by the two vines. Its originally plump snake tail quickly became withered at a visible speed.

    The Snake King was filled with shock and anger. As it swung its head,rge amounts of dark green venom sshed onto the vines.

    A "hissing" sound was heard, and those purple-ck demonic vines that touched the venom immediately turned pitch ck, quickly decaying and rotting. However, only a small portion of them decayed, and the remaining parts still firmly imprisoned the snake tail, and the speed of devouring demonic power did not slow down much.

    With this dy, other demonic vines swept over and entangled various parts of the Snake King¡¯s body, with each vine piercing into its body.

    A trace of fear shed in the Snake King¡¯s eyes. It immediately struggled with all its might, while continuously spraying out venom. Golden rays also shot out from its horn, cutting towards the vines around its body.

    Although the purple-ck demonic vines were not afraid of snake venom and were much tougher than before, any vine that was hit by the golden rays would be cleanly cut in half.

    However, the number of purple-ck demonic vines had increased significantly, and their regenerative ability was extremely strong. After being cut off, they would immediately grow new vine tendrils.

    The Snake King shot seven or eight golden rays in a row, but instead of decreasing, the number of vines entangling it increased more and more. In no time, its huge snake body was gradually entangled into a bundle.

    All the vines were crazily absorbing the demonic power in the Snake King¡¯s body. The Snake King tried to resist, but it became increasingly difficult. As its body shrunk from its initial frantic struggles to weakly swinging its head and tail.

    After half an incense stick¡¯s worth of time, the Snake King hadpletely turned into a withered corpse. All its demonic power had been devoured by the ck Toad like a blunt knife cutting through meat.

    The sight of the remains of the two snake kings made Yuan Ming feel somewhat unreal.

    Although the Snake King had just experienced a battle between humans and snakes, it was still a savage beast close to the second-level upper stage. Yet, in front of this ck Toad, it had almost no ability to fight back.

    He couldn¡¯t help but reevaluate the strength of the ck Toad as a spiritual beast.

    Now that the battle in the snake cave was over, the battlefield needed to be cleaned up, and there were still many spiritual materials on the bodies of the two snake kings that needed to be collected. It was not convenient for the ck Toad to do these things.

    Yuan Ming stood up, put away the Four-Sided Sealing Talisman, and flew towards the snake cave.

    As he hurried along, he used another soul crow to sense the situation of the ck Fire Gate¡¯s Sang Yan and his group.

    Inside the ruined hall, the Yin Locking Restriction had begun to flicker and fade, indicating that it could copse at any time.

    Elder Gu Tu suddenly released a burst of mana, which merged into the white jade talisman. He formed seals with both hands in front of him.

    The white jade talisman in his hand burst open with a "bang," turning into a several-foot-long white light arrow that struck the ck light curtain.

    The jade talismans of the other four people also shattered, turning into white light arrows that fiercely struck various parts of the Yin Locking Restriction.

    The already precarious restrictionpletely copsed, turning into countless ck gas that dispersed, revealing the situation inside the hall.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming quickly controlled the soul crow to get closer and peek into the situation inside the hall.

    In the center of the hall, there was a ck coffin, and on the left and right sides stood two green tiger statues, which seemed to be two guardian beasts.

    In the deeper part of the hall, there seemed to be a white jade tform with various bottles and jars ced on it.

    It was too far away, and the soul crow couldn¡¯t see it clearly.Yuan Ming manipted the Soul Raven to approach again, and the bone diagram suddenly looked over, shouting, "What is that thing!"

    Yuan Ming was startled and quickly controlled the Soul Raven to retreat, pping its wings to escape.

    "Trying to escape?" The bone diagram flicked its finger.

    An extremely thin ck line, invisible to the naked eye, shot out. It was a ck needle as thin as a hair, instantly crossing a distance of more than ten zhang and piercing towards the Soul Raven¡¯s chest.

    The Soul Raven pped its wings to dodge to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack of the ck line.

    The ck needle suddenly changed direction and shot towards the Soul Raven again, directly piercing through its left wing.

    The left wing of the Soul Raven disintegrated directly, and it started to fly unsteadily. After flying a short distance, it was pierced through its body by the ck needle again and disintegrated, turning into a mass of ck gas and dissipating.

    ...

    While running swiftly, Yuan Ming suddenly felt a buzzing in his mind, and his face turned pale.

    The dispatched Soul Raven was destroyed, and its soul power also suffered considerable damage.

    Fortunately, he had already cultivated the Death Moon method to the second level. With the incense burner in his hand, he could recover as long as he had some time to nurture it.

    "It seems that I underestimated the perception ability of the Foundation Establishment stage cultivators."

    Yuan Ming did not stop his footsteps and nced in the direction where the Soul Raven was destroyed. He elerated towards the direction of the Snake King Cave.

    ...

    Inside the main hall.

    "Elder Bone Diagram, what just happened?" Sang Yan asked.

    "It should be someone using secret techniques to spy. Their aura was hidden extremely well, and I just discovered a clue." Bone Diagram pondered and said.

    "If it can deceive your divine sense, it¡¯s probably not an ordinary Qi Refining stage cultivator." Sang Yan said.

    "Could it be Bai Ye or Huan Shi?" This matter was of great importance, and the ck-clothed girl who didn¡¯t get along well with Sang Yan didn¡¯t argue with her and said.

    "It doesn¡¯t seem like the methods they would use. It¡¯s probably someone else." Sang Yan said.

    "Regardless of who it is, you go in and take the things first. I will stay here! Remember to be quick!" Bone Diagram decisively said, turning to face outside.

    Sang Yan and the others did not dare to dy and hurriedly entered the hall. They first checked the stone tform behind the coffin. The bottles inside contained pills, but unfortunately, the pills had expired due to the passage of time.

    They were greatly disappointed and searched around the other areas of the hall, but found nothing. They all came to the side of the ck coffin and quickly deciphered the mechanism of the coffin lid, about to open it.

    "Hold on."

    Sang Yan raised her hand to stop the others and shot out a white bowl, floating above the coffin. Then she signaled the others to open it.

    "Ka ka" The mechanism operated, and the heavy coffin lid slowly opened.

    Before the others could see what was inside the coffin, a thick ck gas burst out, emitting a nauseating smell.

    "Quick, retreat!" Sang Yan shouted loudly and flew backward like lightning.

    The others also hurriedly flew backwards.

    The white bowl floating above immediately swooped down, emitting a white spiritual light that enveloped the ck gas.

    The ck gas struggled like a living creature, but it couldn¡¯t break free from the confinement of the white light. It was slowly collected by the white bowl, but the originally pure white bowl gradually turned ck.

    "Corpse-rotting poison! Fortunately, Senior Sister Sang Yan was prepared, otherwise the consequences would be unimaginable." The young man with sword-like eyebrows exhaled and said.

    The ck-clothed girl looked at Sang Yan with aplicated expression before looking at the coffin.

    Inside the coffiny a seven-foot-tall corpse, thin and tall, with limbs as slender as bamboo poles.

    The corpse was wearing a tattered green robe and a high crown made of red jade on its head. Its whole body was covered in green fur, but its aura was extremely weak.

    "Is this the corpse of the Foundation Establishment stage wandering cultivator, Tian She Shangren, from a hundred years ago? It is said that his cultivation had already reached the mid-Foundation Establishment stage before his death. Why is his aura so weak, like an ordinary Yin corpse?" The ck-clothed girl observed the corpse and said.

    The others, including Sang Yan, had simr expressions.

    They were all disciples of the ck Fire Sect, skilled in controlling corpses and had deep knowledge of corpses. Even if a high-level cultivator fell, their remains would still retain some of their previous power, and it would not be like this.

    A figure flickered, and the bone diagram¡¯s figure also appeared beside the coffin. When he saw the green-haired corpse inside, his eyebrows furrowed.

    "Could it be a mistake? This person is not Tian She Shangren?" The young man with sword-like eyebrows said.

    "It¡¯s impossible. I followed the remnants of the map to find this ce. The remnants were drawn by the only disciple of Tian She Shangren, and it clearly marked this ce as Tian She Shangren¡¯s tomb. The Yin-sealing restriction outside the hall, the abandoned pills, and the fact that Tian She Shangren had a thin and tall figure all match this corpse. It can¡¯t be someone else!" Sang Yan said with a firm tone.

    "That remnant map was just something you bought from a stall. Who knows if it was drawn by some swindler." The ck-clothed girl sneered.

    Sang Yan¡¯s eyes darkened, about to retort.

    "I understand now. It¡¯s a Corpse-Sealing Nail!" Bone Diagram¡¯s voice came over, interrupting their argument.

    He stood on top of the corpse¡¯s head, his gaze fixed on the corpse¡¯s head.

    "Corpse-Sealing Nail?" Sang Yan asked."The Corpse Sealing Nail is a unique artifact of the Corpse Chasing Sect from the Chu Kingdom in the Central ins, used for refining corpses. As long as this nail is pierced into the Baihui acupoint, it can seal the meridians throughout the body, preventing any leakage of aura, and allowing it to automatically absorb the surrounding Yin energy, gradually transforming and absorbing it." Gu Tu exined, pushing aside the jade crown on the corpse¡¯s head. A ck iron nail was embedded deep into the Baihui acupoint on its brain.

    "Can a corpse be transformed into a refined corpse so easily?" The girl in ck looked at the iron nail, speaking in disbelief.

    To refine a corpse, the ck Fire Sect needed many steps and arge amount of resources. The idea that a single iron nail could autonomously refine a corpse was almost unimaginable.

 Chapter 172: Intercept

    Chapter 172: Intercept

    "Of course not. Although using corpse-sealing nails to refine corpses is convenient, it requires a very long time to wait, at least over a hundred years. It can¡¯t be considered a top-notch method of refining corpses. For the corpse-catching sect, the main purpose of corpse-sealing nails is actually to seal some rampaging corpses." The bone diagram shook its head and said so.

    Upon hearing this, the ck-d girl and the others suddenly realized.

    The bone diagram stopped speaking and muttered some words, pointing its fingertips at the ck iron nails. Both of them erupted with ck light at the same time.

    His fingers slowly moved outward, and the ck iron nails seemed to be stuck to his fingers, slowly pulling away from the green-haired corpse¡¯s head, bit by bit.

    The ck-d girl and the others held their breath and stared, not daring to breathe.

    Boom!

    At the moment when the ck iron nail left the green-haired corpse¡¯s head, a sinister and terrifying aura burst out from the green-haired corpse, instantly filling the entire hall, far surpassing the pressure of a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator.

    The clothes of everyone rustled, and even their breathing became difficult. They were all shocked.

    "It is indeed the body of Senior Tian She without a doubt, but its power has been sealed by the corpse-sealing nails. Quickly, imnt the corpse-controlling talisman into the sea of consciousness of the body!" The bone diagram showed excitement and urged Sang Yan eagerly.Sang Yan immediately took out a ck jade talisman from her storage bag and stuck it on the forehead of the green-haired corpse, quickly reciting an incantation.

    The ck talisman silently dissipated, turning into ck runes that entered the head of the green-haired corpse.

    As this woman continued to form hand seals, a series of spells entered various parts of the green-haired corpse, and the violent corpse energy immediately began to converge.

    Then, Sang Yan took out nine white talismans, waving her hands and sticking the talismans on the top of the green-haired corpse¡¯s head, dantian, hands, and feet. Only then did the green-haired corpsepletely calm down.

    "Since you discovered this ce, ording to the agreement between me and your master, this corpse belongs to you. Put it away first." The bone diagram said.

    Upon hearing this, the ck-d girl¡¯s gaze shot towards Sang Yan like a venomous snake, fiercely pinching her fingers.

    "Thank you, Elder Bone Diagram!" Sang Yan expressed her gratitude and took out a ck pouch, activating it with hand seals.

    A ck light shot out from the pouch, enveloping the corpse and the ck coffin, slowly collecting them into the pouch.

    "Now that this matter is over, Elder Bone Diagram, why don¡¯t we go and take a look at the Snake King Cave? Since Bai Ye and Huan Shi came here with such determination, there must be great benefits in the Snake King Cave. With our strength, we can definitely get a share." The ck-d girl, who didn¡¯t gain any benefits here, instigated.

    The young man with sword-like eyebrows and the others also had little gain and were tempted.

    The bone diagram was originally a cultivator from a sect and naturally looked down upon Bai Ye, Huan Shi, and other independent cultivators. He also knew about Bai Ye¡¯s mission to kill a second-level Snake King beast. At this moment, they were probably already heavily injured. He was not afraid at all.

    "Alright, let¡¯s go and take a look." The bone diagram nodded.

    Sang Yan had just obtained a Foundation Establishment stage corpse and only wanted to quickly return to the sect to refine and control it. She didn¡¯t want to get involved in unnecessary trouble, but since the other disciples were nning to go, she didn¡¯t say much.

    ...

    At the same time.

    Yuan Ming arrived at the depths of the Snake King Cave and, after searching, took the venomous fangs, snake skin, and the horn of the one-horned Snake King, and kept them.

    Finally, he searched inside the body of the one-horned Snake King for a while and quickly took out an item. It was indeed the snake bead of the one-horned Snake King.

    After hesitating for a moment, Yuan Ming did not feed the snake bead to the ck Toad, but stored it in his storage ring.

    This snake bead was quite precious and could be exchanged for a lot of spirit stones. Currently, Yuan Ming was short on funds for the White Deer Summit alliance, so he decided not to use it for the ck Toad¡¯s advancement for now.

    "Qua!" The ck Toad did not ask for the snake bead either and ran towards the depths of the snake cave.

    Yuan Ming had already retrieved the soul crow attached to the ck Toad, and seeing this, he was slightly startled and quickly followed.

    After walking for a while, they finally reached the end of the snake cave.

    This was arge stone cave, and in the center was a ten-zhang-sized pit. The soil in the pit was as smooth as a mirror, indicating that it was the nest of the two Snake Kings.

    In the center of the pit stood a four to five-zhang tall, grinding disc-thick ck stone pir. It was engraved with ancient and simple patterns, not something ordinary. It had been in this ce with dense miasma for a long time, yet its surface showed no signs of corrosion.

    The ck Toad went straight to the stone pir, pressing its body against it, revealing an extremely content expression on its face.

    "Hmm, what are these stone pirs? The two Snake Kings ced their nest here, and the ck Toad also likes it..." Yuan Ming approached the stone pir and used his divine sense to probe inside.

    An invisible force suddenly surged forth, easily bouncing his divine sense back.

    He furrowed his eyebrows and pointed his finger.

    A green wooden thorn pierced into the stone pir, but it shattered and left no trace on the stone pir.

    Yuan Ming then took out the Frost Star Sword and shed it at the stone pir with a cold sword qi. The sword qi shattered, but the stone pir remained unscathed.

    "I can¡¯t even harm it with the Frost Star Sword!" He was truly shocked and pondered for a moment before once again unleashing his divine sense.

    This time, he didn¡¯t probe deep into the stone pir but carefully sensed the reason why the ck Toad was sticking to it.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t waste his efforts this time and quickly discovered the reason. The ck Toad was close to the stone pir, and an inexplicable aura emanated from inside the stone pir, merging into its body.

    This aura was not the power of the five elements of gold, wood, water, fire, and earth, nor was it the power of extreme yang. It wasn¡¯t Yin Qi or even the power of the soul. It was apletely unfamiliar force that he had never encountered before.

    If he had to describe it, this force was somewhat simr to Yin Qi, but not exactly the same. It gave him a faint sense of danger.

    After absorbing this force, the ck Toad¡¯s demonic power did not increase, but its aura became much more active.

    Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t understand the origin of the stone pir in front of him, but since the aura inside it was harmless to the ck Toad, he didn¡¯t bother with it and looked around.Near the nest of the Snake King, a dozen or so ck spirit grasses grew on the ground. The leaves were shaped like snakes, emitting strong fluctuations of Yin and cold energy.

    "Could this be Yin Snake Grass?" Yuan Ming had read about this ck grass in ancient texts. It was said to be apanion spirit material that grew near serpentine beasts.

    Yuan Ming quickly approached and carefully harvested these spirit grasses, storing them away.

    This Yin Snake Grass was an excellent ingredient for refining Yin attribute elixirs. It could be sold for quite a few spirit stones, or it could be mixed into ck incense to test its effects.

    In the following time, Yuan Ming searched the vicinity but found no other valuable items. He returned with the reluctant ck toad and arrived next to Bai Ye and Huan Shi.

    The two were still unconscious, their breaths extremely weak.

    After a brief examination, Yuan Ming frowned.

    Although Bai Ye and Huan Shi were severely injured, their injuries were not fatal. However, the poison in their bodies was too deep, having already corroded their internal organs. It was beyond saving.

    Yuan Ming suddenly understood why the Unicorn Snake King didn¡¯t deliver a fatal blow to Bai Ye and Huan Shi before rushing over to fight him.

    He sighed regretfully, about to take the two away from the snake cave and find a ce to bury them, when he suddenly stopped.

    Yuan Ming thought of the ck toad¡¯s poison-absorbing ability. This ability could absorb the snake poison in the air, but could it also directly suck out the deadly poison in their bodies?

    He summoned the ck toad, shot out two purple-ck vines, gently pierced them into the bodies of the two, and urged the inner pill to absorb the snake poison.

    A miraculous scene urred!

    The green color on Bai Ye and Huan Shi¡¯s bodies quickly receded and transferred into the ck toad along the vines.

    "It¡¯s effective. I didn¡¯t expect the ck toad¡¯s poison-absorbing ability to be so exquisite!" Yuan Ming was secretly delighted and continued to drive the ck toad to absorb the poison.

    A momentter, all the deadly poison in their bodies disappeared, and their skin returned to its normal color.

    Yuan Ming took out two healing pills, stuffed them into their mouths, and activated his mana to help them refine the pills.

    As the medicinal power spread, their breathing stabilized.

    Bai Ye, with his profound cultivation, woke up quickly despite his severe external injuries and rtively light internal injuries.

    "Brother Ha Gong, it¡¯s you..." Bai Ye looked at Yuan Ming in surprise, then remembered the Unicorn Snake King and looked around in fear.

    "The Snake King is dead. It¡¯s safe now. Don¡¯t worry, Leader Bai Ye." Yuan Ming helped Bai Ye reset his arm bone and said.

    Bai Ye saw the bodies of the Unicorn Snake King and the other Golden Flower Snake King, and the battle traces on the ground, and roughly guessed what had happened after he fainted.

    "So it was Brother Ha Gong who saved me and Huan Shi? I can¡¯t thank you enough!" Bai Ye sincerely thanked him.

    "It was nothing. Now that you¡¯re awake, Leader Bai Ye, I don¡¯t need to worry about Senior Huan Shi¡¯s injuries. I have things to do, so I¡¯ll take my leave." Yuan Ming said, standing up and walking outside.

    Bai Ye wanted to say more words of thanks, but seeing Yuan Ming¡¯s attitude, he had to swallow his words.

    Just as he took a few steps, Yuan Ming suddenly stopped and looked ahead.

    After he entered the snake cave, for safety, he had sent the soul crow inside the cave to monitor the entrance of the snake cave. The group from the ck Fire Gate was now outside the snake cave.

    Yuan Ming thought for a moment and guessed the purpose of the group from the ck Fire Gate, but he was not nervous.

    The spiritual power of the Earth Travel Talisman was not exhausted and could be used again. He could escape underground at any time.

    "Brother Ha Gong, did you find something?" Bai Ye, already on edge, noticed Yuan Ming¡¯s abnormality and quickly asked.

    "Some people areing, five in total. Bai Rong is among them. The other four are also loose cultivators who were summoned for this mission. One of them has hidden his cultivation and is a Foundation Establishment cultivator." Yuan Ming turned his head and looked at Bai Ye, reminding him.

    "We¡¯re trapped here!" Bai Ye¡¯s face changed continuously as he listened. Every sentence Yuan Ming said was like a heavy hammer hitting his heart.

    If he and Huan Shi were not injured, they would naturally not be afraid. But now, Huan Shi was still unconscious, and he was severely injured and unable to move. Even a Qi Refining cultivator could defeat him.

    "I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t help. Please take care of yourself, Leader Bai Ye." After reminding him, Yuan Ming took out the Earth Travel Talisman, ready to escape underground.

    "Wait, Brother Ha Gong! Huan Shi and I are seriously injured. If the peopleing have ill intentions, we have no power to resist. Please help us, Brother Ha Gong. I have more than a thousand spirit stones on me, and Huan Shi should have five or six hundred in his storage bag. We can give them all to you as a reward for saving our lives." Bai Ye quickly regained his senses and spoke rapidly.

    Yuan Ming was somewhat moved by his words, but after carefully considering the consequences, he shook his head.

    The ck Fire Gate was a powerful force, even above the Bi Luo Cave. Killing Sang Yan and the others was different from killing those loose cultivators before. It might attract the investigation of the ck Fire Gate. He had no intention of offending the ck Fire Gate. Reminding Bai Ye was already doing his best.

    As for whether Bai Ye would bear a grudge for his refusal, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t care. He was currently using a false identity and appearance, so he naturally didn¡¯t care about being betrayed.

 Chapter 173: Ambush

    Chapter 173: Ambush

    "Bai Mou also knows that this matter has caused difficulties for fellow daoists. I have a Foundation Establishment Pill on me. If Fellow Daoist Ha Gong is willing to lend a hand to help us, I am willing to use this pill as a token of gratitude!" After a moment of hesitation, Bai Ye spoke out, saying something that made Yuan Ming have to carefully consider.

    "Foundation Establishment Pill!" Yuan Ming¡¯s heart skipped a beat.

    After breaking through the tenth level of Qi Refinement, a Qi Refinement cultivator can attempt Foundation Establishment. Only with a sessful Foundation Establishment can their lifespan double, and they can truly step onto the path of cultivation.

    However, the process of Foundation Establishment is extremely difficult. Without other means, even a hundred Qi Refinement cultivators may not have one person seed. Most of the lucky ones who seed are those with exceptional aptitude like the Heavenly and Earthly Spirit Roots.

    Many sects have many Qi Refinement cultivators who have surpassed the tenth level and even reached the peak of the thirteenth level. The reason behind this is to increase the sess rate of Foundation Establishment when breaking through.

    Throughout history, countless people in the cultivation world have researched auxiliary breakthrough methods and gained some insights. Among all the auxiliary methods, the most famous one is the Foundation Establishment Pill.

    It is unknown who created the Foundation Establishment Pill, but it is applicable to all cultivators. Taking this pill can greatly increase the chances of sessfully establishing a foundation.

    Such a miraculous elixir is desired by all cultivators. However, the process of refining this pill isplicated, and the required spiritual materials are extremely precious. The production is very limited, and every pill that appears will cause a scramble among major forces. After all, each pill has the potential to add a Foundation Establishment stage powerhouse to their faction.

    Yuan Ming had also inquired about information regarding the Foundation Establishment Pill, but he had to give up after learning about its situation."Let me see the pill." Yuan Ming suppressed his excitement and said so.

    Without hesitation, Bai Ye took out a jade box from his storage bag. After opening it, there was a thumb-sized, blue pill inside. It was surrounded by ayer of dreamy blue light, like the stars in the night sky.

    "It really is the Foundation Establishment Pill!" Yuan Ming¡¯s breath hitched.

    He had seen records of it in ancient texts, and it was exactly the same as the pill before him. Blue like the sky, as if it came from a starry sea, it was definitely an authentic Foundation Establishment Pill.

    "I didn¡¯t expect Lord Bai Ye to have such a treasure as the Foundation Establishment Pill. I promise you, I will do my best to help you all escape. However, there are many people on the other side, and I don¡¯t have absolute certainty." After pondering for a moment, Yuan Ming made up his mind and said.

    Unlike before when he saved Ha Gong¡¯s wife and daughter without hesitation, he now knew what he was doing. Although it involved some risks, the stakes given by the other party were worth his effort.

    As the saying goes, fortune favors the bold!

    Moreover, he was not without confidence. In case he couldn¡¯t handle it, the rare Earth Traveling Talisman was hisst resort.

    "No need to worry. As long as Fellow Daoist Ha Gong gives it your all, this Foundation Establishment Pill will be yours." Bai Ye closed the jade box and unexpectedly threw it over.

    Yuan Ming caught it with his hand and looked at Bai Ye with surprise. He silently put away the jade box, then threw himself onto the ground nearby, using the Wood Concealment Technique to conceal his aura. At the same time, he recalled the Soul Raven guarding the entrance.

    All the fluctuations of his spiritual power dissipated, and the sound of his heartbeat disappeared. He seemed like a cold corpse.

    The ck Toad jumped out from the spirit beast bag around his waist and activated the Earth Traveling Talisman, disappearing into the ground with a sh.

    In a certain area of the snake cave passage, a ck head emerged from the ground. It was the ck Toad, and it opened its mouth, spewing out a purple poisonous mist. The mist quickly merged into the surrounding miasma and soon disappearedpletely, leaving no trace of its scent.

    This was the poison ability awakened by the ck Toad after condensing its inner core. It could turn its poison into mist, making it even more difficult to detect.

    Afterpleting these actions, the ck Toad submerged back into the ground.

    Seeing Yuan Ming¡¯s series of actions, Bai Ye couldn¡¯t help but be stunned. However, before he could ask, there was movementing from the passage leading to this ce, causing him to close his mouth.

    Not long after, five figures emerged from the miasma ahead. It was the ck Fire Gate led by Gu Tu.

    "What¡¯s that smell?" The ck-d girl sniffed her nose and said.

    The others also noticed the unusual scent in the air, which had a slightly sweet and greasy feeling.

    "This ce is filled with poisonous miasma. Don¡¯t sniff randomly, be careful of being poisoned!" Gu Tu reminded.

    The ck-d girl and the others agreed, holding their breath and continuing forward. They quickly arrived at Bai Ye¡¯s location.

    "Isn¡¯t this Fellow Daoist Bai Rong? And a few others. Didn¡¯t you give up on the mission? Why did youe back?" Bai Ye opened his eyes and looked at the group, showing a perfect expression of surprise.

    The ck Fire Gate members were initially taken aback when they saw the situation inside the cave, but then their tense expressions turned into delight.

    They didn¡¯t expect to find two Level 2 ferocious beasts here, both of which had been killed. Furthermore, Bai Ye, a member of the Independent Alliance in the Qi Refinement stage, and several other Qi Refinement cultivators had also perished. The strongest ones, Bai Ye and Huan Shi, were heavily injured.

    Gu Tu¡¯s expression remained unchanged, and he was secretly delighted.

    This trip was indeed worth it. The materials of two Level 2 ferocious beasts were not a small fortune for him as a Foundation Establishment cultivator, not to mention the storage bags of Bai Ye and Huan Shi, who were also Foundation Establishment cultivators.

    With this in mind, a cold killing intent shed in his eyes as he signaled to the four people behind him.

    After understanding, the four people retreated and guarded the snake cave passage.

    "You want to kill us and take our treasures?" Bai Ye¡¯s face sank, and he calmly asked.

    "If you want to me someone, me Lord Bai Ye for appearing in front of me in this state. Let me send the two of you on your way to avoid suffering here." Gu Tu flicked his finger, and a ck line shot towards Bai Ye. It was the same ck needle magical treasure as before.At this moment, the ground beneath the skeleton suddenly split open, and more than a dozen thick purple-ck demon vines burst out from the soil, quickly wrapping around the skeleton¡¯s limbs.

    The skeleton was taken aback, and without time to control the ck needle to attack Bai Ye, it spat out a yellow round bead.

    A dazzling yellow light burst forth, and a yellow spherical shield appeared around its body in an instant, protecting it from head to toe.

    The purple-ck demon vines whipped against the shield, but were easily blocked.

    The vines secreted a purple-ck venom, trying to corrode the yellow shield, but the shield¡¯s surface flickered with light, showing no signs of damage.

    "Such a petty trick!" The skeleton sneered, raising both hands as if to do something.

    The dozen or so purple-ck demon vines suddenly thickened and grew dense leaves, forming a vine forest in an instant, engulfing the skeleton and its yellow shield.

    Yuan Ming, with his hand pressed against the ground, pointed out a spell towards the purple-ck demon vines. The vines immediately intertwined, forming a vine cage in an instant. It was the Wood Imprisonment Technique, trapping the skeleton.

    The purple-ck demon vines, unleashed by the ck toad after breaking through to the second level of spirit beast, were far from ordinary Wood Imprisonment Techniques. Even with the skeleton¡¯s Foundation Establishment cultivation, it was unable to move for a while.

    All of this happened in the blink of an eye!

    Seeing this, Sang Yan and the others were shocked. They abandoned their defense of the cave and rushed over.

    Yuan Ming leaped up from the ground, swinging his arm.

    The Water Cloud Banner shot out from his sleeve, and in a sh, it was in front of Sang Yan and the others. It had turned into a giant banner ten feet in size, pping towards the four like a giant blue palm.

    Sang Yan and the others quickly stopped and each used their divine powers to protect themselves.

    With a loud "bang", their bodies shook slightly, but they quickly steadied themselves. The expected powerful attack did not ur.

    Not only that, the blue giant banner spread out with a "whoosh", blocking the entire snake cave passage.

    Sang Yan and the others realized they had been tricked and quickly summoned their magical instruments, or took out their refined corpses, to attack the Water Cloud Banner.

    The Water Cloud Banner was a medium-grade defensive magical instrument. Although it swayed under their attacks, it still firmly blocked their way, making it difficult for Sang Yan and the others to break through.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming breathed a sigh of relief. He reached out with his right hand, and a red fireball suddenly appeared in his palm. His other hand held a spirit stone, frantically drawing spiritual power from it.

    He circted the magical power within his body, continuously pouring it into the fireball. The originally fist-sized fireball quickly grewrger.

    The skeleton was trying to break the Wood Imprisonment Technique. Seeing Yuan Ming¡¯s actions, it quickly stopped and prepared itself.

    However, after a few breaths, Yuan Ming still didn¡¯t make a move. The fireball in his hand expanded to the size of a human head, and the magical power fluctuations it emitted were several times stronger.

    The skeleton instantly understood Yuan Ming¡¯s intentions and pped the small ck bag at its waist.

    Two ck shadows shot out from the gaps in the vines,nding outside the shield and transforming into two tall refined corpses.

    These two refined corpses had green-ck skin and were covered in green scales. They were the Green Steel Corpses that had appeared in the ghost market, looking even more powerful than those that had appeared in the market. Their aura was infinitely close to the Foundation Establishment stage, and they roared as they pounced towards Yuan Ming.

    Almost at the same time, the ck needle that was originally aimed at Bai Ye somehow appeared behind Yuan Ming. Under the cover of the fierce attack of the Green Steel Corpses, it silently stabbed towards Yuan Ming¡¯s heart.

    However, with a light "ding", a piece of golden gauze suddenly appeared behind Yuan Ming, blocking the ck needle¡¯s sneak attack. It was the Golden Gauze.

    The two Green Steel Corpses also pounced, their hook-like fingers grabbing towards Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming threw the drained spirit stone with his left hand, pointed out a spell, and the Golden Gauze, which was only a few feet long, spread out with a whoosh. It quickly wrapped around his body several times, tightly covering him.

    The ws of the Green Steel Corpses fiercely scratched the Golden Gauze, sparking a few sparks, but they also failed to break the defense of the Golden Gauze.

    Three powerful forces were transmitted from the Golden Gauze. Yuan Ming¡¯s body trembled, and he quickly pressed his left hand on the Golden Gauze, injecting magical power to stabilize the defense, while his right hand continued to maintain the Fire Explosion Technique.

    "A medium-grade defensive magical instrument, its defensive power seems to be even higher than my Stone Control Bead!" The skeleton¡¯s face darkened.

    The two Green Steel Corpses were one thing, but the ck needle had also returned without sess.

    This needle was one of his bottom-line medium-grade magical instruments, engraved with the runes of "Sharpness" and "Stealth". Even a Foundation Establishment cultivator of the same rank could easily suffer if they were not careful, but Yuan Ming was able to detect it!

    The skeleton pointed a finger, and a golden, dazzling nine-ring cleaver flew out from the light shield, piercing through the vine cage and shing towards Yuan Ming.

    The ck needle magical instrument¡¯s dark light surged, spinning rapidly, and even emitted a sharp whistling sound. It once again stabbed towards the Golden Gauze, while the two Green Steel Corpses alsounched a frenzied attack.

    The Golden Gauze swayed from side to side. Even with Yuan Ming injecting magical power to maintain it, the spiritual light on it quickly dimmed.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming took out the medium-grade spirit stone of wood attribute and ced it against his flesh to draw the spiritual power from it, replenishing his magical power, and maintaining the Golden Gauze and the Fire Explosion Technique fireball.

    The red fireball quickly grew again, turning into a giant fireball the size of a millstone in an instant. Its color also became extremely bright red, emitting terrifying magical power fluctuations.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes lit up, and he stopped injecting magical power.

    This was already the limit he could control. If he injected more magical power, the Fire Explosion Technique would lose control!

 Chapter 174: Leave none behind

    Chapter 174: Leave none behind

    "What the hell is this thing!"

    Although Gu Tu didn¡¯t know what secret technique Yuan Ming was using, he felt a growing sense of unease. He quickly formed hand seals, and ck spells shot out one after another.

    He spat out a mouthful of blood, which merged with the spells. The ck spells instantly turned blood-red and merged into the ck Needle Artifact and the Nine-Ring Golden Knife.

    The two artifacts trembled violently, their power increasing by nearly half, and they fiercely struck the same spot on the Golden Silk.

    The golden silk was dented, and the outer threeyers of golden silk tore apart, while the remainingyers barely managed to withstand the attacks of the two artifacts.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t have time toment and quickly formed a hand seal.

    The golden silk suddenly flew outward, wrapping around the ck Needle Artifact and the Nine-Ring Golden Knife, quickly forming a golden silk ball that trapped the two artifacts inside.

    Almost at the same time, a white shadow shed by Yuan Ming¡¯s side, and the skin of the White Ape was already draped over him.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s body instantly grewrger, transforming into a white giant ape over ten feet tall. In his left hand, he unknowingly held the Cold Star Sword and stabbed at the two Qinggang corpses in the void.Two icy sword auras shot out and struck the two corpses.

    A bone-chilling cold burst forth, and ayer of white ice appeared on the surface of the two Qinggang corpses, slowing down their movements.

    This series of actions may seemplicated, but in reality, it only took two or three breaths. Gu Tu was slightly surprised and was about to use other means.

    Yuan Ming himself flew out, under the enhancement of the fur technique, he appeared next to Gu Tu in a sh. The Cold Star Sword in his left hand had already been put away, and more than a dozen attack-type talismans that he had purchased in the ck Rock City market were thrown out.

    Fireballs, fire snakes, and lightning appeared one after another, forming a wave of spells that erupted with astonishing magical power, all of which struck Gu Tu.

    The wooden prison technique around Gu Tu suddenly disintegrated, and all the purple-ck demon vines retracted into the ground. The surging wave of spells fiercely struck the yellow shield.

    A series of loud explosions urred, and the intense collision of magical power caused visible ripples in the nearby air.

    The yellow shield trembled violently, and cracks appeared on its surface, but it did not copse.

    Inside the shield, Gu Tu¡¯s body also trembled, but when he saw the shield holding up, he immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

    He pressed his hands on the inside of the shield and infused it with abundant magical power, trying to restore its strength.

    At this moment, a purple color suddenly surged on Gu Tu¡¯s cheeks, and his hands and feet became somewhat weak and powerless, and his magical power operation was also affected.

    "I¡¯m poisoned! Could it be the sweet smell I smelled in the passage just now? But I closed my breath in time, how could I still be poisoned!" He was shocked.

    At this moment, on the faces of Sang Yan and the others who were attacking the Water Cloud Banner, purple poison spots also appeared, and their magical power receded like a tide, their expressions greatly changed.

    "It finally took effect." Yuan Ming rxed.

    The poisonous mist sprayed by the ck Toad earlier was mixed with the snake venom of the Snake King. Its effect waspletely different from the liquid toad poison. The poisonous mist did not have strong corrosiveness, but it could damage the opponent¡¯s organs and meridians.

    This poison did not need to be inhaled to take effect. As long as the skin touched the poisonous mist, the highly toxic substance would automatically prate.

    However, Gu Tu quickly turned his hand and took out a pill, put it in his mouth, and the purple color on his face quickly faded away. His actions immediately became agile, and he continued to infuse magical power into the shield, quickly healing the cracks on its surface.

    At this moment, three ck lights appeared around Gu Tu without knowing when, and they pierced through the cracks in the shield from three directions, flying towards Gu Tu¡¯s head.

    They were three Soul Crows!

    Gu Tu¡¯s heart trembled, and he tried his best to dodge two of them, but the third one hit his forehead.

    He felt a "bang" in his mind, as if something had burst open. His whole body froze, his gaze became dull, and the cracks in the shield stopped healing.

    At the same time, Yuan Ming also felt a severe dizziness, but he bit his tongue hard. Taking advantage of this opportunity, he quickly approached Gu Tu and pushed forward with his right hand. A grinding te-sized red fireball shot out and hit the crack in the yellow shield.

    With a loud bang!

    As soon as the huge red ball touched the shield, it immediately exploded with great momentum, and the crimson mes engulfed Gu Tu¡¯s figure.

    The entire snake cave shook violently, and small andrge rocks fell like rain.

    Yuan Ming immediately flew backward the moment he released the explosive technique, narrowly avoiding the storm caused by the explosion.

    At this moment, a figure shot out from the red mes, flying towards the distance. It was Gu Tu.

    Half of his body was charred ck, and several bones could be seen between his chest and abdomen. Obviously, he was seriously injured by the explosive technique, and his flying figure appeared somewhat unsteady.

    Yuan Ming threw away the middle-grade spirit stone that had been drained in his left hand, and at the same time, he extended his right hand. The Shaking Mountain Hammer appeared in his hand and was fiercely thrown towards Gu Tu.

    With a sharp and piercing whistle, the Shaking Mountain Hammer chased after Gu Tu.

    Gu Tu spat out a ck gas, barely forming a ck gas barrier behind him, but it was easily shattered by the Shaking Mountain Hammer. Although the speed of the Shaking Mountain Hammer decreased significantly, it still hit Gu Tu¡¯s back.

    His whole person was sent flying, heavily crashing into the mountain wall, and spewing out a mouthful of blood.

    Before he could get up, the ground around him suddenly cracked open, and the dozen or so purple-ck demon vines emerged again, curling towards him.

    Gu Tu, who was seriously injured and had his artifacts trapped by Yuan Ming, waspletely powerless to resist and was easily entangled by the demon vines.

    "Please hold on, let¡¯s talk! I am an elder of the ck Fire Sect. If you dare to harm me, the ck Fire Sect will never let you go..." Gu Tu threatened with a fierce expression.

    Yuan Ming, with an expressionless face, formed a hand seal. The dozen or so purple-ck demon vines pierced into Gu Tu¡¯s body, and before he could finish speaking, they had already sucked him dry.

    Since he chose to take action, there was no turning back.With the death of Gu Tu, the two Qing Steel corpses, the ck needle magical tool, and the Nine Ring Golden Knife all ceased to move. Thetter fell to the ground, powerless.

    Yuan Ming had been simultaneously operating multiple magical tools and had released the Soul Crow Soul Strike three times in a row. His soul power was greatly depleted, and his magical power was already on the verge of exhaustion. He was holding on by sheer willpower. Seeing his formidable enemy fall, he finally couldn¡¯t hold on any longer. He sat down on the ground, dispelled the Fur Coat Technique, and began to pant heavily.

    The situation just now was a matter of life and death. If he hadn¡¯t been able to kill his opponent in one fell swoop, he would have been no match for him once he recovered. The unpredictable abilities of a soul cultivator were truly demonstrated at this moment, providing an opportunity for the Explosion Technique.

    Outside, Sang Yan and the others were each taking out antidotes and trying to neutralize the deadly poison in their bodies. Hearing Gu Tu¡¯s dying scream, their faces showed shock.

    Although they had only caught a glimpse of him, all four of them had seen that Yuan Ming was merely a cultivator in thete stage of Qi Refining. How could he possibly have killed Gu Tu? Could it be that Bai Ye and Huan Shi were not injured?

    Without a word, Sang Yan turned around and dashed towards the outside of the snake cave.

    Seeing this, the other three hurriedly followed.

    "Cut the grass and remove the roots, leave none behind!" Yuan Ming didn¡¯t look back, but ordered the ck Toad in a deep voice.

    More than a dozen purple-ck demon vines immediately retracted into the ground, and the ck Toad turned into a yellow shadow, diving towards the outside.

    Terrified screams soon came from outside, but quickly fell silent.

    The Water Cloud Banner quickly shrank, turning into a small blue banner, and flew back into Yuan Ming¡¯s hand, revealing the situation on the other side.

    The bodies of the three girls in cky not far in front of the Water Cloud Banner, already turned into mummies. Sang Yan had escaped to a distance of about ten meters, but unfortunately, she also couldn¡¯t escape the fate of being sucked dry.

    Those purple-ck demon vines slowly sank into the ground, shaking excitedly.

    Deep underground, the ck Toad burped contentedly, its aura seeming to grow a bit stronger.

    Bai Ye, not far away, stared nkly at everything that had happened, unable to recover for a long time.

    He had previously pinned all his hopes on Yuan Ming, a desperate move akin to treating a dead horse as if it were alive. He had only hoped that Yuan Ming had something simr to the Earth Travel Talisman, which could help him and Huan Shi temporarily escape disaster. But he never expected that Yuan Ming would actually kill a Foundation Establishment cultivator and four cultivators of the same level.

    Yuan Ming ignored everything else, took out several recovery pills and swallowed them, and began to meditate with a spirit stone in each hand. His depleted magical power finally began to recover a bit.

    He then got up and collected Gu Tu¡¯s ck needle and Nine Ring Golden Knife, and then came to Gu Tu¡¯s corpse.

    Yuan Ming first picked up the Mountain Shaking Hammer next to him, then carefully examined Gu Tu¡¯s corpse, finding a small ck bag, a green ring, and a yellow spherical magical tool.

    He opened the ck bag, and a strong yin energy emanated from it.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes flickered. With his experience in the ck Rock City market, he naturally recognized this item as a Corpse Nurturing Bag.

    The Corpse Nurturing Bag is a basic magical tool for every disciple of the ck Fire Sect, simr to the Spirit Beast Bag of the Bi Luo Cave. However, it is used to store refined corpses or ghostly entities, providing them with a suitable environment so that their strength will not decline due to insufficient yin energy.

    After some attempts, Yuan Ming sessfully stored the two Qing Steel corpses in the Corpse Nurturing Bag, nning to deal with themter.

    As for the green ring, it was a storage magical tool. He didn¡¯t have time to examine it closely and put it away directly. He then picked up the yellow spherical magical tool.

    Two cracks appeared on the surface of the spherical magical tool, which had obviously been severely damaged under his barrage of talismans and the Explosion Technique, and most of its spiritual power had leaked out.

    Yuan Ming was disappointed. The defensive power of this spherical magical tool was quite impressive, not inferior to the Liu Jin Sha. Unfortunately, it had cracked, and he didn¡¯t know if it could be repaired.

    He put away the items, cast the Explosion Technique, and a ball of fire turned Gu Tu¡¯s corpse into ashes.

    Bai Ye watched Yuan Ming¡¯s skilled handling of the corpse, and a chill ran down his spine for no reason. He just silently recovered his magical power.

    Yuan Ming turned and came to the bodies of the three girls in ck. The ck Toad had also brought over Sang Yan¡¯s body, and the four bodies were lined up side by side.

    Yuan Ming collected their magical tools, storage magical tools, and Corpse Nurturing Bags, then released a ball of fire, engulfing the bodies.

    The bodies quickly turned into ashes. Just as he was about to turn and leave, he suddenly stopped.

    Inside the ashes of Sang Yan¡¯s body, there was an item left behind.

    Yuan Ming was slightly surprised. He picked up the item, which turned out to be a white jade belt iid with three green gems.

    He had seen this belt before, but there was no magical power fluctuation on it, so he thought it was amon item and didn¡¯t pay attention to it. He didn¡¯t expect that this belt could withstand the spiritual fire of the Explosion Technique.

    Yuan Ming activated his divine sense to examine it closely and quickly discovered that one of the three green gems on the belt had a very faint spiritual power fluctuation. If his divine sense wasn¡¯t strong enough, he would have had difficulty detecting it.

    As for the other two gems, they had no aura at all, and each had a crack inside, as if they were damaged.

    After a moment of hesitation, he tied the belt around his waist and infused his magical power into the gem that contained spiritual power.

    The green gem lit up with a faint light, and a rune slowly appeared. Yuan Ming¡¯s body suddenly became extremely light, as if he were a feather that could be blown away by a gust of wind.

    This effect was very simr to the Wind Agility Technique, but much stronger.

    Yuan Ming took a step forward, and his figure instantly became blurry. In a sh, he was ten meters away, and with a retreat, he was back where he started.

    His face lit up with joy. No wonder Sang Yan was able to travel so fast earlier, and the Soul Crow couldn¡¯t catch up with her. Even after being poisoned, she was able to run so far. It turned out to be because of this belt!

    It was indeed an excellent magical tool for travel andbat.

 Chapter 175: Occasionally obtained

    Chapter 175: asionally obtained

    Yuan Ming moved around in the passage and familiarized himself with the abilities of the white belt.

    He disyed the Wind Swift Art, and the lightness effect of the Wind Swift Art could bebined with the belt. Coupled with the Shadowless Step, his agility reached an astonishing level, almost impossible to catch with the naked eye. He could sh a distance of six or seven zhang in an instant, like a ghost.

    If he fully disyed the Shadowless Step, he could even create illusions behind him, simr to some illusion-type spells.

    Yuan Ming was secretly delighted. With this speed, coupled with the White Ape Transformation, he would have a significant advantage in both self-preservation andbat.

    He looked regretfully at the other two gems on the belt. If these two gems also had the lightness rune engraved inside, the eleration effect of this belt would be incredibly powerful.

    Although there was only one intact gem left now, it was enough for him to use.

    The only troublesome thing now was that this belt belonged to Sang Yan. Wearing it outside carried the risk of being noticed by members of the ck Fire Sect.

    But this couldn¡¯t stump him either. With some disguise outside, there shouldn¡¯t be any problem.

    Yuan Ming wore the belt inside his clothes and covered it with his outer robe. Then, he collected the storage bags from the five scattered cultivators who had died from the Snake King¡¯s attack before turning towards Bai Ye.Huan Shi had also awakened at this moment and looked at Yuan Ming withplex eyes. It was evident that he had learned everything from Bai Ye.

    Seeing that Yuan Ming didn¡¯t touch the bodies of the ten members of their alliance, Huan Shi felt relieved and his opinion of Yuan Ming changed significantly.

    "Hao Gong Daoist conceals his abilities well, admirable!" Bai Ye sped his hands together.

    "You tter me. I took the risk just now." Yuan Ming blinked and said.

    "What I admire even more is your sense of justice." Bai Ye sped his hands together again.

    "Now that there is no threat outside, you should be able to handle your injuries yourselves. I will take my leave." Yuan Ming said and turned to leave.

    "Hao Gong Daoist, please wait a moment." Bai Ye suddenly spoke up.

    "What else does the leader of Bai Ye have to say?" Yuan Ming turned around to look.

    "Hao Gong Daoist, you killed both of the Golden Flower Snake Kings. I wonder if their snake pearls are still intact?" Bai Ye hesitated for a moment and asked.

    "There is one left. Why does the leader of Bai Ye ask?" Yuan Ming hesitated slightly and nodded.

    "To be honest, our Bai Ye Alliance wasmissioned by the White Dragon Ind in the Eastern Region to hunt down the Golden Flower Snake Kings and obtain a Golden Flower Snake Pearl. I am willing to offer two thousand spirit stones to purchase the snake pearl in your hands. Can you part with it?" Bai Ye quickly said.

    "One snake pearl doesn¡¯t seem to be worth so many spirit stones. Besides, I heard that the young master of White Dragon Ind has already died." Yuan Ming slowly said. Although he had never sold a Golden Flower Snake Pearl before, he had seen simr second-grade spirit materials in the ck Rock City market, worth at most one thousand spirit stones. Bai Ye was willing to pay twice the price.

    "Although the young master of White Dragon Ind has died, this matter concerns the reputation of our Bai Ye Alliance. I hope you can part with it." Bai Ye forced a smile. What he didn¡¯t say was that if they didn¡¯t obtain this snake pearl, the losses this time would be irreparable.

    Yuan Ming nodded and took out the snake pearl of the One-Horned Snake King, throwing it over.

    Bai Ye hurriedly caught it and took out two thousand spirit stones, handing them over.

    "One thousand three hundred is enough." Yuan Ming only took one thousand three hundred spirit stones.

    He had some goodwill towards this leader of the alliance and could establish a rtionship with him. This time, the other party had suffered heavy losses, and ording to his character, he didn¡¯t want to kick someone when they were down. Staying in the Bi Luo Cave was not a long-term n for him. Perhaps the leader of Bai Ye would still be useful to him in the future.

    "I said two thousand, so it¡¯s two thousand. How can I give you a discount..." Bai Ye wanted to be polite.

    "No need. Take care, both of you." After Yuan Ming slightly sped his hands, his figure disappeared like the wind.

    Bai Ye was surprised. This Hao Gong hadn¡¯t shown this speed during the previous battle. Could it be that he still had some reserves from the previous battle?

    If that was the case, the potential of this Qi Refining Stage cultivator was too great!

    "Big Brother, can you tell where this persones from..." Huan Shi couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    Bai Ye gestured to Huan Shi with his eyes, indicating for him to keep quiet.

    Huan Shi realized his mistake and quickly closed his mouth.

    After a while, feeling that Yuan Ming should have gone far, the two of them spoke again.

    "This Hao Gong saved our lives twice. After returning to ck Rock City, let¡¯s not investigate his background anymore, and don¡¯t mention him to anyone. Tell the young master of White Dragon Ind that we obtained this snake pearl through thebined efforts of our entire alliance!" Bai Ye said.

    "Understood. But if the ck Fire Sect investigates, it might be difficult." Huan Shi nodded.

    "What¡¯s difficult about it? After entering the valley, we got separated due to the miasma. Who knows where they went? Besides, we didn¡¯t kill them." Bai Ye said.

    "That¡¯s true." Huan Shi said.

    "Younger brother, I¡¯m sorry. I gave the Foundation Establishment Pill you prepared for Tuo Zhe to Hao Gong in exchange for his help earlier." Bai Ye said."Zhe¡¯er has already fallen, the Foundation Establishment Pill is still here, but he can¡¯t use it," Huan Shi said sadly.

    "So many people were lost in this mission, and the Purple me g was also destroyed. It¡¯s all my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have taken on this mission for the sake of greed," Bai Ye slowly stood up and looked at the ce where the members of the Bai Ye Alliance had fallen, his face filled with regret.

    "Big brother, you don¡¯t have to me yourself like this. I also agreed to this mission and epted the deposit. Who could have expected that there would be two Snake Kings here, one of which was nearing the Jiao Transformation stage. Fortunately, the mission has beenpleted, and the reward from the White Dragon Ind is generous enough topensate for some of the losses. Let¡¯s do our best topensate the families of the fallen when we return," Huan Shiforted.

    Bai Ye forced a bitter smile and shook his head. Most of the members who participated in this mission were the core members of the Bai Ye Alliance. The death of each one was a great loss that could not bepensated with mere wealth.

    "Hey, how is your body recovering? Leave as soon as possible!" he said to Huan Shi.

    Huan Shi supported himself against the stone wall and slowly stood up.

    The two of them picked up the scattered storage bags of the alliance members, tidied up the bodies, and walked outside.

    A Soul Crow stood in the miasma ahead of Bai Ye and the others. When it saw them approaching, it turned around and flew away.

    ...

    At this moment, an illusion dashed out of the Snake King¡¯s cave, revealing Yuan Ming¡¯s figure.

    He heard the conversation between Bai Ye and Huan Shi through the Soul Crow and nodded slightly.

    Yuan Ming returned to the previous cave and sealed it with a Four-Square Sealing Talisman, continuing to cultivate and recover.

    After half a day, Yuan Ming¡¯s mana hadpletely recovered, and the injuries caused by the previous battle had also healed.

    He lightly patted his palm, and a small pile of things appeared in front of him. It was the Golden Silk Veil, as well as the Bone Diagram and other artifacts of Sang Yan and the others, storage rings, and storage bags.

    Yuan Ming first picked up the Golden Silk Veil and saw that the delicate veil had three fist-sized holes in it. Although it did not cause the runes to copse, its power was greatly reduced after being damaged.

    This was borrowed from Xiying, and he didn¡¯t know if Xiying would be angry after seeing it like this. He had to find a way to restore it to its original state.

    The one-armed old man in the Ghost Market of ck Rock City mentioned that this Golden Silk Veil was made from Golden Silkworm Silk, Soft Gold Stone, and Fine Iron. Yuan Ming nned to collect these three materials after returning to the sect and see if someone could repair it.

    He put away the Golden Silk Veil and took the ck needle artifact from the Bone Diagram.

    In the cultivation world, flying needle artifacts were small in size, difficult to engrave runes on, and extremely difficult to refine. However, once they were refined, their power was not small.

    Yuan Ming used his divine sense to explore it and a look of joy appeared on his face.

    This ck needle was a decent middle-grade artifact. One of the runes engraved inside was sharp, and the other one he had never seen before. Judging from his feelings, it should be a hidden-type rune.

    The ck needle was small in size and had this hidden-type rune, which could be used to secretly attack others. This was what the Bone Diagram had done before, but unfortunately, it encountered Yuan Ming, whose spiritual consciousness far surpassed the same level of Qi Refining cultivators, and was seen through directly.

    Yuan Ming carefully put away the needle and took the second artifact he obtained from the Bone Diagram, the Nine-Ring Golden Knife.

    This knife was also a middle-grade artifact, and the two runes engraved on it were both sharp and powerful. In terms of destructive power alone, it was not inferior to the Cold Star Sword, but it didn¡¯t have any special abilities.

    Finally, Yuan Ming took out the storage ring from the Bone Diagram. His divine sense entered it, and his expression froze.

    The storage ring was almost empty, except for about twenty to thirty low-grade spirit stones, a few ordinary spiritual materials, two trash artifacts, and a jade slip. The one percent of the storage ring¡¯s space was not used at all.

    Yuan Ming was extremely disappointed. He had originally hoped to make another fortune with the storage ring of this Foundation Establishment elder from the ck Fire Sect, but he didn¡¯t expect this person to be so poor. He was just a pauper.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t know that all the resources of the Bone Diagram had been spent on refining the ck needle artifact, which was why the storage ring was so empty.

    The situation with the ck needle was simr to that of the Cold Star Sword. It looked ordinary on the surface, but the main material used was extremely high-quality, a small piece of Nine Heavens Meteorite.

    Nine Heavens Meteorite was produced outside the Nine Heavens Domain. It was repeatedly polished by the Nine Heavens Gang Wind, the power of the sun, the essence of the moon, and even the power of starlight. Its texture was indestructible, and it was a precious ore that could be used to refine treasures.

    Moreover, because the formation process of the Nine Heavens Meteorite wasplex and it had been tempered by too many forces, it could almost bepatible with all runes, making it of great value in refining treasures.

    The Bone Diagram identally obtained this item, but unfortunately, the quantity was too small. After weighing the pros and cons, it could only be barely refined into a flying needle.

    Although this ck needle was small, its potential was great. The Bone Diagram nned to use it as its life artifact and hoped to advance it to a high-grade artifact in the future, or even a treasure after reaching the Foundation Establishment stage. Therefore, it spent all its savings to ask a master refiner from the ck Fire Sect to refine this flying needle, but now it was given away for nothing by Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming naturally didn¡¯t know the reason for all this and looked at the other things in the storage ring of the Bone Diagram.The spiritual materials were all ordinary and worthless. He nced at them and quickly shifted his gaze, focusing his divine sense on the two magical artifacts.

    One of them was a gray short knife, a lower-grade artifact, made frommon materials. It was clearly a forgotten existence.

    As for the other artifact, it was a ck iron nail with a faint aura, appearing to be another lower-grade artifact.

    The ck iron nail was smeared with some fresh, dark greenish-ck gel-like substance. It seemed like it had just been pulled out from somewhere, sticky and messy, and looked somewhat disgusting.

 Chapter 176: Unexpected discovery

    Chapter 176: Unexpected discovery

    Yuan Ming nced at the iron nails, then quickly ignored them and looked at thest piece of jade slip.

    He used his divine sense to enter it and his face showed joy. He finally found something useful.

    This jade slip recorded a cultivation technique called "Ghost Spirit Technique". ording to the introduction, it was a profound inheritance of the ck Fire Sect. The jade slip contained all the cultivation methods from the Qi Refining stage to the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage, which was of great value.

    At the end of the "Ghost Spirit Technique", there were also some secret techniques and insights on controlling corpses. It should have been written by the Bone Diagram. There were many exquisite details, which greatly broadened Yuan Ming¡¯s horizons and gave him a preliminary understanding of the ck Fire Sect¡¯s corpse-controlling techniques.

    Strictly speaking, the ck Fire Sect¡¯s corpse-controlling techniques were simr to the Death Moon method¡¯s corpse-controlling abilities. Both involved sealing a part of their own divine soul in a corpse to manipte the other party.

    However, the starting point of the Death Moon method¡¯s corpse-controlling abilities was high. It required cultivating the Death Moon method to the second level and having an exceptionally strong divine soul to disy them.

    On the other hand, the threshold for the ck Fire Sect¡¯s corpse-controlling techniques was rtively lower. As long as the divine soul was not too weak, anyone could cultivate them.

    Although the entry threshold for the ck Fire Sect¡¯s corpse-controlling techniques was low, it took a long time to refine and adapt to control a corpse. In the initial stage, it was extremely prone to bacsh and was far less convenient than the Death Moon method, which could be immediately controlled.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t have time to study it in detail. After putting away the jade slip, he checked the storage bags of Sang Yan and the others.Sang Yan and the others were all Qi Refining cultivators and seemed to have no powerful background in the ck Fire Sect. They used low-grade spiritual tools, which were not very powerful. The only thing that stood out was Sang Yan¡¯s ck gloves.

    These gloves were different from ordinary spiritual tools. They contained a space of about ten feet and were filled with ck mist, which was rich in corpse energy and highly toxic.

    Yuan Ming had seen Sang Yan use these gloves before to release corpse energy and attack enemies.

    The structure of the ck gloves was quite simr to storage tools, but unlike storage tools, the glove¡¯s space was very fragile and could only store gas, smoke, and other substances. This glove could be used well, but the toxicity of the corpse energy inside was too weak. It would need to bepletely released and filled with ck Toad Poison Mist.

    Yuan Ming then checked the storage tools of Sang Yan and the others, using his divine sense to inspect them.

    None of the four of them were wealthy. The total amount of spiritual stones added up to less than three hundred, and the other things in the storage tools were also quite ordinary.

    Suddenly, Yuan Ming¡¯s expression changed. He found a palm-sized gray bag in Sang Yan¡¯s storage tool. The bag was woven from a special material and surprisingly had no trace of spiritual energy. It was filled with something.

    He untied the hemp rope at the mouth of the small bag, and a white mineral the size of an egg rolled out. It emitted a faint white light, and inside the mineral, there was a me-like light shadow suspended. It could be clearly seen from the outside, which was quite magical.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s face showed joy. Could these minerals be the White me Essence Gold mentioned by the Third Elder?

    Judging from their appearance, it was very likely. The Third Elder said that Sang Yan had obtained them during the previous White Deer Summit, so it was not surprising that she had them now.

    Yuan Ming specifically put away the White me Essence Gold and gathered the belongings of the other three people before starting to check their corpse storage bags.

    The corpse storage bags of the ck-clothed woman, the sword-browed youth, and the burly man were all ordinary corpses. Theirbat power was onlyparable to a mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator and had no great valuepared to the two Qinggang corpses in the Bone Diagram.

    Yuan Ming took Sang Yan¡¯s corpse storage bag and used his divine sense to enter it. However, his expression suddenly changed. Inside the corpse storage bag was a corpse about ten feet tall, covered in green fur, resembling a human.

    Nine talismans were attached to the green-furred corpse, and judging from its aura, they should have a simr effect to the Spirit Sealing Talisman.

    However, the green-furred corpse had an exceptionally strong aura, obviously surpassing the Foundation Establishment stage. These talismans couldn¡¯tpletely seal it.

    Yuan Ming was shocked. Could this green-furred corpse be the corpse of a Foundation Establishment cultivator? Was it rted to Sang Yan and the others infiltrating the Snake King Valley and breaking the formation in that ancient castle?

    Now,bining all the previous performances, it made some sense. The ck Fire Sect was a sect that specialized in refining corpses, and what they valued were only some corpses with powerful forces.

    Yuan Ming examined the green-furred corpse and suddenly looked at its forehead with his divine sense. There was a thumb-sized blood hole there, and the scalp next to it was stained with dark greenish-ck fluid.

    This wound...

    He took out an object from his hand, which was the iron nail spiritual tool that had the dark greenish-ck fluid on it. The size of the iron nail and the fluid on it matched the green-furred corpse. Could it be that this nail was previously inserted into this Foundation Establishment corpse?

    At this moment, the aura of the green-furred corpse suddenly began to increase, and a strong corpse energy surged out like a raging wave. The nine Spirit Sealing Talismans floated and fluttered, and the runes on them flickered and quickly dimmed. It seemed that they wouldn¡¯tst much longer.

    The control methods applied to the green-furred corpse were all done by Sang Yan. Now that she was dead, those methods naturally became ineffective. Relying solely on the nine Spirit Sealing Talismans couldn¡¯t suppress this green-furred corpse.

    Yuan Ming felt anxious when he saw this and quickly took out the jade slip from the Bone Diagram, quickly browsing through the content about corpse control, hoping to find a solution.

    However, the ck Fire Sect¡¯s corpse-controlling techniques were profound and unfathomable. Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t fully understand them in a short time, and many corpse-controlling techniques required external assistance, of which he had none.

    The aura emitted by the green-furred corpse became stronger and stronger, and the nine Spirit Sealing Talismans were on the verge of copse.Yuan Ming gritted his teeth slightly, deciding to take a chance. He threw a soul crow into the corpse bag, which then entered the green-haired corpse¡¯s brow, using the corpse control technique.

    The aura of the green-haired corpse immediately paused, quickly converging, and its tightly closed eyes slowly opened, revealing a pair of dark green pupils.

    Yuan Ming was both shocked and delighted. The corpse control technique of the Death Moon method was so mysterious. He had only tried it with a testing attitude, but he didn¡¯t expect to actually control this Foundation Establishment stage corpse!

    He made a hand seal, and the green-haired corpse flew out of the corpse bag,nding on the ground, motionless.

    Yuan Ming circled around the corpse twice, then stimted it with a thought.

    The green-haired corpse let out a beast-like low growl, and its green-ck fist covered in green hair pounded forward.

    The air in front exploded, a visible fist wind erupted, easily tearing apart the barrierid down by the four-sided sealing talisman, and hit the cave wall.

    With a "boom", a huge pit about a meter deep appeared on the mountain wall, and spider-web-like cracks spread from the pit to the entire cave, with small stones falling down.

    Yuan Ming opened his mouth slightly. He knew that this Foundation Establishment stage corpse contained astonishing power, but he didn¡¯t expect it to be so terrifying, almost copsing the cave with a light punch.

    After the surprise, joy surged in his heart.

    After the soul crow possessed the body, he had already investigated clearly. This Foundation Establishment stage corpse had transformed into something simr to a human ghost, unable to use any magical powers, only physical strength remained.

    Even so, this corpse was still a greatbat power.

    Yuan Ming closed his eyes and operated the corpse control technique, familiarizing himself with various situations of the green-haired corpse for future use.

    Time passed bit by bit, and a quarter of an hour passed quickly.

    Yuan Ming was still sensing the situation of the green-haired corpse, not noticing that a surge of evil energy suddenly emerged from the depths of the corpse, entwining the soul crow, and invading Yuan Ming¡¯s sea of consciousness along with the soul crow.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s body shook violently, and a bloodthirsty and murderous thought suddenly rose, several times stronger than the bacsh of the fur technique.

    He was shocked, and while operating the Death Moon method to suppress the bloodthirsty thoughts, he also recalled the soul crow.

    However, the evil energy in the green-haired corpse was like tentacles, holding onto the soul crow and not letting go. Yuan Ming used all his strength to barely pull the soul crow out, and the bloodthirsty and murderous thoughts immediately dispersed.

    However, without the soul crow controlling it, the aura of the green-haired corpse exploded again, and all nine corpse suppression talismans shattered.

    The green-haired corpse broke free from all restraints, its aura surged wildly, and its originally hollow eyes seemed to regain their luster.

    Yuan Ming was both shocked and anxious, and was about to grit his teeth and use another soul crow to control the corpse again.

    At this moment, a "buzzing" sound suddenly came, it was the ck iron nail in his hand.

    The ck iron nail vibrated and pointed at the head of the green-haired corpse.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming decisively inserted the iron nail into the blood hole in the forehead of the green-haired corpse.

    The erupting aura of the green-haired corpse immediately subsided and quickly disappeared.

    A few breathster, the powerful aura of the corpse waspletely dissipated, leaving only a tiny bit of residue, not much stronger than an ordinary ghost.

    Yuan Ming breathed a sigh of relief. This iron nail was indeed used to seal the green-haired corpse, and judging from the old aura on the nail, it should have been on the corpse originally, not something done by the people of the ck Fire Gate.

    He became interested in this green-haired corpse. Such a powerful corpse could not have appeared out of thin air.

    Yuan Ming took Sang Yan and Gu Tu¡¯s storage artifacts and carefully checked them. He quickly found a broken map from Sang Yan, which showed the terrain of Snake King Valley, and there were some words written on the back of the map.

    After reading the map and the words, he finally understood the origin of the corpse. This corpse was originally called "Celestial Snake Ascendant", no wonder it chose to be buried in Snake King Valley.

    There were many secrets in Snake King Valley, the ancient castle, and the ck stone pir deep in the Snake King Cave were all very strange.

    However, he had no intention of exploring these for the time being.

    Yuan Ming put the corpse of the Celestial Snake Ascendant into Gu Tu¡¯s corpse bag, turned around and walked outside, quickly arriving near the entrance of Snake King Valley.

    "Gulp".

    Inside the spirit beast bag, the ck toad made a series of anxious calls, conveying a thought of not wanting to leave this ce.

    "Do you want to stay here to cultivate?" Yuan Mingmunicated with the ck toad through his divine sense.

    After the ck toad broke through to the second level, its intelligence increased a lot, and it nodded repeatedly.

    Yuan Ming looked at Snake King Valley. This ce was warm and humid, indeed a suitable environment for the ck toad. Although the two Snake Kings had fallen, there were still many Golden Flower Poisonous Pythons in Snake King Valley, which were all great supplements for the ck toad.

    And with the ck toad¡¯s current divine powers, there was no need to worry about safety.

    "Alright, you can stay here for a while, and I¡¯lle to pick you up when you need it." Yuan Ming said, letting the ck toad out.

    The ck toad croaked at Yuan Ming a few times, then hopped into Snake King Valley, its figure quickly disappearing into the thick miasma.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t stay long either, and flew towards Bi Luo Cave.

 Chapter 177: Cuckoo occupying the magpieâ€™s nest

    Chapter 177: Cuckoo upying the magpie¡¯s nest

    It was already two dayster when Yuan Ming returned to the sect.

    Instead of going directly to his residence, Yuan Ming first went to the Fire Refining Hall.

    "Junior Brother Yuan, you¡¯ve been away for too long recently. Many of the tasks in the Fire Refining Hall have been left vacant. I¡¯m afraid your contribution points are not enough." Senior Brother Fang Ge¡¯s face turned serious when he saw Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming knew that Senior Brother Fang Ge was always fair and his words were not meant to trouble him, but rather out of his duty and concern for him.

    After all, not participating in the daily tasks of the sect for a long time would not only result in no contribution points being received, but also deductions from the existing contribution points.

    The sect does not support idle people.

    "Senior Brother Fang Ge, I¡¯ve been itching to go out because of the White Deer Summit Alliance. I¡¯ve been focusing on cultivation and neglected the tasks here, causing Senior Brother to worry. But rest assured, I have also done many other tasks and have some contribution points." Yuan Ming smiled and said.

    "You handle it yourself, I¡¯m just reminding you. But refining tools is also a skill that requires practice. If you don¡¯t practice for too long, you will inevitably be unfamiliar with it." Fang Ge nodded and said without me.

    "I understand. By the way, when I went out the other day and walked around the market, I found an interesting metal. I wonder if Senior Brother can take a look?" Yuan Ming said with a smile."Show it to me." Fang Ge became interested when he heard this.

    Yuan Ming immediately turned his wrist and took out a fist-sized dark red metal block and handed it to Fang Ge.

    "This is... Fire Red Copper? This thing is not easy to find." After taking it, Fang Ge carefully observed it for a moment, and a rare expression of surprise appeared on his face.

    "So it¡¯s Fire Red Copper. Senior Brother Fang Ge is really knowledgeable." Yuan Ming pretended to be surprised and said.

    "Junior Brother Yuan, how much of this spiritual material do you have? Can you sell some to me?" Fang Ge couldn¡¯t help but ask. He had been unable toplete the quality of a tool he was refining because hecked this material.

    "This thing is of no use to me. Senior Brother can take it if you like." Yuan Ming said.

    Upon hearing this, Fang Ge¡¯s joyful expression froze for a moment, and he immediately understood that Yuan Ming didn¡¯t really know this thing. He obviously wanted to find an opportunity to give it to him.

    "Junior Brother Yuan, I appreciate your kindness, but things must be priced. You can name a price now, I can¡¯t take advantage of you." Fang Ge said.

    "Alright, to be honest, I found this in the market and bought it with two spirit stones." Yuan Ming sighed and said.

    He was lying. He found this thing while rummaging through the storage bag of an unlucky guy.

    "I¡¯ll give you three spirit stones." After a moment of thought, Fang Ge said.

    "Just two. This is Junior Brother¡¯s goodwill. If it¡¯s a business, I won¡¯t sell it." Yuan Ming looked at him with a smile.

    "Okay." Fang Ge nodded without hesitation.

    After seeing Fang Ge happily ept it, Yuan Ming bid farewell and went to the Tool Pavilion where he met A Muhe.

    Yuan Ming also prepared a gift for him.

    Unlike Senior Brother Fang Ge¡¯s formal and serious style, A Muhe epted it readily, without even saying thank you.

    Compared to receiving gifts, he was more interested in the incident where Yuan Ming sessfully refined the Qingyu Sword with the help of an outsider.

    After learning that Yuan Ming had sessfully refined the sword with the help of an outsider, he strongly demanded to see the sword.

    Yuan Ming had no choice but to take out the Hanxing Sword and show it to A Muhe.

    After A Muhe saw it, his reaction was even more intense than the Three Cave Masters. He couldn¡¯t help but exim "exquisite" repeatedly, holding the Hanxing Sword in his arms and ying with it, insisting that Yuan Ming demonstrate its power to him.

    It was not easy for Yuan Ming to finally break free and leave the Tool Pavilion. He went directly to the small courtyard of the Third Cave Master.

    However, the Third Cave Master was not there.

    Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t see anyone, so he turned around and went to the valley between the Fire Refining Hall Peak and the Alchemy Hall Peak.

    Yuweng was rolling up his sleeves and trouser legs, bending over and wielding a hoe to loosen the soil in the medicinal field. When he saw Yuan Minging, he put the hoe on his shoulder and straightened up.

    "Elder Yuweng, I brought you some wine. Is there any meat to eat today?" Yuan Ming took out two jars of good wine that he had prepared early, held them high in his hands, and shouted from a distance.

    "You brat, it¡¯s been a long time since you came to see this old man." Yuwengined a little.

    "I¡¯ve been busy these days. As soon as I had some free time, I hurried to see you, didn¡¯t I?" Yuan Ming smiled and said.

    Yuweng carried the hoe and walked up the field, casually pulling out a spiritual herb from the field.

    "Did you buy the Central ins seasoning I asked you to buyst time?" Yuweng asked as Yuan Ming approached.

    "I only found some Sichuan peppercorns and cinnamon. It¡¯s really hard to find the others." Yuan Ming replied truthfully.

    No, it¡¯s not bad. With these two, I can already make some different vors." Yuweng was delighted and smiled, leading the way and taking Yuan Ming back to his thatched hut.

    After arranging for Yuan Ming to sit down, Yuweng began his traditional craftsmanship of fishing.

    In a short while, when he returned, there were three fat and beautiful silver-scaled colored fish in the fish basket.

    Yuweng didn¡¯t need Yuan Ming¡¯s help. He quickly processed the silver-scaled colored fish and stewed them in a pot.

    While waiting for the fish to cook, Yuan Ming brought wine bowls and poured wine for Yuweng and himself. The two of them ate and drank with some cured meat and side dishes that Yuan Ming had brought back.

    After two bowls of wine, Yuweng praised it greatly, but when he saw Yuan Ming drinking, he became dissatisfied.

    "I say, Yuan brat, are you drinking tea? You¡¯re only drinking so little." Yuweng said unhappily.

    "I just wanted to save some for you." Yuan Ming smiled awkwardly.

    "I¡¯ve been here for so many years, and I finally met someone like you. When youe, just drink openly. Besides, I have enough fish here, not to mention anything else." Yuweng said, pouring himself a drink.

    Yuan Ming also began to drink heartily.

    "Don¡¯t be reserved when drinking, and don¡¯t use your magic to dissipate the alcohol. It¡¯s good to feel a bit tipsy," Fish Elder emphasized.

    "Elder, is there something bothering you?" Yuan Ming asked, sensing that Fish Elder seemed a bit off today.

    "I¡¯m just a leisurely man, what could possibly bother me? Come,e, eat fish, eat fish." Fish Elder shook his head and picked up arge piece of fish with his chopsticks and began to eat.

    Seeing that the elder didn¡¯t want to talk, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t press further. The two chatted intermittently.

    This was one of the few ces in the Bi Luo Cave where he could truly rx.

    "How did youe to Bi Luo Cave?" Fish Elder suddenly asked.

    Yuan Ming thought for a moment, and without hiding anything, he recounted his journey from struggling to survive as a beast ve to joining the sect.

    Fish Elder listened attentively, didn¡¯t say a word, just clinked bowls with Yuan Ming and took a big drink.

    Unconsciously, the sun set, and through the gap in the valley, they could see thest rays of the sunset gradually being covered by darkness. Both Yuan Ming and Fish Elder had flushed cheeks and were slightly tipsy.

    "Yuand, while I¡¯m a bit tipsy, I¡¯ll tell you, this ce wasn¡¯t originally called Bi Luo Cave," Fish Elder said, looking at the distant shadows.

    "What was it called?" Yuan Ming asked in surprise.

    "This ce originally had no name. I saw these three mountains standing side by side, their positions corresponding to three stars in the sky, so I named it Three Star Mountain," Fish Elder said.

    "You named it?" Yuan Ming asked, growing more curious.

    "I did," Fish Elder nodded.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming, who was holding his bowl, suddenly froze.

    "No way." He had always had a suspicion in his heart, wondering if this kind old man could be the stabilizing force of Bi Luo Cave, the great elder who was known only by name and never seen?

    But after more and more interactions, Yuan Ming felt it was unlikely.

    But now, hearing him say this, Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but think in that direction. After all, he couldn¡¯t think of anyone else who could name or rename Bi Luo Cave except for the great elder.

    "I¡¯m not."

    Fish Elder just nced at Yuan Ming and guessed his suspicion.

    Hearing this, Yuan Ming let out a sigh of relief that he hadn¡¯t even realized he was holding.

    Deep down, he didn¡¯t want Fish Elder to be the great elder.

    "There must be some unknown past about the renaming of Three Star Mountain to Bi Luo Cave," Yuan Ming wondered.

    Instead of answering directly, Fish Elder began to tell Yuan Ming a story: "Do you know, in the Central ins, there is a bird called the cuckoo. They don¡¯t build nests. They alwaysy their eggs in the magpie¡¯s nest, and to ensure their eggs¡¯ survival, they will push the magpie¡¯s eggs out and break them, thus allowing their offspring to hatch and upy the magpie¡¯s nest."

    Yuan Ming naturally knew the story of the cuckoo upying the magpie¡¯s nest, so he was shocked and sobered up instantly.

    "May I ask, Elder, what happened to the magpie whose nest was upied?" he asked cautiously.

    "The magpie? The magpie made a small nest under the tree, nted flowers every day, fished, and lived afortable life."

    Fish Elder smiled and said lightly.

    "So you were the original master of Bi Luo Cave!" Yuan Ming eximed in surprise.

    "When people have free time, they tend to reminisce. I just miss the original beauty of Three Star Mountain," Fish Elder sighed.

    "That¡¯s good, no disputes, no fights, no worries. Elder, you are truly clear-headed," Yuan Mingforted.

    Fish Elder didn¡¯t respond, just took a light sip of his drink.

    "I¡¯ve always known that Elder Fish is extraordinary, but I never thought you had such an experience," Yuan Ming said, puzzled.

    "This Three Star Mountain, I lost it after a fight. Although I was reluctant and unwilling, I had made a bet beforehand. If I lost, I lost. At that time, Chen Cangqiong was somewhat tolerant. He didn¡¯t kill me or drive me away, but wanted to take me under hismand," Fish Elder said straightforwardly when asked by Yuan Ming.

 Chapter 178: Bring it over

    Chapter 178: Bring it over

    "Is the Chen Cangqiong mentioned by Senior Yuweng the same as..." Yuan Ming asked in confusion.

    "He is the current Grand Elder of the Birolo Cave," Yuweng said.

    "If he doesn¡¯t trouble you, why do you choose to hide here? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to leave?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "I have considered leaving, especially after learning about the dirty things that happened in the Birolo Caveter on..." Yuweng paused here.

    After a moment, he took a sip of wine before continuing, "But my old subordinates must stay in the Birolo Cave. Most of them are skilled in refining, but their cultivation andbat power are not very high. Chen Cangqiong¡¯s cultivation, on the other hand, has been increasing, and he has been cultivating more power. I don¡¯t want my old subordinates to leave and attract Chen Cangqiong¡¯s murderous intent, so I had to give up. After that, I gradually lost the desire to leave."

    Yuan Ming listened and did not speak, understanding Yuweng¡¯s decision.

    "This Chen Cangqiong is indeed capable. Originally, the Southern and Northern Regions were the Four Great Sects, but after he took over, he turned the previously unknown Sanxing Mountain into one of the Five Great Sects of the Southern and Northern Regions. His methods are impressive. I deeply admire him," Yuweng said again.

    "Chen Cangqiong is so powerful, don¡¯t the other four sects suppress him? How strong is he?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "In terms of strength, none of the members of the other sects can match him in a one-on-one fight. No one can do anything to him," Yuweng answered.After hearing this, Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of admiration for the Grand Elder whom he had never met before.

    "Do you know why I am so lenient towards Huo Chan¡¯er?" Yuweng fell silent for a moment before speaking again.

    "Could it be that the Third Elder is your acquaintance?" Yuan Ming quickly thought of the answer.

    "The elders of the Fire Refining Hall are almost all my former subordinates. Over the years, some of them have reached the end of their lifespan, while others have died unexpectedly. Ling Songhua has be the Third Elder of the Birolo Cave. In the past, I had a good friend named Heimu, who was a master at refining and often came to Sanxing Mountain to exchange refining techniques with Songhua," Yuweng nodded.

    "The Third Elder is called Ling Songhua! He often exchanges refining techniques with Heimu on Sanxing Mountain! Could it be that Master Heimu and the Third Elder have a special rtionship?" Yuan Ming almost couldn¡¯t help but exim.

    Seeing his shocked expression, Yuweng asked, "Are you surprised?"

    "I have only seen the Third Eldere over here to see you, so I find it hard to believe," Yuan Ming concealed his surprise and said.

    "Songhua mes me for Heimu¡¯s disappearance and thinks I should take responsibility," Yuweng sighed and said slowly.

    "Do you like the Third Elder?" Yuan Ming suddenly had a wild idea and couldn¡¯t help but say it. For a moment, he wanted to tell him that Master Heimu didn¡¯t disappear, but had already passed away, but he dared not say it at this moment.

    "You¡¯re being disrespectful. You can write a story at home. It¡¯s rare for me to share some old stories with you. Don¡¯t make fun of this old man," Yuweng looked at Yuan Ming andughed.

    "I was wrong, I was wrong," Yuan Ming quickly said.

    "Drink three cups of wine as punishment!" Yuweng pretended to be angry.

    When the sky darkened, the wine was finished, and the fish was eaten, Yuan Ming bid farewell and left.

    After leaving the valley, Yuan Ming activated his mana, took a sip of wine, and dissipated the smell of alcohol before using the Wind Swift Technique to quickly return to his residence in the Fire Refining Hall.

    Back in his residence, Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t hide his excitement.

    He never expected that there would be such a connection between Yuweng, the Third Elder, and Heimu. No wonder Yuweng was so tolerant towards him when they first met.

    But why didn¡¯t the Third Elder and Yuweng know about Heimu¡¯s cave, to the point that they still didn¡¯t know even after so long?

    After a short rest, Yuan Ming sat quietly by the window and began to cultivate the "Nine Elements Form" with his eyes closed.

    In the middle of the night, there was a slight movement outside the window. Yuan Ming slowly opened his eyes and saw the silver cat walking towards him with light steps.

    "Xiying, you¡¯re here?" Yuan Ming stopped cultivating and greeted.

    The silver cat simply walked into his room and sat on the table, asking, "Tell me, what interesting things happened during your trip? I need something to pass the time."

    Yuan Ming immediately recounted his experiences in the Snake King Valley, embellishing the story with great enthusiasm. He described how he fell into danger, how he was plotted against, how he tangled with the Snake King, and how he barely won.

    Although Xiying had seen many grand scenes before, under Yuan Ming¡¯s vivid storytelling, her emotions fluctuated. When she heard the tense parts, her different-colored pupils couldn¡¯t help but contract, and her small paws almost crushed the table.

    After finishing the story, Yuan Ming secretly marveled at his talent for storytelling.

    "It sounds really fun. It¡¯s a pity I didn¡¯t go this time. You must bring me along next time," Xiying said with regret after listening attentively, finally calming down from her fluctuating emotions.

    Seeing her disappointed expression, Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help butugh and told Xiying the old news he heard from Yuweng about the Birolo Cave, only to find that Xiying seemed to have known it already.

    When Xiying didn¡¯t leave for a long time, Yuan Ming said, "Aren¡¯t you going to practice? You¡¯ve been here for a while."

    Xiying spoke up, "Are you rushing me? Where are my things? Give them back."

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming realized that the time to face the consequences hade. He thought that his brilliant storytelling would be able to deceive Xiying and secretly repair the damaged item before returning it to her. However, he didn¡¯t expect Xiying to see through his n and still remember the golden silk.

    "Well, Xiying, can I borrow the golden silk for a little longer? It¡¯s really useful. I want to go to the market in a few days and see if there¡¯s anything interesting to do," Yuan Ming said somewhat awkwardly.

    "We¡¯ll talk about itter. Where¡¯s the golden silk? Give it back to me," Xiying extended a cat paw and lightly grasped it with its five furry fingers.

    "I identally broke the golden silk," Yuan Ming helplessly admitted and told the truth.

    "Give it to me, let me see," Xiying said.

    Yuan Ming sighed and reluctantly took out the golden silk, handing it over.

    Xiying caught it, carefully examined the damaged part, and said, "It seems like you¡¯ve been through a tough battle..."

    With a wave of her paw, she took it away and then said, "A magic tool is nothingpared to preserving your life. Seeing how nervous you were, I won¡¯t me you."Instead, it was Yuan Ming who stood there, feeling a bit guilty and somewhat at a loss. He was about to exin to Xiying about the materials used for the gilded gauze, but Xiying had already hopped away.

    The next day.

    Yuan Ming once again went to the small courtyard in the back mountain, and this time he finally met the Third Cave Master.

    After learning about the situation of the Third Cave Master from Master Yu, Yuan Ming had a different feeling when he saw her again.

    However, at the moment, he could not tell her about Master Heimu¡¯s matter.

    The Third Cave Master was somewhat surprised at Yuan Ming¡¯s arrival, as the frequency of this disciple¡¯s appearances on her side had been unusually hightely.

    "What brings you here?" In the courtyard, the Third Cave Master looked at Yuan Ming and asked.

    Yuan Ming took off the fire glutton that was hanging around his neck and said, "The other day when I was out, I encountered someone in the market who was urgently selling something. It seemed a bit like the White me Fine Gold you wanted, so I bought it."

    Upon hearing this, the Third Cave Master¡¯s expression slightly changed, but soon returned to calm.

    "White me Fine Gold is not something that would appear in the market casually. Even if it does, it would be immediately snatched up. How could a Qi refining disciple like you afford it?" Sheughed and shook her head. The implication was that Yuan Ming was likely to have been deceived and bought a fake.

    "I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s real or fake, but I bought it anyway. Please take a look, Third Cave Master." Yuan Ming said with a smile.

    Upon hearing this, the Third Cave Master hesitated for a moment, but still said, "Then bring it over and let me have a look."

    She thought that regardless of whether it was real or fake, she shouldpensate Yuan Ming for the spirit stones he had spent. It was not easy for a Qi refining disciple to have such a heart, and she could not let him suffer a loss for nothing.

    Yuan Ming immediately pped his storage bag around his waist and took out the egg-sized White me Fine Gold.

    Before returning, he had deliberately found a volcano and threw the White me Fine Gold into the edge area, allowing the sulfur and other substances in the magma to permeate it and make it smell pungent.

    Sure enough, the Third Cave Master took it for a volcanic ore at first nce.

    But when she casually took it in her hand, her wrist sank slightly, and she knew something was wrong.

    Most volcanic ores contain a lot of bubbles, so they feel light and floaty when held, not so heavy.

    The Third Cave Master¡¯s expression slightly condensed, and she held up the White me Fine Gold and looked at it carefully for a moment. Her expression began to change dramatically, and her eyes were filled with joy that could not be concealed.

    "This... is really White me Fine Gold." The Third Cave Master couldn¡¯t help but say.

    "I just felt like it was White me Fine Gold. The people around me at the time couldn¡¯t tell, and they told me not to buy it, but I insisted on buying it.

    "Indeed, I¡¯m lucky." Yuan Ming pped his thigh, looking even happier than the Third Cave Master.

    "How much did you pay for it?" The Third Cave Master asked.

    "It didn¡¯t cost much, as long as it¡¯s the right thing." Yuan Ming waved his hand and said.

    The Third Cave Master didn¡¯t speak, but looked straight at Yuan Ming, obviously wanting him to say it.

    "I spent three spirit stones." Yuan Ming said with a helpless look.

    "Really?" The Third Cave Master frowned. This price was not just a bargain, it was practically a steal.

    "Really. At that time, everyone around me said it was fake, and the seller himself was panicked. When he saw that I was willing to take it, he gave me this price. Besides, even if he asked for more, I didn¡¯t have any more." Yuan Ming nodded heavily.

    "In that case, it¡¯s really your good fortune. I do need this White me Fine Gold. Tell me, what do you want me to exchange for it?" The Third Cave Master said, believing him.

    "No need, no need, this is originally a gift from me to you. I have always remembered your kindness in taking me in." Yuan Ming waved his hand repeatedly.

    He really didn¡¯t n to exchange anything. Firstly, this White me Fine Gold was indeed useless to him at the moment. Secondly, the Third Cave Master was really good to him as a registered disciple. Thirdly, it was also a kind of gratitude to Master Heimu.

    "What kind of magical tool do youck? I can give you one." The Third Cave Master thought for a moment and said.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming thought carefully for a moment and found that he didn¡¯t seem tock anything at the moment.

    Suddenly, he thought of something and asked, "Third Cave Master, do you know about flying magical tools?"

    "You want a flying magical tool?" The Third Cave Master was slightly stunned and frowned.

    It wasn¡¯t that she thought Yuan Ming¡¯s request was excessive, but that she really didn¡¯t have such a thing.

    "I just read about it in a book and was a bit curious." Yuan Mingughed.

    "Flying magical tools are just one type of many magical tools. They can fly in the air with the help of the characteristics of spiritual materials and the blessing of formations, as long as spiritual power is continuously input." The Third Cave Master said.

    "Why have I never seen the elders driving them?" Yuan Ming asked in confusion.

 Chapter 179: The Journey of the White Horse Youth

    Chapter 179: The Journey of the White Horse Youth

    "Flying artifacts are ultimately just auxiliary artifacts. In the Southern Region, people prefer to directly control flying spirit beasts, while in the Central ins, they prefer flying artifacts. The so-called Sword Immortals who can fly are just using swords to travel," exined the Third Master.

    "I see," Yuan Ming suddenly understood.

    After speaking, he took Huo Chan¡¯er off his shoulder and ced her on the ground.

    "Third Master, I will be going into seclusion in the mountains soon. I will take my leave now," he said, and then turned and left.

    The Third Master was distracted by the flying artifact and didn¡¯t realize until Yuan Ming had left that she had not yet paid him the reward of Bai Yan Jing Jin.

    "Flying artifacts..." the Third Master murmured.

    Yuan Ming went to the Fire Workshop and informed Senior Brother Fang Ge before returning to his ce to pack up. He then headed back to the Ten Thousand Mountains to cultivate in seclusion.

    During this seclusion, besides improving his cultivation, Yuan Ming also wanted to try incorporating the various materials he had recently found into making incense.

    He believed that as long as he found the right spiritual materials to rece the ordinary materials, the time for the incense to take effect would definitely be longer, and the effect would be closer to that of the original ck Incense.After setting up a cave in the mountains and building a treehouse on an ancient tree outside, Yuan Ming began a new round of incense experiments.

    He gained a lot this time and brought back a variety of spiritual materials, making it difficult for him to know where to start.

    After much consideration, he decided to first take out the Yellow Springs Tree he had brought back from the Snake King Valley and scrape off half a cup of powder from it, adding it to his incense ingredients.

    Once the incense waspleted, Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t wait to light it.

    The Yellow Springs Tree itself was rted to the soul, so Yuan Ming had high hopes for this incense.

    "Liu Tianming..."

    Yuan Ming watched as the smoke rose and silently recited the name of the Little Emperor in his heart, envisioning his appearance. His vision gradually became blurry until he fell into endless darkness.

    But after a moment, Yuan Ming¡¯s vision brightened again, and he immediately saw arge table covered in bright yellow silk and a pair of fair hands resting on the table.

    The owner of the hands was wearing a bright yellow dragon robe and was looking down at a letter on the table.

    Yuan Ming confirmed that he had once again possessed the body of the Little Emperor of Da Jin, but he was still in a state of being an observer and could only feel the emotions of the Little Emperor without being able to control his actions.

    However, at this moment, Yuan Ming felt a very strong excitement and exhration. He could even feel the trembling of the Little Emperor¡¯s arm resting on the table.

    Following the Little Emperor¡¯s gaze, Yuan Ming saw a middle-aged man in court attire standing in front of the main hall. He had thick ck eyebrows, sharp eyes, a high nose bridge, a circle of ck stubble around his lips, and a tall and sturdy figure. He stood there with a calm and steady demeanor, like a stone monument.

    Before seeing this face, Yuan Ming¡¯s impression of him was vague, but when he saw this face, his image immediately became clear and vivid in Yuan Ming¡¯s mind.

    However,pared to the father in his memory, this person¡¯s temples had a few strands of white hair.

    "Father..." Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t speak at this moment, but the voice in his heart calling out to him was trembling.

    The upright General Yuan had a much calmer expression on his facepared to the Little Emperor, but there were still faint traces of redness in the corners of his eyes, indicating that he was not as carefree as he appeared.

    "Your Majesty, please don¡¯t worry. In the letter, my son did not mention his whereabouts, only that the letter was sent from a military town in the Southern Region under the Ka Si n. I have already sent trusted soldiers to investigate with the scouts from the Southern Region. Once we have reliable results, we will send someone to bring him back," General Yuan said respectfully.

    "This guy, he clearly sent a letter back, why didn¡¯t he mention where he is? What¡¯s even more annoying is that there isn¡¯t a single word for me in the letter," the Little Emperor put down the letter, somewhat dissatisfied.

    "He probably had no choice," General Yuan sighed.

    Upon hearing this, the Little Emperor thought of the hardships Yuan Ming might have suffered in the Southern Region and couldn¡¯t bear to me him anymore.

    The reason Yuan Ming didn¡¯t tell his family about his whereabouts was partly because he hadn¡¯t recovered hisplete memory of being murdered, and partly because he wanted to wait until his strength improved and he had the ability to protect himself before returning.

    "General Yuan, about Ming ge still being alive..."

    "Your Majesty, besides informing you, I haven¡¯t told anyone else," General Yuan immediately reassured him.

    "That¡¯s good. When hees back, I want him to be...," the Little Emperor stopped halfway and didn¡¯t continue.

    But Yuan Ming heard his thoughts: "I want him to be my right-hand man, just like before..."

    After General Yuan took his leave, the eunuchs and maids who had been waiting outside the hall cautiously returned to the pce, and the Little Emperor returned to the hall.The eunuch who served the young emperor closely noticed that His Majesty seemed to be in a good mood, so he asked, "Your Majesty, the ministers from the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Revenue are seeking an audience. They wish to discuss the matter of resuming trade with the Southern Border. Shall I let them in?"

    "I will not see anyone today. All matters will be discussed tomorrow." The young emperor waved his hand dismissively without giving it a second thought.

    "Yes, Your Majesty."

    The eunuch acknowledged and was about to leave to dismiss the two ministers.

    At that moment, the young emperor suddenly spoke, "Bring me my treasure box."

    "Yes, Your Majesty." The eunuch immediatelyplied.

    In a short while, a two-foot square purple-red wooden box was brought to the young emperor¡¯s desk.

    He waved his hand again, driving everyone out.

    Then, the young emperor unlocked the golden lock on the purple-red wooden box and slowly lifted the lid.

    Inside the box were many small items: a ck and white tiger plush toy, a finely carved small wooden sword, a crescent-shaped jade pendant, and many hand-bound books...

    Looking at these small items, a nostalgic expression appeared on the young emperor¡¯s face.

    "Ming, you haven¡¯t finished drawing the illustrations for ¡¯The Journey of the White Horse Youth¡¯ yet. I¡¯ve been waiting for a long time..." After a while, he picked up a book with a blue cover from the box and said with a hint of sadness.

    Yuan Ming could empathize with the sadness in his words.

    In an instant, he felt as if he had been hit hard on the head. His mind was filled with tumultuous thoughts, and fragments of memory began to emerge vaguely.

    But at the same time, the scene in front of Yuan Ming became blurry again. His time of possession hade to an end.

    As his vision cleared, Yuan Ming looked at the burnt-out incense in front of him, but his pupils couldn¡¯t focus for a long time.

    In his mind, an image was shing like a floating scroll.

    He saw his young self and the equally young emperor in the royal garden pavilion of the pce. One was drawing with a brush, and the other was grinding ink. Together, they were creating a painting.

    "¡¯The Journey of the White Horse Youth¡¯... I remember now. It was aic book that I created with the Sixth Prince, no, with His Majesty." Yuan Ming murmured to himself.

    Back then, one of them was a young prodigy known throughout the capital for his calligraphy and painting skills, as well as his talent for writing fables. The other was the Sixth Prince of the Great Jin Dynasty, known for his exceptional talent.

    They were of the same age, both with open minds and wild imaginations. They considered each other close friends. Their ideas collided and together they created a story about a young prince who ran away from the pce, became sworn brothers with martial arts disciples, and roamed the martial arts world together.

    This story was "The Journey of the White Horse Youth".

    As these memories continued to return, Yuan Ming became increasingly excited.

    The feeling wasplex, like piecing together a broken porcin bottle. Yuan Ming was also piecing together aplete self with the recovered memories.

    He didn¡¯t even notice that his personality was changing bit by bit in this process.

    When he calmed down, Yuan Ming reached out to take the incense burner, but his movement suddenly paused.

    "The duration of this possession... seems to have greatly extended!" Yuan Ming suddenly realized.

    This time, he had experienced the entire process of the young emperor¡¯s conversation with his father and the eunuch bringing the treasure box. The duration was more than twice as long as before.

    "The wood powder of the Underworld Tree can greatly extend the duration of possession. The incense must contain rare spiritual materials!" Yuan Ming was overjoyed and came to this conclusion.

    Although it was far from the original ck Incense¡¯s level and couldn¡¯t control the actions of the possessed person, such a long duration increase was already a great gain.

    This experiment further stimted Yuan Ming¡¯s determination to continue trying. He added all the spiritual materials he had purchased into the incense-making materials and began a long experiment.

    While waiting for the incense burner to recover, Yuan Ming sealed himself in the cave and began to cultivate in seclusion.

    He lit a stick of Qingxuan Incense on the incense burner in front of him.

    As a wisp of green smoke rose and slowly swirled around the room, the sense of connection between him and the smoke emerged in Yuan Ming¡¯s mind again.

    Within a few breaths, Yuan Ming felt a sense of rity permeating his lungs, and all his fatigue was swept away.

    He immediately took out a white porcin bottle, poured out a yellow Peiyuan Pill from it, and put it in his mouth.

    As soon as the pill entered his mouth, it melted before he could swallow it. Yuan Ming immediately felt his mouth watering and couldn¡¯t help swallowing. He then felt a warm current flowing down his throat into his abdomen.

    In the next instant, this warm current gathered around his Dantian and seemed to be nourishing it.

    Feeling this wonderful sensation, Yuan Ming immediately closed his eyes, sat cross-legged, and began to recite the Nine Elements Form, starting his cultivation.

    As the mana in his Dantian began to move and tried to flow into his meridians, the warm current surrounding his Dantian also moved and dispersed into his meridians.

    Yuan Ming felt the mana flowing in his meridians suddenly surge, and the speed of his cirction increased involuntarily.

    Using Qingxuan Incense and Peiyuan Pill at the same time, under this double boost, his cultivation efficiency had almost doubled.

    He was even startled by this.

    Yuan Ming quickly adjusted his mindset, seized this opportunity, and began to concentrate on cultivation.

 Chapter 180: Lure beast

    Chapter 180: Lure beast

    Time flies, more than half a month has passed.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s cultivation has made rapid progress, and he has once again broken through, finally reaching the tenth level of Qi Refinement.

    This means that he now has the qualification to establish a foundation.

    However, Yuan Ming did not immediately take the rare Foundation Establishment Pill.

    Ordinary disciples of the Bi Luo Cave can only reach the tenth level of Qi Refinement and then establish a foundation by relying on the Bi Luo Gong cultivation method. But if he continues to cultivate the "Nine Elements Form - Volume One," he can reach the thirteenth level of Qi Refinement as rumored.

    Although Yuan Ming does not yet know the profound impact of these three levels on his future cultivation path, he understands that a more solid foundation will be more beneficial to him.

    Compared to the rapid progress of the "Nine Elements Form" cultivation, Yuan Ming¡¯s cultivation speed in the "Death Moon Method" has slowed down significantly.

    After advancing to the second level, his cultivation speed in soul cultivation has noticeably decreased.

    Even when he used the nourishing incense for the soul, the cultivation speed did not increase significantly. Therefore, Yuan Ming temporarily stopped cultivating the "Death Moon Method" and focused on cultivating the "Nine Elements Form."At the same time, every few days, Yuan Ming would stop cultivation to test the incense he newly formted.

    Speaking of which, this was also inspired by the "Xuanhua True Immortal" he encountered by chance in the Heiyan Fang Market. The Qingxuan Incense and the Nourishing Incense are indeed quite mysterious and can help with cultivation. If he could research and develop them himself, it would be of great help to his future cultivation.

    This time, he added three types of spiritual materials to the incense, with the most important one being a spiritual material called "Mist Xuan Grass," which is usually used to refine Illusion Spirit Pills.

    The reason for choosing this spiritual material is because it has a certain hallucinogenic effect, and the Illusion Spirit Pills made from it can temporarily enter a hallucinatory realm, which also has an effect on the soul.

    Yuan Ming inserted the long incense into the incense burner. Before igniting it, he took out an antidote pill and put it in his mouth.

    He was cautious because in a previous incense testing, he identally added a poisonous herb, and when it was ignited, the colorless and tasteless poison was amplified by the incense burner.

    Within a few breaths, Yuan Ming felt his limbs weaken and his mind be heavy.

    At the same time, his vision began to blur, and for a moment, he didn¡¯t know if he was going to possess someone or be poisoned to death. Fortunately, at the critical moment, Yuan Mingmunicated with his storage ring and took out the Hanxing Sword in time. He used his mana to activate the sword and release its cold aura to extinguish the incense fire, interrupting this attempt.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t manage to possess someone in this chaotic state, but he didn¡¯t immediately recover either. Hey weakly for the time it took to drink a cup of tea before finally waking up.

    Because of this incident, Yuan Ming realized that there are risks in experimenting with incense made from various materials.

    Although this incident was rtively minor, it was stopped in time. Next time, he might not be so lucky.

    After this, he made preparations against poison and tried again to ignite the poison incense he had previously made while the Taiji pattern was extinguished. The result was that the effect of the poison incense was significantly enhanced.

    The intermediate-level fierce beast he used for testing couldn¡¯tst for three breaths before falling to the ground.

    However, this poison incense is more of a stupefying effect and does not directly cause death.

    Moreover, the range of diffusion of the poison incense is limited, basically covering a radius of one hundred zhang. Without the support of the incense burner, the coverage range is reduced by half.

    In the case of inhaling a whole incense stick, the fierce beast would at least fall asleep for half an hour.

    After this incident, Yuan Ming decided that while trying to imitate possessing someone with the ck Incense, he would also make some spirit incense with different functions. With the support of the incense burner, there might be unexpected effects as well.

    In this attempt to make incense, Yuan Ming directly removed the incense ash, which is the key element for triggering possession and spirit descent. He simply wanted to try and explore more possibilities for making incense.

    After igniting the long incense, a wisp of white smoke slowly rose, with a denser and whiter color than before.

    Yuan Ming subconsciously nced at the green wolf tied to a tree beside him, struggling in fear.

    After waiting for a moment, the green wolf continued to struggle and did not fall unconscious. The Third Eye God also showed no changes, and there was no obvious poisoning or hallucination reaction. Before Yuan Ming could finish saying "it seems like nothing special," he couldn¡¯t help but freeze.

    He didn¡¯t know when, but a thick white mist had enveloped his surroundings, making him feel like he had returned to the Snake King Valley in an instant.

    But what was different was that this mist was even denser, presenting a milky white color, and its obstructive effect on vision was more pronounced.

    Almost five steps away, the dense fog obscured everything, and nothing could be seen clearly.

    Yuan Ming picked up the incense burner and climbed up a towering ancient tree beside him, all the way to the top. Looking down, he saw that the area within a radius of ten li waspletely covered by the dense fog.

    As he brought the incense burner to the treetop, white mist began to condense in the high sky around him.

    With a thought, Yuan Ming tried to extend his divine sense and perceive his surroundings.Upon testing, he discovered that the dense fog not only obscured his vision, but also significantly hindered his spiritual sense.

    He wasn¡¯t sure how it would affect higher-level cultivators, but for him at present, the range of his spiritual sense was reduced to a mere ten meters, almost the same as his visual distance.

    His spiritual sense was practically useless at this point.

    Surprised, Yuan Ming returned to the base of the tree, staring at the incense burner in his hand. Only after it extinguished did the surrounding fog begin to dissipate.

    Itpletely disappeared after the time it took to brew a pot of tea.

    Yuan Ming bundled up the incense he had made from the same batch, wrapped it with a white strip of paper, and wrote "Fog Incense" on it. He then stored it with the previously made "Poison Incense".

    This was the second special spiritual incense he had experimented with.

    Time passed as he diligently cultivated and experimented with incense making, and another month rolled by.

    Yuan Ming had always been worried about the side effects of constantly using the Peiyuan Pill and Qingxuan Incense to catalyze his cultivation.

    However, no side effects appeared. Instead, he had consumed most of the Qingxuan Incense, and his Peiyuan Pills were all gone.

    The effects of using arge amount of elixirs and Qingxuan Incense were evident. Yuan Ming¡¯s cultivation had improved significantly, and he had reached the eleventh level of Qi Refining.

    However, he also found that the enhancement brought by the Peiyuan Pill and Qingxuan Incense had noticeably decreased in theter stages.

    Moreover, the materials he used in his previous incense trials were plentiful, but the results were not satisfactory. Whether it was imitating the ck Incense or refining special spiritual incense, there was no progress for the time being.

    But today, Yuan Ming came to a secluded valley in the Hundred Thousand Mountains. The material he used was one he had high hopes for.

    It was the three ck fruits he had bought in the ghost market in the city. ording to the stall owner, the faint scent emitted by this fruit would attract all the surrounding beasts to fight for it.

    If there was any spiritual material left in Yuan Ming¡¯s hands that could be made into extraordinary incense, it would be this.

    After a busy period, he used one fruit and other spiritual materials to make three sticks of deep ck incense.

    Yuan Ming chose to test it with the incense burner before the Taiji pattern lit up.

    The moment the ck incense was lit, a faint fragrance immediately emanated from it.

    Upon smelling this scent, Yuan Ming was slightly taken aback.

    This fragrance was quite unique, different from any other fragrance he had smelled before, emitting a unique spiritual power fluctuation.

    At first, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t feel anything wrong, but after a while, he felt something unusual.

    He felt a sense of heat on his body and subconsciously wanted to get closer to the incense fire to take a deep sniff of the unique fragrance.

    "What is this effect?" Yuan Ming was greatly surprised.

    He immediately activated the Death Moon method, mobilizing the power of his soul to suppress this thought.

    Fortunately, this thought was not strong. As long as his will was firm and he slightly adjusted the power of his soul, he could resist it.

    But at this moment, a series of "rumbling" sounds began toe from all directions.

    Yuan Ming leaped up and climbed to the top of the ancient tree next to him, looking around.

    He saw that in the surrounding forest, dust was billowing, hoofbeats were thunderous, and through the gaps in the trees, he could see various beasts of different sizes and appearances gathering towards him.

    "The incense made from this ck fruit is too powerful," Yuan Ming was secretly surprised.

    At first nce, there were already hundreds, if not thousands, of them. In addition to various beasts, there were even more ordinary wild animals, their eyes blood-red, as if they were mad.

    "What kind of incense are you testing again? The beasts have gone mad," a pleasant voice suddenly came from below the tree.

    Yuan Ming looked down and saw that Xiying had somehow arrived. He quickly jumped down.

    "Extinguish the incense, put the incense burner..." Before Xiying could finish, Yuan Ming had already done so the moment hended.

    At this point, he was certain that the new incense made from the ck fruit had a huge attraction to wild animals.

    "Let¡¯s get out of here," Xiying said, seeing the situation.

    "It¡¯s toote, the beasts have surrounded us," Yuan Ming shook his head.

    "What did you make this with? It¡¯s so powerful, tell me! It¡¯s amazing," Xiying was both excited and curious, eximing.

    "Don¡¯t worry, let¡¯s deal with these beasts first," Yuan Ming smiled, showing no signs of nervousness.

    As he spoke, he took out the incense burner again, inserted another stick of ck incense, and lit it with a pinch of his fingers.

    The smoke from the incense, guided by Yuan Ming, formed a circle and quickly spread out. Following that, he took out two detoxification pills, swallowed one himself, and gave the other to Xiying.

    At this moment, the noise around them was getting louder, and the figures of the beasts and ordinary wild animals were revealed. Their eyes were red, drool dripped from their mouths, and they were rushing towards them in a frenzy.

 Chapter 181: Floating shadow

    Chapter 181: Floating shadow

    However, just as these fierce beasts rushed to within a hundred zhang, without exception, they all stumbled and fell to the ground, unconscious.

    In a short while, a circle had formed around them, blocking the other fierce beasts.

    "When did you get such a strong aphrodisiac? It¡¯s really good stuff! What was that scent that attracted the wild beasts just now?" Xiying¡¯s eyes were even more curious when she saw another magical aphrodisiac appear.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t answer directly, but took out the two remaining ck fruits the size of pigeon eggs and said, "Yes, it¡¯s these fruits. Originally, there were three of them. I bought them in the ghost market in Heiyan City. ording to the stall owner, they are a unique fruit of a certain family in the Southern Region. It takes hundreds of years for the tree to bear these rare fruits. After eating them, the fertility rate of the exotic beasts can be greatly increased. If you put these fruits in the mountains, the scent emitted by the fruits will attract fierce beasts within a radius of hundreds of zhang to fight for them."

    "So that¡¯s how it is. Don¡¯t waste these rare fruits. They might be useful in the future, right? This ghost market sounds interesting. I must go there." Xiying said, her curiositypletely ignited.

    "Let¡¯s go together next time. With your eyesight, we won¡¯t miss any good stuff. How about going now?" Yuan Ming tempted.

    "Forget about the ghost market for now. Themotion we just caused was so big that the sect will definitely investigate. Your secret of making incense won¡¯t be safe anymore." Xiying said.

    "Then let¡¯s leave here quickly." Yuan Ming¡¯s expression became serious.

    The two of them moved to a faraway ce and settled down for the night. It was the middle of the month, and a full moon hung high in the sky, radiating a bright light.Yuan Ming set up a pile of bonfires in the new camp and grilled the meat, sharing it with Silver Cat Xiying.

    Speaking of which, he had never seen Xiying eat.

    Curious, Yuan Ming took a piece of freshly grilled meat and ced it on a clean andrge leaf, offering it to Silver Cat.

    Xiying just nced at it and disdainfully turned her head away.

    "I don¡¯t eat that."

    "Why? Don¡¯t you need to eat anymore?" Yuan Ming asked in surprise.

    "I haven¡¯t eaten ordinary food for a long time. How about giving me a demonic pill?" Xiying nced at Yuan Ming and said.

    "When I can deal with Foundation Establishment stage demonic beasts, I will definitely find one for you!" Yuan Ming¡¯s attempt was seen through by Xiying, and heughed awkwardly, making a solemn promise.

    "I¡¯ll hold you to your word." Xiying said.

    To conceal his embarrassment, Yuan Ming chewed and tore at the food with louder sounds than usual, saliva overflowing from the corners of his mouth. With the original fragrance, it seemed even more delicious.

    Xiying raised her head, looked at the sky, and said, "It¡¯s gettingte." Then she leaped up and jumped onto arge tree nearby.

    After looking back at Yuan Ming, she jumped to another big tree.

    "Xiying, where are you going?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "I¡¯m going to cultivate. Do you want toe and see?" Xiying¡¯s figure shed and disappeared into the night.

    Yuan Ming stopped chewing his food, hesitating whether to follow Xiying and see how she cultivated. But he resisted his curiosity and didn¡¯t follow.

    Just as he was about to take thest bite, he suddenly felt a strange fluctuation pulling him from a distance.

    He felt that this fluctuation was most likely caused by Xiying¡¯s cultivation. After hesitating for a moment, he decided to go and protect Xiying, quickly using the Wind Swift Art to rush over.

    Before Yuan Ming arrived, he saw a faint white light shining on the top of a ancient tree dozens of zhang high in front of him, facing the full moon in the distance.

    As he got closer, Yuan Ming finally saw clearly that the one standing on top of the tree was none other than Silver Cat Xiying.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming could already feel the obvious fluctuations of the spiritual power emanating from that figure and the surrounding light, gently impacting his divine sense like tides.

    Silver Cat had naturally noticed Yuan Ming as well, but she was in a critical moment of cultivation and didn¡¯t say anything.

    "Is this Xiying cultivating?" Yuan Ming was deeply moved. He had never seen such a huge spiritual power before, and of course, he had no reference topare it with.

    The result was not surprising, there was a world of difference.

    At this moment, his eyes focused on Silver Cat, and he saw that her eyes were as bright as stars, her body was straight, and she raised her head towards the sky, howling at the moon.

    At the same time, the white light on her body became more and more intense, and a blurry human figure suddenly floated out of it, leaving the Silver Cat¡¯s body only an inch away. It looked like a young woman, crystal clear and translucent, beautiful and enchanting.

    Yuan Ming was stunned after just one nce.

    Although the figure was extremely blurry and the facial details were not clear at all, the indistinct outline was like a heavenly fairy, exuding an indescribable charm.

    At this moment, the top of the ancient tree, which was far away and seemed to be in the sky, matched the deep blue night sky, adorned with flickering stars, and reflected by the bright full moon. The ethereal figure floating out became even more solitary and beautiful, stunning people¡¯s hearts.After a moment, a moonlight descended from the sky, as if it were a solid object, enveloping the silver cat and the woman¡¯s graceful figure.

    The inch by inch moonlight was absorbed by the graceful figure, and her body became even brighter. The previous fluctuations gradually receded and disappeared.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze was fixed on the hazy figure and couldn¡¯t look away.

    After a cup of tea, the graceful figure slowly retracted and entered the silver cat¡¯s body. The white light that enveloped them also gradually disappeared.

    Yuan Ming snapped back to his senses and saw the silver cat gracefully descending anding in front of him.

    "Xiying, is this the advanced state of the Death Moon method?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "Yes," the silver cat replied.

    "It¡¯s really amazing!" Yuan Mingplimented.

    "Of course, this is notparable to ordinary techniques," the silver cat proudly said.

    "When can I cultivate to this level?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "What I taught you is only the introductory part of the Death Moon method. Even if youplete all three levels, you can only cultivate to the Soul Cultivation stage in the Qi Refining phase. However, even at this stage, a Foundation Establishment cultivator may not be able to defend against the methods of a Soul Cultivation cultivator in the Qi Refining phase. It¡¯s just that ordinary Soul Cultivation cultivators are more susceptible to bacsh.

    In addition, this is not the limit of these three levels of techniques, but your own limit," Xiying exined.

    "What do you mean?" Yuan Ming really didn¡¯t understand.

    "After youplete the three levels of the introductory Death Moon method and advance to the Foundation Establishment phase, you don¡¯t need to continue cultivating. Your Soul Cultivation realm can also break through the Foundation Establishment phase, and your soul power will have a leap at that time," the silver cat exined.

    "I see," Yuan Ming suddenly understood.

    But after saying that, he said, "Recently, it seems that I have reached a bottleneck in the cultivation of the Death Moon method. I have been unable toplete the cultivation of the three levels, but I don¡¯t know why."

    "The introductory part of the Death Moon method is no different from the Qi Refining phase techniques. They are all foundations for future cultivation, ultimately umting soul power. I see that your cultivation speed has slowed down recently, either because you have been negligent in cultivation or because your soul power has been consumed too much," the silver cat nced at him and said.

    Yuan Ming fell into silence after hearing this. He paused his cultivation of the Death Moon method after his cultivation speed slowed down, but he had not been negligent.

    In that case, it was most likely that his soul power had been excessively consumed.

    The methods of Soul Cultivation were unpredictable, especially techniques like Soul Collision, which could harm the enemy¡¯s divine soul across realms. Although it also consumed his own soul power each time it was used, he didn¡¯t use it frequently unless it was absolutely necessary. Moreover, with the support of the incense burner to nourish his divine soul, it shouldn¡¯t have caused excessive consumption of his soul power, right?

    However, the silver cat no longer paid attention to him and walked back on its own.

    Yuan Ming followed behind for two steps, suddenly stopped, and thought of something. His soul power consumption and the possibility of being rted to the incense body possession.

    Considering his previous memories, the time when his cultivation speed of the Death Moon method slowed down coincided with when he started frequently trying the original ck incense.

    If there was really something affecting his soul power, this was the most likely cause.

    With this thought, Yuan Ming became somewhat conflicted. Cultivating the Death Moon method was very important to him, and trying the original incense was also an urgent goal. How should he choose?

    But when he thought about the uing "White Deer Summit Alliance," Yuan Ming realized that it was more important to further advance in the cultivation of the Death Moon method. Trying the incense was still necessary, but he couldn¡¯t do it as frequently as before.

    "Xiying, when will you teach me the follow-up techniques of the Death Moon method?" Yuan Ming suddenly asked.

    "When did I say I would teach you the follow-up techniques?" Xiying paused and looked back at him.

    "Oh, why did you give up halfway?" Yuan Ming half-jokingly asked.

    "Wait until you reach the Foundation Establishment phase and see if I¡¯m in the mood," Xiying said softly.

    "Speaking of which, I want to ask you something. Besides the Foundation Establishment Pill, are there any other ways to increase the sess rate? After all, I only have the worst Four Spiritual Roots," Yuan Ming asked.

    Xiying suddenly eximed, "Who said Four Spiritual Roots are bad? I have Five Spiritual Roots!"

    "Five Spiritual Roots?" Yuan Ming was taken aback. He had never heard of cultivators with Five Spiritual Roots.

    "These sects have shallow knowledge. They only know that fewer Spiritual Roots mean faster cultivation, so they choose disciples with fewer Spiritual Roots. They even call single Spiritual Roots Heavenly Spiritual Roots. Ridiculous! Remember, the more Spiritual Roots you have, the higher your future potential will be! If you reach the Elemental Infant stage or above, you will understand the benefits of having more Spiritual Roots!" Xiying said.

    "Then my Four Spiritual Roots are not bad," Yuan Ming felt like he had opened a new door and hurriedly asked.

    "Don¡¯t be too happy. Even after you reach the Foundation Establishment phase, cultivation will still be very difficult for you with Four Spiritual Roots. You will even struggle to form a Foundation Establishment Pill!" Xiying poured cold water on him, bringing him back to reality.

    "It seems that the road ahead is still long and arduous," Yuan Ming sighed."You should first diligently cultivate that technique to the thirteenth level. By then, with the aid of the Foundation Establishment Pill, your chances of sess will greatly increase. After all, the technique you¡¯re cultivating is no simple matter. In this Northern Region, aside from some direct disciples ofrge families and sects, I¡¯m afraid there aren¡¯t many who can surpass your cultivation speed." Xiying said, curling his lips.

 Chapter 182: Preparation

    Chapter 182: Preparation

    After a few more days.

    Xiying had already left, and Yuan Ming stopped practicing after these few days.

    During these few days, not only did the cultivation of the Death Moon method slow down, but the cultivation of the Nine Elements Form also slowed down a lot.

    Without the assistance of the Peiyuan Pill, the effect of the Qingxuan Fragrance naturally could not be fully disyed. The sudden slowdown in speed made Yuan Ming somewhat ufortable, so he decided to go to the market again.

    A few dayster.

    In the elegant room of a restaurant in Heiyan City.

    Yuan Ming sat in the main seat of the Eight Immortals table, with a smile on his face.

    Sitting opposite him was a kind-looking short and fat young man, who was Gu Yue.

    "Brother Yuan, it has been almost three months since west parted. I have missed you very much." Gu Yue smiled and poured wine for Yuan Ming, saying."I also miss Brother Gu¡¯s elegance. That¡¯s why I came to bother you again." Yuan Ming took the wine ss and smiled warmly.

    "Brother Yuan¡¯s visit is my honor. There is no need to talk about bothering. Speaking of which, it was thanks to youst time that I had the opportunity to sit in the elegant room on the fourth floor of Changxian Tower. Here, let me toast to you!" Gu Yue said, raising his ss and toasting Yuan Ming.

    "Speaking of Changxian Tower, has there been any progress in the investigation of the White Dragon Ind Young Master by the City Lord¡¯s Mansion?" Yuan Ming casually asked.

    "What progress is there! Although the people from the City Lord¡¯s Mansion have great abilities, what can they do when they encounter someone with even greater abilities? But I heard that someone saw the white-clothed woman and the colorful-d clown near the city gate again, but before the people from the City Lord¡¯s Mansion arrived, the woman waved her hand and set up a formation, disappearing with the clown." Gu Yue waved his hand and said so.

    "Brother Gu¡¯s information is really well-informed. Let¡¯s talk about business. I have something to trouble Brother Gu this time I found you." Yuan Ming said with a smile.

    "If Brother Yuan is so polite, I won¡¯t know what to do. What can I help with?" Gu Yue first exchanged pleasantries before asking seriously.

    "I have some magical treasures that need to be sold, but I am not as familiar with the market as Brother Gu, so I want to entrust Brother Gu to help me sell them." Yuan Ming smiled.

    Upon hearing this, Gu Yue smiled and said, "What is it? Brother Yuan¡¯s trust is my duty."

    "Brother Gu is straightforward." Yuan Ming toasted.

    "If Brother Yuan has any good things, take them out and let me have a look. I will help you estimate the price. If you think it¡¯s suitable, I will help you sell them. If I find any ws, please forgive me, Brother Yuan." Gu Yue drank a ss of wine and then spoke.

    "Then I will trouble Brother Gu." Yuan Ming smiled.

    After that, his palm swept across the table, and one magical treasure after another appeared on the table.

    Among them were a blue feather fan, a green round bead, a fiery red round mirror, a fiery red pointed cone, a triangr iron g... There were a total of eleven of them.

    Seeing so many things appearing on the table, even Gu Yue, who had seen a lot, couldn¡¯t help but be stunned.

    "I underestimated Brother Yuan before. I didn¡¯t expect you to have so many magical treasures in stock." He couldn¡¯t help but praise.

    "They are all low-grade magical treasures. I¡¯m sorry to disappoint Brother Gu." Yuan Ming said.

    Gu Yue picked up these things and checked them. He found that the blue feather fan was a water attribute magical treasure, the green round bead was a metal attribute magical treasure, the fiery red pointed cone was a fire attribute magical treasure, and the other magical treasures each had different attributes.

    For a moment, he couldn¡¯t help but be dazzled.

    After putting down thest circr ring magical treasure, he looked at Yuan Ming and said, "I have looked at all these magical treasures. Although they are all low-grade, they each have different appearances and fluctuations in spiritual power, so the prices will also vary ordingly."

    Yuan Ming nodded to show his understanding.

    "Among them, the blue feather fan, green round bead, red seal mirror, and this fiery red pointed cone are the best. They can be sold for up to sixty spirit stones each. As for the others, except for this iron g used for formations and this circr ring, which can be sold for fifty spirit stones, the rest, such as this yellow round bead, are damaged and can only be sold for the lowest price of forty spirit stones." Gu Yue continued.

    Although Yuan Ming¡¯s vision was not as sharp as Gu Yue¡¯s, and his experience was not as profound, he could still see that Gu Yue¡¯s prices were somewhat inted.

    "Brother Gu, our friendship is friendship, and business is business. You can¡¯t suffer a loss." Yuan Ming said.

    "Brother Yuan, if you say that, it¡¯s like questioning my professionalism. Haha... Don¡¯t worry, neither of us will lose in this deal." Gu Yueughed.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming smiled and nodded, "I naturally trust your professionalism. Since you said so, I won¡¯t be coy. There are also some things here that need to be handled by Brother Gu."

    "Oh, Brother Yuan still has good things?" Gu Yue¡¯s eyes lit up, and he rubbed his hands in front of him.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t say anything more, he just reached into his chest and pulled out ten storage bags, cing them in front of Gu Yue.

    Except for the one given by the Third Cave Master, all the storage bags he had collected were here.

    Gu Yue just nced at them and his eyes widened immediately.

    His shock was not because of how valuable the storage bags were, but because of the storage bags themselves.

    Or rather, it was because Yuan Ming could take out ten storage bags at once.

    Even if a person was extravagant, they would not carry so many storage bags with them. Because truly wealthy people would upgrade to use storage rings or storage bracelets, which were higher-end storage magical treasures.

    Being able to take out so many storage bags at once could only mean that these storage bags did not belong to one person.

    "Yuan... Brother Yuan, are you really a cultivator from the Biluo Cave? You¡¯re not just some random cultivator from the mountains and wilderness, right?" Gu Yue¡¯s throat felt a little dry as he spoke.

    In the past, he had also encountered some wandering cultivators who would kill and rob others, and thene to sell their storage bags. But someone like Yuan Ming, who brought a pile of them, was unheard of.In an instant, he found Yuan Ming before him to be unfathomably profound.

    "Brother Gu, there¡¯s no need for this. These storage bags were all obtained by me whilepleting tasks, purely by luck." Yuan Ming knew what Gu Yue was thinking, and also knew that exnations would be futile, so he casually said.

    Upon hearing this, Gu Yue, regardless of whether he believed it or not, indeed did not continue to inquire. He only said, "Brother Yuan, these items... I might have to go to the Ghost Market to dispose of them without leaving any troubles behind. Otherwise, it¡¯s hard to guarantee that they won¡¯t bring trouble to you and me."

    "Just do as you see fit. Any losses and expenses incurred in the process will be borne by me. In addition, how about I give you an extra ten percent as a handling fee?" Yuan Ming, who was quite knowledgeable, said.

    The reason he sought Gu Yue to handle this matter was precisely because he wanted to keep his identity hidden and avoid any potential troubles.

    "There¡¯s no need for the handling fee. Brother Yuan, rest assured, I will handle this matter beautifully for you." Gu Yue waved his hand and said.

    "Then I¡¯ll have to trouble you." Yuan Ming cupped his fists in thanks.

    Afterwards, Gu Yue helped him calcte in detail. The total selling price of all the magical tools was six hundred and twenty spirit stones, and the storage bags were easier to calcte, fifty spirit stones each, totaling five hundred spirit stones.

    Yuan Ming sold all of these, reaping a total of one thousand one hundred and twenty spirit stones. After deducting the ten percent reward for Gu Yue, he still had one thousand and eight spirit stones left, a quite substantial gain.

    "Brother Gu, how long will it take to sell these items?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "At most three days... perhaps, they could all be sold in less than two days." Gu Yue hesitated slightly before giving a time frame.

    "Good, then I¡¯ll wait here for you for two days. After you¡¯re done, I¡¯ll go back." Yuan Ming smiled.

    "Although Brother Yuan, you trust me and have given me so many treasures to handle, there are rules in our line of work. This is my conduct certificate in ck Rock City, please keep it." Gu Yue said, taking out a scroll tied with a red string and handing it over.

    Yuan Ming did not refuse, he took the scroll, and without even looking at it, put it away. However, he was even more satisfied with Gu Yue¡¯s way of doing things in his heart.

    In fact, he didn¡¯t need this item at all, he could track Gu Yue¡¯s whereabouts through the soul crow, but the fact that the other party was willing to be so open about things saved him a lot of trouble.

    The two of them enjoyed their time together and then went their separate ways.

    After parting with Gu Yue, Yuan Ming headed straight for the Long Immortal Tower.

    As soon as he walked into the building, a yellow figure immediately came to greet him.

    "Young Master Yuan, it¡¯s only been a few days, but your aura has be even more profound, and your demeanor even more heroic. It¡¯s truly admirable." A slightly plump female figure approached, her voice enchanting. It was Zhuo Lingling, the steward of the Long Immortal Tower.

    "Friend Zhuo, you are bing more and more charming." Yuan Ming teased with a smile.

    "If others said that, I might not believe it, but if Young Master Yuan says so, I have to take it seriously." Zhuo Lingling covered her mouth and chuckled lightly, leading Yuan Ming to a private room in the inner hall.

    After the maid served the tea, Zhuo Lingling began, "Young Master Yuan, are you here to buy some rare spiritual materials this time?"

    "This time I¡¯m not buying spiritual materials, I need some auxiliary cultivation pills." Yuan Ming got straight to the point.

    "I rememberst time you bought some Yuan Nourishing Pills, were you satisfied with the effects? Do you need to buy some more?" Zhuo Lingling asked with a smile on her face.

    "Do you have any pills with better effects?" Yuan Ming pondered for a moment before asking.

    During his previous cultivation process, the Yuan Nourishing Pills, like the Qingxuan Incense, had started to decrease in effectiveness towards the end, and could no longer meet Yuan Ming¡¯s current cultivation needs.

    "Among the pills suitable for the Qi Refining stage, the Yuan Nourishing Pill is indeed considered low-grade. It seems it can no longer keep up with Young Master Yuan¡¯s cultivation progress. We do have better pills at the Long Immortal Tower, which are mid-grade for the Qi Refining stage, called ¡¯Golden Radiance Pills¡¯. Their effectiveness is three times that of the Yuan Nourishing Pills, but the price... is five times theirs." After Zhuo Lingling finished speaking, she carefully observed the changes in Yuan Ming¡¯s expression.

    However, upon hearing this price, there was no change in Yuan Ming¡¯s expression.

    But in his heart, he was secretly cursing. The price of the Yuan Nourishing Pills was fifteen spirit stones per bottle, but the Golden Radiance Pills directly cost seventy-five spirit stones, a difference that could not be said to be small.

    "The medicinal power only increases threefold, but the price increases so much. Doesn¡¯t that sound a bit unreasonable?" Yuan Ming asked with a poker face.

 Chapter 183: Dawn

    Chapter 183: Dawn

    Seeing Yuan Ming hesitate, Zhuo Lingling thought that the price was too high and that Yuan Ming was considering giving up. However, she didn¡¯t want to let this business slip away for nothing. After thinking for a moment, she smiled and said, "Young Master Yuan, how many bottles of Jinhua Pill do you n to buy?"

    "Fifteen bottles," Yuan Ming replied.

    When Zhuo Lingling heard the number fifteen, her breathing became slightly faster. In her heart, she couldn¡¯t help but think that this Young Master Yuan from the Central ins was her benefactor!

    In the previous transaction, she had already earned a lot ofmission. Seeing another big deal, how could she let it slip away from her?

    "Young Master Yuan, our Changxian Tower has always valued and treated customers like you. On behalf of our Changxian Tower, I present you with a Changxian Token. With this token, you can enjoy preferential treatment in any of our Changxian Tower shops and have priority purchasing rights for all the goods sold. In addition, you can also participate in the internal auctions held exclusively for special customers of our Changxian Tower," Zhuo Lingling said in one breath, lowering her voice slightly with a mysterious tone.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming snapped back to his senses.

    "In that case, it¡¯s not in vain that I trust your tower," Yuan Ming said calmly.

    Zhuo Lingling was overjoyed to hear this and quickly took out a white jade token. She handed it over with both hands.

    Yuan Ming took a look at it and found that one side of the token was engraved with the image of an ancient Taoist temple, while the other side had the words "Changxian Token" carved on it. The material was not particrly special, but it was exquisite enough.Afterwards, he paid for the "Jinhua Pill" and left Changxian Tower under Zhuo Lingling¡¯s respectful send-off.

    After buying the medicine, he only had three hundred spirit stones left on him. It wasn¡¯t a lot, but it wasn¡¯t too little either. Yuan Ming nned to wander around the city and see if he could find anything interesting.

    Most importantly, he wanted to see if he could help Xiying buy another artifact simr to the golden silk.

    As he walked through the two markets, he noticed that the shops hadn¡¯t changed much, but the stalls of the small vendors had changed a lot. The Xuanhua Zhenren who sold Qingxuan Incense in the past was no longer in his original location. Yuan Ming wondered where he had gone.

    He wandered around until evening, but he didn¡¯te across anything he wanted to buy.

    Feeling a sudden craving, Yuan Ming came to a famous restaurant in the south of the city called "Shanzhen Tower".

    This was the most famous restaurant in the entire Heiyan City. The ingredients used in their dishes were mostly spiritual herbs, spiritual materials, and rare wild beasts. Through the special cooking techniques of the chefs, the dishes often had some beneficial effects for cultivators.

    But what really made it famous was its exquisite taste. After all, if you really wanted the beneficial effects, it would be more reliable to eat pills.

    As soon as he entered the restaurant, a waiter immediately greeted him and led him to the second floor to a private room.

    But as soon as Yuan Ming stepped onto the stairs, he saw a middle-aged man with a dignified appearance but a gentle expression.

    "Huan Shi, my friend," Yuan Ming eximed in surprise.

    At the moment the man on the other side saw Yuan Ming, he was also extremely surprised and said, "Ha Gong, my friend?"

    Huan Shi also recognized Yuan Ming at a nce.

    "Do you two know each other?" the waiter hesitated and asked.

    "Go and bring the ¡¯Baili Drunk¡¯ that I stored here, and you don¡¯t need to worry about anything else," Huan Shi instructed before leading Yuan Ming back to his own private room.

    There was another person in the private room, and it was Bai Ye.

    Unlike his imposing appearance when they first met, he now had a furrowed brow and a clear look of worry on his face.

    When Huan Shi led Yuan Ming back, Bai Ye¡¯s face also showed surprise.

    After some greetings and when the waiter brought the wine, and the dishes were ready on the table, Huan Shi got up and closed the door, taking out a "Soundproof Talisman" and sticking it on the door.

    As the talisman lit up, the whole room was immediately enveloped in a faint white light that expanded.

    "Ha Gong, did youe to Heiyan City today to take on another mission?" Huan Shi asked as he greeted Yuan Ming to eat while taking the initiative to speak.

    "Just here to purchase some pills," Yuan Ming shook his head and smiled.

    Upon hearing this, both Bai Ye and Huan Shi looked at each other and couldn¡¯t help but show surprise when they sensed the changes in Yuan Ming¡¯s aura.

    Huan Shi¡¯s expression becameplicated, and he asked, "Ha Gong, it hasn¡¯t been three months since we parted ways. How did your cultivation and aura change so much?"

    Yuan Ming was stunned when he heard this. Their rtionship wasn¡¯t particrly close, so under normal circumstances, they shouldn¡¯t be so straightforward in asking about this matter.

    But after thinking for a moment, he understood.

    Huan Shi and Bai Ye must have thought that when they participated in the Snake King Valley mission more than two months ago, Yuan Ming deliberately concealed his true cultivation level. What was revealed today was his true realm.

    "You don¡¯t need to guess. After the battle in Snake King Valley, both mybat experience and cultivation insights have undergone significant changes. After returning, I immediately went into seclusion, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t have made such great progress," Yuan Ming said.

    Upon hearing this, both of them felt that if Yuan Ming really had the ability to hide his cultivation level, he wouldn¡¯t have revealed it this time.

    "With such cultivation speed, Ha Gong, your talent is truly extraordinary. We are all far behind," Huan Shi couldn¡¯t help but sigh.

    "Ha Gong, do you remember the proposal we made to youst time?" Bai Ye asked.

    "What proposal?" Yuan Ming really had no recollection.

    "Inviting you to join our Baiye Alliance and be our second vice leader," Bai Ye said.

    Huan Shi was somewhat surprised to hear this and nced at Bai Ye.

    Yuan Ming thought that there was indeed an invitation for him to join, but he didn¡¯t remember being asked to be the vice leader.

    "I understand the goodwill of the Alliance Leader, but as you should both know, I have a sect inheritance and cannot join your alliance," Yuan Ming said with a hint of regret.

    "In that case... it¡¯s a pity," Bai Ye sighed."How is the situation of the Baiye Alliance now?" Yuan Ming asked as the topic was brought up.

    Baiye and Huan Shi both showed a look of difficulty, but neither of them spoke first.

    "Both of you, as the leaders of the alliance, are Foundation Establishment cultivators and conduct your business fairly and honestly. With such conduct, there¡¯s no need to worry about your future prospects," Yuan Mingforted.

    "During thest battle in the Snake King Valley, the Baiye Alliance suffered heavy losses, with all the core members who were brought along perishing there. Now, the remaining members are severelycking inbat power. The situation is indeed dire," Huan Shi sighed.

    "If it weren¡¯t for Brother Ha Gong¡¯s willingness to exchange the snake pearl, we would have had a hard timepleting the mission for Bailong Ind. If the mission had failed, all the reputation we had umted would have been lost," Baiye added.

    "However, the young master of their ind personally came, and as a result..." Huan Shi¡¯s voice trailed off, not finishing his sentence.

    What he left unsaid was the fact that the young master of Bailong Ind had been killed.

    Baiye, however, had no such reservations. "Because the young master was killed, Bailong Ind is very wary of this mission. Even though wepleted the task and received the due reward, we still fell out with Bailong Ind."

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming finally understood the difficult situation the Baiye Alliance was in.

    They had suffered heavy losses,cked talent within the alliance, offended their client, and their reputation was damaged to a certain extent. It was a great loss indeed.

    No wonder they were willing to offer Yuan Ming, a Qi Refining cultivator, the position of deputy leader of the alliance to win him over.

    "Enough about these troubles. Today, we two brothers came here to drown our sorrows in wine and temporarily put aside these disturbing matters," Huan Shi said with a wry smile, opening the jar of "Hundred Days Drunk" and pouring a cup for Yuan Ming.

    The intoxicating aroma immediately filled the air, making Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes light up.

    "This wine has a rich and fragrant aroma, and a mellow taste. It¡¯s truly a rare fine wine," Yuan Ming praised after taking a small sip.

    "Haha, Brother Ha Gong has a discerning pte. This is a fine wine that has been cered for over a hundred years. The stock at ¡¯Mountain Delicacies¡¯ is limited and it¡¯s not usually for sale," Huan Shiughed.

    "Then I must savor it," Yuan Ming quickly took another big gulp.

    The three of them toasted and drank, their spirits gradually rising.

    "Big brother, I think we should just stop struggling. Since Po Xiao has the intention to recruit us, why don¡¯t we just go? Thepensation is quite generous, it¡¯s not a loss," Huan Shi gradually loosened up and spoke directly.

    "Po Xiao only wants the strong. They explicitly recruit only you and me. They probably won¡¯t want the Qi Refining members under us," Baiye remained calm and shook his head.

    "Let¡¯s talk about it. Everything can be discussed. What¡¯s wrong with being in the Qi Refining stage? Brother Ha Gong is also in the Qi Refining stage. I dare not underestimate him. Po Xiao does have high requirements, but this time they clearly want to expand on arge scale. I think it¡¯s an opportunity," Huan Shi shrugged and said.

    Upon hearing this, Baiye fell into deep thought.

    "Po Xiao is..." Yuan Ming hesitated to ask.

    "It¡¯s also a loose alliance, but much stronger than our Baiye. They always act mysteriously and their strength is unfathomable. So far, they have never failed in any mission they have taken," Huan Shi exined.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming nodded thoughtfully.

    "The key is that no one understands this organization. They don¡¯t even know the number andposition of their members. They can only learn from some rumors that their style is unique and different from others," Baiye also spoke.

    "Oh, how unique?" Yuan Ming asked in confusion.

    "It is said that they ept missions to hunt down vicious Foundation Establishment cultivators, as well as missions to help people find missing rtives. They evenmitted a shocking extermination case in the central part of Nanjiang... In short, no one can figure out the pattern of their mission selection," Huan Shi answered.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming, like Baiye and the others, came to a consensus in his mind: "Po Xiao, this organization, is mysterious, powerful, has a unique style, and is difficult to distinguish between good and evil."

 Chapter 184: A full-strength attack from a Foundation Establishment cultivator at the peak

    Chapter 184: A full-strength attack from a Foundation Establishment cultivator at the peak

    "They have recently expanded on arge scale, I¡¯m afraid they have taken on a big task," Yuan Ming thought for a moment and asked again.

    "I heard they are going to the Southern Territory of the Southern Frontier to carry out a treasure-hunting mission," Bai Ye said.

    "The Southern Territory of the Southern Frontier is not the same as the Northern Frontier. Some sects in the Southern Territory even have Elemental Infants sitting in power. It¡¯s dangerous in case we touch the taboos of these sects. This is also one of the reasons why we hesitate to join them," Huan Shi said slowly.

    Yuan Ming nodded thoughtfully, gaining a deeper understanding of the cultivation world in the Southern Territory.

    If Bai Ye and the others really join this Dawn organization, their situation will be the same as the temporary recruits for the Snake King Valley mission. These hastily recruited members are likely to be used as cannon fodder, and being in the Southern Territory makes it even more dangerous.

    And it¡¯s unknown whether Dawn operates as honestly as Bai Ye.

    Moreover, not everyone can break free from the situation of being cannon fodder like Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t give any advice on this matter. After all, their lives were their own, and they needed to take responsibility for any decision they made.

    By the time the three of them dispersed from the banquet, it was almost midnight.With Huan Shi¡¯s help, Yuan Ming bought several jars of "Hundred Days Drunk" from the Mountain Treasure Tower and nned to bring them back to taste with Fish Elder.

    After parting ways, Yuan Ming estimated the opening time of the Ghost Market and hurried over.

    By the time he arrived, the market had been open for a while.

    Yuan Ming put on his cloak, whispered the password, and entered.

    Entering the Ghost Market again, he found that the situation was simr to thest time he came. Both the vendors and the tourists were much fewer in numberpared to the market.

    The square was sparsely popted, with not many people in sight.

    He strolled between the stalls, his gaze wandering, looking for something eye-catching.

    However, after looking for a long time, he found nothing.

    Just when he felt a little disappointed, he suddenly saw a familiar face.

    At the edge of the square, in a dimly lit corner, there was a stall with a one-armed old man wearing a fox mask sitting on a broken bamboo chair with his eyes closed.

    Feeling someone approaching, the one-armed old man immediately opened his eyes.

    "Friend," Yuan Ming said in a low voice.

    "Oh, it¡¯s you. What¡¯s up? Do you have any exotic eggs or strange insects to sell again?" Although Yuan Ming spoke in a low voice, the one-armed old man still recognized him.

    But after saying that, he hesitated and said, "This time you have something to sell, right?"

    "I came to find you, not to sell exotic eggs or strange insects," Yuan Ming said.

    "Not selling anything... then you must be here to buy something? I have some new things. Take a look, is there anything you like?" The one-armed old man hesitated when he heard Yuan Ming¡¯s words.

    "I¡¯m not buying either. The golden silk I bought from you before was damaged. I wanted to ask if you have a way to repair it or if you know how to repair it," Yuan Ming exined his purpose.

    "What a joke. That¡¯s a middle-grade magic tool. It was damaged in just a few days? Young man, don¡¯t be too reckless." The one-armed old man frowned and advised.

    "In the martial world, sometimes there¡¯s no other choice!" Yuan Ming nodded, understanding the situation, and said.

    The one-armed old man was momentarily speechless and gave Yuan Ming a disdainful look.

    After a while, he spread his hands and said frankly, "I¡¯m not a refiner, and the golden silk was something I got from elsewhere. I can¡¯t help you with that. I¡¯m powerless."

    Yuan Ming wasn¡¯t particrly disappointed after hearing this. After all, it was within his expectations. He just tried his luck with a glimmer of hope.

    Since he got the answer, Yuan Ming thanked the one-armed old man and turned to leave.

    "Friend, wait, I have something else to ask," the one-armed old man suddenly spoke up.

    "What is it?" Yuan Ming turned around and asked.

    "Friend, you have the aura of good fortune. If you have any exotic beasts in the future, you cane to me." The one-armed old man said.

    "Alright," Yuan Ming casually agreed and was about to leave.

    "Hey, friend, ording to my experience, the exotic beasts in the Southern Territory are not ordinary. Are you interested in long-term cooperation with us?" the one-armed old man said.

    "How do we cooperate?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "As long as you have information about rare birds and exotic beasts, you can contact me. Our sect specializes in hatching and raising rare birds and exotic beasts. We are the only ones in Da Jin. As for the price, hehe, our sect leader and elders only buy expensive ones, not the right ones." The one-armed old man said in a low voice.

    "Alright, how do we contact each other?" Yuan Ming asked, thinking that this could be a source of ie. He wondered how much his Strange Toads would be worth. Of course, he would never sell them.

    "This ce is too remote. We have a Rare Spirit Pavilion in a slightlyrger market. Just mention my name, Gu Qiuming, and you can find me. I will be leaving the Southern Territory and returning to Da Jin tomorrow. You can send a letter to contact me, or you cane find me when youe to Da Jin in the future," the one-armed old man said.

    Yuan Ming said, "That¡¯s not bad. Please leave me a way to contact you."

    "Sure, whether you want to send a letter or find someone, you can go to the Rare Spirit Pavilion in Leizhou City in Da Jin. And remember to mention my name when making transactions. I can also give you some contribution points from our sect." The one-armed old man said. "Alright, I¡¯ll remember that," Yuan Ming said and was about to leave.

    At this moment, the one-armed old man suddenly spoke again, "Friend, wait."

    "What is it?" Yuan Ming was a little speechless this time.

    "Since we have be friends, I have a chance to give you something." The one-armed old man, who called himself Gu Qiuming, smiled.

    "A gift?" Yuan Ming wondered.

    "Take a look over there, at the back of that stone pir. Is there a person in ck clothes?" Gu Qiuming gestured with his mouth and asked.

    Yuan Ming frowned and looked over. He saw a thin figure in ck clothes,pletely wrapped in ck, with a ck mask covering his face, looking around.

    "Is he the opportunity?" Yuan Ming asked."I¡¯ve observed him for several days, and he seems to be short on funds. The item he¡¯s selling is of good quality. I¡¯ve checked it out, but the price he¡¯s asking is too high, so I haven¡¯t been able to buy it," Gu Qiuming said.

    "What is it?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "Heart-splitting Thunder," Gu Qiuming replied.

    Yuan Ming pondered for a moment, realizing he had no recollection of such an item. He then asked, "What¡¯s so special about it?"

    "It¡¯s a consumable magical tool. It¡¯s created by refining andpressing the power of thunder, and when used, it strikes like a hidden weapon, delivering a sudden thunderous blow that catches people off guard. It¡¯s a unique magical tool of the Zhao Kingdom¡¯s Five Thunder Sect," Gu Qiuming exined.

    "What¡¯s the difference between this and a Thunder Strike Talisman?" Yuan Ming asked, frowning.

    "Do you understand what a unique magical tool is? How much power does a Thunder Strike Talisman have? When the Heart-splitting Thunder explodes, its power isparable to a full-strength attack from a Foundation Establishment cultivator at the peak. Even a cultivator of the same level would suffer greatly if they tried to withstand it. How can it bepared to a mere Thunder Strike Talisman?" Gu Qiuming retorted, giving Yuan Ming a look of self-satisfaction.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming was intrigued.

    "Thank you. But I¡¯m curious, since you recognized its value, why didn¡¯t you buy it?" Yuan Ming asked, frowning.

    "The item is good, but it¡¯s too expensive. Besides, I came to the Southern Border to collect exotic insects and beasts, I don¡¯t urgently need other things. I always try to be kind to others and avoid conflicts," Gu Qiuming said with a smile.

    After thanking Gu Qiuming again, Yuan Ming left and headed towards the stall of the man in ck.

    Upon arriving, Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help butugh. In front of the man was a ck cloth, but it waspletely empty, with nothing on it.

    "Do you have anything to sell?" Yuan Ming asked.

    The eyes beneath the man¡¯s mask showed a hint of caution. He looked around before saying, "Top-grade magical tool, Heart-splitting Thunder. Interested?"

    "May I take a look?" Yuan Ming asked.

    After a moment of hesitation, the man in ck reached into his sleeve and pulled out a sphere the size of a fist.

    "You can look, but you can¡¯t touch." Just as Yuan Ming was about to reach out, the man quickly pulled back.

    Yuan Ming could onlyugh and focus his magical power on his eyes to observe carefully.

    Upon inspection, he found that the sphere was greenish-bronze, as if made of bronze, with dark golden lines forming intricate patterns on the surface, which were interconnected into an array.

    Top-grade magical tools usually have three inscriptions to enhance their rank. However, this bronze sphere seemed to have a miniature array, which looked quite exquisite.

    Yuan Ming silently judged in his heart and was already certain that this item was most likely genuine.

    "Let¡¯s talk about the price," Yuan Ming said.

    "One thousand five hundred spirit stones each, not a penny less," the man in ck immediately replied.

    "That¡¯s nonsense. A normal top-grade magical tool is worth one thousand five hundred spirit stones, but this is a consumable item. Once it explodes, it¡¯s gone," Yuan Ming immediately refuted.

    "This Heart-splitting Thunder is for saving lives, not for fun. Surely your life is worth more than one thousand five hundred spirit stones?" the man in ck retorted coldly.

    "You¡¯re right, this item can indeed save lives in critical moments, but the price is outrageously high. I¡¯m afraid it won¡¯t be easy to sell," Yuan Ming said with a smile.

    "If you don¡¯t want it, then please leave," the man in ck said unhappily.

    "Can we negotiate the price? You have to pay every time you enter this ck market. I see that you¡¯re in urgent need of spirit stones. It¡¯s better to sell it quickly. The sooner you sell, the more you earn," Yuan Ming asked with a smirk.

    Upon hearing this, the man in ck seemed to find it reasonable.

    "I¡¯ve also noticed that you seem to be in a hurry. Even though this is a ck market, there are still peopleing and going. Perhaps the news has already spread outside that a unique magical tool from the Zhao Kingdom¡¯s Five Thunder Sect is being sold in the ck market."

    Before Yuan Ming could finish speaking, he saw the man in ck about to interrupt, so he raised his hand to stop him and continued, "Don¡¯t rush to refute this. It¡¯s better to sell it sooner and be at ease. Honestly, we¡¯ve been chatting for quite a while now."

    After Yuan Ming¡¯s words, the man in ck finally seemed to be moved.

    "How many spirit stones can you offer?"

 Chapter 185: Seeking the toad

    Chapter 185: Seeking the toad

    "One hundred spirit stones each," Yuan Ming raised a finger and said.

    "No, at least one thousand spirit stones each. I only have four," the man in ck firmly shook his head.

    "One hundred and one spirit stones," Yuan Ming increased the price.

    "Friend, you are not sincere in bargaining like this," the man in ck frowned.

    "This one-time item is only worth this price," Yuan Ming raised an eyebrow, questioning.

    "Eight hundred spirit stones. If you don¡¯t agree, then forget it," the man in ck didn¡¯t engage further and said directly.

    "Two hundred spirit stones. Don¡¯t rush to disagree. If the item sells well, you won¡¯t have trouble selling it in a few days," Yuan Ming said.

    "Do you really want to buy or not..." the man in ck said angrily.

    "Of course I want to buy. I think the people who can use this item don¡¯t have enough spirit stones, and most of the people who have enough spirit stones are strong enough to forge a high-quality magic weapon. Don¡¯t you agree? Like that person over there," Yuan Ming said, waving his hand in the distance as a greeting to Gu Qiuming.Thetter also raised his only remaining arm in response.

    Seeing this scene, the man in ck couldn¡¯t help but feel frustrated and couldn¡¯t say anything.

    "Friend, the price I gave you is already reasonable," Yuan Ming patted the man in ck¡¯s shoulder, looking serious.

    "Fine, I haven¡¯t met someone as eloquent as you. One thousand spirit stones, and the three Cracked Heart Thunder are yours. Let¡¯s make it clear, no more bargaining!" After hesitating for a while, the man in ck¡¯s shoulders slumped and he said.

    "Okay, wait here, I¡¯ll go get the money right away," Yuan Ming agreed cheerfully.

    "No, it must be settled immediately," the man in ck said immediately.

    "Why are you so worried? I left three hundred spirit stones as a deposit here, and the Cracked Heart Thunder is still in your hands. Aren¡¯t you reassured?" Yuan Ming said, giving three hundred spirit stones to the man in ck.

    "Really? Aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll swallow your spirit stones and run away?" The man in ck immediately caught the spirit stones, still doubtful.

    "It¡¯s fine. I can afford to lose three hundred spirit stones. Besides, if you have any rare birds or exotic beasts to sell, you can sell them to my senior brother over there and mention my name, Ha Gong," Yuan Ming smiled and said, leaving these words behind as he turned and left.

    The man in ck nced at the one-armed old man, then nced at another vendor not far away, and caught sight of two people leaning against a tree. He suddenly felt that everyone around him was associated with Yuan Ming. Coupled with the sensitivity of the item he was selling, he didn¡¯t dare to have any thoughts and could only wait there anxiously.

    He didn¡¯t know that in the darkness not far from him, there was a ck Soul Crow staring at him without blinking. Yuan Ming hurried back and found Gu Yue, who hadn¡¯t had a chance to help him sell things yet.

    After some discussion, he asked Gu Yue to help him gather one thousand spirit stones, and in return, all the subsequent magic tools and storage bags would belong to Gu Yue, with no further connection to him.

    After returning to the Ghost Market, Yuan Ming sessfully bought three Cracked Heart Thunder and almost spent all his savings.

    Afterward, he used the remaining one hundred-plus spirit stones on him to buy some useful talismans, and then hurried back to the Ten Thousand Mountains overnight to continue his seclusion.

    About a monthter.

    With the help of the remaining Qingxuan Incense and the Golden Hua Pill he swallowed, Yuan Ming finally broke through to the twelfth level of Qi Refinement.

    At this time, there were less than ten days left until the meeting at the White Deer Summit.

    Although he had a Foundation Establishment Pill and didn¡¯t want to give up the opportunity promised by the sect, he had made a lot of preparations. In his opinion, this so-called opportunity was probably just another Foundation Establishment Pill. If he could get it, he would have two Foundation Establishment Pills, greatly increasing his chances of sessfully establishing a foundation.

    But when the timees, there will be many talented people from various sects, so he must be fully prepared and retrieve the ck Toad.

    ...

    Yuan Ming hurried to the Snake King Valley.

    The environment in the valley remained the same, with towering trees and a miasma enveloping it, as if it had been like this for eternity and would never change.

    He sat cross-legged at the entrance where he had parted with the ck Toad, closed his eyes, and tried to sense the ck Toad¡¯s location. His eyes suddenly sank.

    He couldn¡¯t sense the Beast Control Runes inside the ck Toad!

    Based on Yuan Ming¡¯s current knowledge, there were only two possibilities for this phenomenon. One was that the ck Toad had been killed and the Beast Control Runes naturally dissipated. The other was that the ck Toad had been sealed by some kind of formation, cutting off his connection with the Beast Control Runes.

    The ck Toad had already advanced to the second level and awakened several powerful abilities. It was his most important helper at the moment. If it was killed by someone, the loss would be too great.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s thoughts were in turmoil, and he felt that something was not right. He forced himself to calm down.

    Now, the first thing to do was to determine the life or death of the ck Toad.

    The ck Toad used to like that ck pir very much, so it was very likely that it went there.

    Thinking of this, Yuan Ming quickly rushed towards the Snake King Cave.

    With the blessing of the White Jade Belt, he quickly arrived at the entrance of the Snake King Cave. Just as he was about to enter, he suddenly stopped and released three Soul Crows with a wave of his hand.

    One flew into the Snake King Cave, one guarded outside the cave entrance, and the third monitored the surrounding area.

    After doing all this, Yuan Ming took out the Water Cloud Banner and held it in his hand, entering the Snake King Cave. He quickly arrived at the deepest part of the cave, familiar with the path.

    The ck pir that stood here had disappeared, and arge hole with a diameter of three zhang appeared on the ground. It was pitch ck and seemed bottomless. There were manyrge and small stones and soil scattered around the nearby ground, as if the ck pir had been forcibly pulled out.

    Yuan Ming had already discovered this situation through the Soul Crows and was not surprised. With a thought, he controlled one of the Soul Crows to fly into the ck hole to investigate, while he searched around in the cave.Relying on his powerful spiritual sense, Yuan Ming quickly made a discovery. He found a piece of purple-ck vine under arge rock, which was part of the Purple-ck Demon Vine. It seemed that the ck Toad had indeed been here.

    At this moment, the Soul Crow had also reached the bottom of the ck hole. The hole extended straight down, reaching more than thirty feet deep, resembling a deep well.

    The space at the bottom of the hole was muchrger than above, but it was empty. A bluestone passage appeared on the side of the hole, extending into the distance.

    The floor and stone walls of the bluestone passage were very smooth, appearing to be man-made, and were covered in dust.

    Yuan Ming controlled the Soul Crow to explore the underground. After not finding any danger, he summoned the Water Cloud Banner to protect his body and jumped into the hole.

    The Water Cloud Banner shot out tworge hand-like blue water lights, grabbing onto the hole wall, greatly reducing his falling speed, and hended safely.

    He searched at the bottom of the hole for a while but did not find any new broken vines, so he looked towards the bluestone passage.

    The Soul Crow had already flown into the passage, and at this moment, it had flown at least three hundred feet forward, but it still hadn¡¯t reached the end.

    At this point, Yuan Ming did not retreat. He summoned the Water Cloud Banner to protect his body, stepped into the passage, and released his spiritual sense.

    Not long after, he suddenly stopped and looked at the wall on his right hand side. There was a thumb-sized ck spot in the corner, which seemed to have been corroded by something.

    This ce was inconspicuous, and if he hadn¡¯t expanded his spiritual sense, he wouldn¡¯t have noticed it at all.

    Yuan Ming leaned close to the ck spot and sniffed lightly, his eyes suddenly brightened.

    The ck spot emitted a sour smell, which was the smell of the ck Toad¡¯s venom. It seemed that the ck Toad had been here, and it was likely just ahead.

    He quickened his pace, and his figure soonpletely disappeared into the darkness.

    The length of the blue stone passage far exceeded his expectations. Yuan Ming had been rushing forward for a quarter of an hour, but there was still no sign of the end.

    Fortunately, there were no forks in the bluestone passage, so he didn¡¯t need to worry about getting lost.

    After walking for a while, Yuan Ming¡¯s eyebrows suddenly raised.

    The Soul Crow that was used to explore the way finally reached the end of the bluestone passage, and an exit emitting white light appeared there.

    Yuan Ming ordered the Soul Crow to stop, and he himself quickened his pace, soon reaching the exit of the passage.

    A surprised expression suddenly appeared on his face as he looked up at the sky.

    After entering the bluestone passage, Yuan Ming did not forget to control the two Soul Crows on the ground. The Soul Crow at the entrance of the Snake King Cave was still standing in ce, monitoring the situation at the entrance.

    The Soul Crow that had been sent out to explore was controlled by him to fly directly above his head, allowing him to confirm his location.

    At this moment, the Soul Crow above his head had arrived at an unexpected ce: the ancient castle that Bone Diagram and the others had visited before.

    This passage actually led to the underground of the ancient castle, suggesting that the two were somehow connected.

    Yuan Ming summoned the Water Cloud Banner to protect his whole body and stepped into the white exit.

    His eyes were filled with dazzling white light, and the next moment all the light suddenly disappeared, and he appeared in a gray stone hall.

    The stone hall was rectangr, about fifteen to sixteen feet long, seven to eight feet wide, and only one to two feet high, giving a very oppressive feeling.

    On both sides of the hall stood four stone pirs that could be embraced by a person, engraved with many human and beast reliefs.

    The bizarre style of these reliefs did not make the stone hall colorful, but instead made it even more gloomy, looking like the underground pce of a tomb.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t pay any attention to the environment here, because the walls of the gray pce were covered with lush purple-ck vines. The eight stone pirs were entwined with purple-ck vines, which were the Purple-ck Demon Vines inside the ck Toad.

    At this moment, the ck Toad was lying next to a stone pir, sleeping soundly with its belly up. Its round belly was rising and falling, quiteical.

    Yuan Ming let out a sigh of relief and red at the ck Toad.

    This ck Toad was actually sleeping soundly here, causing him unnecessary worry.

    After confirming that the ck Toad was safe, Yuan Ming finally rxed. He then carefully observed the gray pce.

    The walls of the gray pce were faintly glowing with ck light. He used his spiritual sense to probe, but it could only prate a little before it was blocked. It seemed that the white light was some kind of restriction that could iste the power of spiritual sense. No wonder he couldn¡¯t sense the existence of the ck Toad from outside.

    Not only were the walls of this pce shing with ck light, but there were also strands of ck energy floating in the air, like cloud fluff. Each strand emitted a faintly fierce aura.

    Yuan Ming was not unfamiliar with this aura, it was the ck energy emitted by the ck stone pirs before.

    The Purple-ck Demon Vine on the back of the ck Toad was moving in sync with the rise and fall of the toad¡¯s chest. The flowers were also opening and closing, like breathing. The ck energy in the hall slowly gathered and was absorbed by the leaves of the Purple-ck Demon Vine.

    Yuan Ming was not surprised. The ck Toad had been absorbing the strange ck energy before. But looking at the current situation, it was probably the Purple-ck Demon Vine that was truly absorbing the ck energy.

 Chapter 186: Gather

    Chapter 186: Gather

    "Huh!"

    Yuan Ming suddenly noticed an abnormal situation. These purple-ck demon vines not only grew lush leaves and bloomed purple-ck flowers, but their length had also greatly changed.

    Originally, the demon vines were at most seven or eight zhang long, but the demon vines in front of him were far more than that. There were at least twenty zhang. Could it be rted to the strange ck aura they absorbed?

    Yuan Ming pondered for a moment andmunicated with the ck Toad through his divine sense.

    The ck Toad¡¯s belly shook, waking up.

    Sensing Yuan Ming¡¯s presence, the ck Toad quickly turned its body around and a purple-ck light emerged from its back, causing the demon vines that covered the entire hall to quickly retract and disappear. The ck Toad then jumped to Yuan Ming¡¯s side.

    Yuan Mingmunicated with the ck Toad through his mind, asking why it came here.

    The ck Toad¡¯s thoughts buzzed and it tried hard to exin its experiences in the Snake King Valley during this period.

    The ck Toad¡¯s intelligence was not high, so its exnation was not very clear. Yuan Ming could only guess and roughly understand the ck Toad¡¯s experience here.After Yuan Ming left it in the Snake King Valley that day, the ck Toad immediately returned to the Snake King Cave and continued to absorb the fierce ck aura from the ck pirs.

    At first, everything was fine, but a few dayster, the ck pir suddenly rose from the ground, causing the ground below to shake like an earthquake, and a straight tunnel appeared.

    The ck pir then drilled into the tunnel underground, as if someone was controlling it.

    The ck Toad was lying on the pir at that time and, seeing this drastic change, it quickly used the demon vines to tightly wrap its body around the pir, preventing itself from being thrown off.

    The ck pir followed the underground passage made of bluestone and arrived at the gray underground pce.

    The strange ck aura here was even more intense, and the ck Toad was overjoyed. It decided to stay here and release the demon vines to absorb the ck aura.

    The more the purple-ck demon vines absorbed the strange ck aura, the more they grew lush.

    As the symbiotic body of the demon vines, although the ck Toad did not gain any benefits, it also felt veryfortable and quickly fell into a deep sleep until it was awakened by Yuan Ming just now.

    Yuan Ming silently pondered all of this, feeling incredulous. His gaze turned to the back of the ck Toad, where the bulge had also grown significantly, as if it was wrapped in several purple-ck leaves.

    "Where is that ck pir now?" Yuan Ming asked.

    The ck Toad raised its head and looked towards the deepest part of the underground pce.

    There was a tightly closed ck stone door on the wall, and the ck pir stood tall to the right of the stone door. The patterns on it emitted a ck glow, and the emitted ck aura was ten times denser.

    "You don¡¯t need to worry about me, continue absorbing the ck aura," Yuan Ming instructed.

    Upon hearing this, the ck Toad happily croaked and released the demon vines again to absorb the ck aura here.

    Yuan Ming approached the ck pir and once again used his divine sense to investigate. Unfortunately, just like before, as soon as his divine sense touched the pir, an invisible force bounced him away.

    He sighed and looked towards the ck stone door, using his divine sense to probe inside.

    However, just like the stone door and the walls, there were some kind of restrictions that his divine sense couldn¡¯t prate.

    Yuan Ming carefully searched around the stone door but did not find any mechanisms to open it.

    The ck pir wouldn¡¯t havee here from the Snake King Cave for no reason. There must be something behind the stone door.

    After a moment of silence, Yuan Ming suddenly pointed his finger.

    A brilliant golden knife light shot out. It was the Nine-Ring Golden Knife he obtained from the bone diagram. It fiercely struck the stone door.

    "ng!" A loud noise rang out, and the Nine-Ring Golden Knife rebounded, leaving the ck stone door unscathed.

    Yuan Ming frowned, then reached into his chest and took out a small ck bag. It was the corpse of the Heavenly Serpent Elder from the corpse-preserving bag in the bone diagram.

    He waved his hand and summoned the corpse of the Heavenly Serpent Elder, intending to remove the ck iron nail and control the corpse with the Soul Crow.

    Suddenly, the corpse of the Heavenly Serpent Elder opened its eyes, emitting an extremely excited and fierce light. The ck iron nail on its forehead buzzed and trembled, as if it was about to be pushed out by an invisible force.

    "ng ng!" The sound came from behind, seemingly someone madly pounding from behind the ck stone door.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s expression changed drastically, and his heartbeat pounded violently along with the pounding behind the door. An indescribable fear surged up, as if there was a primordial beast standing in front of him.

    He immediately activated the corpse-preserving bag, resealing the corpse of the Heavenly Serpent Elder, and used his mana to suppress it.

    The corpse of the Heavenly Serpent Elder gradually calmed down, and the pounding sound behind the ck stone door also disappeared.

    Yuan Ming immediately moved away from the ck stone door. Only then did his racing heart calm down, and his eyes flickered as he looked at the ck stone door.

    It seemed that the corpse of the Heavenly Serpent Elder was the key to opening this door, but what could be behind the stone door that gave him such a terrifying feeling?

    With his current strength, it seemed that he was not qualified to open this door. If he rashly entered, there might be a situation that he couldn¡¯t handle waiting for him.

    Yuan Ming turned and walked to the side of the ck Toad, no longer paying attention to the ck stone door. He sat cross-legged and began to restore the mana that was almost depleted from using the explosive technique.

    Once his mana slightly recovered, he was afraid that the corpse of the Heavenly Serpent Elder would cause another disturbance, so he immediately left with the ck Toad.

    It wasn¡¯t until he stepped on the ground of the Snake King Cave that Yuan Ming finally feltpletely at ease.

    Without the strength of Foundation Establishment or above, Yuan Ming would nevere here to investigate again.

    He used his magic to conceal the entrance to the underground cave and then turned and left the Snake King Valley, returning to the Bi Luo Cave.

    Three dayster, Yuan Ming rushed back to the sect.

    The White Deer Summit was not far away, and the atmosphere in the Bi Luo Cave had be much more lively. Even the disciples who did not sign up for the summit were looking forward to the event, specting which disciples from the Bi Luo Cave had a chance to achieve good results in the summit.Yuan Ming naturally didn¡¯t bother with these trivial matters. Upon returning to the sect, he stayed in his own residence, keeping his door closed.

    Time quickly passed, and three days had gone by.

    One day, while Yuan Ming was cultivating in his room, a series of urgent knocks came from the door.

    He got up to open the door and found that the person outside was a servant who was responsible for cleaning this area.

    "Immortal, the sect has just sent a message summoning all disciples to gather at the Qingluo Square," the servant respectfully said.

    Yuan Ming was taken aback and asked, "Summoning all disciples? Did they say why?"

    "They didn¡¯t mention it," the servant shook his head.

    "Alright, I understand. I¡¯ll be there shortly," Yuan Ming said after a moment of silence.

    The servant bowed and left, going to knock on the door of another disciple¡¯s room nearby.

    Yuan Ming tidied up his clothes and walked out of his room, heading down the mountain.

    The Qingluo Square that the servant mentioned was arge bluestone square at the foot of the mountain. Whenever there were major events in the Bi Luo Cave, this ce would be chosen for gathering disciples.

    When Yuan Ming arrived at the Qingluo Square, many people had already gathered. Disciples from various halls automatically gathered together. He went to the ce where the disciples of the Fire Refining Hall were, and found that Fang Ge and Ah Mu He had already arrived.

    "Brother Yuan Ming, it¡¯s been a while. Eh, your cultivation level?" Fang Ge greeted with a smile, his face suddenly showing surprise.

    "I¡¯ve been in seclusion for a while, and I¡¯ve made some progress," Yuan Ming vaguely replied.

    "When you were refining your sword before, you were only at the ninth level of Qi Refining. It hasn¡¯t been long, and you¡¯ve already reached the tenth level. It seems that Brother Yuan Ming has had some good fortune," Fang Ge praised.

    "There¡¯s no good fortune. I just happened to get a bottle of Foundation Establishment pills a while ago, and I was lucky enough to advance," Yuan Ming modestly said.

    "Oh, so that¡¯s how it is," Fang Ge nodded, still a hint of confusion in his eyes. Yuan Ming¡¯s cultivation speed was truly unfathomable.

    Yuan Ming naturally saw Fang Ge¡¯s confusion. However, his cultivation speed was too fast, and no matter how he exined it, it would only make it seem like he was trying to cover up. Besides, Brother Fang Ge was not the type to pry.

    After all, although Bi Luo Cave was a sect, in reality, apart from the inner disciples, the higher-ups and even the elders didn¡¯t care much about the general registered disciples.

    Ah Mu He was holding a book of runes and was seriously flipping through it, not participating in their conversation.

    More and more people arrived at the square. Soon, except for some who were carrying out sect tasks, all the disciples of Bi Luo Cave had gathered at the Qingluo Square, amounting to seven or eight hundred people.

    The Foundation Establishment elders from various halls had also arrived, standing at the front of the crowd.

    This was the first time Yuan Ming had seen so many Foundation Establishment cultivators of Bi Luo Cave gathered since he joined the sect. The number was as high as seventy or eighty.

    In the distance of the Qingluo Square, a silver cat was squatting on a big tree, its head resting on its forelimbs, looking at the crowd on the square with interest, enjoying the bustling scene.

    Suddenly, the crowd stirred, and everyone¡¯s eyes were drawn to the front.

    Two figures walked over. They were a middle-aged man with copper rings in his ears and a robust old man with yellow skin and a ck beard. They stepped onto the temporary wooden tform built at the front of the crowd.

    "Why are only the First and Second Cave Masters here? Where are the Third Cave Master and the Grand Elder?" The crowd was buzzing with discussion.

    Yuan Ming was also curiously looking at these two Nascent Soul cultivators, but unfortunately, he was too far from the tform to sense the aura of the two Cave Masters.

    "All elders and disciples of Bi Luo Cave, the reason we have gathered you here today is rted to the Bai Lu Qiu Alliance. The significance of this once-in-a-decade meeting to the five major sects of the entire Southern and Northern Regions, I believe you all understand, so I won¡¯t borate further," the First Cave Master began, his voice echoing throughout the square, silencing everyone.

    "The day of the meeting is in two days. Since Bai Lu Qiu is quite far from our sect, the Second Cave Master, Elder Mo Sa of the Law Enforcement Hall, and Elder Chu Xiong of the Execution Hall will lead the participating disciples to set off tomorrow," the First Cave Master paused before continuing.

    The crowd below the tform had expected that this gathering was rted to the Bai Lu Qiu Alliance, so they were not surprised.

    Yuan Ming had already made ample preparations. He carried all the essential items with him, so even if they set off now, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem.

    "Before we set off, there are two things I need to rify with everyone. The first is to announce the rewards prepared by our sect for this meeting," the First Cave Master said, ncing at the ck-bearded old man beside him.

    The crowd below the tform buzzed with discussion, and those disciples who had signed up for the meeting showed eager expressions. Naturally, Yuan Ming was no exception.

 Chapter 187: Bell sound

    Chapter 187: Bell sound

    "Different from previous years, in this Bai Luqiu Alliance, in addition to the spiritual materials collected by the participating disciples, the sect has decided to give additional rewards to encourage the top ten disciples with the highest gains. The specific prizes can be seen by yourselves," the old man with a ck beard said as he raised his hand, and a white g appeared in the air, with shining golden characters written on it, followed by small annotations.

    "The rewards for this alliance are unexpectedly generous!"

    "The sect rarely makes such a big move. If I had known earlier, I would have signed up too!"

    When the disciples present saw the rewards, they were all shocked and started discussing.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze swept over and his face also showed a hint of surprise.

    The rewards prepared by the sect this time were not insignificant. The rewards for the top three were all rted to Foundation Establishment. The first prize was a Foundation Establishment Pill, the second prize was a Mind-settling Incense, and the third prize was a Condensing Yuan Pill.

    ording to the annotations, this Mind-settling Incense was a kind of spiritual incense from the Eastern Region of the Southern Wilderness. True to its name, it could calm one¡¯s mind and keep one in a state of absolute tranquility, which was of great help for breaking through the Foundation Establishment stage.

    For other disciples or cultivators of the Bi Luo Cave, this spiritual incense could be considered a novelty, but for Yuan Ming, it was not that surprising.

    The Condensing Yuan Pill was a kind of pill that could elerate the condensation of mana, which was also of great assistance for Foundation Establishment.Both the Mind-settling Incense and the Condensing Yuan Pill were precious items, not to mention the Foundation Establishment Pill. The fact that the Bi Luo Cave took out these three things showed how much importance they attached to this Bai Luqiu Alliance.

    As for the rewards from the fourth to the tenth ce, they were all magical treasures, pills for advancing cultivation, and a considerable amount of spiritual stones. Although they couldn¡¯tpare to the Foundation Establishment Pill and the Mind-settling Incense, they were still quite valuable.

    When other participating disciples saw such valuable rewards, they were both surprised and delighted.

    Some people¡¯s eyes turned cold as they looked at the other participants.

    With such valuable rewards, instead of working hard to find treasures and spiritual materials andpete for rankings, it would be better to eliminate thepetition directly by reducing the number of disciples from the same sect.

    The fact that only forty to fifty people from the Bi Luo Cave signed up for the Bai Luqiu Alliance showed that the more they killed, the greater the chance of entering the top ten.

    A crisp sound of a bell rang out, and the bodies of those who had murderous intent trembled, almost falling to the ground, while others were not greatly affected.

    The Grand Cave Master had a small white bell in his hand, emitting a soft white light.

    He raised his hand and struck the bell. The white light on the bell suddenly surged, and then dozens of white bell shadows shot out, urately entering the bodies of all the participants.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s body also merged with a white bell shadow, and he was suddenly startled. He quickly activated his divine sense to investigate, but found nothing.

    "Don¡¯t worry, the bell shadow just now was the Warning Heart Imprint emitted by my Warning Heart Bell. It will automatically disappear after a while," the Grand Cave Master said.

    "May I ask, Grand Cave Master, what is the effect of this Warning Heart Imprint?" a voice rang out, belonging to a tall Bi Luo Cave disciple with a scar on his face that extended from his right eye to his chin.

    Yuan Ming recognized this person. His name was "Wu Luo," and he was the personal disciple of the Second Cave Master, highly respected among the younger generation of the Bi Luo Cave.

    "That is exactly what I want to talk about. In the past Bai Luqiu Alliances, disciples from the five sects fought and killed each other to seize spiritual materials and treasures. Some disciples of our sect showed no mercy to their fellow disciples for the sake of rankings and benefits. This time, we absolutely cannot allow such fratricide to happen! The Warning Heart Imprint can sense killing intent and will be triggered when you harm your fellow disciples. Those who trigger the Warning Heart Imprint, no matter how much they gain, will be deprived of the qualification to enter the top ten!" The Grand Cave Master¡¯s gaze suddenly became sharp as he slowly spoke.

    "Yes," the participating disciples did not dare to meet his gaze and lowered their heads in agreement.

    Those who had nned to harm their fellow disciples and reduce theirpetitors also immediately abandoned this idea.

    "The same goes for all of you. Don¡¯t think that the sect is unaware of your secret fights. It¡¯s fine to have friendlypetitions and exchanges among fellow disciples, but there should be limits. The Bi Luo Cave currently needs unity and must not engage in internal strife!" The Second Cave Master looked at the disciples and elders who did not participate in the alliance and said in a deep voice.

    Everyone who was swept by his gaze trembled in fear, and some people turned their heads in guilt.

    Under the pressure, these people all answered in unison.

    Yuan Ming frowned secretly. The Bi Luo Cave had previously ignored the conflicts between disciples and even adopted an indulgent attitude. Why did their attitude suddenly change? Could it be that something had happened that forced the Bi Luo Cave to make a change?

    The more astute individuals in the crowd also guessed this and looked at the Grand Cave Master and the Second Cave Master with a hint of doubt in their eyes.

    "Don¡¯t let this stop you from improving. Necessarypetitions can still exist. Otherwise, how can we improve our strength? Especially when dealing with other sects, we take the initiative to cause trouble, but we are not afraid of trouble. The Elder has brought the Bi Luo Cave into the ranks of the Five Great Sects with his own strength, making other sects dare not to encroach. If the disciples of our sect are cowardly in everything, how can we stand firm?" The Grand Cave Master¡¯s face revealed a smile as he spoke.

    When the disciples of the Bi Luo Cave heard this, their expressions rxed.

    The Elder, as the pir of the Bi Luo Cave, had long been deeply rooted in their hearts. It was said that his cultivation had already reached the peak of the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, surpassing the three Cave Masters. He was one of the few powerful cultivators in the entire Southern Wilderness and Northern Region.

    With him around, the other sects in the Northern Region would not dare to make a move.

    "The Elder is indeed domineering," Yuan Ming secretlymented.

    He had been in the sect for quite some time and had never seen the Elder. It was said that this person was in seclusion in the back mountain of the Bi Luo Cave all year round and rarely appeared in front of others. No one had ever seen him make a move.

    On arge tree near the square, Xiying crouched and looked through the crowd and the light field, gazing towards the back of the Bi Luo Cave.

    Behind the three main peaks of the Bi Luo Cave was a continuous mountain range, with towering trees and destion. A faint mist pervaded the mountains, drifting among the leaves of the trees with the mountain breeze.A cave dwelling was situated on a green mountain wall, with the words "Biluo Cave" carved into the stone wall on the right. The words were covered in moss, indicating that they had been there for hundreds of years.

    The nearly thousand disciples of Biluo Cave were unaware that the name of their sect originated from this ce.

    The stone door of the cave dwelling was tightly closed, with a faint green light rippling on it.

    In a stone chamber deep within Biluo Cave, a young man in a dark green robe was sitting cross-legged. He had high cheekbones and deep-set eyes, a stark contrast to the appearance of the people from the southern border.

    The young man in the green robe was forming hand seals, and a ck pot about half a foot tall was floating in front of him. The pot was engraved with patterns ofndscapes, flowers, and birds, and the words "Soul Suppressing Pot" were engraved under the spout.

    The Soul Suppressing Pot was trembling incessantly, and strands of ck mist were rising from within it. The lid of the pot was nging, and there was a small dent at the top of the lid, as if a part of it was missing, which looked somewhat out of ce.

    "Controlling this Soul Suppressing Pot is indeed a bit difficult without the Soul Suppressing Pearl on the lid." The young man in the green robe sighed, his hands forming seals like a turning wheel.

    Green lights hit the Soul Suppressing Pot one after another, gradually calming the pot and making the overflowing ck qi disappearpletely.

    The young man in the green robe waved his sleeve, and twenty or thirty ck bells flew out andnded in front of him. These were Soul Capturing Bells.

    "Collect!" The young man in the green robe pointed at the Soul Suppressing Pot with a hand seal, and the lid of the pot floated up, emitting a suction force.

    From the twenty or thirty Soul Capturing Bells, strands of soul power as thick as fingers, constantly changing and wriggling, rolled into the Soul Suppressing Pot and were quickly absorbed.

    The lid of the pot fell down, sealing the pot tightly.

    However, the Soul Suppressing Pot started to tremble again, and the ck qi overflowing from the pot was even more than before.

    The young man in the green robe¡¯s expression became serious. He waved his sleeve, emitting a green light that enveloped the Soul Suppressing Pot and ced it in a ck array on the ground in front of him.

    The array quickly started to operate, and a ck gloomy light covered the pot, significantly reducing the trembling of the Soul Suppressing Pot.

    The young man in the green robe¡¯s expression eased slightly. His hands formed seals, and the ck light enveloping the Soul Suppressing Pot became softer, flowing into the pot like water.

    After a while, a "crack" sound of something breaking came from inside the Soul Suppressing Pot, and a ck light shone from the pot. The lid was blown off, and within a radius of several feet, there were faint sounds of ghostly wailing and howling.

    Ayer of ck light surged from the four walls of the stone chamber, blocking all the ghostly wailing.

    "The soul power has finally umted enough. I can try to use the power of the soul as a guide. I, Xi Cangqiong, can finally attempt to break through to thete stage of the Core Formation." The young man in the green robe exhaled lightly, murmuring to himself.

    As his words fell, a ck light shed between his eyebrows, revealing a ck tiger head phantom. Itnded on the ground and sucked towards the Soul Suppressing Pot.

    A stream of ck qi gushed out from the Soul Suppressing Pot. It looked extremely pure and no longer wriggled at all, entering the ck tiger head.

    The young man in the green robe had a look of intoxication on his face. He sat down cross-legged, his hands forming seals and sping in front of him.

    A tremendous pressure suddenly emerged, shaking the entire stone chamber, and the air was howling and ringing.

    Outside Biluo Cave, a sparrow was squatting on a big tree, hopping agilely on the branches. Its eyes asionally shed towards the green stone gate, revealing a touch of spiritual light.

    On a big tree far away from the Qingluo Square, Xiying squinted its eyes, anxiously sharpening its ws on the tree. Suddenly, it looked up at the gate of Biluo Cave, its cat eyes showing a surprised look.

    "Who¡¯sing..." It leaped towards the gate of the mountain.

    Outside the gate of Biluo Cave, a group of shadowy figures in ck suddenly appeared from nowhere, quickly approaching from all directions. There were no less than three to four hundred of them, and they all had a peculiar pattern embroidered on their chests, which looked like a rising sun surrounded by a few white clouds.

    Although these people tried their best to hide their tracks, there were too many of them, and they were quickly detected by the surveince measures set up near the sect by Biluo Cave.

    A hidden stake of Biluo Cave leaped out from the bushes and flew towards the mountain gate. He took out a white talisman and activated it, shouting loudly, "Arge number of unidentified people are approaching, quickly..."

    Before he could finish his words, he felt a ck arrow silently shooting from behind. No matter how he dodged, the arrow pierced his throat with a "puff" sound.

    The stake¡¯s voice abruptly stopped, and he fell to the ground, soon ceasing to breathe. However, before he died, he used hisst strength to crush the talisman in his hand.

    A white light shot into the sky, exploding in mid-air and forming a beautiful shower of light.

    Almost at the same time, several white lights shot into the sky from the east and west of the Biluo Cave sect gate, turning into fireworks-like showers of light.

    Ding, ding, ding! A deafening bell sound rang out, echoing throughout the entire Biluo Cave mountain gate.

 Chapter 188: Five Elements Body

    Chapter 188: Five Elements Body

    The people on the Qingluo Square heard the sound of the bell. The disciples who had just joined the Biluo Cave didn¡¯t know what had happened, but the early disciples and the elders of the Foundation Establishment stage changed their expressions.

    "Something¡¯s not right! The Poyun Bell rang nine times! It only happens when the enemyunches a major attack on the mountain. Could someone be attacking the mountain gate?" Fang Ge widened his eyes.

    The Great Cave Master soared into the sky, his eyes shooting out two cold lights that were about twenty feet long, scanning in all directions before quickly descending.

    "Someone is attacking the mountain?" the Second Cave Master immediately asked.

    "Besides the direction behind the mountain, there are enemiesing from the east, west, and south. There are quite a few of them! They are wearing ck robes, and their origins are unclear," the Great Cave Master said in a deep voice.

    "At this time, most of the disciples are gathered here, and the defenses in various ces are weak. The other party obviously came prepared. Should we go and invite the Grand Elder toe out?" The Second Cave Master frowned and said.

    "When the Poyun Bell rings, the Grand Elder must have already noticed. He will make his own judgment. Let¡¯s act separately first. Let the elders lead their people to guard the east and west sides. There are probably the most enemies at the mountain gate in the south. I will personally lead the defense there. You immediately go and activate the protective array!" The Great Cave Master closed his eyes and exhaled, and when he opened his eyes, he had regained his confidence. He spoke very quickly.

    "Alright." The Second Cave Master turned into a streak of light and flew away, disappearing in an instant.

    "I don¡¯t know where these small fries came from, daring to attack our Biluo Cave¡¯s mountain gate. All the elders, listen to mymand and distribute the defense forces separately. When the protective array is activated and the Grand Elder arrives, there is no need to worry even if there are more enemies." The voice of the Great Cave Master was not loud, but it was clear and transmitted to everyone present. The scene immediately quieted down.Next, the Great Cave Master began tomand in the center, assigning defense forces to various parts of the mountain gate in an orderly manner. Groups of disciples, led by the elders, hurried towards different directions. Soon, there were only the Great Cave Master, Yuan Ming, and nearly four hundred Qi Refining stage disciples left on the square.

    Yuan Ming was left behind, while Fang Ge and Amu had already been assigned to another team and had left.

    "The rest of you, follow me to guard the mountain gate. Today, the sect is under attack. You must fight the enemy with all your strength. If anyone escapes privately or ys tricks, I will personally clean up the sect!" The voice of the Great Cave Master was cold, sending a chill down the hearts of everyone present.

    Naturally, they didn¡¯t dare to have any objections and answered in unison.

    "Set off immediately!" The Great Cave Master turned into a streak of white light and shot towards the mountain gate.

    The more than thirty Foundation Establishment stage cultivators and some disciples summoned various flying beasts and carried three to five disciples each as they rushed towards the mountain gate.

    The remaining disciples who didn¡¯t have flying spirit beasts and those who weren¡¯t apanied by anyone were mostly low-cultivation disciples with ordinary status in the sect. They could only rely on their legs to catch up with the main force and head towards the mountain gate.

    "Suddenly, such a big event happened to the sect. Where did Xiying go?"

    Yuan Ming naturally belonged to thetter group. While following the crowd towards the mountain gate, he felt anxious.

    In addition, the protective array of the Biluo Cave and the presence of several Foundation Establishment stage elders were not secrets. Since the enemy dared to attack the sect, there must be several Foundation Establishment stage experts. The situation was probably not good.

    ...

    At the mountain gate of the Biluo Cave.

    The guarding disciples were already fighting with the ck-clothed people. There were only thirty to forty guarding disciples, and although they had activated the defensive prohibition mechanism, they were still no match for the ck-clothed people who outnumbered them tenfold. They were quickly forced to retreat.

    "These enemies attacked while the Great Cave Master was convening a sect-wide meeting. They are not good people! Has there been any response from the sect?" One of the guarding disciples, a Foundation Establishment stage elder, wielded a giant hammer magical tool and sent two ck-clothed people flying with a heavy strike, shouting.

    This person was named Qi Wei, an elder of the Biluo Cave¡¯s Law Enforcement Hall, and he was on duty today to guard the mountain gate.

    "We just received a message saying that the Great Cave Master has brought people here," said a half-bloodied man next to Qi Wei, who was Wu Lu.

    "Good! Fellow disciples, hold on for a while longer. Since they came to die, let¡¯s show them some colors!" Qi Wei shouted.

    At this moment, several ck-robed figures pounced forward, and several magical tools shot out like lightning.

    Although these people were all Qi Refining stage cultivators, each one of them was a master at around the tenth level of Qi Refining, and their magical tools were not to be underestimated.

    "Get lost!" Qi Wei waved his sleeve outward.

    A white bead shot out and swelled up to the size of a house in the wind, smashing several magical tools with a loud bang.

    The white giant bead didn¡¯t stop at all and then crashed into several ck-clothed people.

    The impact was like being hit by a meteorite, and the people spurted blood from their mouths and flew out. One of them was hit in the head and instantly had his skull shattered.

    Although Qi Wei could still hold on, the other guarding disciples were outnumbered and were retreating one after another. The defensive line was about to copse.

    Qi Wei quickly formed hand seals with both hands, and seven star patterns appeared on the white giant bead.

    Boom boom boom!

    Dozens of starlight rays fell like raindrops, hitting the crowd of ck-clothed people and causing a bloody storm.

    "The Seven Star Bead!" a voice came from the front. It sounded small, but it suppressed the surrounding sounds of battle.

    Qi Wei¡¯s expression became serious. He knew that a Foundation Establishment stage expert had finally appeared. He quickly recalled the white giant bead, which floated above his head.

    At this moment, a yellow light shed under his feet, and a yellow formation appeared out of thin air.

    Qi Wei was startled and immediately retreated, but he was a step toote.

    Dozens of tentacle-like yellow lights shot out from the formation and wrapped around Qi Wei¡¯s legs before he could react.

    "Earth Binding Formation!" Qi Wei was instantly immobilized, but he didn¡¯t panic. He pped his hand on the ground.

    A green w magical tool appeared out of thin air and suddenly expanded several times in size. A foot-long green light shot out from the w, fiercely grabbing the Earth Binding Formation.

    The green w light looked extremely sharp, and with a loud bang, it tore a corner of the Earth Binding Formation.

    The white giant bead also shot out more than ten rays of starlight, hitting the Earth Binding Formation and leaving it full of holes.

    However, the Earth Binding Formation did not copse. The damaged parts were visibly repairing at a speed visible to the naked eye, and the yellow tentacles continued to tightly bind Qi Wei, showing a trend of bing tighter and tighter.

    "The Earth Binding Formation is just a low-level formation. How can it be so tough!" Qi Wei eximed in disbelief."This is not an ordinary Earthbound Array, but my improved Yin-Yang Earthbound Array. The Yin array is on top, the Yang array is below. You only destroyed the Yin array, how could you possibly break free?" A white figure slowly emerged from the crowd of people in ck. She appeared to be a young girl, her face hidden behind a mask. She was barefoot, but each time her foot touched the ground, the phantom of a pair of embroidered shoes appeared.

    If Yuan Ming were here, he would certainly recognize her as the female array master who had once caused a greatmotion in Heiyan City, capable of forming arrays with a wave of her hand.

    Qi Wei quickly expanded his divine consciousness to investigate the ground beneath him. Sure enough, he found another Earthbound Array humming and resonating with the array on the surface several feet below.

    "The Cave Master has brought people here, prepare to meet your death!" Qi Wei roared, immediately controlling a green w and a white pearl,unching a frenzied attack on the Yin array on the ground.

    The female array master flicked her finger, and a yellow sphere fell into the array, merging into it.

    The Earthbound Array glowed with a yellow light, and many changes urred in its patterns, with many spike patterns appearing. The array shed with yellow light, and a dozenrge earth spikes suddenly sprouted, piercing Qi Wei.

    However, the yellow robe on Qi Wei suddenly burst into dazzling light, forming a yellow light curtain that blocked the attack of the earth spikes.

    The female array master let out a soft exmation, but didn¡¯t seem to care. She raised her hand again, effortlessly shooting out five green lights thatnded on the periphery of the Earthbound Array.

    Green array patterns quickly spread, forming a green array in the blink of an eye. It resonated with the two Earthbound Arrays, and the power of Wood quickly flowed into the Earthbound Array.

    The Earthbound Array roared again, and morerge earth spikes emerged out of thin air. This time, nearly half of the spikes turned green, shimmering with a wooden luster.

    The yellow light curtain around Qi Wei shattered in response, and a dozen earth spikes pierced through his body. His dantian and heart were prated. He opened his mouth, but unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t say anything before his breath ceased.

    "Elder Qi Wei has fallen!" Wu Lu eximed in shock, but he had already retreated far away, making a gesture with his index finger as he fled.

    With Qi Wei¡¯s fall, the white pearl and green w, no longer controlled by anyone, returned to their original size and flew far away,nding right next to Wu Lu.

    Wu Lu flicked his sleeve, smoothly scooping up the two items and running even faster.

    With Qi Wei¡¯s defeat, the disciples of Biluo Cavepletely lost their will to fight and were easily defeated. The people in ck quickly approached the gate of Biluo Cave.

    The ground at the gate of Biluo Cave shook, andrge ck stone pirs emerged from the ground, forming a stone array in an instant.

    The stone forest appeared chaotic and without any discernible pattern, but the people in ck became dizzy and disoriented as soon as they entered. The disciples of Biluo Cave, unaffected, used the stone forest to hold back the people in ck.

    On a nearby tree, Silver Cat Xiying was squatting, blending in with the leaves.

    "Forming arrays with a wave of her hand, could this be the female assassin Yuan Ming mentioned? She seems to have a Five Elements Body. What a great talent," she murmured to herself with interest.

    The female array master seemed to sense something and turned to look in Xiying¡¯s direction.

    But there was nothing unusual there.

    The female array master frowned slightly, but quickly turned her attention back tomanding the people in ck to attack the stone forest.

    A silver shadow shed on another tree a few feet away, and Xiying appeared, looking up at the distance.

    "Great, who¡¯s so interesting? Hurry up and kill your way in, you¡¯re so slow."

    She then headed towards the gate of Biluo Cave. An odd silver light emerged from her body, and she quickly disappeared. A few breathster, she waspletely gone, leaving no trace of her presence...

    Meanwhile, Yuan Ming was mingling among the hundreds of registered disciples, heading towards the gate.

    Although his cultivation was far superior to the registered disciples, he had concealed his aura and did not stand out.

    After some thought, he became quite worried about the current situation and gradually fell behind the crowd.

    "There¡¯s bound to be a big battle today, it¡¯s going to be quite lively." A cheerful voice suddenly echoed in his mind. It was Xiying.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s heart stirred, and he looked around, but he couldn¡¯t find Xiying. He asked in a barely audible voice, "Do you know who these people are?"

    He didn¡¯t know how to use the sound transmission technique, so he could onlymunicate with Xiying in this way. With Xiying¡¯s abilities, she should be able to hear him.

 Chapter 189: Dawnâ€™s Mission

    Chapter 189: Dawn¡¯s Mission

    "Who cares who he is? I have something important to do now. Why are you still here? I¡¯ll leave first, and I might contact youter." Sure enough, Xiying transmitted his voice again.

    "Where are you going? Be careful," Yuan Ming said softly without asking too much.

    Xiying didn¡¯t reply anymore, he should have already left.

    Yuan Ming continued to follow the others, but his mind was calcting.

    Xiying seemed so happy about the attack on the Biro Cave, he must be trying to take advantage of the situation.

    He didn¡¯t have much attachment to the Biro Cave. If the situation was not right, he wouldn¡¯t foolishly stay and face the destruction of the Biro Cave. He must find an opportunity to escape.

    There was not much spiritual power left in the Earth Travel Talisman, but it should still be able to activate it once, allowing him to escape a considerable distance underground and avoid this disaster.

    As for the threat from the Great Cave Master just now, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t take it to heart. Not to mention that once a big battle started, the Great Cave Master would be too busy dealing with the Foundation Establishment stage experts on the other side to pay attention to them, a group of Qi Refining stage cultivators. Even if he used his identity as a named disciple and his usual low-key style, there were probably not many people around who would recognize him.

    Yuan Ming looked around and found that no one was paying attention to him. He raised his hand to his forehead, pretending to wipe away sweat.Two soul crows shot out from his brow and slipped into his sleeve, disappearing into the ground along his pants.

    Yuan Ming continued to move forward and quickly disappeared into the distance.

    Two ck crows flew out of the nearby jungle one after another, silently heading in different directions.

    ...

    The Great Cave Master flew through the air, much faster than Yuan Ming and the others who were walking. In no time, he arrived at the entrance of the Biro Cave.

    At this time, the stone forest at the entrance of the cave had beenpletely destroyed, and most of the disciples guarding the mountain gate had been killed. The ground at the mountain gate was almost dyed red, with scattered limbs and corpses.

    The Great Cave Master¡¯s eyes were filled with anger, but when he saw the sunrise pattern on the ck-clothed people, his expression changed slightly. "The Dawn Scattering Alliance!"

    Seeing the appearance of the Great Cave Master, several ck-clothed people who were already bloodthirsty didn¡¯t know any better and immediately attacked with their magical weapons.

    "No!" someone in the crowd hurriedly shouted, but it was toote.

    The Great Cave Master¡¯s eyes shed with cold light as he quickly formed hand seals.

    Dozens of thick purple thunderbolts shot out, and the area within a dozen or so zhang was instantly filled with brilliant lightning, with one lightning strike hitting the ck-clothed person at the front.

    How could these Qi Refining stage cultivators withstand the attack of a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator? Their bodies immediately burst open.

    Crackling sounds filled the surroundings!

    In an instant, seven or eight people were killed, and the remaining ck-clothed people realized that something was wrong and began to retreat. However, more than ten people were directly struck dead by the swift and agile purple lightning.

    "The Great Cave Master is here!" the remaining disciples guarding the mountain gate rejoiced.

    The Great Cave Master didn¡¯t say a word, and once again formed hand seals with both hands, and dozens of lightning bolts poured down.

    At this moment, a blood-colored de light as swift as a galloping horse swept through the front forest, cutting through the purple lightning with incredible speed, several times faster than a falling thunderbolt.

    All the lightning was cut in half and dissipated into countless electric arcs in the void.

    The blood-colored de light flew back and fell into a sturdy palm, revealing a blood-red battle axe, with red patterns flickering on its surface.

    The owner of the sturdy palm was a blood-robed man, eight feet tall, with shoulder-length red hair and dark red eyes. He exuded a terrifying aura from head to toe.

    "Blood Battle, it¡¯s you! Why are you selling your life for the Dawn Scattering Alliance?" The Great Cave Master recognized the person¡¯s appearance and frowned.

    "I am now the Vice Leader of the Southern Branch of the Dawn Scattering Alliance. It is only natural for me to protect my subordinates. Isn¡¯t it?" The blood-robed man chuckled strangely.

    "You joined the Dawn Scattering Alliance!" The Great Cave Master seemed surprised.

    "Yes, I was invited by Leader Ougi not long ago and just joined." The blood-robed manughed.

    "The Dawn Scattering Allianceunched a major attack on our Biro Cave today. Who exactly gave the order? It¡¯s really a big move!" The Great Cave Master¡¯s pupils contracted, and he asked coldly.

    "I don¡¯t know about that. The task I received was just to stop you, Mao Dao-you." The blood-robed man licked his lips and said.

    The disciples of the Biro Cave at the mountain gate were already at a disadvantage. It was only when the Great Cave Master arrived in time and took action that they were able to catch their breath.

    Now that the Great Cave Master was entangled by the sudden appearance of the Foundation Establishment stage cultivator Blood Battle, the remaining dozen or so disciples were once again trapped, and two more people died in an instant.

    Facing enemies several times their number, these dozen or so people who persisted until now were all at the ninth or tenth level of Qi Refining stage. The Great Cave Master frowned slightly, and lightning shed between his hands once again.

    "Mao Dao-you, if you continue to take action, we will have to fight again today. If you and these disciples stay still and behave, we can also stand aside. How about it?" The blood-robed man blocked in front of the Great Cave Master, and the giant axe in his hand emitted a bloody light."Blood Battle, you really know how to tell jokes! You invaded my Biro Cave, and as the head of the Biro Cave, if I don¡¯t fight back, wouldn¡¯t it make the entire Southern Territory of the cultivation worldugh? If you want to fight, then fight without wasting words!" The Cave Master snorted, his hands surging with lightning, preparing tounch an attack.

    The man in the blood robe in front of him was named Blood Battle, a well-known Foundation Establishment stage cultivator in the Southern Territory. He was usually unruly and bloodthirsty, only seeking instant gratification through killing. Once he unleashed his true power, he would fight to the death. Therefore, few dared to provoke him.

    He had fought against Blood Battle before, and although his cultivation level was one small realm higher, the opponent fought recklessly. Every time he had the chance to severely injure the opponent, the opponent would not retreat but instead advance, making it seem like he was willing to exchange lives. This gave him a headache.

    Now that the opponent had appeared again, he was truly a difficult character to deal with.

    Blood Battleughed heartily, holding arge axe in his hand, his whole body filled with surging blood energy, ready to strike.

    The confrontation between the two Foundation Establishment stage cultivators in mid-air was about to begin. Even with the support of the restrictions, the dozen or so disciples guarding the Biro Cave were still isted and helpless. In an instant, several of them perished, and it seemed like they were about to bepletely annihted.

    At this critical moment, four or five red mes flew from the front mountain gate, emitting a piercing screech, and exploded like meteors in the crowd of ck-clothed attackers surrounding the disciples of the Biro Cave.

    Many ck-clothed individuals were blown away, and quite a few were swallowed by the sea of fire, screaming in agony.

    "Attack together and let these insignificant people stay here forever!"

    A giant red spiritual bird, several zhang long, flew out from the Biro Cave. The red mes were precisely what it spewed out. Standing on the back of the spiritual bird was an elder from the Beast Taming Hall, Meng Shan.

    Following closely behind Meng Shan were several flying spiritual beasts, flying over with all their might. On their backs were Foundation Establishment stage cultivators.

    And behind these elders, more and more disciples from the Biro Cave surged forward like a tide.

    The reinforcements from the Biro Cave had finally arrived!

    The army of ck-clothed individuals had been fighting for a while and inevitably showed signs of fatigue. However, the people from the Biro Cave were all fresh troops, with nearly thirty Foundation Establishment stage cultivators among them, far outnumbering the Foundation Establishment cultivators among the ck-clothed individuals. They immediately gained the upper hand.

    The army of ck-clothed individuals kept retreating under the onught and were soon driven outside the mountain gate.

    The Cave Master continued to face off against Blood Battle, and upon seeing this scene, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

    Just at this moment, figures flickered in the forest outside the sect, and arge group of ck-clothed individuals flew out, including several high-level Foundation Establishment stage cultivators.

    "Do not act rashly, everyonee back!" The Cave Master saw this scene and hurriedly shouted.

    Including Elder Meng Shan, all the disciples from the Biro Cave stopped in their tracks and formed a defensive formation under the lead of the Foundation Establishment stage cultivators.

    Yuan Ming had already retreated to a corner of the crowd, looking at the densely packed ck-clothed individuals in front, feeling a sense of foreboding.

    There were so many enemies, and he didn¡¯t know where they came from. Such arge-scale gathering of cultivators, he didn¡¯t know how the other party managed to remainpletely silent beforehand. It seemed that they had to be careful in the uing battle.

    "Brother above, please move aside a bit." A voice came from under his feet.

    Yuan Ming was startled and quickly took two steps back.

    The ground rumbled and broke open, revealing a figure covered in dust.

    "Brother Wu Lu, is that you? What are you doing here?" Yuan Ming looked closely at the person and couldn¡¯t help but be surprised.

    The person who emerged from underground was indeed Wu Lu.

    People nearby noticed themotion here and saw a disciple of the Biro Cave emerging from the ground. Contempt shed in their eyes.

    "Brother Yuan Ming? I apologize for the inconvenience. I was on duty guarding the mountain gate when the enemyunched a massive attack. In a moment of desperation, I had to use the Earth Escape Technique to burrow underground and escape. I¡¯m ashamed." Wu Lu brushed off the dirt on his body and self-deprecatingly exined.

    "No need to apologize. If Brother Yuan Ming and I were in each other¡¯s shoes, we would have made the same choice." Yuan Ming said calmly.

    Wu Lu nodded gratefully, took out a pill and swallowed it, then looked towards the army of ck-clothed individuals across from them.

    "Do you know who these ck-clothed individuals are, Brother Wu Lu?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "Don¡¯t you recognize the emblem of the Dawn Alliance? These people are from the Dawn Alliance." Wu Lu whispered.

    Yuan Ming was shocked and looked at the crowd of people across from them in astonishment.

    "The Dawn Alliance is a legendary alliance in the Southern Territory. It¡¯s not urate to call it a local alliance of the Southern Territory. The influence of the Dawn Alliance extends throughout the Southern Territory, the Central ins, and many other ces. If we¡¯re talking about strength, the Biro Cave can¡¯tpare at all. These ck-clothed individuals should be members of the Southern Territory branch of the Dawn Alliance." Wu Lu exined, thinking that Yuan Ming had never heard of the name Dawn before.

    "Do the Dawn Alliance and our Biro Cave have any grudges? Or were theymissioned by someone else?" Yuan Ming regained hisposure and asked.

    "I don¡¯t know about that. The Dawn Alliance acts without scruples. As long as they are given enoughpensation, they dare to take on any task. This attack should have been orchestrated by someone else, and they came prepared." Wu Lu¡¯s eyes flickered as he spoke in a low voice.The Great Cave Master looked at the members of the Dawn Alliance, his face gloomy, and slowly asked, "My Bi Luo Cave has always kept to its own affairs without interfering with your Dawn Alliance. Blood Battle, I ask you again, why did you lead an attack on the mountain gate of Bi Luo Cave today?"

    "I¡¯ve said it before, today¡¯s actions of the Dawn Alliance were not instigated by me. You¡¯re asking the wrong person," Blood Battle casually slung his battle axe over his shoulder and replied.

    Just as the Great Cave Master was about to say something else, he suddenly looked towards a certain direction in front.

    A dark cloud flew rapidly from the front andnded a dozen or so feet away in the blink of an eye, emitting a muffled thunder-like rumble from within.

    A deep voice sounded from within the cloud, "Hehe, my friend Mao Li Hong, it¡¯s been many years. You¡¯re as impressive as ever, truly a cause for celebration!"

    "Ou Ji!" The Great Cave Master¡¯s pupils contracted.

 Chapter 190: Conclusive evidence

    Chapter 190: Conclusive evidence

    "After many years, I never expected that Friend Mao still remembers me. It is truly an honor." The ck clouds slowly dispersed, revealing a purple-faced man in a ck robe, with a dignified appearance.

    Judging from the imposing manner of this person, he is obviously a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

    The disciples of the Biro Cave showed worried expressions. The enemy had two Foundation Establishment cultivators, while the Biro Cave only had their Grand Cave Master. Although the number of cultivators in the Foundation Establishment and Qi Refinement stages on both sides was roughly the same, and the Biro Cave had a slight advantage in terms of terrain, the decision-making power in the battle clearlyy with the Foundation Establishment cultivators.

    As a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, the Grand Cave Master of the Biro Cave was the strongest besides the Elder. His strength was not weak, but facing two opponents of simr strength, it was obvious that he couldn¡¯t gain any advantage.

    "It¡¯s him!" Wu Lu eximed when he saw the person.

    "Wu Lu, do you recognize this person?" Yuan Ming asked when he saw Wu Lu¡¯s reaction.

    "I was assigned to the Qingfu Hall some time ago and saw the portraits of important figures from various major forces in the Southern Region that the sect collected. If I¡¯m not mistaken, this person is Ou Ji, the leader of the Southern Branch of the Dawn Alliance, a Foundation Establishment cultivator," Wu Lu exined.

    Yuan Ming looked at the three people in the air and then at the crowd on the opposite side, his thoughts spinning.

    He followed therge group of people to the mountain gate for two reasons. On one hand, he didn¡¯t find an opportunity to escape along the way, and on the other hand, he wanted to see the strength and number of the attackers.Seeing the current situation, he had a rough idea in his mind.

    This time, the Biro Cave was in big trouble. He didn¡¯t know if the mysterious Elder would really show up, and if he had the ability to turn the tide.

    "Ou Ji, the Biro Cave and your Dawn Alliance have no grudges in the past and no enmity recently. Are you openly viting the Ten Rules of the Northern Region by leading your people to attack our Biro Cave¡¯s mountain gate?" the Grand Cave Master questioned sternly.

    A long time ago, the cultivation forces in the Southern and Northern Regions once formed an alliance to fight against a powerful enemy. They established the Ten Rules of the Northern Region to regte the behavior of the cultivation sects.

    Although the alliance no longer existed, the Ten Rules of the Northern Region were still implicitly epted by various sects and had been in use until now. One of the rules was: "Do not attack other forces without reason."

    "So the Biro Cave also knows about the Ten Rules of the Northern Region. Do you remember the third rule, ¡¯Do not kill mortals without reason¡¯? Your Biro Cave has been capturing mortals, killing those without spiritual roots, and enving those with poor aptitude as beast ves, causing the poption of the Southern and Northern Regions to continuously decline. How do you exin this?" Ou Ji sneered and asked.

    "Nonsense! The Biro Cave has always acted in ordance with the rules and regtions. We have never killed mortals inrge numbers!" The Grand Cave Master¡¯s heart trembled, and he immediately denied it righteously.

    "Is that so? Ma Xiaoyou,e out," Ou Ji said with a faint smile, turning his head and shouting.

    A figure flew out from the crowd of ck-clothed people andnded beside Ou Ji. It was a young man with sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, with the appearance of a Central ins person.

    "Ma Xingkong!"

    "He¡¯s still alive!"

    The disciples of the Biro Cave were in an uproar.

    Yuan Ming looked at the young man with surprise, examining him with his eyes.

    Ma Xingkong¡¯s name was well-known. He was still the target of the Biro Cave¡¯s hunting missions. After leaving the sect, he actually joined the Dawn Alliance?

    "Friend Mao, you must also know this Ma Xiaoyou. He used to be a proud disciple of the Biro Cave. He knows best whether your Biro Cave has killed mortals or not," Ou Ji said calmly.

    The Grand Cave Master remained expressionless, appearing calm, but he was secretly anxious.

    Ma Xingkong had risen from being a beast ve in the Biro Cave. He was lowly in status and had participated in many massacres of mortals and the collection of their souls. He knew the whole process very well. If he were to speak out publicly, things would be difficult to handle.

    With his cultivation level, he might be able to kill the opponent in an instant, or even directly crush them with his spiritual pressure. But now, with Ou Ji¡¯s protection, he had no choice.

    "Ou Ji, the Grand Cave Master of the Biro Cave, has vited the Ten Rules of the Northern Region and killed mortals. There is irrefutable evidence! During the few years I joined the Biro Cave, I was forced to participate in nine massacres of mortals and the collection of their souls. The specific details of these nine missions are recorded here. A simple investigation will reveal the truth," Ma Xingkong took out a white jade tablet and infused it with his mana.

    The jade tablet erged in the wind, and rows of words appeared on it, detailing the time, location, and number of people killed in the nine missions.

    The disciples of the Biro Cave looked somewhat uneasy. They had heard of such tasks of killing and collecting souls, and many of them had even directly participated in them. At that time, they only thought that the contribution points were good and didn¡¯t feel anything was wrong.

    "Ma Xingkong is a defector from the Biro Cave. How can his words be trusted? It¡¯s just baseless nder," the Grand Cave Master said calmly as ever.

    "I knew you would deny it. Take a look at this," Ma Xingkong sneered and summoned a blue bead. A bright blue light shot out from the bead, spinning around and forming a blue water curtain. On it, scenes of Biro Cave disciples killing mortals and collecting their souls appeared.In the world of cultivation, there is a special type of artifact called the "Leaving Shadow Artifact" that can record past events. This blue round bead is obviously one of them.

    The Grand Master¡¯s heart sank. With so many recorded images as evidence, it was undeniable that the disciples of the Biro Cave had killed mortals.

    "The Biro Cave¡¯s crime of killing mortals is undeniable. The actions of the Dawn Scattering Alliance today are the punishment from the heavens. Attack!" Ouyi shouted loudly.

    The members of the Dawn Scattering Alliance shouted in unison and rushed forward. The disciples of the Biro Cave quickly met them in battle. The sh of artifacts and spells created a spectacr scene.

    With the Grand Master present, Yuan Ming could only follow the others and charge forward. He wielded his Nine-Ring Golden de and blocked a ck shuttle artifact.

    The owner of the ck shuttle artifact was a tall and thin man. His cultivation had reached the peak of Qi Refinement, and his artifact was also extraordinary, reaching the middle-grade level. It emitted ck mes and created illusory shadows that were difficult to distinguish, disying a mysterious power.

    However, Yuan Ming¡¯s cultivation and spiritual consciousness were much stronger than his opponent¡¯s. No matter how the ck shuttle artifact changed, it couldn¡¯t escape his spiritual consciousness.

    The Nine-Ring Golden de transformed into nine golden de shadows, forming a golden that easily trapped the ck shuttle artifact.

    The tall and thin man on the other side couldn¡¯t break free from the blockade of the golden no matter how he activated the ck shuttle. He knew that the opponent¡¯s strength was slightly higher than his own. However, besides maintaining the fight against him, the opponent didn¡¯t strengthen his attacks, leaving him in a dilemma.

    Yuan Ming controlled the situation and intentionally let the opponent gain a slight advantage. He was also afraid of being attacked by other members of the Dawn Scattering Alliance, so he looked at the nearby battle.

    With his gaze, he saw Wu Lu also charging forward. He pointed his index finger towards the sky and then engaged in a battle with a member of the Dawn Scattering Alliance. Both of them had simr cultivation levels and their artifacts had simr power, making it difficult for either of them to gain the upper hand.

    In terms of numbers, there wasn¡¯t much difference between the two sides. The disciples of the Biro Cave were slightly weaker in momentum, but they had the assistance of spirit beasts and the advantage of the terrain. There was no clear indication of who was stronger or weaker for the time being.

    In mid-air, with Ouyi¡¯s assistance, the bloody battle no longer faced the Grand Master head-on. The three of them used their techniques to fight each other from a distance.

    Facing the continuous attacks from the two, the Grand Master was somewhat overwhelmed. However, the white he activated was constantly swirling and changing in size, capable of both offense and defense. This made Ouyi and Blood Battle hesitant to approach too closely.

    At the same time, a Foundation Establishment stage flying giant python summoned by the Grand Master circled around the three of them, waiting for an opportunity tounch an attack. This made it difficult for Ouyi and the others to fully focus on dealing with the Grand Master.

    Yuan Ming secretly nodded in approval of the Grand Master¡¯s countermeasures. The current situation seemed manageable. If the Biro Cave side could stabilize the situation and hold on until the appearance of the mysterious elder, they might be able to survive this crisis.

    A scream of imminent death sounded not far away, followed by a powerful surge of spiritual energy extinguishing. It was obvious that a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator had died.

    Yuan Ming took a quick look in the direction of the sound.

    He saw an elder of the Biro Cave with a red face and a bald head lying on the ground, a bloody hole appearing on his forehead, with red and white substances flowing out.

    Standing in front of the red-faced elder was a white-robed youth with a high-curved corner of his mouth, his face covered in colorful paint. A slender golden light flickered between his fingers without stopping.

    "It¡¯s him!" Yuan Ming¡¯s pupils contracted.

    Although he had changed his attire, Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t be mistaken about the appearance of this white-robed youth. He was the clown who had killed someone in broad daylight in ckrock City.

    The white-robed youth put away the storage artifact of the red-faced elder and continued to fly towards another tall and bearded elder of the Biro Cave not far away.

    The golden light from his fingertips shot out earlier, aiming at the back of the bearded elder.

    The bearded elder was engaged in a lively battle with a member of the Dawn Scattering Alliance at the Foundation Establishment stage. However, he had been paying attention to the white-robed youth for a long time. Seeing this scene, he quickly activated his spirit beast to block the attack from the Foundation Establishment stage cultivator, while he himself dodged to the side.

    This person seemed to have also cultivated a footwork technique and was quite agile, barely avoiding the attack of the golden light.

    The white-robed youth opened his mouth and spat out a blue light that was emitting a blue glow. It quickly extended in all directions, enveloping the bearded elder.

    The blue light instantly expanded to a size of seven or eight zhang and its speed was extremely fast. The bearded elder had no way to avoid it this time, so he had to summon a red copper mirror to defend himself.

    The mirror spun rapidly, instantly growing to several zhang in size, meeting the descending blue light and preventing it from falling.

    Before the bearded elder could make any other moves, a golden figure attacked him. It was the slender golden light that had missed earlier, shooting towards the bearded elder once again.

    The bearded elder hurriedly controlled the copper mirror to defend himself. The surface of the copper mirror showed no abnormalities, but after a tremor, it unexpectedly didn¡¯t move.

    The blue light contained extremely strong stickiness, firmly sticking the copper mirror to it, making it unable to move even a bit. Meanwhile, the slender golden light had already arrived in front of the bearded elder.

    "Damn it!" The bearded elder had no choice but to give up controlling the copper mirror and once again use his footwork technique to dodge.

    However, the white-robed youth appeared in front of him without knowing when. With a wave of his hand, three golden light des shed horizontally, fiercely aiming at the bearded elder¡¯s neck.

    The bearded elder was startled and hurriedly patted the spirit beast pouch at his waist.A gigantic ck spider, about ten feet tall, flew out from the midst. Its body was pitch ck and shiny, resembling a body made of gold and iron. Its two front limbs, sharp asrge des, flexibly met the golden light des.

    The young man in white chuckled softly, forming a hand seal. Somehow, the three golden light des prated the ck spider¡¯s defense. One of them made a "swish" sound, slicing off half of the spider¡¯s head, while the other two fiercely struck Elder Whiskers.

    Ayer of ck light surged from the ck robe worn by Elder Whiskers, appearing to be a magical artifact. However, under the sh of the two golden light des, it directly disintegrated.

    Elder Whiskers¡¯ eyes showed a look of terror. He raised his hand, intending to do something, but it was already toote.

    The slender golden light pierced into the back of his skull, passing through his forehead.

    The light in Elder Whiskers¡¯ eyes dimmed instantly, and his body fell to the ground with a thud.

 Chapter 191: So, you are the traitor!

    Chapter 191: So, you are the traitor!

    The young man in white robe retracted the sticky blue light, casually put away the bronze mirror and storage magic tool of the ck-bearded elder, and continued to rush towards the next Foundation Establishment cultivator in the Bi Luo Cave.

    "This person is really powerful!" Even though it was the second time Yuan Ming saw the opponent¡¯s methods, he couldn¡¯t help but be amazed.

    Due to the appearance of this young man and his extremely strange methods, the Foundation Establishment cultivators nearby were all filled with fear and began to be distracted and cautious, not daring to exert their full strength. Under the fear of the Qi Refining cultivators, they also started to retreat.

    On the contrary, the morale of the members of the Dawn Alliance soared, and their attacks were swift and fierce.

    At this moment, the situation was delicate, and a slight change could affect the overall situation. The defense line of the entire Bi Luo Cave began to loosen.

    At this moment, a white light shot from a distance and instantly arrived at the mountain gate, revealing the figure of a sturdy ck-bearded old man. He was the second elder.

    Without saying a word, he raised his hand and waved, and a green light the size of an arm fell on the ground next to the mountain gate and disappeared into it.

    The ground there trembled, and an astonishing wave of spiritual power burst out from underground, but it quickly dissipated and disappeared.

    Seeing this scene, the people nearby were all filled with doubts.Under the joint efforts of Ougi and Blood Battle, they were unable to defeat the Grand Elder in a short period of time. They didn¡¯t know the intention behind the second elder¡¯s actions, so they both withdrew from the battle at the same time.

    "Are you ready?" The Grand Elder breathed slightly, but he was delighted in his heart and asked through voice transmission.

    "All seven formation eye pirs have been activated and can be used to activate the protective sect formation at any time." The second elder replied through voice transmission.

    "Good, activate the formation immediately!" The Grand Elder¡¯s eyes shone brightly.

    "Some Qi Refining disciples outside have fought to a distance where the protective sect formation may not cover. Should we order the disciples to gather first and then activate the formation?" The second elder hesitated for a moment and asked through voice transmission.

    "We don¡¯t have time to consider that many things! Blood Battle is one thing, but Ougi is extremely cunning. Any action at this time will only add variables. Activate the formation first. Sacrificing some Qi Refining disciples for the sake of our Bi Luo Cave¡¯s foundation is not important!" The Grand Elder coldly transmitted his voice.

    The second elder stopped speaking after hearing this, and took out a green disc withplicated runes engraved on it, and activated it with hand gestures.

    The ground near the mountain gate shook, and a ck stone tform quickly emerged from the ce where the spiritual power burst out earlier. It was covered with countless runes and lines, emitting dazzling green light.

    Elder Chu Xiong of the Execution Hall flew out andnded on the stone tform. His body also emitted green light, resonating with the light of the stone tform.

    He quickly performed hand gestures, and the green light on the stone pirs quickly condensed, turning into a green light pir the size of a arm, shooting straight into the sky.

    Almost at the same time, six other green lights rose from different directions around the Bi Luo Cave. Each of these green lights had a stone tform, and each stone tform was guarded by a Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Bi Luo Cave.

    The seven light pirs formed a circr shape, enclosing the entire Bi Luo Cave and part of the back mountain.

    "Go!" The second elder waved his hand in mid-air, and the green disc in front of him shot towards the sky at an astonishing speed, reaching a very high ce in the blink of an eye.

    With a loud bang, the green disc burst into a dazzling green light, making it impossible to look directly at it, like a small green sun.

    The seven towering light pirs were attracted by the green disc and all bent towards it, merging into the small green sun.

    The second elder¡¯s ten fingers danced as he performed hand gestures, and a green light curtain spread out from the disc, sliding down along the seven curved light pirs. It seemed that it would form a huge hemisphere-shaped light curtain that enveloped the entire Bi Luo Cave sect.

    The green light curtain fell extremely fast, and it was about to touch the ground in the blink of an eye.

    The Bi Luo Cave disciples outside the green light curtain hurriedly rushed towards the inside of the mountain gate.

    It was a dead end to be trapped outside the green light curtain.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming was still fighting with the tall and thin man. He was quite far from the mountain gate, but when he saw this scene, he quickly recalled his Nine Ring Golden de and also rushed towards the inside of the mountain gate.

    "Don¡¯t run!" The tall and thin man saw this and activated his ck shuttle magic tool to chase after him. At the same time, a green light shot out from his sleeve, which was a green rope magic tool that coiled around Yuan Ming¡¯s legs.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t turn back, but raised his hand and shed in the air. Two white sword qi shot out from his hand and urately cut the ck shuttle and the green rope, causing them to pause for a moment and unable to continue chasing.

    Yuan Ming activated the jade belt around his waist and used the Shadowless Steps technique, speeding up his whole person. In the next moment, he appeared in front of the mountain gate and flew in.

    A ck shadow followed him closely, entering the mountain gate. It was Wu Lu.

    One by one, some disciples returned to the mountain gate. With a loud bang, a green light curtain fell on the ground, forming a huge protective sect formation like an inverted giant bowl,pletely isting many Bi Luo disciples who hadn¡¯t had time to enter!

    The Dawn Alliance had already gained the upper hand, but suddenly being separated from the Bi Luo Cave disciples by a light curtain, the situation instantly changed. They were all shocked and angry, and various magic tools fiercely struck the light curtain. The green light curtain only trembled slightly where it was hit.

    Ougi and Blood Battle alsonded from mid-air and floated in front of the green light curtain.

    With their abilities, it was not difficult for them to enter the green light curtain just now. However, it was too dangerous for only the two of them to go in. If they were surrounded by the Bi Luo Cave, they would also be defeated on the spot.

    Ougi raised his hand with one hand and pointed, and a ck thunderbolt the size of a bowl hit the green light curtain, making a thunderous explosion.

    This was the Kui Water Divine Thunder, a divine ability that could only be disyed when the water system cultivation reached a high level. The green light curtain trembled violently, and the ce hit by the water thunder became thin by more than half.

    But the surrounding green light quickly gathered, and the green light curtain returned to its original state in a few breaths.

    Ougi raised his eyebrows, put down his arm, and ordered in a deep voice, "The enemy¡¯s protective sect formation has beenpleted, but it is not unbreakable. Everyone, follow my orders and attack with all your strength!"

    Upon hearing this, the members of the Dawn Alliance nearby all unleashed various means and attacked with all their strength.

    For a while, various magic tools, spirit beasts, and corpse puppets were continuously sacrificed.

    The members of the Dawn Alliance hadplicated backgrounds and various attack methods. They even had secret techniques from the Five Sects of Southern Region and other regions in Southern Region.Amidst the booming sounds, various colored light orbs continuously exploded on the surface of the green light curtain, stirring up ripples of different colors and causing the air to vibrate violently.

    Inside the Sect Protection Array, everyone felt the fierce attack from the Dawn faction, their expressions tense and hearts filled with lingering fear.

    The few Dawn members who had followed them in were instantly besieged and killed by the disciples of the Bi Luo Cave.

    Yuan Ming had already put away the Heart Splitting Thunder he had been holding in his hand. He looked at Wu Lu, seeing his chest heaving and his face serious, clearly not yet recovered from the previous tension.

    He then looked outside the array, at the Bi Luo Cave disciples who had failed to escape. Under the concentrated attack of the Dawn faction, they hadpletely lost the ability to fight back.

    Seeing that they were isted outside the array, more and more people gave up resistance and chose to surrender.

    The people of Dawn took away their storage bags and put a round magical artifact around each of their necks.

    The people inside the Sect Protection Array could only watch all this happen, continuing to rely on the array¡¯s defense to resist the enemy¡¯s attack. Fortunately, the Sect Protection Array was quite sturdy. Although it was constantly shaking under the continuous bombardment, and the ground was also shaking non-stop, it did not copse.

    "What¡¯s going on? Why hasn¡¯t the auxiliary array outside the sect responded?" Elder Chu Xiong, who was guarding a part of the array, looked towards the distance outside the light curtain and couldn¡¯t help but frown.

    "Do you need to ask? It must have been sabotaged in secret." Elder Sa Ren, who hade here to support him, frowned and answered after a moment.

    "That¡¯s impossible. We have been strengthening our patrols. If the auxiliary array outside the mountain was destroyed, we would definitely have found out." Elder Chu Xiong said incredulously.

    "We can only investigate the reason after this matter is over." Elder Sa Ren said with a serious face.

    Upon hearing their conversation, Yuan Ming¡¯s expression becameplicated.

    He suddenly remembered that during the hunt for the Human Demon King, he and Chen Wan had followed a seemingly intelligent person into an underground cave.

    There, he had seen an ancient stone tablet about six feet high, engraved with the words "Tiger Trap". At that time, he didn¡¯t know what it was, but now thinking back to the patterns on it, they were clearly array runes. It was probably the auxiliary array outside the sect that Elder Sa Ren and the others were talking about.

    With the protection of the Sect Protection Array, the disciples who had managed to retreat back to the mountain gate were relieved. Seeing that the array could not be broken, they all showed joy,pletely forgetting that many disciples had been abandoned outside the mountain gate.

    Regardless of what others thought, Yuan Ming¡¯s remaining gratitude for Bi Luo Cave had vanished at this moment.

    He just wanted to rush back to the Fire Refining Hall to see what the situation was there.

    In the entire Bi Luo Cave, if there was still a ce worth his concern, it was there.

    After making up his mind, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t n to stay here any longer. He turned his gaze to Wu Lu, intending to call him to leave together.

    But at this moment, he found that Wu Lu had already turned around and was walking towards the sect.

    "Wu Lu, the situation is critical this time. I¡¯m afraid it won¡¯t end until the Grand Elder makes a move. We might be able to help each other if we stick together." Yuan Ming immediately followed and said in a low voice.

    Wu Lu turned his head and looked at him, "Brother Yuan is right. As long as the Grand Elder makes a move, Bi Luo Cave will definitely hold on. We do need to look out for each other. But you should leave here first, I still have some things to do." Wu Lu suddenly showed a slight smile and winked at Yuan Ming.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming frowned slightly, gave Wu Lu a deep look, and immediately turned around and left.

    Seeing that he had walked some distance away, the smile on Wu Lu¡¯s face gradually disappeared, and his expression became serious.

    He slowly walked up to an elder and suddenly said in a voice that only the two of them could hear, "Son, kneel down now and call me ¡¯Dad¡¯, and I will spare your dog¡¯s life."

    The provoked elder angrily reached out to strangle Wu Lu.

    But Wu Lu, it was as if he had been pped hard, his toes touched the ground, and he flew backwards.

    In mid-air, his hands waved up and down, looking out of control.

    "So, you are the traitor!" Wu Lu shouted, like a thunderbolt out of the blue.

    Hearing the sound, Yuan Ming turned around and saw this scene, also taken aback.

    The disciples of Bi Luo Cave around were all dumbfounded. Their attention had been on the enemy¡¯s attack on the Sect Protection Array, and they had no idea what had happened.

    Elder Sa Ren and Elder Chu Xiong were the first to react, frowning and looking this way.

 Chapter 192: Break the formation

    Chapter 192: Break the formation

    Wu Lu, who didn¡¯t know what happened, had a red chest as if he had spit out half a bowl of blood. He crawled up in a miserable manner and stumbled towards the two elders.

    While running, he continued to cough up blood and shouted, "Elders, that person is the female spy of the Dawn. Quickly catch him."

    Even though Elder Sa Ren didn¡¯t understand what was going on, seeing Wu Lu in such a state made him believe it to some extent.

    His figure shed and quickly pounced towards the other elder.

    The person, who saw Wu Lu¡¯s performance, still didn¡¯t know what had happened and was stunned on the spot.

    Elder Sa Ren rapidly approached and reached out his palm towards the other elder. Five ck lights appeared in the void and closed in on him.

    Just as the elder was about to be restrained, he realized what was happening and hurriedly dodged, shouting, "No, he¡¯s framing me..."

    Before he could finish his sentence, the five ck lights ruthlessly pressed down on him, suppressing him heavily on the ground.

    "Ah..."Just as Elder Sa Ren was about to question him carefully, a scream suddenly came from behind. He was startled and turned around, only to witness a horrifying scene.

    Wu Lu, who had previously appeared heavily injured, had now rushed to the high tform of the formation. He had a pitch-ck snake-shaped longsword in his hand, which had pierced through the heart of Elder Chu Xiong from behind.

    And Wu Lu had actually reached the Foundation Establishment stage.

    Yuan Ming was also shocked for a moment, then a realization shed through his mind.

    He had long felt that Wu Lu¡¯s behavior was mysterious, giving him a feeling that he couldn¡¯t quite understand. Now,bining today¡¯s events with the past, it seemed to form a thread.

    Elder Chu Xiong, as the elder in charge of the hall, had reached theter stage of Foundation Establishment. He was one of the few powerful experts at the Foundation Establishment stage in the sect, apart from the three cave masters. At this moment, he was fully focused on activating the formation, and he never expected Wu Lu to suddenly make a move and seed with one strike.

    This person¡¯s scheming and methods were top-notch, and he had always concealed his cultivation level, giving Yuan Ming a chilling feeling.

    "You are the traitor!" Elder Sa Ren angrily shouted and immediately abandoned the previous elder, rushing towards Wu Lu.

    "You are truly clever!" Wu Lu¡¯s mouth revealed a deep smile as he raised his sword and threw Elder Chu Xiong¡¯s body off the high tform.

    Elder Chu Xiong¡¯s body rolled and fell to the ground, already dead. Then, the pitch-ck longsword in his hand emitted a ck sword light and suddenly stabbed into the lower tform.

    "Boom!"

    After the longsword was inserted into the formation, the brilliance on the tform instantly dimmed. The green pir of light that soared into the sky also copsed, causing the entire protective sect formation to lose a powerful support, as if a corner of the sky had copsed, revealing a huge gap.

    All of this happened in an instant. Elder Sa Ren was still in mid-air, his palm raised in anger.

    In the palm of his hand, a cold light shed, and a piece of ice cone-like object appeared out of thin air. It left a light trace in the void and instantly shed towards Wu Lu.

    Wu Lu seemed to have been prepared for this. He waved his hand, and a ck silk curtain appeared in front of him, blocking the ice cone.

    "Chi!"

    The ck silk curtain was instantly pierced, forming a deep arc at the top, almost touching Wu Lu¡¯s chest.

    But under Wu Lu¡¯s full power, the ck silk curtain still managed to block the icy cone.

    The momentum of the cone slightly slowed down, but an extremely chilling aura spread from it, prating through the ck silk curtain and instantly covering Wu Lu¡¯s half-frozen chest with ayer of frost.

    However, immediately after, a burst of light surged from Wu Lu¡¯s body. Not only did it dissipate theyer of frost, but the powerful force even forced Elder Sa Ren¡¯s ice cone back.

    "This person is at least at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment!" Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t remain calm after seeing this scene.

    Wu Lu was most likely a hidden spy sent by the Dawn. Now, thinking about it, the destruction of the sub-formation mentioned by Elder Sa Ren was probably his doing.

    Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but feel emotional when he remembered that both he and Wu Lu were once beast ves.

    "Wu Lu, you are ruthless!"

    At this moment, he suddenly thought of something.

    Wu Lu must have a special technique that can forcefully disguise his Foundation Establishment cultivation as that of an ordinary person with only spiritual roots, deceiving everyone!

    Could it be that the Dawn had already nned to destroy this sect before he entered the Bi Luo Cave?

    Since they came prepared, they must have more than just these means.

    At this moment, since the formation had been breached, the members of the Dawn organization outside immediately rushed towards this side, eagerly andpetitively killing their way in.

    With a quick nce, Yuan Ming saw several familiar faces rushing towards them.One of the most eye-catching figures was a young man in a white robe with colorful face paint. He had put on the somewhat ridiculous pointed hat again, and his face was filled with excitement.

    Between his hands, golden light des danced and twirled, cutting through everything in their path, causing limbs and flesh to fly.

    Not far from him, Yuan Ming also saw the figures of Bai Ye and Huan Shi.

    Compared to this clown-like young man who was killing without mercy, Bai Ye and Huan Shi seemed to be taking advantage of the chaos.

    Seeing arge number of enemies pouring in from this direction, Elder Sa Ren could only grit his teeth and abandon Wu Lu. While waving his hand to throw out a transmission symbol, he called on everyone to shrink their defenses and counterattack the enemy.

    The disciples and elders who had just escaped with their lives were forced to fight back, summoning their spirit beasts to charge at the pursuing members of the Dawn Alliance. The sect¡¯s gate immediately fell into chaos and a bloody battle.

    Yuan Ming originally wanted to ignore it, but due to the dy just now, someone from the Dawn Alliance had already approached him. He had no choice but to draw his Cold Star Sword to face the enemy.

    Two members of the Dawn Alliance attacked from both sides, one holding a ck round mirror and shining it towards Yuan Ming. A ck light enveloped him, causing his body to stiffen and his movements to slow down.

    The other person, wielding a long knife,unched a surprise attack from the side, swinging the knife with all his strength.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s movements were slow, and it seemed like he was about to be struck by the knife. But suddenly, a green gem on his waistband shed with a spiritual light, and his body suddenly became light. He swiftly dodged the attack.

    At the same time, his long sword struck towards the attacker.

    A freezing wind de shot out, and the jade pendant on the person¡¯s waist also lit up, releasing a green light that enveloped his whole body.

    In the next moment, a cracking sound was heard.

    The jade pendant on his waist shattered, and the protective green light was also shattered. The person fell to the ground, already frozen. The other person with the ck mirror turned it around and shone it again, but it was met with a zing me arrow.

    The raging mes blocked the ck mirror¡¯s ck light.

    As the "Rocket Symbol" burned out at Yuan Ming¡¯s fingertips, another ck needle appeared in his palm and shot through the air.

    The ck needle shed in the void and disappeared.

    By the time the person reacted, the ck needle had already passed through the mes caused by the rocket symbol, grazing the edge of the ck mirror in his hand, and "swoosh," it pierced into his brow.

    Yuan Ming casually used his ability to control objects to retrieve the ck needle, immediately putting it away. His movements were clean and neat, and with just a nce, he killed the two enemies.

    Elder Sa Ren also noticed this and suddenly felt that what he had seen and heard today was too unbelievable. It overturned his previous understanding. First, there was a traitor, Wu Lu, who could kill a Foundation Establishment elder with one strike, and now there was a Qi Refinement disciple with extraordinary strength. Moreover, both of them, judging from their attire, were only registered disciples before.

    In fact, after Yuan Mingpleted the mission for the Beast ve Hall, he had met Elder Sa Ren and reported on the mission. However, at that time, the elder was a lofty figure, and his attention was focused on the killing of Kun Tu and others. He didn¡¯t pay much attention to Yuan Ming and didn¡¯t even bother to take a second look at him.

    And Yuan Ming had been low-key all this time, never revealing his skills in the sect, which is why he had remained unnoticed until today.

    After temporarily getting rid of the entanglement, Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze couldn¡¯t help but search for Wu Lu¡¯s figure.

    But he saw that Wu Lu had already fled in the direction outside the sect¡¯s gate.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze narrowed, and he saw that whenever Wu Lu encountered members of the Dawn Alliance along the way, he would extend his left index finger and middle finger, intentionally showing it to the other party.

    Upon seeing this, the other party would directly pass by him as if they hadn¡¯t seen him, without attacking or obstructing him.

    "It really is a secret signal," Yuan Ming thought to himself, his mind racing.

    "Boom!"

    Another loud explosion sounded.

    The high tform standing inside the sect¡¯s gate, without anyone guarding it, was shattered by a figure descending from the sky with a punch.

    The exploding debris scattered like a meteor shower, causing the Qi Refinement disciples around to cry and howl in pain.

    And with theplete copse of the formation, which had only been maintained for a short time, the protective sect formation began to crumble. The green light curtain that covered the entire sect shattered into pieces and disappeared.

    The entire Bi Luo Cave¡¯s gate was wide open, weing the full-scale invasion of the Dawn Alliance.

    "Retreat, quickly retreat..."

    Elder Sa Ren shouted loudly, leading the elders and disciples to retreat towards the three peaks. At this moment, he suddenly saw a figure from the Dawn Alliance flying out andnding beside the corpse of Elder Chu Xiong. Yuan Ming originally wanted to leave directly, but after seeing this person¡¯s actions, he couldn¡¯t help but look at him.

    He appeared to be around forty years old, with a tall and imposing figure, a dignified and somewhat heroic appearance. However, his brow was always furrowed, forming a character "´¨" wrinkle, giving him a somewhat troubled look.The man bent over to examine Elder Chu Xiong¡¯s corpse for a moment, his face immediately showing a mix of pain and regret.

    He then pulled out a strangely shaped long hook-curved de, cing the sharp edge on the inside of the hook against Chu Xiong¡¯s neck. He stepped on Chu Xiong¡¯s head and yanked hard.

    Elder Chu Xiong had long since died, but his head was still severed and rolled to the side.

    The heroic middle-aged man seemed unsatisfied, his gaze sweeping across the battlefield, finally settling on Elder Sa Ren.

    In the next instant, his aura surged, as if all his rage had ignited. He stomped the ground with both legs.

    A pair of ckbat boots on his feet lit up.

    His body immediately shot up from the ground, leaping more than ten meters into the air, and came crashing down heavily towards Sa Ren.

 Chapter 193: Body cultivation shows power

    Chapter 193: Body cultivation shows power

    "Daybreak is truly a hidden dragon and crouching tiger. This person¡¯s aura is so strong, he should also be a cultivator in theter stage of Foundation Establishment!" Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly when he saw this scene.

    In his thoughts, the middle-aged man with a heroic aura swiftly descended with a knife in one hand. When he was still seven or eight zhang away, the crescent-shaped de on the hook knife had already swung down towards Elder Sa Ren.

    Golden light burst forth from the de, forming a substantial crescent-shaped de light that enveloped downwards.

    Due to the opponent¡¯s speed being too fast, Elder Sa Ren, in a moment of desperation, only had time to take out a talisman and pat it on himself, turning it into a light green shield. At the same time, he wielded a round, earth-yellow shield and struck towards the other party.

    A loud explosion!

    The earth-yellow round shield exploded, creating a circr wave of air that swept outwards. The shield on Elder Sa Ren¡¯s body was also shattered by the residual power of the de light, and he was sent rolling and tumbling.

    The disciples in the surrounding Qi Refining stage were affected by the shockwave, causing them to stumble and fall.

    Taking advantage of the situation, Elder Sa Ren distanced himself from the middle-aged man with a heroic aura. After standing up, he had a short fork in his hand, which he held in front of his chest. His gaze swept over the bloody head of Elder Chu Xiong not far away.

    "Who are you?"He could also tell that this person in front of him was clearly targeting him, but he couldn¡¯t remember recognizing the other party.

    "You don¡¯t recognize me, but I recognize you! Do you still remember my son, Long Xi?" The middle-aged man with a heroic aura¡¯s eyes were filled with anger as he shouted.

    Elder Sa Ren¡¯s expression stiffened upon hearing this.

    Yuan Ming was also startled, only then did he suddenly recall that figure and those desperate eyes.

    The King of Shaxiong!

    Yuan Ming inwardly thought no wonder he felt that the middle-aged man with a heroic aura was somewhat familiar. If his guess was correct, he was most likely the father of the King of Shaxiong, the current patriarch of the hidden cultivation family in Southern Border, Long Hao.

    On that day, he and Xiying joined forces to fight against the heavily injured King of Shaxiong. At the critical moment, the King of Shaxiong, relying on his strong willpower, partially restored his divine sense and revealed his identity to Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming only then learned that his real name was Long Xi, the son of the patriarch of a cultivation family in Southern Border. He was identally mistaken as a beast ve by Elder Chu Xiong and captured to the Biro Cave.

    At that time, Elder Sa Ren, who was responsible for the investigation, discovered his excellent aptitude as a dual spiritual root cultivator, further confirming his true identity.

    But at that time, the mistake had already been made. Elder Chu Xiong and Elder Sa Ren not only did not stop in time to correct their mistake and make up for their negligence, but instead, in order to cover up their own mistakes, they concealed the results of the identification.

    They neither released Long Xi nor followed the rules to send him to the sect for special cultivation. Instead, they designated him as a beast ve and exiled him to the Ten Thousand Mountains.

    Long Xi himself had excellent aptitude and was highly likely to evolve from a Shaxiong into a King.

    In order to obtain the King of Shaxiong¡¯s soul bead, these two people deliberately persecuted him, forcing him to frequently use the Beast Transformation Technique, gradually transforming step by step until he became the King of Shaxiong.

    "Do you think that no one will know what you have done?" Long Hao approached step by step, his eyes filled with intense killing intent.

    Elder Sa Ren knew that saying more was useless, so he immediately patted the spirit beast pouch at his waist.

    In the next instant, a spirit beast appeared by his side. It had two giant heads and was a green wolf. It emitted twopletely different spiritual fluctuations, both reaching the level of a second-grade demonic beast.

    "Kill!"

    Elder Sa Ren gave the order, and the short fork in his hand turned into a purple light that shot towards Long Hao. The double-headed green wolf, which was one zhang tall and three zhang long, also pounced towards Long Hao.

    At the same time, the pupils of its two heads lit up, and it opened its blood-filled mouths.

    The head on the right side first spewed out fierce mes, followed closely by the head on the left side, which gushed out a green hurricane.

    The green hurricane carried the mes and not only did it not disperse them, but it also enhanced the power of the mes with its wind, forming a huge me tornado. Together with the purple light transformed by the short fork, they both rushed towards Long Hao.

    "Good timing!" Long Hao advanced instead of retreating, gripping the hook knife in both hands. Golden light immediately poured into the de, and with a horizontal sh, he sent the purple light that had shot towards him flying.

    In the next instant, he raised the long knife above his head again, and dazzling golden light burst forth from the de.

    "Break."

    He uttered a low shout, and the long knife swung down. The golden light exploded and extended into a ten-zhang-long winding de light.

    The golden light shattered the fire dragon, and the hurricane swept in all directions.

    In the spreading sea of mes, the figure of the heroic man rushed straight through, with an unstoppable momentum, and charged in front of the double-headed green wolf. He swung his knife once again.

    Under the golden de light was the eruption of all the emotions of anger.

    The double-headed green wolf let out a miserable howl, and its body split into two halves from the center, tearing it apart.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s heart tightened when he saw this scene.

    This second-grade demonic beast, the double-headed green wolf, was simply no match for the opponent.

    Elder Sa Ren, regardless of the pain of his spirit beast that he had cultivated for many years being killed, was now filled with fear.

    He originally thought that with the cooperation of the spirit beast, he would be able to firmly suppress Long Hao. However, before he could make his move, the spirit beast was killed first.

    Long Hao held the hook knife, exuding a strong killing intent, and approached Elder Sa Ren step by step. Thetter no longer had the courage to fight and turned to flee towards the direction of the three main peaks.

    "Where do you think you¡¯re escaping to?"Long Haoughed menacingly, brandishing his long knife and charging forward. Using his momentum, he leapt into the air, soaring over ten meters high, then descended like a falling meteor, aiming straight for Elder Sa Ren.

    His muscles were not exaggeratedlyrge, but his entire being seemed to radiate explosive power. His movements were simple, yet each strike carried a lethal force.

    Yuan Ming watched, and suddenly realized that Long Hao seemed to be a rare body cultivator?

    Just as Long Hao was about to catch up with Elder Sa Ren, thetter suddenly halted his retreat. He spun around, ced a single hand to his mouth, and shouted at the figure pursuing him from the sky.

    Yuan Ming looked closely and saw that Sa Ren was holding a small, concealed tube-like object in his hand.

    A sh of light flickered across the surface of the object, and a green steel needle, glowing with a green light, shot out, aiming straight for Long Hao¡¯s heart.

    Long Hao, suspended in mid-air with no leverage, was unable to dodge or change his trajectory.

    With a low grunt, a sharp light burst from his eyes, and his skin turned pitch ck in an instant.

    The next moment, the clearly poisoned steel needle pierced his clothes and hit his chest.

    With a crisp "ding", the green steel needle was repelled by his incredibly hard chest and fell to the ground.

    Long Hao¡¯s movement was not hindered at all. As he descended, he swung his knife towards Elder Sa Ren.

    Seeing his sneak attack fail, Sa Ren knew he couldn¡¯t dodge in time. He reached out into the void and a dark red hammer appeared in his hand.

    With a quick step and a spin, he managed to dodge the iing de.

    At the same time, he swung the hammer in a half-circle behind him, aiming for Long Hao¡¯s back. Long Hao¡¯s de hit the ground, shattering the hard rock beneath him, and his back was simultaneously struck.

    Long Hao grunted, his body involuntarily lunging forward.

    But at the same time, he curled his right hand into a w and fiercely grabbed backwards.

    His pitch-ck hand, like a ghostly w, tore several bloody gashes across Elder Sa Ren¡¯s chest, dragging him forward and causing him to stumble.

    Elder Sa Ren let out a furious roar, and while struggling to steady himself, he swung his hammer down towards the back of Long Hao¡¯s head.

    With a "thud"!

    A heavy blow sounded from Long Hao¡¯s head, causing him to stumble forward, on the verge of falling.

    Only because of Long Hao¡¯s incredibly strong physique could he withstand this blow. If it had been a magic cultivator, that single strike would have been enough to end them.

    Elder Sa Ren wouldn¡¯t miss such an opportunity. He threw his hammer, controlling it with his magic, and aimed another heavy blow at the back of Long Hao¡¯s head.

    However, this time, just as Long Hao was about to fall, he instinctively rolled, avoiding the hammer.

    He then sprang up from the ground, turned around, and shed his knife towards Elder Sa Ren.

    Thetter, who thought he had the upper hand, didn¡¯t expect the physical strength of a body cultivator to be so formidable, let alone their instinctive reaction speed. Caught off guard, he could only throw out a "Rocket Talisman".

    However, before the talisman could burn and the me arrow could form, the edge of the de had already arrived.

    In the blink of an eye, the half-burnt talisman was split in two, the forming mes instantly dispersed, and Elder Sa Ren¡¯s head was sent flying, rolling on the ground.

    After sessfully killing Elder Sa Ren, there was no joy of revenge on Long Hao¡¯s face. Instead, he let out a roar to the sky, as if tofort his son¡¯s spirit.

    Yuan Ming watched this scene from a distance, feeling more sympathy and respect for this father, but no sympathy for Elder Sa Ren.

    With therge-scale invasion of the Dawn organization, the defenses of Bi Luo Cave hadpletely copsed, and it seemed that their destruction was only a matter of time.

    Although Yuan Ming was some distance from the mountain gate, he was still targeted by the pursuing members of Dawn.

    A middle-aged man in a ck robe was the first to fly towards him.

    Yuan Ming held a Thunder Talisman in one hand, hidden in his sleeve, and extended the other hand, showing the same gesture that Wu Lu had shown earlier to the man who was catching up.

    Seeing his gesture, the man immediately stopped, nodded slightly at Yuan Ming, and then pursued in another direction.

    "Sure enough..." Yuan Ming sighed inwardly.

    At this moment, a figure suddenly appeared in the sky in the distance. It was the Cave Master.

    His clothes fluttered in the wind, making a rustling sound. He shouted to the fleeing disciples of Bi Luo Cave, "All disciples, gather at the square at the foot of the mountain. The sect is about to activate the secondyer of the magic array to protect everyone and counterattack."

 Chapter 194: Raid

    Chapter 194: Raid

    Upon hearing the words of the Great Cave Master, the disciples of the Biluo Cave, who had lost their heads and were fleeing in all directions like headless flies, finally found their backbone. They stopped their disorderly escape and gathered in groups of three to five, heading towards the direction of the three main peaks, following some Foundation Establishment stage cultivators.

    Yuan Ming looked towards the direction of the mountain gate and found that Wu Lu¡¯s figure hadpletely disappeared.

    Originally, he had wanted to return to the Fire Refining Hall and take the opportunity to slip away, but when he saw the sinister gaze of the Great Cave Master scanning the entire scene, he simply followed the retreating disciples and hurried over there.

    By the time he arrived, more than two hundred people had already gathered on the open square. Many of them had a sense of relief on their faces, as if they had just escaped a disaster, but they also looked uneasy. Many of them had not fully recovered from the shock.

    Not long ago, the Biluo Cave was still one of the five major sects in the southern region of the ten thousand mountains, with a peak Elder at the mid-stage of the Foundation Establishment realm and three Cave Masters at the Foundation Establishment stage residing there. The strength of the sect was not inferior to the other four sects. Even a named disciple of the sect, when encountering mortals, was regarded as a "celestial being." In front of other wandering cultivators, they were considered superior, and no one dared to offend them when they found out that they were disciples of the Biluo Cave.

    But now, the sect was suddenly attacked, caught off guard. The Foundation Establishment stage Elders they had looked up to were either dead or injured, and even the protective array of the sect had been broken.

    Many people felt somewhat disheartened. If it weren¡¯t for the Great Cave Master stabilizing the situation and the image of the mysterious peak Elder in their minds, they would have scattered and fled without a second thought.

    The Second Cave Master was calmly directing the Foundation Establishment stage cultivators who had arrived one after another, gathering them in different areas. This scene somewhat stabilized the emotions of these Qi Refining stage disciples.

    Yuan Ming saw that the entire square and the area in front of the back mountain had been deliberately divided into nine different assembly points.The Second Cave Master was in the center of the square with nearly a hundred people, while the other eight Foundation Establishment stage cultivators, with varying numbers of Elders and disciples, were sitting in circles in various ces, forming a circle nearly a thousand feet in diameter.

    Underneath everyone¡¯s feet, there were circles ofplex and obscure runes that had appeared at some point. Some of them were connected to each other, and there were also some middle-grade spirit stones of different colors inserted in certain ces. It was arge-scale formation that had beenpleted.

    Although Yuan Ming had wanted to return to the Fire Refining Hall, he naturally couldn¡¯t leave in this situation, so he was also assigned to join a group of about ten people.

    Most of these people were named disciples, and the tall Foundation Establishment stage cultivator in the middle had a scar under his right eye. He was the personal disciple of the Second Cave Master, Yuan Luo.

    After arranging for Yuan Ming and the others to stand around, he turned his gaze to the Second Cave Master in the center of the square, seemingly waiting for the nextmand.

    However, not long after, there was amotion in the distance, and members of the Dawn Organization had already chased to within a hundred feet.

    "We can¡¯t wait any longer, let¡¯s start!" The Great Cave Master, who was suspended in mid-air, gave the order and summoned a giant roc bird to fly towards several battle groups in the distance, apparently intending to reinforce the living forces over there.

    The Second Cave Master took out a square stone about the size of a palm and threw it to the ground. The stone turned into a stone stele nearly ten feet high, and he pressed his hands against the stele, infusing it with his spiritual power.

    The runes on the square stone stele immediately lit up, and a towering column of light shot up into the sky. The other eight Foundation Establishment stage Elders in various ces also took out smaller stone tablets, turned them into stone steles, infused them with their spiritual power, and then eight columns of light shot up into the sky.

    Nine towering columns of light stood, connecting with each other and forming a blue formation that covered the entire square, blocking the back mountain.

    The rest of the people inside the formation were mainly responsible for protecting the person manipting the formation. They finally felt a slight relief from the intense fluctuations of the formation, but many of the disciples were still uneasy and confused.

    Even some of the Foundation Establishment stage Elders looked anxious and did not understand what they would be facing next, or when the mysterious peak Elder would appear.

    The members of the Dawn Organization who had arrived first did not hesitate and immediatelyunched an attack.

    The methods they had previously used to bombard the protective array of the sect were now being used here.

    However, no matter how they attacked, the entire formation only showed ripples of spiritual power, appearing very stable.

    Yuan Ming noticed that with each burst of light and fluctuation from the attacks, ayer of red light appeared on the surface of the stone tablets in the hands of the Elders, umting bit by bit and growing deeper in color.

    At this time, seven Foundation Establishment stage cultivators from the Dawn Organization formed a circle, with a person in the center holding a palm-sized inkstone above their head, while the others continuously cast spells into the inkstone.

    As the inkstone slowly rotated, circles of runes jumped and swirled on its surface, emitting waves of ck light.Before long, the person in the center chanted a few times and then lifted a spell, causing the inkstone to rise into the air and grow to the size of a house, with a powerful force like Mount Tai pressing down, smashing towards therge array below.

    The disciples of the Biluo Cave watched as the ck shadow, like a dark cloud covering the sky, caused them to panic and show fear.

    With a loud bang!

    The huge ck inkstone smashed onto the green light curtain, but it stopped steadily.

    There was no sign of copse on the green light curtain. Instead, after a moment, it burst into a dazzling light, and a strong force of resistance rose from all parts of the array, rushing upwards.

    In the next moment, the ck inkstone was shaken back by a huge force and flew out, smashing towards the members of the Biluo Cave.

    Seeing this, the cultivator surrounded by six people quickly activated a spell, trying to retrieve the inkstone.

    However, at this moment, the ck inkstone waspletely out of his control and swayed towards the ground, causing everyone to dodge.

    A loud rumble!

    Where the Biluo Cave members were standing, arge pit several dozen feet deep was smashed, with dust and debris flying everywhere.

    "Stop it all." At this time, a crisp female voice suddenly sounded, stopping the Biluo Cave members¡¯ attacks.

    It was the female array master who could wave her hand to form an array.

    This female array master¡¯s identity in the Biluo Cave organization was obviously special. As soon as she spoke, everyone immediately followed suit and temporarily stopped their attacks like a tide.

    At this time, the clown walked up to the female array master and asked in a low voice, "Sister, what¡¯s so special about this array?"

    "This array is not just a simple defensive array. It can absorb the power of external attacks and release it in an instant as a means of counterattack. This should be from the Luo family of Wuguo," the female array master replied.

    "I see." The clown said.

    "It¡¯s not difficult to break this, but it will take some effort. This mission is so troublesome. If I had known, I wouldn¡¯t havee," the female array master said.

    "Ah, sister, you were the one who wanted toe in the first ce, and now you want to back out. But I¡¯m happy to kill," the clownughed.

    "Xiao Yao! I¡¯m telling you, don¡¯t rush forward like this. Every time you forget. We¡¯re just going through the motions," the array master advised in a low voice.

    "I know, I know. I¡¯ll just go through the motionster," the clown said nonchntly.

    "Let me think of a way to break the array," the female array master said.

    At this time, the head of the Southern Branch of the Biluo Cave organization, Ougi, also walked out from the crowd, his face slightly solemn as he surveyed the temporary defense line set up by the Biluo Cave.

    "All the people of the Biluo Cave listen to the task we have received this time, which is to destroy the Biluo Cave, but not to ughter all of you. We only want to kill the ringleaders. As long as you are willing to give up resistance, we can all turn a blind eye and leave you a way out. But if you resist, you will be killed without mercy," he announced coldly.

    "Their target this time is not just the Grand Elder, is it?" Yuan Ming heard this and felt something was amiss, but he couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on it.

    Many ordinary elders and disciples were shocked to hear this, and many of them began to show fear. Already in a desperate situation, the Biluo Cave suddenly showed signs of disintegration.

    At this time, the Grand Cave Master, who had returned from receiving the door-to-door disciples, controlled the giant roc to fly here at high speed and shouted loudly:

    "Don¡¯t believe the sweet words of others. Once you give up resistance and surrender at this moment, even if you don¡¯t die now, what awaits you in the future will be a lifetime of being a mining ve, unable to turn your life around."

    With these words, the square fell silent.

    Yuan Ming had also heard of mining ves, referring to the ves who were controlled by the major sects or families of the Southern Region and worked in the mine pits day and night, never seeing the light of day.

    Compared to them, bing a beast ve of the Biluo Cave was already a great blessing.

    The disciples of the Biluo Cave were more ustomed to believing in their own sect, especially when it came from the mouth of the Grand Cave Master.

    But in the face of such a situation, and feeling that victory was hopeless, they wanted to surrender.

    However, no matter what they thought, the chaotic military situation could not be restored.

    The Grand Cave Master, with a group of people, easilynded in the center of the array and joined the Second Cave Master and others.

    "Everyone, the Grand Elder just sent a message. The Grand Elder is currently in a critical moment of seclusion. Once he sessfullyes out of seclusion, he will lead us in wiping out these rabble," the Grand Cave Master reassured everyone.

    Thinking of the stalwart Grand Elder who was about to arrive, the Biluo Cave cultivators, who had already lost their fighting spirit, gained some confidence, and with the protection of the array, the chaotic situation calmed down a bit.

    "The Grand Elder, he..."The second cave master saw the arrival of the great cave master by his side, and couldn¡¯t help but lower his voice to ask, but he seemed hesitant to speak.

    "The elder is breaking through to theter stage, and it still needs some time. Once sessful, our Bi Luo Cave will be unmatched in the northern region, and these small fries are no match for us," said the great cave master.

    "Do we have to hold on until the elderes out?" The second cave master transmitted his worries.

    "The elder has transmitted to me, asking to stabilize the situation in the front and temporarily hold off Ougi and the Blood Battle. As long as there are no Nascent Soul stage cultivators causing trouble over there, it¡¯s not urgent. When hees out of seclusion, it will be the death knell for these people," the great cave master said, sweeping his gaze over the crowd outside at dawn.

    After that, he asked again, "How long can the Qingliu Huanzhuan Array hold up?"

    "Even if Ougi and Blood Battle join forces to attack fiercely, the array won¡¯t copse for a while. The attacks of other people can¡¯t break through the defense limit of the array, and can only help replenish the power of the array, so there¡¯s no need to worry," the second cave master said.

    Upon hearing this, the great cave master¡¯s eyes flickered for a moment, but his brow furrowed even tighter.

    The second cave master was currently responsible for controlling the Qingliu Huanzhuan Array, so he couldn¡¯t leave the array to assist in the battle. If he wanted to stop Ougi and Blood Battle, he could only rely on himself.

    "It¡¯s annoying that Ling Songhua is not in the sect at this time..." The second cave masterined half-heartedly and half-resentfully.

    "The situation hase to this, and it¡¯s useless to say these things now. Let¡¯s give it our all," the great cave master said after sighing.

    He raised his head and saw Ougi and Blood Battle flying up, intending to cross the square array and head towards the back mountain, so he immediately flew out of the array.

    "Both of you, we haven¡¯t determined the winner between us. Do you dare to fight for another three hundred rounds?" The great cave master stood in mid-air with his clothes fluttering, a purple long sword floating by his side, his expression solemn as he spoke slowly.

    "Why do you insist on sacrificing yourself for Chen Cangqiong? Look at the situation," Ougi said, looking at the middle-aged man in front of him.

    "The elder has been kind to me. It can be said that without him, I, Maoli Hong, wouldn¡¯t be where I am today. Now that I am the great cave master of Bi Luo Cave, I must protect the sect. I also advise you to leave early. When the elderes out of seclusion, you won¡¯t be able to leave even if you want to," the great cave master said slowly.

    "In that case, don¡¯t me me for being ruthless," Ougi said.

    "No need to waste any more words with him. Ougi, you don¡¯t need to hold back!" Blood Battle licked his lips, and a glint of blood shed in his eyes.

    "Alright, let¡¯s make it quick."

    Ougi transmitted in a low voice.

    After speaking, the two of them flew out at the same time, heading straight for the great cave master.

    ............

    On arge tree one hundred zhang away from the back mountain of Bi Luo Cave, Silver Cat Xiyingy motionless on a tree branch, blending in with the leaves. If you didn¡¯t look carefully, you wouldn¡¯t be able to see its figure at all.

    Its unusual double pupils stared unblinkingly in the direction of Bi Luo Cave, chanting to itself, "Cangqiong, your disciples and grandchildren are almost dead. Aren¡¯t youing out yet? If you don¡¯te out soon, you¡¯ll be left all alone. All your hard work in this life will be in vain."

    "Come out,e out,e out quickly."

    After chanting for a while, feeling tired, it stopped paying attention to the movement at the cave entrance and instead focused on a group of ants fighting on the ground.

    At the same time, it released two sparrows, which chased each other, ying happily.

    ............

    In a valley in the Ten Thousand Mountains, a canyon surrounded by mountains on three sides, there was a jade-like blueke.

    A silver-haired old man wearing a bamboo hat stood on the edge of the cliff, hands behind his back, looking down at theke below with an unusually calm expression.

    The valley was crescent-shaped, and when viewed from high above, it looked like a blue moon embedded in the valley.

    The gentle breeze, the sparkling waves, and the mist floating above theke made it a paradise on earth.

    At this moment, with a loud and clear chirp, a fiery red figure swooped down from mid-air andnded in the open space behind the old man, turning out to be a fiery red bird ten zhang long.

    On the bird¡¯s back, a slender fiery red figure leaped down and stood not far from the old man, motionless.

    The old man turned around slowly and looked at the graceful and beautiful woman in front of him, his face showing a hint of reminiscence and relief.

    The two of them silently faced each other, and in this mist, the original mountain wind seemed to have stopped.

    After an unknown amount of time, the two of them suddenly smiled at the same time.

    ............

    Above the square of Bi Luo Cave.

    The great cave master pped his waist spirit beast bag, and a group of crimson mes immediately burst out by his side, transforming into a huge firebird over ten zhang long, pping its wings and emanating a strong spiritual power fluctuation all over its body.

    Under the pping of its wings, there was a rolling heat wave that made people feel parched and dry.

    "What a powerful aura!" Yuan Ming looked up and couldn¡¯t help but think to himself.Beside, someone couldn¡¯t help but whisper, "Is this the spirit beast Fire Spirit Collection of the Great Cave Master? The aura is really huge and terrifying, and that long sword should be the Great Cave Master¡¯s treasure, the Bitter Wheel Sword!"

    "I heard that the collection was hatched from a beast egg that the Great Cave Master found in the Tower of the Volcano, and it was nurtured little by little by eating precious materials from heaven and earth."

    "I heard from my master that this Fire Spirit Collection has reached the peak of a second-level demon beast. It¡¯s just one step away from advancing to the third level of spiritual wisdom. It¡¯s a powerful spirit beast that can rival the Nascent Soul stage cultivators!"

    Unlike cultivators, ordinary spirit beasts, once in battle mode, would release a powerful spiritual power fluctuation to intimidate the enemy, so the onlookers felt a strong impact.

    The Great Cave Master leaped onto the back of the spirit beast, leading Ougi and the others to the west, skillfully avoiding the densely popted area of the square.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze did not stay on the Great Cave Master and the others all the time, but from time to time, he would assess the situation of the members of the Dawn Organization.

    At the same time, the two soul crows he released were also providing him with a view, investigating the situation in various ces of the sect, helping him make arrangements for the retreat.

    At this moment, he suddenly noticed that the female formation master of the Dawn Organization seemed to be very special. She had not looked at the three Nascent Soul stage cultivators since just now, as if she was pondering something.

    But just as Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze fell on her for less than a moment, she pped her hands and a smug smile appeared on her face.

    Then, she quickly took out various formation gs and began to arrange them on the ground.

    This scene made Yuan Ming¡¯s heart skip a beat: could she have already found a way to break the formation?

    When everything was in ce, the female formation master took out a ck iron jar and began to pour some ck powder from it, using it to draw lines to connect all the formation gs and bone pieces, forming aplex formation.

    "Is she going to break the formation with a formation?" Yuan Ming thought to himself.

    With the formation in ce, the female formation master stepped back behind the formation and immediately activated it.

    At this moment, a member of the Dawn Organization walked out from the crowd, patted the storage bag at his waist, and summoned a giant bull over two meters tall, covered in scales, which walked into the formation.

    "What is he doing?" Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but frown.

    In his understanding, this kind of formation was most likely a powerful attack method used to break through the defenses of the Bi Luo Cave. But looking at the current situation, it seemed a bit different?

    As Yuan Ming was pondering, a loud rumbling sound came from the sky, followed by a dark red figure falling rapidly from the sky.

    It was Blood Battle, who was hit in the back by the Bitter Wheel Sword activated by the Great Cave Master and fell to the ground injured.

    "The Great Cave Master is mighty!"

    This scene lifted the spirits of all the Bi Luo Cave cultivators below.

    However, Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze only swept over the top for a moment before immediately returning to the female formation master. He saw the woman forming hand seals, her eyes shining as she looked in their direction, and a light shining in her palm as she struck the formation on the ground.

    In the next moment, the formation on the ground lit up with a yellow light, and a beam of light shed, swallowing the figure of the scaled giant bull, which then disappeared.

    Yuan Ming subconsciously felt that something was wrong and quickly turned to look back.

    At this moment, in a gathering ce not far from him, a yellow light halo appeared out of thin air in the void, and then expanded, revealing a huge figure in the middle, which turned out to be the giant bull.

    "A teleportation formation?" Yuan Ming was suddenly surprised, and then a little curious, wanting to go to the formation to see what was going on.

    As soon as the figure of the scaled giant bull appeared, it lowered its head and charged directly towards the center of the crowd, where an elder with his hands on a formation stone que was standing, his sharp horns emitting a golden light.

    The disciples around him were unable to react for a moment and hurriedly activated their magical tools and spells to attack the giant bull.

    However, the giant bull¡¯s momentum was astonishing, its scales were extremely hard, and after a series of bombardments, it was covered in blood but did not fall, charging straight to the elder.

    Its sharp horns shone brightly and it suddenly stabbed at the stone que in the elder¡¯s hand, intending to destroy it.

    Even the elder, who was originally focused on activating the formation, was caught off guard and failed to respond in time.

    Just as the horns were about to pierce the stone que, a flying knife surrounded by a red light struck the horns.

    The tremendous force directly shattered the horns and knocked the giant bull to the ground.

    Before it could make any other move, another flying knife pierced through its head.

    This spirit beast had not yet achieved victory and died within the Qingliu Huanzhuan Formation, dying at the hands of the Second Cave Master who acted in time.

    Yuan Ming looked over and saw that after the two flying knivespleted their task, they flew back and hovered at the side of the Second Cave Master, lined up with five other identical flying knives, guarding their master.However, as soon as one scaled behemoth fell, another colossal spirit beast abruptly materialized at another array node, aiming to destroy the formation¡¯s focal point there.

    But with the prior incident, the people of Bi Luo Cave had be more vignt. When other spirit beasts intruded, the rest no longer panicked as before, now able to handle such invasions withposure.

    After four or five fourth-tier spirit beasts that had entered through the teleportation array were in within the Qing Liu Huan Zhuan Great Array, the female array master seemed to have lost her momentum, temporarily ceasing her spellcasting.

    Seeing this, the morale of the Bi Luo Cave¡¯s members was slightly lifted.

    Yet, unbeknownst to everyone, a dark crimson shadow had appeared beside the teleportation array at some point, then leapt into the array. As a yellow halo shed by,

    the dark crimson figure vanished in a blink.

 Chapter 195: Escape

    Chapter 195: Escape

    In mid-air, the Grand Master and Ougi were still fighting, but due to the absence of the Blood Battle, the pressure on the Grand Master was greatly reduced. However, under Ougi¡¯s well-organized offensive, he was unable to break free for a while.

    In the central square of the Biluo Cave, the Qingliu Huanzhuan Great Array, under the control of the Second Cave Master, resisted the fierce attacks from the Dawn Scattered Alliance, while all the disciples were on guard, preventing the enemy from using the teleportation array tounch a surprise attack again.

    For a while, both sides were at a stalemate.

    The disciples of the Biluo Cave breathed a sigh of relief, as this stable situation was advantageous to them.

    Many people firmly believed that as long as the Great Elder came out, everything in front of them would not be a problem.

    Yuan Ming stood around Jiluo, his eyes scanning around, pretending to be on guard like everyone else, but actually looking for an opportunity to escape.

    He did not believe that the Dawn Scattered Alliance would allow the situation to remain deadlocked. The temporary calm might be brewing a stronger storm.

    "At this moment, you, you, and you, all go to the side of the Second Cave Master, be careful and be on guard!" Just then, the voice of Wuluo rang out, pointing out one-third of the people from the surrounding guards, and Yuan Ming was among them.

    Yuan Ming followed the others towards the center of the square, where the Second Elder was located, while observing the surroundings. People were also sent to adjust the distribution of personnel in the other seven formations.Although the situation was unfavorable, the Second Cave Master¡¯s actions were still well-organized and there was no panic.

    ...

    In the center of the Qingliu Huanzhuan Great Array, the Second Cave Master was surrounded by nearly 150 cultivators, including about ten Foundation Establishment cultivators, making it difficult for anyone to approach him.

    The Second Cave Master asionally whispered to the Foundation Establishment elders, and each elder knew that it was time to fight to the death.

    While maintaining the formation, he anxiously awaited the Great Elder toe out, knowing that the situation in the Biluo Cave was now extremely dangerous.

    Both the Grand Master and himself were just dying the enemy¡¯s progress, and he had heard a little about the style of the Dawn Scattered Alliance¡¯s actions. This time, they had gathered so many people to attack the Biluo Cave, there must be some other n.

    Even to deal with the Great Elder, they should have other preparations. Just then, the Second Cave Master¡¯s eyes suddenly shed, and he immediately warned the people around him, "Someone has invaded the formation, find them quickly."

    His extended divine sense faintly sensed the enemy¡¯s presence.

    However, the people guarding the formation panicked, but when they searched around, they did not see the intruder.

    Yuan Ming stood in a corner of the crowd farthest from the Second Cave Master, his eyes scanning around, but he also did not see anyone invading.

    Suddenly, his pupils shrank, and he suddenly saw the shadow under the Second Cave Master, which was noticeably darker than the others around him.

    Before he could speak, the shadow of the Second Cave Master suddenly twisted, and a blood-red figure suddenly burst out, attacking the Second Cave Master¡¯s chest with lightning speed.

    The cultivators around, including Yuan Ming, did not expect the enemy to have the means to approach the Second Cave Master directly, and they were unable to react in time.

    "Blood Battle!" someone eximed.

    The Second Cave Master¡¯s reaction was extremely fast. His body was immediately covered in ayer of light, and at the same time, he spat out a small inch-high green light, which contained a small ruler.

    The small ruler suddenly expanded to a size of ten feet, and the green light mmed into the blood battle.

    At this moment, a deep and bone-visible scar appeared on the back of the blood battle, but in the face of the huge ruler that came crashing down, he did not avoid it at all, and there was even a hint of madness in his eyes. A condensed blood cloud appeared in the palm of his left hand, with a faintly glowing me inside.

    "Boom!"

    Then, there was a deafening explosion!

    A red sun burst into light in the center of the formation, and the intense heat caused the people in the formation to be thrown into disarray and scattered.

    The Second Cave Master was directly impacted, and the protective light on his body was instantly broken, and his chest and abdomen were burned by the mes. Not only were his clothes torn, but there was also a shocking wound on his body.

    The square was in chaos.

    Yuan Ming was rtively far from the center of the explosion and only received a slight impact, causing him to be knocked to the ground. However, the elders and disciples near the Second Cave Master were all blown apart, with many casualties.

    He clearly saw every moment of the attack, and even saw the blood battle, whounched the sudden attack, being knocked out by the Second Cave Master¡¯s small ruler, covered in blood, with a broken left arm, obviously seriously injured.

    But he took advantage of the situation to turn into a blood shadow and flew towards the outside of the formation.

    The formation was broken, and the entire Qingliu Huanzhuan Great Array copsed, turning into scattered green light.

    The female formation master looked at the scene, a smile appearing on her lips.

    All of this was part of her n, including the suicidal attacks of the second-level spirit beasts at the beginning, which were all preparations to distract attention and carry out a surprise attack on the enemy¡¯s underground using the blood battle.

    "My task is done," the female formation master said.

    "Go!" A leader of the Dawn Scattered Alliance gave the order.The clownish young man who had been guarding her side was the first to respond, charging toward the unprotected Biluo Cave disciples without the protection of the formation.

    "Brother, be careful," the female array master shouted loudly, but unfortunately, the cultivator named Xiao Yao had already charged far away.

    The rest of the Dawnbreak cultivators followed closely, their battle cries shaking the heavens.

    The second cave master, severely injured, had a gloomy expression like dark water. After swallowing several medicinal pills, he shouted to everyone, "The formation is broken! Things havee to this point. Do you want to die with dignity, or live a life without honor as a ve in the mines? Decide for yourselves."

    His shout was so forceful that even Yuan Ming, upon hearing it, was somewhat moved.

    Some of the elder disciples even shed hot tears.

    Seeing that there was no way out, the cultivators of Biluo Cave pped their spirit beast bags at their waists, summoning their respective spirit beasts, took out their most treasured talismans and magical instruments, and prepared for the final battle.

    On the square, thest and most tragic melee finally began.

    The grand cave master in the distant sky, upon seeing the situation here, was immediately filled with shame and rage. He then realized that when he had repelled the blood battle with a single sword strike earlier, the enemy had not truly retreated but had taken the opportunity to escape andunch a surprise attack on the second cave master as a feigned retreat.

    The grand cave master, anxious and angry in his heart, was about toe to the aid when several streaks of ck lightning struck beside him, the Kui Water Divine Thunder technique of Ogi.

    The grand cave master had no choice but to concentrate and fight, being firmly held back by Ogi.

    After taking the medicinal pills, the second cave master took a deep breath, forced himself to stand up, and raised a red circr ring, preparing to face the enemy.

    However, just as he activated the ring and repelled two nearby men in ck, he suddenly showed a pained expression, vomiting arge mouthful of ck blood and copsing to the ground once more. His skin turned a purplish-blue color, and his limbs convulsed uncontrobly, as if he had been poisoned.

    The red circr ring also nged to the ground, its spiritual light quickly fading away.

    Seeing the second cave master exhausted and the grand cave master unable to clone himself, with their fellow disciples continuously falling, the morale of the Biluo Cave cultivators instantly dissipated. Whether they were ordinary disciples or Foundation Establishment elders, they all lost the will to fight and scattered in all directions.

    Before long, the second cave master, who had copsed on the ground, was also controlled by the people of Dawnbreak with a magical instrument.

    When the second cave master was attacked, Yuan Ming was the first to break away from the crowd, fighting and retreating, and made his way to the edge of the square leading to the back mountain.

    Members of Dawnbreak had already invaded Biluo Cave inrge numbers, blocking all the roads on the front mountain, with only the roads leading to the interior of Biluo Cave still unupied.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t think much, his figure flickered, and he flew toward that direction.

    "Stop!"

    Several members of the Dawnbreak loose alliance came rushing from the side, one of whom was the tall and thin man who had previously shed with him at the entrance of Biluo Cave.

    Yuan Ming immediately used the Wind Agility technique to speed up, quickly leaving the pursuers a distance behind.

    Seeing that he could not catch up, the tall and thin man took out the red crossbow that he had used to attack the protective formation earlier.

    A piercing screech sounded, and a red arrow shot straight toward Yuan Ming¡¯s back.

    Yuan Ming hurriedly activated the jade belt at his waist, his figure instantly bing blurry, and he flew several zhang to the side.

    The red crossbow arrow hit where he had been, exploding with a loud bang, sting arge hole in the ground and sending dust flying.

    Without looking back, Yuan Ming continued to activate the jade belt, his figure speeding forward with several afterimages.

    By the time the tall and thin man and others arrived, Yuan Ming was already gone.

    Several paths appeared ahead, with no clear indication of where Yuan Ming had gone.

    The pursuers stopped in frustration and turned to chase other Biluo Cave disciples. Yuan Ming increased his speed to the maximum, quickly shaking off the pursuit of the Dawnbreak loose alliance. He ran to a hidden spot at the foot of the Fire Refinement Peak and controlled two soul crows to scout the outside situation.

    The disciples of Biluo Cave hadpletely copsed. For those who chose to surrender, whether they were Foundation Establishment elders or Qi Refining disciples, the Dawnbreak loose alliance did not trouble them, only confiscating their storage magical instruments and cing a circr magical instrument around their necks, gathering them in one ce for supervision.

    But for the few cultivators who resisted to the end, there was no good oue. Outnumbered several times, they were almost all either dead or severely injured.

    The Dawnbreak loose alliance had clearly made thorough preparations for this attack on Biluo Cave, and soon people were stationed at various checkpoints throughout the cave, leaving no stone unturned.

    "At such a time, what exactly is Xiying doing? Really worrying!"

    Yuan Ming hid in a secluded corner, concealing his breath, not even daring to let out a heavy breath. He monitored every move on the battlefield through the soul crows while anxiously searching for Xiying¡¯s whereabouts.

    In the current chaos, if he used the soul crows to find a loophole set by Dawnbreak and then tried to escape using the remaining Earth Travel talismans, he should have a ny percent chance of sess. But he was unsure if Xiying had finished its important task, and now he couldn¡¯t make contact.

 Chapter 196: Blood Bat

    Chapter 196: Blood Bat

    In mid-air, the Grand Master¡¯s face turned pale, and the battle between him and Ougi became increasingly intense, with the sound of explosions and rumbling echoing in the air.

    The Grand Master¡¯s fire falcon spirit beast had been taken back by him at some point, and he was now controlling a white giant magic treasure and a purple long sword, fighting against Ougi.

    The long sword was a rare thunder attribute magic treasure, with purple electric arcs swirling around the de, and it was quite powerful. Teaming up with the white giant magic treasure, it continuously dissolved the Kui Water Divine Thunder whileunching waves of fierce attacks against Ougi.

    Ougi¡¯s ck robe was torn in many ces, and there was a scar on his face, indicating that he had been injured.

    As one of the top experts of the Bi Luo Cave, one of the five major sects in the Northern Region, the Grand Master was more than capable of handling a one-on-one fight with a fellow cultivator of the same level.

    After dodging several thunder and lightning attacks, Ougi seemed to nce at the space near the Grand Master, then shouted and waved his sleeve.

    Arge ck water cloud condensed again, turning into a ck water ball with a diameter of half a meter, surging withrge Kui Water Divine Thunder, heading straight for the Grand Master, emitting a thunderous roar.

    The Grand Master¡¯s expression changed, and before the water ball could get close, he used the white giant to cover it.

    Suddenly,rge thunderous lights burst out from the water ball, forming a several-zhang-long ck thunder snake that collided with the white giant.The thunder snake condensed almost all the power of the Kui Water Divine Thunder inside the ck water ball, and the white giant was instantly shaken away.

    The ck thunder snake twisted and turned into a ck electric light, heading straight for the Grand Master, reaching him in an instant.

    The Grand Master remained calm, spitting out a mouthful of blood onto the long sword in his hand. The light surged, and with a crackling sound, the surface of the sword was surrounded by thunder light as it thrust forward.

    Several thick purple thunder lights suddenly shot out from the long sword, aiming at the ck thunder snake and Ougi behind it at astonishing speed.

    Ougi did not dodge the approaching purple thunder lights, but a faint blue light shield appeared on his body, protecting his vital points. At the same time, his fingers quickly formed several hand seals in front of him, casting out several spells.

    As the purple thunder lights struck the ck thunder snake, it burst apart, and a ck short spike shot out from the snake¡¯s mouth, heading straight for the Grand Master at lightning speed.

    The faint blue light shield on Ougi¡¯s body was shattered by the purple thunder lights, and his body was thrown back several zhang.

    The Grand Master saw the ck short spike approaching him within a zhang, and he was thrown out in mid-air, while quickly forming hand seals to release the white giant.

    The white giant opened with a "whoosh," instantly covering an area of several dozen zhang in front of him. Although the ck short spike was fast, it was still trapped by the white giant.

    The ck short spike struggled within the, but it couldn¡¯t escape the control of the white giant.

    The Grand Master quickly formed hand seals, and a series of white spirit patterns prated the short spike, quickly covering its surface, causing the dark light on the spike to fade rapidly.

    "Boom!" Not far away, Ougi, who had just stabilized his figure, gritted his teeth, formed hand seals, and shouted:

    The Grand Master was taken aback, and hurriedly flew backward, but it was toote.

    "Boom!"

    The dark light on the ck short spike surged, bursting open with countless ck light threads, instantly engulfing an area of more than ten zhang nearby.

    Arge ck smoke cloud rose from the center of the explosion, sweeping in all directions, causing the temperature to drop sharply, and numerous ck crystals formed in mid-air.

    The Grand Master¡¯s figure shot out from the ck smoke, half of his body¡¯s clothes torn, covered in densely pierced wounds, and a bloodstain at the corner of his mouth.

    "To think that you would risk heavy injuries to self-detonate the Wuhuan Spike, is it worth it?" The Grand Master stabilized his figure in mid-air, wiped off the bloodstain at the corner of his mouth, and smiled.

    "The old must give way to the new. Friend Mao, give up now. Surrendering now will still give us room for negotiation." Ougi¡¯s mouth also had a trace of blood, and self-detonating the magic treasure had also caused him considerable injury.

    At this moment, the Grand Master¡¯s figure seemed to sway slightly, and he was about to say something when his expression suddenly changed.

    A blood shadow rose into the air behind him, revealing that it was the Blood Battle who hadunched a surprise attack and returned to the battle.

    Seeing this scene, the Grand Master sighed a few times with a bitter smile.

    "Elder, I did my best..."

    ...

    Yuan Ming observed the scene happening in mid-air through a soul crow, his thoughts racing.

    The Grand Master and Ougi fought until they were heavily injured, and it seemed that they would soon be defeated. The Second Master was poisoned and lost hisbat power, and the defeat of Bi Luo was inevitable. However, the so-called Elder, the Pir of the Sky, still showed no sign of movement.

    Yuan Ming came out of his hiding ce, but instead of heading towards the mountain gate, he flew towards the west. Since he couldn¡¯t find any trace of Xiying, it was better to leave this ce of trouble.

    The defenses on both the east and west sides of the Bi Luo Cave had been breached, and although there were members of the Dawn Alliance stationed there, their numbers were few, making it more suitable for escape.

    ...

    On the treetops near the square, a gray squirrel crouched quietly, looking towards the ce where the Grand Master fell, with a faint glimmer of green light in its eyes.

    In a secret room inside the Bi Luo Cave, a young man in a green robe was still absorbing the soul power from the Soul Calming Urn.

    A green ancient mirror floated in front of him, showing the situation near the square. The disciples of the Bi Luo Cave were scattered and fleeing, and those who dared to resist were bing fewer and fewer.

    "Brother Mao, you did your best, I¡¯m really sorry, I, Xi, feel ashamed." The young man sighed lightly and raised his hand."So close, yet time waits for no one. Fine, even if it costs me some cultivation, I¡¯ll deal with you all first!" The young man in the green robe said with reluctance, forming a hand seal and pointing out.

    A sh of ck light crossed his brow, and the phantom of a tiger¡¯s head disappeared in an instant, ceasing the absorption of soul power from the Soul Calming Jar.

    The young man in the green robe formed hand seals like turning wheels, and a ck array emerged from the ground out of thin air, enveloping the Soul Calming Jar.

    "Sha Hao!" The young man suddenly stood up and walked out of the secret chamber, calling out loudly.

    A figure quickly approached from outside, a cold-looking, pale-faced young man in white.

    The young man¡¯s aura was profound, revealing that he too was a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

    "Master, what are your orders?" The man knelt on one knee, asking respectfully.

    "Guard the cave dwelling, and let no one enter, especially near the secret chamber!" The young man in the green robe didn¡¯t stop, continuing to walk outside without turning back.

    "Yes, disciple obeys!" The young man in white hurriedly responded.

    The young man in the green robe¡¯s body shone with bright white light, transforming into a long white rainbow shooting outward.

    ...

    Halfway up the Fiery Refinement Peak, more than a dozen disciples of the Bi Luo Cave had retreated here. Relying on a dangerous terrain, they shed with the pursuers from the Dawnbreak Alliance, led by the second cave master¡¯s personal disciple, Wu Luo.

    At this moment, he was covered in wounds, his chest heaving erratically. He quickly applied several talismans to his body, and as a blue light circted, the bleeding stopped, and he continued to drive his magical artifact into the fray.

    The Dawnbreak Alliance had even more people, over twenty, led by a short and fat middle-aged man at the Foundation Establishment stage. Their momentum was overwhelming, and the Bi Luo Cave side was clearly unable to withstand them, on the verge of being defeated.

    Just then, dozens of fist-sized blood bats flew in from nowhere, diving straight towards the battling sides.

    "Where did all these batse from?"

    "What kind of devilry is this?"

    Both the Dawnbreak Alliance and the Bi Luo Cave disciples were startled, hastily casting spells and summoning magical artifacts for protection. However, the blood bats seemed like spectral phantoms, unaffected by spells or artifacts, easily prating the bodies of everyone present.

    Those prated by the bats stiffened, their eyes shing with threads of blood, bing dazed as if their souls had been seized.

    In the blink of an eye, aside from Wu Luo and the short and fat middle-aged man, everyone else had been invaded by the blood bats, standing motionless.

    Seeing the situation turn dire, Wu Luo had already summoned a green crow to ride away, but as a blood bat possessed the crow, it plummeted from mid-air, and Wu Luo was unable to avoid being dived upon directly by a blood bat.

    The short and fat middle-aged man seemed to have a stronger spirit; after being dived upon by a blood bat, he did notpletely lose his senses, retaining a sliver of rationality in his eyes as he turned in terror to flee down the mountain.

    But just as he had run halfway, more blood bats emerged from nowhere. With no way to avoid them, he was dived upon by two more blood bats, and immediately, like those Qi Refining cultivators, he lost consciousness.

    The situation reversed in an instant.

    The next moment, a group of over thirty people, who had just been fighting for their lives, surged down the mountain with blood shining in their eyes, encountering scattered members of the Dawnbreak Alliance along the way and attacking indiscriminately, quickly reaching the base of the peak.

    Many members of the Dawnbreak Alliance had gathered at the foot of the mountain, and seeing this bizarre scene, before they could even speak, the two sides were already embroiled in battle.

    A Dawnbreak member swung a war de, striking a Bi Luo Cave disciple in front.

    The Bi Luo Cave disciple, a lower-ranking one, did not dodge. With a "crack," several ribs in his chest were broken, but he also managed to stab his magical artifact into the throat of the Dawnbreak member.

    The Dawnbreak member clutched his throat and fell, blood gushing from his chest, while the Bi Luo Cave disciple, as if nothing had happened, rushed towards the next target. After a few steps, the Bi Luo Cave disciple copsed softly to the ground due to the severity of his injuries.

    The others, with blood shining in their eyes, were simrly fearless of death and pain, quickly overwhelming the Dawnbreak Alliance.

    From behind arge rock in the distance, a ck-robed cultivator looked on in shock.

    This person¡¯s face was mostly covered by a hat, revealing only a pair of eyes¡ªit was Yuan Ming.

    The blood bats had fluctuations of soul power on them, somewhat simr to his own Soul Crows, but while his Soul Crows could only possess the dead, these blood bats could control the living, clearly a notch above.

    At the same time, not only on Fiery Refinement Peak, but arge number of blood bats also appeared in other areas of Bi Luo Cave, entering the bodies of Bi Luo Cave disciples or Dawnbreak Alliance members, controlling them to counterattack.

    Originally, the entire Bi Luo Cave was almost under the control of the Dawnbreak Alliance, but now everyone was fleeing from the attack of the blood bats, and the situation once again became chaotic.

 Chapter 197: Dangerous situation constantly arises

    Chapter 197: Dangerous situation constantly arises

    "Being able to control so many soul bats, this person¡¯s soul cultivation is so powerful. Could Xiying be in danger?" Yuan Ming pondered to himself, and a thought suddenly surfaced in his mind.

    Where are you, Xiying?

    Without lingering here, he continued to flee into the distance.

    At this moment, several blood bats appeared in front of him and pounced towards him.

    Yuan Ming cursed under his breath and quickly used the Wind Swift technique to dodge to the side, avoiding the attacks of the blood bats.

    However, these blood bats seemed to be fixated on him like leeches, relentlessly chasing after him.

    The speed of the blood bats was extremely fast, and even with the use of the Shadowless Step and the eleration of the white jade belt, he couldn¡¯t shake them off. Instead, they were getting closer and closer.

    His expression turned grim. Those controlled by the blood bats wouldpletely lose themselves. If that happened, not to mention escaping from the Bi Luo Cave, he would most likely die here!

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t have time to hesitate. He quickly took out the Earth Travel Talisman and activated it, and his figure was enveloped in a yellow light before disappearing into the ground.To his surprise, the blood bats also disappeared into the ground, and their pursuit speed did not decrease at all.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t afford to think too much and could only exert all his strength to flee forward.

    Although the Earth Travel Talisman allowed movement underground, it was not fast. Several blood bats caught up in the blink of an eye and entered his body.

    A cold breath infiltrated Yuan Ming¡¯s body, quickly entering his sea of consciousness and eroding his soul.

    His body immediately became stiff, and a blood-red light began to appear in his eyes.

    However, he was a strong soul cultivator, and his soul was powerful enough to maintain his sanity.

    Due to the bacsh of the Fur Coat Technique, his soul had been attacked countless times before. At this moment, his thoughts turned quickly, and he began to operate the Death Moon method.

    A dark moon rose in his sea of consciousness, emitting a white light that dissipated the cold breath invading his sea of consciousness.

    The blood-red color in Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes faded, and his body regained mobility. He breathed a sigh of relief, and a certain thought in his mind grew stronger, making him feel a little scared.

    The Bi Luo Cave collected the souls of mortals all year round, andbined with the usual portrayal of the great elder¡¯s powerful strength, the owner of the soul bats was undoubtedly the great elder.

    This person¡¯s methods were truly terrifying. He released so many soul-formed entities that attached to living people without a sound, causing the possessed individuals to attack as if they were possessed,pletely unconscious and unafraid of pain or death.

    The methods of a soul cultivator in the Foundation Establishment stage were so domineering!

    Fortunately, soul cultivation was already difficult, and a slight carelessness could lead to bacsh and death. Therefore,pared to the methods ofw cultivation and body cultivation, it was a rare existence.

    The Dawn Scattering Alliance was ordered to attack the Bi Luo Cave and repeatedly vowed to exterminate the main culprit. Could it be that the employer had a grudge against the great elder, or was afraid of him?

    "Could it be Master Yu?" This thought suddenly shed through his mind.

    At the moment, there were probably blood bats everywhere outside. Instead of immediately lurking out of the ground, he continued to control the two soul crows outside to observe the situation and n his escape.

    The great cave master had been injured and captured, but what seemed to be a stable situation had be chaotic due to the appearance of these strange blood bats. Ougi and Blood Battle were already injured and helpless in this situation, and could only try to stabilize the situation as much as possible.

    At this moment, a blood shadow shot out from the nearby void, swiftly and directly towards Ougi and Blood Battle, carrying a blood-red banner with grim and monstrous ghostly figures painted on it.

    "The Banner of Ten Thousand Ghosts!"

    Ougi and Blood Battle dodged to the left and right like avoiding a snake or a scorpion.

    The direction of the blood-colored banner changed and headed straight for Blood Battle.

    The sound of ghostly howls rose, and countless blood clouds gushed out from the blood-colored banner, turning into a surging blood-red wave that swept towards Blood Battle, with numerous ferocious ghosts lurking within the blood cloud.

    Although Blood Battle was seriously injured, his reaction was still extremely fast. He suddenly turned around and shed with his long knife.

    A huge light beam tens of feet long shot out and split the blood cloud and ghostly figures in half.

    However, the blood cloud and ghostly figures immediately merged back together, seemingly unharmed, and continued to pounce towards Blood Battle, engulfing most of the area around him in an instant.

    Blood Battle let out a loud shout, and the blood light on his battle knife surged. Nine slightly smaller light beams shot out, once again breaking through the approaching blood cloud.

    He waved his other hand, and more than twenty purple talismans appeared out of thin air, each emitting a powerful electric aura.

    Blood Battle quickly activated the talismans, and dozens of thick purple lightning bolts appeared, resembling a forest of lightning, tearing through the blood cloud and ghostly figures and striking towards the center of the blood cloud.

    The dazzling lightning overwhelmed everything, but soon dissipated.

    A tattered banner rolled and flew out, falling towards the ground.

    A smug smile appeared on Blood Battle¡¯s face. His cultivation was slightly lower, and he was seriously injured. If Chen Cangqiong had made a move against them, he would have definitely targeted himself first. Fortunately, he had made plenty of preparations.

    However, at this moment, a sudden change urred!

    Blood Battle¡¯s abdomen suddenly throbbed with pain, and a hand covered in blood pierced through his dantian, grabbing a water-blue Golden Elixir.

    Blood Battle¡¯s strength rapidly dissipated from his body, but he still stared wide-eyed, his face filled with an incredulous expression.His Blood Spirit de had long been sentient, alerting him immediately if anyone approached within thirty feet. How could he have been ambushed?

    Before Blood Battle¡¯s eyes, the scene suddenly fractured into countless cracks, and in the next moment, it shattered, revealing an entirely new vista.

    A youth in a green robe stood quietly before him, his palm pierced through Blood Battle¡¯s body. The Myriad Ghosts Banner had not been destroyed by the power of lightning; it now firmly wrapped around the Blood Spirit de, rendering it immobile. A vast expanse of blood clouds enveloped the two, preventing Ogi from drawing near.

    "So it was an illusion..." Blood Battle struggled to speak, a self-mocking smile on his lips.

    The green-robed youth crushed the Golden Elixir, and Blood Battle¡¯s vision was engulfed by endless darkness.

    "Who gave you the audacity to run rampant in my Bi Luo Cave?" The youth withdrew his hand, a ferocious smile on his face.

    He collected Blood Battle¡¯s corpse and the Blood Spirit de, then turned his gaze toward Ogi, who was not far away.

    A chill ran down Ogi¡¯s spine, and he turned to flee into the distance.

    "Toote." The green-robed youth formed a seal with his fingers, and the blood clouds around him surged, instantly transforming into a blood dragon tens of feet long, chasing after Ogi with bared fangs and ws.

    The blood dragon was incredibly fast, rapidly closing the distance with Ogi.

    Ogi reached for a jade amulet with one hand and crushed it. A white light immediately enveloped him, and his figure turned into a streak of white light, speeding away even faster.

    A sinister smile appeared on the youth¡¯s face as he made another seal with his fingers.

    The blood dragon¡¯s body suddenly swelled, its speed increasing manifold, and in an instant, it caught up with Ogi, engulfing his figure. Ogi¡¯s silhouette abruptly halted and plummeted downward, crashing heavily into the ground.

    With a loud "bang," the blood dragon¡¯s body exploded, reverting into a vast expanse of blood clouds that spread in all directions, engulfing a radius of dozens of feet and continuing to expand.

    This was near Qing Luo Square, where the female formation master and many members of the Dawn Alliance were present. They were instantly overwhelmed by the blood clouds, falling to the ground with cries of agony.

    Shadowy figures floated out from these people, their souls, devoured by the blood clouds.

    The overwhelming blood clouds surged toward the female formation master, threatening to engulf her.

    Seeing this, she showed no fear. Stamping her foot, a silver formation immediately appeared around her transparent shoes, radiating bright light.

    Just as the female formation master¡¯s figure was about to vanish, a bat, like a bolt of lightning, crashed into her body.

    The light from the silver formation scattered, the teleportationplete, and the female formation master disappeared without a trace.

    "A Minor Teleportation Talisman?" The youth raised an eyebrow but didn¡¯t pay it much mind, about to activate the Myriad Ghosts Banner again.

    A sh of silver light appeared above his head, and a small silver bell materialized out of thin air, apanied by a hunched old man, another Golden Elixir stage cultivator.

    The old man shouted lowly, striking the bell, which instantly grew several timesrger and rang out rapidly with "ng, ng, ng."

    Silver ripples enveloped the area, quickly submerging the green-robed youth¡¯s body.

    The green-robed youth froze, his eyes zing over with confusion.

    Beside him, the void fluctuated, and two figures emerged: a man in a red robe and a woman in a green dress, both also Golden Elixir stage beings.

    Three Golden Elixir cultivators!

    One wielded a fiery red trident, the other a green flying sword, both striking with lightning speed at the green-robed youth¡¯s body.

    Caught off guard, the green-robed youth¡¯s body was cleaved into three pieces, blood sttering everywhere.

    Excitement shed across the trio¡¯s faces, but it quickly froze.

    The youth¡¯s severed body turned into streaks of light and vanished, and a white light flickered in the void a dozen feet away, revealing the youth¡¯s figure once again.

    "Another illusion! Be careful, Chen Cangqiong¡¯s soul cultivation realm has likely advanced a lot, easily pulling us into an illusion!" The hunched old man retreated several feet, his expression extremely grave.

    "Impossible, we all have Soul-Binding Talismans, how could we still be affected by an illusion?" The man in the red robe and the woman in the green dress also retreated to the old man¡¯s side, speaking in disbelief.

    The three were reinforcements hired at a high price by the Dawn Alliance to deal specifically with Chen Cangqiong, and they had made thorough preparations, including the Soul-Binding Talismans.

    These talismans had one purpose: to create a special barrier around the wearer, preventing the approach of soul energy.

    For a soul cultivator to cast an illusion, a prerequisite was to touch the target with soul energy. Chen Cangqiong¡¯s soul energy might be stronger than all three of them, but it definitely couldn¡¯t prate the barrier of the Soul-Binding Talisman.

    "This person¡¯s magical powers are strange, proceed with caution," the hunched old man said slowly, also puzzled.

    A ck streak of light shot from afar,nding beside the three, revealing Ogi¡¯s figure.

    He had escaped the blood cloud¡¯s restraint, but hisplexion was as pale as paper, clearly severely injured.

    "To deal with me, you¡¯ve actually called upon so many Golden Elixir stage cultivators, thinking that numbers will ensure sess?" The green-robed youth looked around at Ogi and the others, unconcerned, and spoke slowly.

    The blood clouds on the ground flew back, once again surrounding him, rolling and swirling, making his figure flicker in and out of sight. With a wave of his hand, dozens of bats flew chaotically, adding an eerie touch to the scene.

 Chapter 198: Entering a hole

    Chapter 198: Entering a hole

    "Chen Daoyou¡¯s notorious name resounds throughout the Southern and Northern regions, so we naturally dare not be negligent. Today, it is fortunate to have the honor of inviting you, which can be considered a worthwhile trip," Ougi said slowly.

    "I didn¡¯t expect those four old things to be so spineless. They fear my breakthrough to theter stage, yet only dare to ask you to take action in secret. It¡¯s quite amusing. Are they afraid of emptying their family¡¯s resources?" The young man in the blue robe sneered and taunted.

    "This matter has nothing to do with the other four sects. The Bi Luo Cave often ughters viges and towns, and even turns ordinary people with spiritual roots into beast ves, which goes against the will of the heavens. The Dawn Alliance is just carrying out justice on behalf of the heavens," Ougi replied calmly.

    "They are only worried that their open attack on me will fail, and they fear that if I escape, I will seek revenge one day. That¡¯s why they dare not show themselves," the young man in the blue robeughed.

    "Talking more is useless. Chen Cangqiong, you might as well surrender. I will allow you to disperse your cultivation to the Foundation Establishment stage. If you swear to leave this ce and go to the Northern Territory or overseas, never setting foot in the Central ins and Southern regions, I can guarantee your safety," Ougi finally persuaded.

    "So, you want me to kneel down? Dream on! Just a few Foundation Establishment cultivators. Since you don¡¯t know any better, then all of you can stay here!" The young man in the blue robe finished speaking, and the blood cloud around him suddenly expanded several times, covering the four people.

    The Dawn Alliance did indeede prepared, and everything before was just to lure out the Grand Elder of the Bi Luo Cave. This moment was the most crucial confrontation.

    At this moment, the Grand Elder of the Bi Luo Cave finally appeared, revealing all of the Dawn Alliance¡¯s hidden cards.

    No one was paying attention to the Foundation Establishment disciples of the Bi Luo Cave at the moment, which was a perfect opportunity to escape.Deep underground, Yuan Ming thought to himself.

    Yuan Ming quietly emerged from the ground and was about to dive into the nearby jungle when the Earth Traveling Talisman attached to him suddenly shattered into countless pieces with a "crack."

    He had long known that the talisman¡¯s power was limited and had made preparations in advance. His figure began to flee towards the outskirts of the Bi Luo Cave.

    At this moment, a sparrow flew over andnded on his shoulder, its eyes filled with a lively light.

    Yuan Ming was suddenly surprised, and a hint of green light appeared in his hand as he prepared to do something.

    "Yuan Ming, Yuan Ming, hurry to the back mountain," Xiying¡¯s voice suddenly rang in his mind.

    "Xiying, the Grand Elder of the Bi Luo Cave and several Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Dawn Alliance are about to start fighting. Now is our chance to escape, right?" Yuan Ming, upon hearing that it was Xiying, breathed a sigh of relief and asked casually.

    "I¡¯ve been waiting in this ghostly ce for three years, just for today¡¯s opportunity. Once we¡¯re done, we¡¯ll leave together," Xiying said.

    "Good!"

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming did not hesitate any longer and swiftly flew towards the back mountain. Guided by the sparrow, he quickly arrived under a seemingly inconspicuousrge tree near the Bi Luo Cave.

    At this moment, Xiying was crouching on the tree, gazing at a quaint cave not far away, with the words "Bi Luo Cave" engraved on it.

    "What ce is this?" Yuan Ming looked at the cave in front of him, his eyes showing surprise.

    "This is Chen Cangqiong¡¯s ce of seclusion," Xiying said.

    "Chen Cangqiong, the Grand Elder?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "Yes, he is now called Chen Cangqiong, and he was a runaway ve from my family two hundred years ago. He stole my family¡¯s treasure and secretly ran here, but was discovered by the incredibly clever Xiying," Xiying said proudly.

    Yuan Ming remembered what the fisherman had said and suddenly realized.

    "I need to enter the cave, but I don¡¯t want Chen Cangqiong to notice. Didn¡¯t you research a ¡¯Fog Fragrance¡¯? Hurry up," Xiying said.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming understood Xiying¡¯s meaning.

    The white mist emitted by the "Fog Fragrance" he had created had the effect of blocking spiritual awareness. Xiying believed that it could temporarily cut off Chen Cangqiong¡¯s connection to this ce¡¯s restrictions.

    "But he is a high-level Foundation Establishment expert and a soul cultivator. Are you sure my Fog Fragrance can cut off his connection to the cave? Don¡¯t make a mess of things," Yuan Ming said with some concern.

    "If I mess up, it¡¯s on me. Put this on and light the fragrance!" Xiying waved his paw, and a gray cloak appeared out of thin air, falling beside Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming picked up the gray cloak from the ground and put it on. All the auras on his body instantly disappeared without a trace.

    The Wood Concealment Technique could hide his aura, but once he expanded his spiritual awareness, it could be detected. This cloak was different. He had just probed it with his spiritual awareness, and with his strong spiritual awareness, he couldn¡¯t detect any clues.

    Yuan Ming infused his mana into the cloak, and his entire person quickly merged with the surrounding environment, making it difficult to distinguish between spiritual awareness and the naked eye.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming said no more and took out the censer and lit the Fog Fragrance.

    Guided by Yuan Ming, arge white mist quickly condensed and soon engulfed the Bi Luo Cave and the surrounding mountains and forests.

    Xiying looked around at the dense fog and nodded in satisfaction. His figure leaped out with extreme agility and disappeared into the dense fog ahead.

    In front of the Bi Luo Cave, the silver cat¡¯s figure shed out, and it spat out a golden light, which struck the stone door.

    The blue light restriction on the stone door suddenly brightened and thickened several times, as if an additionalyer of blue stone wall had appeared on the stone door, instantly blocking the golden light.

    However, the golden light suddenly copsed and disintegrated, turning into countless golden runes that quickly merged into the stone door¡¯s restriction.

    The blue light restriction seemed quite extraordinary, but as soon as it touched the golden runes, it quickly dissipated andpletely disappeared in the blink of an eye. The ancient door emitted a light sound and slowly opened.As the prohibition copsed, an invisible wave spread outwards, but it was blocked by the thick white fog around the cave and could not be transmitted.

    Xiying did not immediately enter the cave, but turned to look in the direction of the front mountain.

    On the front mountain, near the Fire Refining Peak, a sparrow was staring intently at the elder in mid-air, who waspletely focused on manipting the blood soul, and did not notice the prohibition of the cave being broken.

    Xiying then transformed into a silver light and darted into the cave.

    Behind the stone door was a ck passage, which looked quite deep. The walls of the passage were lit with white candles, and the mes were surprisingly emerald green, giving it a mysterious appearance.

    "Hmph! Unchanging stubbornness, still lighting the soul candles!" A coldness shed in Xiying¡¯s eyes.

    The silver cat did not stop, but continued to move forward quickly. Two diverging paths appeared ahead, leading in different directions.

    A crystal light shot out from its forehead, transforming into a red bird shadow that flew into the left passage, while the cat¡¯s body entered the right passage.

    The red bird shadow moved even faster and quickly reached the end.

    There was a stone room here, and the ground had been dug out to form a pool.

    The pool was not filled with water, but was instead full of bright red and viscous blood. A ck magic circle was engraved around it, slowly operating.

    The blood light in the pool was enveloped by the magic circle and gathered towards the center of the pool, where a stone tform stood with a blood egg the size of a bowl ced on top, resembling some kind of bird egg.

    All the blood light was absorbed by the blood egg.

    "These are not ordinary blood, but the blood of fierce beasts, right? No wonder the Twilight Sky always needs arge number of beast ves to collect blood food. It turns out that it is actually to feed this blood egg." The red bird shadow spoke human words.

    The blood egg seemed extraordinary, but obviously it was not what Xiying was looking for. After searching the stone room and finding nothing else, the bird shadow flew back.

    At this time, the silver cat was swiftly advancing along the passage. Before long, a stone door appeared ahead, emitting a faint ck light.

    Xiying did not stop and continued forward.

    Behind the stone door, a young man in a white robe was lurking behind the door, and it was Sha Hao.

    Watching Xiying approaching, Sha Hao¡¯s eyes showed a hint of surprise and doubt: "How could the intruder breaking in be a cat? Could it be just a scouting spirit beast? No, I must not be careless!"

    He randomly pinched a tactic, and the stone walls on both sides of Xiying suddenly cracked open, and two tall figures rushed out, wielding green long knives and shing into the air.

    The de emitted a long green light, cutting through the solid stone walls like tofu.

    Xiying paid no attention, and a human figure emerged from the crystal light on the cat¡¯s forehead, floating in mid-air.

    If Yuan Ming were here, he would recognize that this was the hazy woman who had previously revealed herself in front of him.

    The hazy woman pressed her hands together, and white ripples appeared in her palms. The two tall figures suddenly stopped, and the sharp de light also stopped a foot away from Xiying¡¯s head.

    The two tall figures revealed their true forms, turning out to be two green-haired humanoids, with exceptionally strong auras, already reaching thete Foundation Establishment stage, and two ck horns growing on their heads.

    "The Twilight Sky is really generous, actually cultivating two of them. It seems that they intend to merge the two and attempt to cultivate a Nascent Soul stage Zhaowang." The hazy woman nced at the two humanoid figures and said.

    "Who are you? How do you know the true name of the master?" Sha Hao, seeing this scene, was stunned and asked in shock and anger.

    "Are you a disciple of the Twilight Sky? Didn¡¯t he tell you that although humanbat power is strong, their spiritual consciousness is low and their soul power is chaotic, and cannot be used to fight against soul cultivators?" The hazy figure passed through the stone door and appeared in front of Sha Hao.

    Sha Hao¡¯s expression changed drastically, and he spat out a silver shuttle magic weapon, aiming it at the hazy figure.

    However, with a wave of the hazy figure¡¯s hand and a sh of white light on her forehead, Sha Hao¡¯s eyes suddenly became hazy, and he was unable to move, just like the two Foundation Establishment stage humanoids.

    Although the silver shuttle magic weapon hit the hazy figure, it passed through without causing any harm.

    The hazy figure ignored it, and her gaze was fixed on the stone room behind the door, which was the ce where the elder had previously closed up, guarding the Soul Suppression Urn with a ck magic circle in front.

    "So it¡¯s here?" The hazy figure looked at the Soul Suppression Urn, her eyes filled with uncontroble excitement, and she flew forward.

    But as soon as she stepped into the area of the ck magic circle, the ck light inside the circle instantly intensified several times, forming a ck light curtain that kept the hazy figure outside.

    The hazy figure seemed somewhat surprised, turned around and flew back to Sha Hao, raising her hand and pressing it on his head, and the crystal light quickly prated into him.

    "I see." The hazy figure murmured to herself and withdrew her hand.

    Sha Hao also fell to the ground, falling into aa.

    The hazy figure flew back, and the silver cat had already entered the stone room.

    She took out three silver talismans, with thunder and lightning runes faintly visible on the surface, and pasted them in various ces on the ck magic circle.

    Then, the hazy figure raised her hand, activating the three talismans, and three silver thunderbolts shot out, hitting the light curtain of the magic circle, making a cracking sound.

    The ck light curtain trembled violently and tore open a huge crack.The shadowy figure, upon seeing this scene, showed a hint of pleasure on their face and opened their mouth to spit out a pitch-ck gemstone. The gemstone resembled a ck hole, seemingly capable of absorbing all light around it, and as soon as it appeared, the surrounding light dimmed noticeably.

    With a ¡¯swoosh¡¯, it darted into the breach in the light barrier and hovered above the Soul Suppressing Urn.

    The Soul Suppressing Urn began to tremble violently, especially its lid, which quivered with a ¡¯ng¡¯.

    ck light surged on the dark gemstone, flickering incessantly, resonating from afar with the trembling lid of the Soul Suppressing Urn.

 Chapter 199: Fog

    Chapter 199: Fog

    The hazy figure pinched the spell with both hands, and the ck gem slowly fell, fitting perfectly into the gap on the top cover of the soul-refining pot.

    A trace of ck light emerged from the ck gem, merging into the ck top cover, and even into the soul-refining pot.

    The entire soul-refining pot emitted a crystal-clear light, and the ck light on it surged, emitting a cheering and sharp roar, as if celebrating the return of a part that had been lost for many years.

    The hazy figure¡¯s face also showed a happy expression, once again pinching the spell, and a rich ck light emerged from the ck gem, forming a strange pattern around it, spinning rapidly.

    The crystal light on the soul-refining pot also rotated with it, emitting a "hissing" sound from the pot.

    After a few breaths, all the strange ck light and sounds disappeared, and a translucent silver bead, made of soul power and looking like a pill, flew out of the mouth of the pot.

    The hazy figure opened its mouth and the silver bead shot back into its mouth.

    The hazy figure¡¯s body emitted a faint silver light, and its form quickly solidified, transforming into a young girl in a white robe with long, flowing hair, wearing a veil over her face, making her features unclear.

    The girl in the robe moved her body and nodded in satisfaction."Meow..." the silver cat leaped over and rubbed against the girl¡¯s legs.

    "Guoguo, good girl," the girl in the robe bent down and stroked the furry cat¡¯s head, looking no different from an ordinary flesh-and-blood body.

    She raised her hand, and the soul-refining pot flew out of the ck spell formation, floating in front of her.

    As soon as the soul-refining pot left the spell formation area, the ck spell formation immediately twisted and copsed into countless ck lights.

    The girl in the robe looked surprised, but without being careless, she took the soul-refining pot and headed outside.

    "Guoguo, I almost forgot, that blood egg doesn¡¯t look ordinary, we can¡¯t leave it behind, go get it," she remembered something and said to the silver cat.

    The silver cat meowed and turned into a silver shadow, shooting outside.

    At this moment, the elder Chen Cangqiong, who was fighting with four foundation-building stage cultivators in front of the Biluo Cave, suddenly felt a sharp pain in his finger, and the ck ring he was wearing suddenly shattered and fell off.

    He turned around abruptly and looked in the direction of the back mountain, his face filled with shock and anger, and immediately abandoned the four people and flew towards the back mountain.

    "Where are you going!"

    Ouji and the others didn¡¯t know what had happened, but subconsciously reached out to stop him.

    "Get out of the way!"

    Four blood glows shot out from Chen Cangqiong¡¯s eyebrows, entering the surrounding blood clouds. The blood clouds rolled and, with a powerful force, quickly rushed towards the heads of the four people.

    Ouji and the others seemed to be very wary of the impact of the blood bat, and hurriedly dodged.

    Chen Cangqiong took the opportunity to dive into the blood cloud, and the blood cloud surged and turned into a huge blood dragon in the blink of an eye, breaking through the four people¡¯s blockade and rushing towards the back mountain at an extremely fast speed.

    Inside the Biluo Cave.

    Sha Haoy on the ground, his life and death unknown.

    The girl in the robe came to the side of the two-headed man, shook the soul-refining pot in her hand, and muttered a cryptic spell under her breath.

    The pot cover flew up and floated above the heads of the two, spinning down, emitting an astonishing suction force.

    The two-headed man¡¯s forehead split open, and two ck soul beads flew out and fell into the pot cover.

    The girl in the robe¡¯s eyes showed a happy expression, suddenly looked up and looked outside. She found out so quickly.

    "Oh, it¡¯s not fun anymore, let¡¯s go quickly."

    In the dense forest outside the cave, Yuan Ming¡¯s side was shrouded in mist, and the sparrow that had flown away before came back andnded on his shoulder, saying, "That guy is back, you go first."

    Yuan Ming was surprised at the words, and controlled the mist outside the area to look towards the square in front of the front mountain.

    In mid-air, a majestic blood shadow was flying towards here at a lightning speed. In just a few breaths, it was already close to the back mountain area.

    The overwhelming aura enveloped the entire back mountain, and the creatures in the area were terrified, but were also suppressed and unable to move by this aura.

    Yuan Ming felt an unprecedented sense of oppression. He looked at the entrance of the Biluo Cave where Xiying was, then looked in the direction of the elder¡¯s arrival, and his hesitant gaze became firm.

    Yuan Ming immediately summoned the censer and held it in his hand, then took out a stick of mist incense and inserted it into the censer, igniting it with a flick of his finger.

    Yuan Ming pinched the spell with one hand, using the technique to drive the censer towards the direction of the elder. When he reached halfway, he began to fly in another direction, and after a while, he changed direction again.

    After several rounds of this, the mist in the area within a radius of ten miles became several times denser, condensing like a solid substance,pletely obscuring the line of sight.

    The elder, who was already extremely angry, stopped the blood dragon in the sky above the back mountain, but found that the front was already covered by dense white mist, and he couldn¡¯t see the way forward at all.

    Chen Cangqiong¡¯s eyes narrowed, and his divine sense power surged out and spread out in all directions.

    "Huh?"

    As soon as he released it, he couldn¡¯t help but exim in surprise.

    The dense white mist in front of him was amazing and had the ability to block divine sense. When he released his divine sense, it was like being trapped in a quagmire, being dragged and pulled, making it extremely difficult to spread out.

    "Tricks of a clown!"

    He suddenly reached out with both hands, and his sleeves billowed up with a loud noise.

    It seemed as if there were oriental loongs surging in the sleeves, and a strong wind rolled out, instantly blowing away the dense mist in front of him.

    The field of vision cleared, and the elder immediately rushed forward.

    However, he had not run a few steps before he was surprised to find that the surrounding area was once again shrouded in dense mist, and the void in front of him began to be blurry and hazy again.

    At this moment, he needed to hurry back to the cave, but with unclear vision and the restriction on divine sense, he couldn¡¯t even discern the direction. He was afraid of being ambushed by the treasure hunters if he rushed around recklessly.

    After a moment of changing expressions, he pointed his fingers together and touched the bat pattern on his forehead, and a circle of red light expanded, spreading out like ripples on the surface of ake.

    Under the blessing of the secret technique, his divine sense, which could only probe five yards away, suddenly expanded to one mile.

    The obstructive force was so strong? He couldn¡¯t help but feel surprised again.Under normal circumstances, his spiritual consciousness could easily cover ten miles without using any secret techniques, and with the use of secret techniques, it could expand nearly tenfold.

    But now, he could only probe a mere distance of about a mile?

    At this moment, his spiritual sense suddenly felt something in one direction.

    Chen Cangqiong¡¯s brows furrowed, and as he angrily rebuked, he formed a hand seal with one hand. A ring of silver light shone around his pupils, and a beam of brilliance shot out from his eyes.

    The terrifying giant blood shadow behind him immediately took on the posture of drawing a bow and shooting an arrow.

    "Whoosh whoosh whoosh!"

    Seven or eight dark red arrows, condensed from the power of the soul, shot through the air. In almost two breaths¡¯ time, they crossed a distance of over a hundred yards, covering an area centered around Yuan Ming of more than ten yards.

    One of them was aimed almost directly at Yuan Ming, who was hiding behind an ancient tree.

    However, at this moment, Yuan Ming¡¯s vision and spiritual consciousness were obscured by thick fog, and he waspletely unaware of the Grand Elder¡¯s attack.

    It wasn¡¯t until the soul-attacking arrow was within a few dozen yards that he finally became alert. With a chill in his heart, he hastily leaped to the side.

    At that moment, on the gray cloak he wore, a thumb-sized white jade button on the chest lit up, emitting a silver-white hazy light screen in front of Yuan Ming.

    The next instant, the blood-colored arrow grazed past the silver-white light screen.

    The white jade button emitted rays of light, stirring up a violent fluctuation of the soul.

    Yuan Ming was merely brushed by the aftermath and felt a dullness in his head, as if he had been struck by a heavy hammer. His figure swayed, and he almost fell.

    Fortunately, the incense burner he held in his hands immediately lit up with a soft glow, and a warm current surged into his mind, instantly soothing the shock to his soul.

    Yuan Ming felt a surge of fear in his heart. A Qi Refining stage cultivator facing the soul attack of a Nascent Soul stage soul cultivator was truly like throwing an egg against a rock. Just a touch could shatter his soul to pieces.

    If it weren¡¯t for the cloak he wore that could hide his aura and shield his spiritual consciousness, and the fact that he had lit the fog incense, with Chen Cangqiong¡¯s proficiency in soul cultivation, there would be nowhere for him to hide. A mere gesture from the opponent could cause his soul to dissipate and his path to crumble.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t dare to hesitate. The jade belt around his waist lit up, and he immediately activated the Wind Evasion Technique, fleeing rapidly towards the back. The sparrow also flew swiftly, following closely behind Yuan Ming.

    Just as his figure disappeared into the thick fog, Chen Cangqiong had already arrived at the ce where Yuan Ming had just been.

    The intense soul fluctuation had finally been sensed by Chen Cangqiong. His gaze sharpened as he looked in the direction Yuan Ming had retreated, and he let out a cold snort.

    His spiritual sense was faster than Yuan Ming¡¯s retreat. Before Yuan Ming could escape a mile away, Chen Cangqiong had already locked onto his position again.

    Just as he was about tounch another attack with the Blood Soul Technique, his vision suddenly blurred, and he experienced an intense dizziness. His body shook violently, and for a moment, he could barely stand.

    Chen Cangqiong immediately let out a low shout, his aura surged, and the dizziness and chaos were instantly dispelled.

    He nced at the ground and noticed that not far from his feet, there were seven or eight incense sticks carelessly inserted into the ground, emitting wisps of smoke and a unique fragrance.

    "Confusion incense?" Chen Cangqiong frowned.

    By the time he came back to his senses, the aura he had locked onto had already escaped the range of his spiritual sense and could no longer be tracked.

    Allowing a junior with a much lower cultivation level to escape from his grasp ignited an unnamed rage in his heart.

    Chen Cangqiong didn¡¯t know how to vent his anger, took a deep breath, and forcefully suppressed the fury in his heart, calming down and scanning the surroundings.

    But all around was enveloped in thick fog, without a single person in sight.

 Chapter 200: Beast-attracting

    Chapter 200: Beast-attracting

    Yuan Ming ran for two or three hundred feet before daring to stop, hiding behind a rock. His chest heaved violently as he gasped for breath.

    In that moment just now, he felt like he was about to be discovered. If he hadn¡¯t lit the incense in advance to hinder the other party, he would not have been able to escape.

    "The soul cultivator in the Foundation Building stage is really terrifying. Fortunately, I have the cloak given by Xiying. I wonder how Xiying is doing," Yuan Ming pressed his chest with one hand, feeling like he had just brushed shoulders with the Grim Reaper.

    But in the midst of panic, he still closed his eyes and began to check the perspectives of the two soul crows he had sent out.

    One of them stayed at the entrance where Xiying was, and the other continued to monitor the square area.

    At the entrance of the Biluo Cave, he had not seen the figure of the silver cat, and the Grand Elder once again waved his sleeves, using the strong wind to disperse the mist and find the location of the entrance.

    The fragrance of the mist could notst long. With the Grand Elder¡¯s cultivation, he and Xiying would be discovered sooner orter.

    Yuan Ming frowned, thinking about countermeasures. After a moment, he lit another stick of dark incense on the incense burner burning the mist fragrance.

    Create chaos and take the opportunity to escape!After smelling the familiar scent of the "Beast Attraction Incense," Yuan Ming once again controlled the incense burner with the Drive Object Technique. Following the direction provided by the soul crow, he moved toward the Grand Elder under the cover of the thick fog.

    The chaos continued in the square in front of the mountain.

    The previous Blood Radiance had driven nearly a hundred cultivators, including those from the Biluo Cave and the Dawn Scattered Alliance, into madness, attacking the other cultivators of the Dawn Scattered Alliance like crazy.

    Some of the elders who had been sent to the east and west sides of the Biluo Cave had also begun to return with their people, gathering with the remaining disciples to resist.

    After breaking free from the encirclement and fleeing to the back of the mountain, the three Foundation Building stage cultivators, including the hunchbacked old man, briefly discussed before chasing after the Grand Elder. Ougi stayed behind tomand the cultivators of the Dawn Scattered Alliance, defending against the counterattacks from the remaining forces of the Biluo Cave and stabilizing their own cultivators who had fallen into madness.

    After all, many of them were their own people, and they couldn¡¯t just kill them in a moment of confusion.

    The chaotic situation had slightly improved.

    Since the two cave masters were captured, the remaining cultivators of the Biluo Cave, without a leader, had almost given up on controlling the spirit beasts and released almost all of them, engaging in a desperate struggle.

    However, just as they were fighting fiercely, a strange situation urred.

    A green wolf that had been controlled and was engaged in battle suddenly stopped in the middle of its charge, turned its head, and looked in the direction of the back of the mountain.

    Its eyes gradually turned red, and its mouth, with blood-stained white teeth, drooled thick saliva. Suddenly, it went mad and charged toward the back of the mountain.

    The Biluo Cave disciple who was still riding on the back of the green wolf didn¡¯t know what had happened and hurriedly tried to control the wolf with the Beast Taming Technique.

    But at this moment, the green wolf hadpletely lost its reason, and the Beast Taming Technique had lost its effect. It arched its back and jumped wildly, throwing the disciple off and charging straight toward the back of the mountain.

    Simr situations urred with more and more spirit beasts breaking free from control, all going mad and dragging their owners, rushing toward the back of the mountain. The spirit beasts of the Dawn Scattered Alliance were no exception.

    For a moment, all the spirit beasts and fierce beasts in the surrounding mountains gathered around the Biluo Cave.

    A stampede of beasts...

    As the thick white mist began to dissipate with the burning of the mist incense, the Grand Elder Chen Cangqiong had already found his way again and was about to continue forward when he suddenly heard the sound of hooves "rumbling" from all around, bing alert.

    He turned his gaze and saw that in the distant mountain forest, the mist was churning, and huge figures were charging out of it, heading straight for him.

    Among those figures were the huge single-horned rhinoceros, the blue-haired giant wolf with wings on its back, the ck-haired boar with scales, and the fire-red-scaled python as thick as a water bucket...

    Some of them were spirit beasts raised by the Biluo Cave, and more were fierce beasts that grew in the Ten Thousand Mountains. At this moment, they were all going mad and charging toward him.

    "How could there be a beast tide?" Chen Cangqiong¡¯s face was anxious and full of doubt.

    The fierce and spirit beasts all around had gone mad and charged at him, forcing him to take action and once again be dyed in his progress.

    In the sky above,rge birds and fierce beasts were also flying toward him, diving down from above and falling toward the Grand Elder.

    Chen Cangqiong was surrounded by nearly a hundred fierce beasts, blocking his way.

    "Annoying!"

    With a deep and powerful roar, the blood-colored bat mark on his forehead lit up, and the terrifying blood soul shadow behind him swept out like a hook, sweeping around.

    In an instant, blood surged, and the fierce beasts within a hundred feet of the Grand Elder were all torn apart by the blood ws, as if they had been drained of all their strength, and fell to the ground in a mess.

    Chen Cangqiong easily cleared a path through the fierce beasts and, after determining the direction, rushed toward the direction of the mountain cave.

    ...

    On the other side, after putting away the incense burner, Yuan Ming had already burned half of the Beast Attraction Incense and put away the incense burner.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming suddenly saw Xiying¡¯s sparrow flying through the gradually thinning mist anding to his side.

    "Xiying, did youe out of the Biluo Cave?" Without waiting for the sparrow to speak, Yuan Ming asked first.A sparrownded on his arm, speaking in human tongue: "I came out early, hurry over here."

    "Lead the way!" Yuan Ming came to an abrupt halt, turned around, andmanded.

    The sparrow pped its wings and flew off in a certain direction.

    Yuan Ming followed, sprinting with his cloak billowing and the hem of his garment fluttering.

    It wasn¡¯t long before the mist around him gradually dissipated, the surrounding scenery became clear, and from afar, he could see a horde of frenzied spiritual beasts and ferocious beasts that had already charged into the area.

    Although the beast-attracting incense had been extinguished, the lingering scent still affected these crazed beasts. Having lost their direction, they began to attack any living creature nearby.

    Yuan Ming, being a conspicuous living person, naturally became the primary target of their attacks.

    Seeing seven or eight ferocious beasts charging at him first, with even more frenzied shadows looming behind, Yuan Ming remained calm. He immediately swallowed a detoxifying pill and lit the mesmerizing incense on the censer.

    With the censer¡¯s catalysis, the effect of the mesmerizing incense was greatly enhanced. Within a hundred zhang of Yuan Ming, the area became a forbidden zone for the ferocious beasts.

    Every beast that approached within a hundred zhang of him, without exception, began to fall to the ground, sumbing to deep slumber.

    Fortunately, the sparrow, having been warned by him, flew high above the hundred zhang radius and headed towards Xiying¡¯s location first.

    Yuan Ming rushed all the way and finally saw the silhouette of the silver cat from afar, but to his surprise, it was squatting next to the female formation master of the Dawnscatter Alliance.

    Just as Yuan Ming was about to catch up, he suddenly heard a loud noiseing from the direction of the cave behind him.

    The soul crow left in the Bi Luo Cave immediately allowed him to see the scene there clearly.

    A streak of blood light suddenly appeared at the mouth of the cave, withrge chunks of rock copsing and dust rising everywhere.

    "Sha Hao, wake up! Who took my Soul-Settling Jar..." Chen Cangqiong¡¯s figure burst out from the rolling dust, his eyes blood-red, his face filled with intense murderous intent as he bellowed.

    Before his words could fall, three figures broke through the mist, following the sound of his voice.

    "Chen Cangqiong, where do you think you¡¯re going!"

    "Think you can escape?"

    "Chen Cangqiong, let¡¯s have a proper talk."

    Three voices rose from three different directions, including the hunchbacked elder, as three Nascent Soul cultivators appeared one after another.

    The Grand Elder felt as if his vision was covered in blood, his heart filled with raging fury that had nowhere to be vented, he roared: "You¡¯re seeking death, I¡¯ll grant it to you!"

    A surge of blood shadow moved behind him, pouncing towards one of them.

    ...

    Seeing that the four Nascent Soul cultivators continued their chaotic battle, Yuan Ming breathed a sigh of relief and turned his gaze back to Xiying and the female formation master.

    He saw that outside their vicinity, a protective barrier enveloped in blue light isted them from the frenzied beasts around.

    At this moment, a single-horned rhinoceros with blue scales all over its body was furiously ramming against the blue light barrier.

    Its thick and slightly curved horn shone with a metallic luster, striking the blue light barrier repeatedly, causing the entire barrier to tremble violently, its light flickering.

    The guiding sparrow flew into the blue light barrier andnded on the female formation master.

    After a moment, the spiritual light in its eyes dispersed, and it took flight again, this time flying away directly.

    Yuan Ming, seeing that he was about to reach the vicinity of the silver cat, quickly extinguished the mesmerizing incense in the censer, fearing it might adversely affect Xiying.

    Suddenly spotting two blue wolves approaching the blue light barrier, he, well-prepared, waved his hand, and the Nine Rings Golden Saber whistled out, piercing through both wolves in one strike. He himself, holding the Cold Star Sword, rushed to the side of the single-horned rhinoceros and shed down with his sword.

    The rhinoceros, seeing an attacking, immediately turned its head to meet it, its horn aiming straight for Yuan Ming. The long sword in Yuan Ming¡¯s hand shed with cold light, and a chill surged from the de. Before even touching the rhinoceros, ayer of white frost formed on its head.

    Feeling the extreme cold, the rhinoceros did not retreat. In a burst of ferocity, it roared angrily and charged with all its might.

    The long sword finally came down, colliding precisely with the horn.

    A sharp "ng" resounded.

    It was like the sound of metal striking metal, the incredibly hard horn ultimately unable to withstand the sharpness of the Cold Star Sword.

    A sh of cold light passed, and the Cold Star Sword cleaved through the tip of the rhinoceros¡¯s horn, the de prating its head.

    The rhinoceros¡¯s head split in two, yet it still managed to push Yuan Ming back several steps with its powerful force before finally stopping.

    At this time, the blue light barrier, already on the verge of copse, finally shattered, dissolving into specks of light and disappearing...

 Chapter 201: Soul Separation Possession

    Chapter 201: Soul Separation Possession

    Yuan Ming drew his long sword and hurried to the side of the silver cat.

    At this moment, he could feel the asional bird calls and beast roarsing from all directions, and the ground was also faintly trembling, indicating that the effect of the beast-attracting incense was gradually taking effect.

    "How are you, Xiying?" he asked repeatedly, carefully examining the silver cat and even patting its head.

    This was the first time the silver cat allowed him to touch her body, and her fur felt soft and smooth.

    Squatting on the ground, the silver cat allowed him to touch her and then nced at him, opening her mouth to say, "Meow..."

    Meow?

    Yuan Ming was slightly stunned, then frowned as he noticed something was off.

    Looking into the silver cat¡¯s eyes, he saw that the original agility and pride were gone, reced by the instinctive gaze of a spirit beast.

    What had happened to the silver cat that allowed him to touch her?But the sparrows that had led the way and the pleasant voice of Xiying were not fake, clearly it was she who had led him here.

    "Xiying?" Yuan Ming tried calling out again.

    The silver cat responded noticeably to his call, but it was not the same as before, just meowing again.

    Just as Yuan Ming was puzzled, Xiying¡¯s voice suddenly sounded in his mind.

    "That¡¯s Guoguo, my spirit pet. I¡¯m inside this girl¡¯s body."

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming subconsciously looked at the white-clothed girl lying next to the silver cat, her eyes closed and no longer showing any signs of life.

    "What¡¯s going on?" Yuan Ming waspletely puzzled.

    "She was previously injured by Xicangqiong, and her soul was severely damaged, on the verge of copse. This body with the Five Elements Unified Spirit Root is not bad. Originally, my soul was attached to Guoguo¡¯s body, but now I n to possess her body and borrow it for a while," Xiying exined.

    "So, you can have a soul attachment!" Yuan Ming eximed in surprise.

    "Of course, the main soul controls the body for cultivation, while the attached soules out to y," Xiying replied.

    "Can soul cultivation really be like this?" Yuan Ming asked, feeling amazed.

    "Of course, I¡¯m a genius girl," Xiying said proudly, adding, "But the body controlled by my attached soul cannot fully unleash my own strength, otherwise, I could easily take Xicangqiong¡¯s life with just a flick of my finger."

    "You¡¯re really amazing," Yuan Ming sincerelyplimented Xiying, then said, "I just lit the beast-attracting incense, and soon more fierce beasts wille. Let¡¯s go to a safe ce."

    "It¡¯s toote. If we dy a little longer, this girl¡¯s original soul will dissipate, and this body will bepletely ruined, which is a pity. I have to cast a spell immediately. If you can¡¯t hold on next, you can run on your own, don¡¯t worry about me. I can just go back to Guoguo¡¯s body," Xiying said, pausing before adding, "Hmm, Xicangqiong is currently entangled by three Jindan stage cultivators, so there¡¯s no more trouble for now."

    "Okay, I¡¯ll protect youpletely in the time toe," Yuan Ming said, looking around.

    "Alright, I¡¯ll be back in a moment. I¡¯m really looking forward to the feeling of being a formation master," Xiying said.

    With that, the female formation master lying on the ground suddenly sat up.

    Her body suddenly had signs of life, and she sat cross-legged like a puppet, making hand gestures.

    As she sat cross-legged, a hazy light suddenly appeared at her brow, and a shadow of a three-legged golden crow shed and disappeared within it.

    Following that, the aura emanating from her body began to grow stronger, and a wave of spiritual energy spread from her body.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming put away his Nine-Ring Golden de and held the Cold Star Sword in one hand, guarding by Xiying¡¯s side.

    After he had killed more than ten fierce beasts that had rushed over one after another, themotion from the beast grouping from all directions became even stronger, and the ground was shaking more intensely.

    He had wanted to light the mist incense again to cover this area, but he was afraid that it would be dispersed by the fierce beasts that wouldeter. Once he left this area carelessly, it would be even more difficult to protect the female formation master.

    And at the moment, the bewitching incense could not be used, so he could only rely on his own abilities to hold his ground.

    "It¡¯s just a half an hour!" he grinned, feeling bold.

    At this moment, seventeen or eighteen fierce beasts affected by the beast-attracting incense discovered the two people and the cat here, and under the stimtion of their ferocious nature, they immediately rushed over in their direction.

    Yuan Ming took a quick look and saw that the most powerful of the fierce beasts that came forward was only at the middle-level of the first stage, which eased his mind a bit.

    He strode forward, standing more than ten meters away from Xiying, and with a flick of his hand, the Cold Star Sword immediately lit up with starlight and flew out, heading straight for those fierce beasts.

    Using the Drive Technique, he controlled the Cold Star Sword like an extension of his arm, and it was invincible in the group of fierce beasts. Wherever the sword light passed, a chill filled the air, and one fierce beast after another was cut to pieces by the long sword, but there was no blood spilling out.

    In just a few breaths, almost all of the fierce beasts had been killed, and they had hardly been able to approach within ten meters of Yuan Ming, let alone get close to Xiying.

    For a while, the surrounding area was littered with the bodies of fierce beasts of all sizes, and although Yuan Ming still had plenty of strength, the battle had left him somewhat breathless.

    Guoguo, the silver cat,zily yawned as she watched the scene before her.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming sighed inwardly, realizing that the silver cat before him was undoubtedly Guoguo¡¯s true form. With Xiying¡¯s temperament, it was absolutely impossible for her to make such a move in front of him while possessing the silver cat.

    But after just a nce, Yuan Ming immediately averted his gaze.

    The effect of the beast-attracting incense would not disappear for a while, and a steady stream of fierce beasts was rushing towards the back of the mountain.

    Although their location was not the center of the fierce beast attack and would not be invaded by the beast tide from all directions, it was still a heavily affected area for the gathering of fierce beasts, so they could not be careless.

    Before long, the sky became somewhat dim, and arge number of fierce birds and many other birds affected by the incense flew over the mountains and headed towards the Biro Cave.Under the effect of the beast-attracting incense, they were still gathering over there and did not attack Yuan Ming and the others for the time being.

    But once the effect of the beast-attracting incense wore off, it was hard to say what the target of these ferocious beasts would be.

    Yuan Ming was on guard when suddenly, a loud rumbling sound echoed through the mountains and forests.

    The trees in front of them were broken and copsed in patches, and dozens of tough and ferocious wild boars formed a formation, charging towards them with red eyes, kicking up dust.

    Yuan Ming frowned slightly at the sight.

    This time, he was not in a hurry to rush forward and kill them, after all, he didn¡¯t have the confidence to y dozens of mad wild boars with just one sword.

    His gaze sharpened, and suddenly he raised his hand and used a technique to control objects, as if wielding a sword.

    With a flick of his finger, a ck steel needle emitted a trembling sound and shot out with a "swoosh."

    The ck light shed and the steel needle shot from the left side of the charging wild boar formation to the right side.

    "Crack..."

    The surface of the steel needle was stained with ayer of blood in the engraved runes, and the trembling tail also dripped with a pool of crimson blood. Before the ten or so wild boars at the front could even let out a scream, they all fell down together, lifeless.

    The wild boars running behind them, caught off guard, were blocked by their deadpanions, and one after another, they fell to the ground in a mess. Some of them were running so fast and with such force that they were tripped and sent flying into the air.

    Yuan Ming, controlling the ck needle artifact, continued to shuttle through the fallen beasts, killing them, while leaping into the air and using his sword to kill the ferocious beasts that leaped towards him.

    Soon, this wave of ferocious wild boars waspletely wiped out.

    But before Yuan Ming could catch his breath, the ground shook again, and anotherrge group of ferocious beasts attacked, even more numerous than before, and their distribution was more scattered, almost forming a fan shape as they charged towards them.

    Yuan Ming focused his mind and continued to control the flying needle to charge back and forth in the group of beasts.

    But because the group of beasts this time was too scattered, the effect was not as good as when he killed the wild boar group just now, and arge number of ferocious beasts still rushed towards them.

    Yuan Ming held the Cold Star Sword, and used the Wind Swift Technique and Shadowless Steps to the extreme, shuttling back and forth in front of the female formation mage, constantly killing all the beasts that slipped through the.

    In just a short time, a pile of not-so-small corpses had piled up in the direction of the beast tide.

    And he himself was covered in blood.

    Yuan Ming stood with his sword, breathing heavily, and looked back at the female formation mage, who was still sitting cross-legged.

    Silver Cat Guoguo was still squatting beside her, lookingzy and indifferent to the fierce battle that was happening around her.

    Yuan Ming took a deep breath, just as he was starting to think about the matter of the soul separation, when he suddenly felt the ground shake again, and another group of ferocious beasts arrived.

    Using the vision of the Soul Raven, he had already seen the situation before it happened, and sure enough, nearly a hundred ferocious beasts had rushed over.

    The most troublesome thing was a snake with green scales and a single horn running at the front, emitting a breath that had already reached the initial stage of the second level, equivalent to a ferocious beast in the Foundation Establishment stage.

    This was not a guy that could be easily dealt with...

    Sure enough, when Yuan Ming once again controlled the ck needle to attack, it was discovered by this keen-sensed ferocious beast.

    It turned its head and aimed at the flying needle that was attacking from the side, spitting out a white cold breath.

    The intense cold air froze the water vapor in the air, formingyers of ice crystals that sessfully slowed down the speed of the flying needle.

    After piercing through theyers of ice crystals, it was picked up by the single-horned green-scaled snake and flung to the side.

    The huge body of the single-horned green-scaled snake swam quickly, climbing up a pile of beast corpses, and raised its snake head high, looking down at Yuan Ming with cold eyes.

    However, what greeted it was a ball of zing mes the size of a human head. Yuan Ming knew that the steel needle was simply incapable of killing the single-horned green-scaled snake, so he had already used the vision of the pile of corpses to block its line of sight and prepared a hand to explode technique.

    He grinned, and the ball of fire flew out with a "whoosh."

    Seeing the zing mes approaching, the enraged single-horned green-scaled snake showed no intention of dodging at all. Instead, it reared back and then suddenly lunged down, spewing out an extremely cold gust of wind.

    Under the force of the gust of wind, a stream of cold air formed, rushing towards Yuan Ming.

    The zing fireball rushed up against the cold air, and the extremely high temperature instantly evaporated the cold wind, emitting arge amount of white mist that obscured Yuan Ming¡¯s vision.

    But in the next moment, a fiery red sun lit up in the white mist.

    The intense firelight expanded violently, rapidly growing from a human-sized fireball to a dazzling wall of fire, with countless fireballs sttering in all directions, evaporating all the mist.

    In the bright firelight, the body of the single-horned green-scaled snake burst open, turning into countless fragments that shot out in all directions.

    Even the pile of beast corpses was sted open, with ferocious beasts being inevitably impacted, and some of them, which were not particrly strong in physique, were pierced by the strong impact and flying beast bones, resulting in death and injury.

    Taking advantage of the chaos, Yuan Ming once again manipted the ck needle to charge through the group of beasts, quickly resolving this wave of beast tide.

    After this wave, Yuan Ming staggered, feeling a wave of weakness, as if both his magical power and physical strength had been drained.

    He quickly took out a pill and swallowed it, while holding a spirit stone in one hand, rapidly restoring his magical power.

    After a moment, Yuan Ming suddenly frowned and looked up.Above them, the once still mass of beasts in the sky suddenly became restless. Ferocious birds and beasts started attacking each other, descending into chaotic ughter.

    This meant that the beast-attracting incense Yuan Ming had released earlier was losing its effect. The gathering of beasts would no longer continue in this area, and the danger was about to be lifted.

    Before Yuan Ming could shift his gaze, the circling predators above, drawn by the thick scent of blood, had already spotted them and began to dive down.

    Yuan Ming sighed and once again manipted the ck steel needles,unching them in a rapid assault.

    At the moment, controlling the ck needles was the most practical method of attack. After all, they were precise and consumed the least amount of mana. With Yuan Ming¡¯s own soul power, it was also the most convenient to control.

    As for Yuan Ming himself, he needed to recover his mana as quickly as possible. As long as no second-level beasts appeared, he would refrain from taking action to conserve his strength.

    But the group of predators in the sky, especially the seven or eight carrion-eating vultures, clearly did not want to leave him in peace.

    They scattered in all directions, continuously diving and attacking. Each one was agile and incredibly fast, making it difficult for the ck needles to be effective.

    Left with no choice, Yuan Ming pped his corpse-raising bag and summoned the Nascent Soul stage refined corpse, the Sky Serpent Elder.

    As the refined corpse appeared, the Soul Crow that Yuan Ming had left in the cave also flew back. Without a moment¡¯s pause, it crashed into the head of the refined corpse and merged into it.

    In the next instant, a ghostly light shed in the eyes of the Sky Serpent Elder, and he sprang into action.

    Wearing a pair of ck gloves, he positioned himself not far from the female array master, standing guard with focused attention.

    If those carrion-eating vultures were only going after the dead beast corpses, Yuan Ming would not bother with them. However, if they mistook Xiying for a corpse and attacked, he would immediately intervene.

    Even if the ck needles couldn¡¯t stop them, there was still the Sky Serpent Elder, adding an extrayer of protection.

    Time passed, and eventually, the forest gradually quieted down, with many more corpses of ferocious beasts scattered around.

 Chapter 202: Adhere to; hold fast to; stand fast by

    Chapter 202: Adhere to; hold fast to; stand fast by

    As the fierce mes approached, the crazed single-horned green-scaled python showed no intention of avoiding it. The snake first leaned back to gather strength, then suddenly lunged downward, spewing out a st of icy wind.

    Under the force of the icy wind, a stream of cold air formed and rushed straight towards Yuan Ming.

    The zing fireball surged upwards against the cold air, evaporating the cold wind instantly and creating arge amount of white mist, obscuring Yuan Ming¡¯s vision.

    But in the next moment, a fiery red sun lit up within the white mist.

    The intense firelight expanded dramatically, rapidly growing from a small fireball to a dazzling wall of fire. Countless mes scattered and sttered, evaporating all the mist.

    In the bright firelight, the body of the single-horned green-scaled python burst open, shattering into countless pieces that shot out in all directions.

    Even the mountain of savage beast corpses was sted open, with shattered remains of savage beasts scattered everywhere.

    The beast horde that was charging from behind was inevitably impacted, and some of the savage beasts, who were not particrly strong, were pierced by the strong impact and flying bone fragments, resulting in casualties.

    Taking advantage of the chaos, Yuan Ming once again manipted the ck needles to charge into the beast horde, quickly resolving the situation.After this wave, Yuan Ming staggered and couldn¡¯t help but feel weak, as if both his mana and physical strength had been drained.

    He quickly took out a pill and swallowed it, while also holding a spirit stone in one hand to rapidly restore his mana.

    After a moment, Yuan Ming suddenly frowned and looked up at the sky.

    The densely packed horde of beasts above suddenly began to be chaotic, with some savage beasts and birds of prey attacking each other, engaging in a chaotic battle.

    This meant that the beast-attracting incense he had released earlier was starting to lose its effect, and the next wave of the beast horde would not continue to gather here, so the danger was about to be resolved.

    Before Yuan Ming could retract his gaze, the savage beasts circling above were suddenly attracted by the strong scent of blood and discovered him, diving down towards him.

    Yuan Ming sighed and had no choice but to once again control the ck needles and swiftly attack.

    At present, controlling the ck needles was the most practical method of attack, as this item was delicate and consumed the least mana. With Yuan Ming¡¯s own soul power, it was also the most convenient.

    As for Yuan Ming himself, he needed to quickly restore his mana. As long as no second-level savage beasts appeared, he would try to avoid taking action in order to conserve his strength.

    However, the savage beasts in the sky, especially the seven or eight scavenging vultures, clearly did not want to let him off easily.

    They all scattered and continuously swooped down to attack, their agile bodies and high speed making it difficult for the ck needles to be effective.

    Helpless, Yuan Ming pped the corpse-storing bag and summoned the body of the Foundation Establishment stage corpse refiner, Tian Snake.

    As the corpse refiner appeared, the soul crow that Yuan Ming had left behind in the cave had also flown back without stopping, and immediately rammed into the head of the corpse refiner, merging into it.

    In the next moment, a glint of light shed in Tian Snake¡¯s eyes, and he began to move.

    Wearing a pair of ck gloves on his hands, he came to stand not far from the female formation master, alert and on guard.

    If the scavenging vultures were only going to eat the dead beast corpses, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t need to worry, but if they attacked Xiying as if she were a corpse, he would immediately take action.

    Even if the ck needles couldn¡¯t stop them, there was still Tian Snake, providing an additionalyer of protection.

    It was unknown how long had passed, but the mountain forest finally began to quiet down, with many more savage beast corpses scattered around.

    Yuan Ming was also mentally fatigued and had no choice but to retract the rest of the soul crows, leaving only one to remain vignt.

    The corpse of Tian Snake naturally returned to the corpse-storing bag, and he could only barely activate the corpse for a short time, unable to fully unleash its power and not daring to keep it out for long.

    "There shouldn¡¯t be anotherrge-scale beast horde attack. It¡¯s almost half an hour..." Yuan Ming was thinking to himself when his gaze suddenly sharpened.

    He raised his hand and grasped the Cold Star Sword, then swiftly dashed to Xiying¡¯s side.

    He saw the trees in the mountain forest swaying, and a giant, five-zhang-tall mountain turtle, with a massive body, broke through the towering ancient trees and charged towards them.

    The mountain turtle was and tortoise with a tough physique and a shell that was nearly as defensive as a magical weapon, and it possessed immense strength.

    In the many legends of the Southern Wilderness, there had always been stories of mountain turtles carrying mountains on their backs, and they had always been the embodiment of strength.

    However, this mountain turtle had always been gentle and non-aggressive, usually not attacking other creatures, but it seemed to have been affected by the beast-attracting incense and had gone mad.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming suddenly noticed that there was a yellow spirit talisman attached to the head of the mountain turtle.

    This was a spirit beast raised by the sect, and the spiritual power emanating from it had already reached the initial stage of the second level, making it a Foundation Establishment stage spirit beast.

    The mountain turtle was less than twenty zhang away from them, and Yuan Ming had no time to think, so he could only raise his sword and meet it head-on.

    As it approached, Yuan Ming gripped the sword with both hands, and his mana surged into the Cold Star Sword.

    The sword emitted a flickering starlight, and white cold air overflowed from the sword, condensing into white ice crystals on the de.

    Yuan Ming swung the long sword with all his might, shing towards the mountain turtle¡¯s exposed head.

    A streak of white sword light arced out, and wherever it passed, the temperature in the air dropped sharply, and the suspended water vapor condensed into ice, even the surface of the green grass on the ground was covered with ayer of frost.

    Just as the sword light was about to fall, the mountain turtle suddenly retracted its head into its heavy shell.

    The sword light fell on the shell, emitting a sharp sound, then shattered and dispersed like starlight, but the mountain turtle was unharmed and once again stuck its head out, continuing to charge towards Yuan Ming.

    However, after running for only two or three steps, the mountain turtle suddenly stopped, and a wave of cold air spread from where the sword light had fallen, instantly condensing into ayer of ice, enveloping the entire turtle.

    The mountain turtle was frozen in ice.

    Yuan Ming hadn¡¯t had time to feel happy when his heart suddenly began to race.His divine consciousness, projected outward, sensed a powerful aura assaulting from the other side, heading straight for the female array master.

    Yuan Ming abruptly turned around, only to see a tall figure suddenly appear from the nearby woods.

    The man had a square face, a prominent nose, and short stubble on his cheeks. His brocade robe was stained with blood, and his expression was gloomy¡ªit was none other than Elder Meng Shan.

    Since the beginning of the sect invasion, this man had not shown himself. Yuan Ming thought he had already fled, but unexpectedly, he encountered him here.

    "Elder Meng Shan! Your disciple is here, with treasures to offer you."

    Yuan Ming raised his hand and called out loudly, trying to attract his attention.

    However, his target, the unmoving female array master, paid no heed to Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming activated his jade belt, casting the Swift Wind Technique and Shadowless Step, his figure shing rapidly, attempting to intercept between Elder Meng Shan and the female array master.

    Elder Meng Shan remained indifferent, striking out with a palm towards Yuan Ming and said, "Once I kill you, everything will be mine."

    Under the force of ate-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, a casual palm strike was not something ate-stage Qi Refining cultivator like Yuan Ming could withstand.

    Seeing a nearly transparent white palm imprint pressing through the void and hurtling towards him, Yuan Ming dared not face it head-on and hastily dodged to the side. Shocked by Elder Meng Shan¡¯s shamelessness, Yuan Ming wasted no words, throwing out three Thunderfall Talismans towards Elder Meng Shan.

    The talisman papers burned in the void, and three bolts of lightning fell from the sky, striking at Meng Shan.

    He pushed his hand towards the sky, and a Bagua mirror in his palm lit up, forming a golden light barrier that blocked the attack.

    The white lightning struck the golden barrier, scatteringrge arcs of electricity, but failed to inflict any damage.

    Ultimately, Elder Meng Shan reached the female array master first. At her feet, Guoguo, the cat, suddenly bulged its eyes, its fur standing on end, but Meng Shan did not even nce at the small silver creature.

    The thunderous roar of the lightning and the sparks that flew had caused a momentary re in Meng Shan¡¯s eyes, briefly obstructing his vision.

    At that same moment, a ck soul crow swooped down from a nearby tree, entering Elder Meng Shan¡¯s brow with the speed of lightning, turning from solid to ethereal as it vanished inside.

    The soul crow exploded within Elder Meng Shan¡¯s sea of consciousness, unleashing pure soul power and causing a powerful soul shock.

    Elder Meng Shan had no time to react before his body suddenly stiffened, as if he had lost control, and under the force of inertia, he toppled forward.

    A sh of joy crossed Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes. Without a moment¡¯s dy, his figure shed forward, and he raised his Cold Star Sword, shing heavily towards Meng Shan¡¯s head.

    Just as the sword was about to strike, another change urred.

    "Roar..."

    A roar, like that of a wild bull, erupted from behind him. The ground surged with yellow light, and huge boulders rose from beneath, colliding upwards, propelled by a powerful wave of air, striking at Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s back felt as if it had been rammed by a wild bull, and he was helplessly thrown forward. The mountain tortoise, previously frozen in ice, had broken free from control andunched an attack.

    The soul crow¡¯s soul attack, though not instantly fatal, could cause damage and loss of bodily control, but only for a moment.

    Disturbed by the mountain tortoise, Yuan Ming had lost the perfect opportunity to overpower and severely injure Elder Meng Shan.

    He sighed inwardly, and as he tumbled to the ground, he caught a glimpse of the Bagua mirror that Elder Meng Shan had dropped. He snatched it up, pushed off the ground with both arms, leaped back to his feet, and swung his sword at Elder Meng Shan once more.

    Elder Meng Shan had by then regained his senses, though blood trickled from the corner of his eyes and his eardrums were swollen, leaving him somewhat dazed.

    He didn¡¯t even understand what kind of attack he had suffered, but as Yuan Ming¡¯s long sword shed down, he hastily took out a pair of ck hooks and swung them to meet the strike.

    With a "ng," the collision of the magical instruments sent Yuan Ming flying back seven or eight zhang before he could barely steady himself, while Meng Shan remained unmoved.

    Elder Meng Shan wiped the blood from the corner of his eyes, his gaze refocusing on Yuan Ming, his eyes filled with murderous intent.

    Meanwhile, the mountain tortoise charged over with all four legs, rushing towards them.

    Caught between the two, the situation was extremely unfavorable for Yuan Ming.

 Chapter 203: The power of the heart-cracking thunder

    Chapter 203: The power of the heart-cracking thunder

    Elder Meng Shan¡¯s footwork shifted, and his figure charged towards Yuan Ming like a specter.

    "Shadowless Step..."

    Yuan Ming¡¯s heart tightened as he saw a cold glint suddenly light up in front of him.

    In the instant Elder Meng Shan rushed to his front, the emerald dagger in his hand thrust towards Yuan Ming¡¯s chest and abdomen.

    Yuan Ming was well-prepared, his palm hidden in his sleeve suddenly shot out, the Nine Elements Form circting wildly within his body, channeling mana. The small Bagua mirror in his palm, barely refined, lit up with a golden light screen.

    The moment the dagger struck the golden light screen, a tremendous force erupted, scattering golden light in an explosion, and the Bagua mirror instantly cracked with a "crack" sound.

    Yuan Ming felt a massive force impact him, a surge of power rushing up his arm to his shoulder and neck, causing intense pain, and he was sent flying backward.

    Before he hit the ground, Yuan Ming noticed something strange on the ground behind him.

    He saw the earth behind him upheave as rocks and soil surged upward, forming a noticeable ridge of earth, clearly the work of the mountain turtle using its innate divine ability to burrow underground.As the earthen ridge rapidly extended towards the female array master, Elder Meng Shan¡¯s smile grew more pronounced.

    But just then, the rising earthen ridge suddenly halted.

    Following that, a dull and mournful bellow echoed from beneath the thickyer of earth.

    The ground shook violently, rocks and soil copsed, and a massive figure burst forth from underground¡ªit was the mountain turtle.

    However, at this moment, its eyes were filled with terror, as if something extremely frightening lurked below.

    Yuan Ming watched as ck spots appeared on its enormous head, a hint of amusement shing in his eyes.

    How could he not be fully prepared to protect Xiying?

    With soul crows watching from the trees and a ck toad safeguarding underground, he aimed to prevent any beasts from burrowing andunching a sneak attack from below, an area he couldn¡¯t cover!

    He could only arrange for the most powerful ck toad to guard beneath the array master, serving as thest barrier.

    The mountain turtle¡¯s massive body became incredibly heavy, and after only a few steps, it copsed to the ground in severe pain, convulsing uncontrobly. Its huge head strained with thest of its strength before dropping heavily.

    Seeing the mountain turtle¡¯s head smashing towards the female array master.

    The mountain turtle¡¯s massive body blocked his view, and as he leaped into the air, he saw Silver Cat Guoguo, who had been sitting beside the female array master with a slightly dazed expression, suddenly burst into action as the head fell.

    Its body radiated with a sudden surge of silver light, and its small form grew in an instant, transforming into a six-foot-long, three-foot-tall snow-white beast, almost resembling a robust white tiger.

    A second-level junior spirit beast!

    At this moment, Guoguo¡¯s body was silver-white, its fur longer, its pupils one gold and one amber, its ws and teeth gleaming coldly.

    With a roar, Guoguo simply lifted its paw and swung, bringing a gust of wind and a "bang" sound.

    The mountain turtle¡¯s huge head was easily torn open under its sharp ws, turning into a shower of blood and bone fragments that sprayed out.

    This sight not only stunned Yuan Ming but also caused Elder Meng Shan to pause.

    But what surprised him even more was yet toe.

    The massive silver-white tiger suddenly shimmered with ayer of silver light and vanished from his sight.

    Yuan Ming immediately extended his divine sense to search, but to no avail.

    The silver tiger had disappeared, its form and even its aurapletely gone.

    Silver Cat always had a way of appearing beside him unnoticed, only making her presence known to Yuan Ming when she wished to be detected, and this time was no exception.

    Not only did Yuan Ming fail to detect Guoguo¡¯s whereabouts, but Elder Meng Shan also lost his sense of the silver tiger.

    But in the next instant, Meng Shan swiftly swung his w, smashing it into the empty space beside him.

    His w shone with dark light, unleashing a torrent of formidable power.

    Apanying this, a blur and distortion appeared in the void as if covered by ayer of mist, and a giant white shadow emerged from it¡ªit was the silver tiger.

    As it revealed itself, a snow-white w, already gathering strength, swept towards Elder Meng Shan.

    The white w collided with the ck w, and a powerful shockwave exploded from the impact.

    The silver tiger¡¯s massive form was pushed backward by the force.

    But Elder Meng Shan didn¡¯t fare any better, retreating seven or eight zhang away.

    "Such formidable strength!"

    He had seen the array master teleported after being attacked and guessed she wouldn¡¯t be transported far in a short time. Hoping to find her first by searching the vicinity alone, he thought he could gain an advantage if he found her first.

    Unexpectedly, not only did he encounter a bratty kid blocking his way, but this array master, already severely injured by the Great Elder¡¯s Soul Bat, also had a hidden spirit beast of such formidable strength.

    But before Meng Shan could recover from his shock, the ground beneath him suddenly trembled violently, and the rocks and soil copsed once more.A pitch-ck vine suddenly shot out from below, wrapping around his calf in an instant.

    Following that, a puff of ck smoke spread from his calf, where his clothes instantly rotted and turned ck, then crumbled into dust and fell.

    "Ugh..."

    An intense, unbearable pain surged from his calf, causing him to let out a muffled groan.

    Elder Meng Shan hurriedly swung his wed hand down, severing the vine with his sharp ws.

    After breaking free, he immediately made several leaps to distance himself from the vine.

    Looking down at his calf, he saw the flesh where the vine had wrapped was rotting, and his entire calf was now covered in ck spots.

    "What a potent poison," Elder Meng Shan¡¯s expression changed drastically, panic setting in.

    He had never imagined that in his attempt to capture a female array master to aid his escape, she would have so many protective measures in ce.

    Two spirit beasts, eachparable to a Foundation Establishment cultivator, one light and one dark, both possessing extremely troublesome unique abilities.

    In his mind, such powerful spirit beasts were naturally the female array master¡¯s backup; how could they be rted to that minor Qi Refining stage cultivator?

    Before he could figure it out, a white shadow suddenly appeared at his side. The silver tiger-like spirit beast materialized out of thin air and swiped at him fiercely.

    Elder Meng Shan, already contemting retreat, hastily dodged, moving over thirty feet away.

    But before he couldnd, a shadow swept up from the ground behind him, and a ck vine, like a swift serpent,unched a surprise attack, aiming straight for his face.

    Elder Meng Shan swung his wed hand to block it, but out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a ck crow swooping in from the side, also aiming for his face.

    This series of continuous attacks, despite his battle-hardened experience, left him somewhat flustered.

    Just as he dodged the silver tiger¡¯s w, blocked the poisonous vine, and blew away the crow with a gust of wind from his mouth, the intense pain in his calf struck again. The strange poison was now causing his entire lower body to go numb.

    Uponnding, he stumbled and fell to the ground.

    Then, the sound of a sword cry rang out.

    A snow-white, burly figure wielding a sword shed out; it was Yuan Ming, who had donned the hide of a white ape, transforming into one and gaining a boost in strength and vitality, as he hurled his sword at Elder Meng Shan.

    A streak of cold light shed by, instantly freezing the arm that held the ck w.

    Elder Meng Shan felt a chill surge up his arm, which had gone stiff. As he was about to muster his magic to resist, he saw the transformed Yuan Ming swing his arm, hurling a round bronze sphere at him.

    The muscles in the white ape¡¯s arm tensed, and the immense force sent the bronze sphere flying with a sonic boom, arriving in an instant with a trailing phantom image.

    Elder Meng Shan had no chance to dodge.

    The bronze sphere, covered in runes, lit up with striking luminous traces.

    With a ¡¯click¡¯, the bronze sphere suddenly split open, revealing a dazzling silver-white light from within.

    "Zzzt..."

    After a series of silver arcs danced, the silver-white light burst explosively.

    "Boom!"

    A striking column of lightning shot up from the forest, unleashing a powerful shockwave. Amidst the dazzling light, one could vaguely see Elder Meng Shan¡¯s body stiffen and shake as arcs of electricity exploded around him.

    The loud noise drowned out his screams.

    When all the lightning had dissipated, a shallow, scorched pit appeared on the ground, with trees within a ten-yard radius charred ck, their trunks still ame, emitting wisps of white smoke.

    At the center of the pit, Elder Meng Shan¡¯s body still stood, but it was unrecognizable. At the top of his head was a terrifying wound from the lightning strike, still emitting smoke.

    He could not believe that one day he would be killed by a mere Qi Refining stage cultivator.

    At that moment, the silver tiger¡¯s figure shed, raising its massive paw and smashing down, tearing Elder Meng Shan¡¯s remains to shreds.

    Yuan Ming quickly stepped forward, picking up a finger from the ground and pulling off a storage ring set with a blue gemstone. Before he could examine the storage ring in his hand, the Soul Crow spotted a small group of people approaching from afar.

    He quickly pocketed the storage ring and the wed magical instrument from Meng Shan¡¯s hand, retreating to stand in front of Xiying.

    Yuan Ming signaled the ck Toad to continue hiding, leaving only a vine tendril to burrow into the neck of the headless Mountain Tortoise, frantically absorbing the remaining power, while the pile of fierce beasts Yuan Ming had previously in had already been sucked into its belly by its underground tendrils.

    Turning around, Silver Cat Guoguo had already returned to her usual cute and docile appearance, squatting beside the female array master, continuing to guard her.

    Voices were already approaching from the distance.

    Yuan Ming looked in the direction of the footsteps, seeing a group of Dawn¡¯s men, about seven or eight of them, led by the jester, hurrying towards them.

 Chapter 204: Soul cultivation ability

    Chapter 204: Soul cultivation ability

    At this moment, the clown¡¯s face was no longer covered in paint, but he still wore that somewhat ridiculous pointed hat.

    If it weren¡¯t for this, Yuan Ming would probably not recognize him.

    Because under the ridiculous paint, there was a rather young and handsome man¡¯s face.

    The clown Xiao Yao saw the female formation master with her eyes closed at a nce, and when he looked at Yuan Ming, a strong killing intent burst out in his eyes.

    "Sister, what¡¯s wrong with you!"

    "Thief!" The clown shouted, and with a wave of his hand, there were dozens of golden light des flying towards Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming had already moved a long distance away when the clown arrived, and when he saw the clown attacking, he dodged even further with his agile speed.

    He tightly gripped the Cold Star Sword andmunicated with ck Toad, preparing to counterattack.

    "Just stop, brother."At this moment, a crisp female voice sounded.

    At the sound of the voice, the dozens of golden light des that had flown out stopped abruptly in mid-air, but did not immediately retract.

    Yuan Ming turned slightly and found that the female formation master had already woken up.

    "Xiaoying, are you okay?" The clown¡¯s face showed a look of surprise and asked hurriedly.

    "Brother, I¡¯m fine. He is on our side. I was injured and unconscious before, and he has been protecting me." The female formation master had already stood up from the ground at this time, and with a sh of her transparent embroidered shoes, she teleported to Yuan Ming¡¯s side.

    Yuan Ming asked in a low voice, "How are you recovering?"

    "Good, very good, hehe." Xiying replied in a low voice, "From now on, I¡¯m called Xiaoying."

    Yuan Ming urgently said in a voice that only the two of them could hear, "From now on, Xiaoying is my employer, and I am the person you have bought to infiltrate the Biro Cave."

    Xiying said, "Yes, this way we can solve the problem of your identity. You are very clever."

    Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but ask in a low voice, "What is your current situation?"

    "I am temporarily attached to this body and have gained her memories. The original owner, Xiaoying, was severely injured by Xicaoong, and I saved her, but she will be in a deep sleep for a long time in the future." Xiying exined through a voice transmission.

    "Is this also a method of soul cultivation?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "Of course, you will know the wonders of soul cultivationter." Xiying replied with a smile.

    At this time, Xiao Yao had also caught up, and with a concerned look in his eyes, he circled around her to confirm that she had no obvious injuries before he could rx a little.

    "Sister, what¡¯s wrong with you? You just scolded me for being impulsive earlier, but now you¡¯re acting recklessly yourself? Do you know that I was really worried just now? If something had happened, how could I exin it to the old ancestor when I went back?" After looking her over, he couldn¡¯t help but bring out the dignity of an older brother and asked with concern.

    "You underestimated the strength of the Elder. The teleportation was a bit slow, but now everything is fine." Xiying spoke in Xiaoying¡¯s tone, without any difference.

    "Is this person the spy you arranged in the Biro Cave? Why didn¡¯t you tell me about it?" Xiao Yao rxed a bit, looked at Yuan Ming, and asked with a hint of suspicion in his eyes.

    "Brother, are you annoying? Do I have to tell you everything?" Xiying¡¯s face showed an impatient look and asked back.

    Xiao Yao¡¯s expression stiffened, obviously there was nothing he could do about this sister.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming also put on the Dawn Coat given by Xiying and changed sides.

    "I was injured just now and rested for a long time. How is the situation now?" Xiying asked.

    "The overall situation has been determined, but Chen Cangqiong has not been killed yet... It¡¯s not easy to deal with a soul cultivator who has almost reached thete stage of the Jiedan period. The three Jiedan period cultivators have used various methods, but they still can¡¯t take him down for a while when they join forces." Xiao Yao said with a serious expression.

    Xiying¡¯s face changed when she heard this, showing a pensive look.

    "Sister, do you have any formation that can trap Chen Cangqiong? If we can¡¯t kill him this time and let him escape, he will cause endless trouble in the future." Xiao Yao said with concern.

    The other people who followed were also full of hope and had the same worries.

    After all, if they provoked a Jiedan period soul cultivator and couldn¡¯t kill him, the consequences of being targeted by him in the future would be unbearable for anyone.

    Unexpectedly, Xiying just smiled lightly after thinking for a moment, "Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s as good as dead this time."

    Upon hearing this, everyone was stunned, both shocked and hopeful.

    "Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go take a look." Xiying looked confident and picked up Silver Cat Guoguo.

    "Where did this little cate from?" Xiao Yao asked.

    "It just ran out from the beast tide and has a strong affinity with me. I named it Guoguo. Do you like it?" Xiying said.

    "It looks really beautiful." Xiao Yao.

    "Meow," Guoguo seemed to hear it.

    Soon, everyone arrived at the battlefield on the back mountain.

    The scene in front of them surprised them. The half of the mountain wall had copsed, and the trees within a range of nearly ten miles were all broken and fallen. The ground was covered with the corpses of fierce beasts and craters formed by explosions.

    There were clumps of mes on the ground, and ck smoke billowed. The whole scene was a mess.

    In the sky, three Jiedan period cultivators of the Dawn organization were in a triangr formation, surrounding the Elder in the center.

    The young-looking Elder at this moment had disheveled hair, and there was a blood-colored g standing in front of him. His clothes were tattered, fluttering in the wind, and his face was full of madness.

    The three people surrounding him were also not in a good condition.The hunched old man to the right had his flesh blurred with blood, his right ear only half remaining, his body drenched in blood, yet he was controlling a silver bell, held high above his head, directly facing Chen Cangqiong.

    Visible to the naked eye, translucent sound waves surged from the silver bell, continuously pressing down on the Great Elder.

    On the other side, the red-robed man¡¯s face was deathly pale, his body trembling incessantly, his eyes zed as if his soul had suffered a great trauma.

    He was now relying solely on his strong willpower, urging the fiery red trident to block the Great Elder¡¯s retreat.

    The green-robed young woman was in the best condition, with no apparent injuries on her body, her expression solemn as she continuously poured mana into the emerald flying sword floating before her.

    The sword¡¯s body shone brightly with green light, and one after another, emerald sword shadows split from the sword¡¯s body, quickly forming over twenty emerald flying swords in an array.

    "Go," the green-robed young womanmanded with a delicate shout.

    The twenty-plus emerald flying swords immediately soared into the air, forming an array on their own, and in an instant, they transformed into a circr sword formation in the sky, pressing down on the Great Elder with the force of Mount Tai.

    "Stop, everyone, don¡¯te any closer," Xiying called out to the people, halting them three hundred zhang away.

    Yuan Ming looked from afar, his heart secretly rmed.

    Beneath the emerald sword formation, the void crisscrossed with twisted sword marks; any living creature entering its range would surely be sliced into countless pieces.

    Seeing this, the Great Elder¡¯s expression also became slightly more solemn.

    Suddenly, he raised both hands, and the blood-colored banner soared into the air, directly colliding with the sword formation.

    As the two approached each other, the red light on the blood-colored banner surged, and a vast expanse of blood clouds burst forth, instantly colliding with the sword formation, the red and green lights intertwining, erupting with thunderous roars.

    Seeing the stalemate, the hunched old man immediately let out a low shout and pushed the silver bell with force.

    "Dang..."

    A loud bell rang out, and waves of sound rushed towards the Great Elder like a flood.

    Under everyone¡¯s gaze, the Great Elder¡¯s movements suddenly became incredibly slow, as if he was trapped in mire, struggling to move.

    The red-robed man, whose eyes had been zed, suddenly shone with a sharp light, and with a forceful push of his hand, the fiery red trident drew an arc, stabbing into the Great Elder¡¯s chest from behind.

    The Great Elder¡¯s right chest was instantly pierced by the trident, tearing open a shocking gash, with bright red blood spurting out.

    Yuan Ming watched this scene, feeling somewhat unreal.

    But the other Dawnbreakers around him had already begun to shout excitedly.

    However, at that moment, everyone suddenly realized that the spurting blood did not disperse but instead moved on its own, then split apart, transforming into arge swarm of blood-colored bats that flew away with a whoosh.

    They split into three groups, each swooping towards the three Nascent Soul cultivators involved in the siege.

    The hunched old man reacted the fastest, immediately turning the silver bell to st the blood-colored bats in front of him with sound waves.

    The red-robed man took out a fiery red round mirror from his bosom and reflected it in front of him, a great ze of mes spewing forth, burning towards those bats.

    Only the third batch of bats rushed towards the green-robed young woman, who was fully engaged in operating the sword formation, and pounced to bite her.

    The green-robed young woman had no time to defend herself and was approached by the blood-colored bats. In her panic, she found that the approaching blood-colored bats all turned into a mist of blood and dissipated.

    Instead, behind the hunched old man, who had defended first, the figure of the Great Elder appeared out of thin air.

    His hand reached out from behind like a ghost, grabbing towards the back of the hunched old man¡¯s head, with a surge of blood light exploding in his palm.

    Just then, a ck pot engraved withndscape and bird patterns suddenly flew into the air, its body shining with dark light, like a ck sun, emitting rings of ck ripples.

    It was the Soul-Subduing Pot that Xiying had taken away.

    Where the ck ripples spread, everyone felt their vision distort, and the scene in mid-air changed dramatically.

    There were no longer blood clouds interweaving with the sword formation in the sky, no longer the hunched old man being subdued...

    Everything that everyone had seen before turned out to be an illusion!

    The real scene was...

    At this moment, the green-robed young woman and the red-robed man were back to back, enveloped by the Great Elder¡¯s blood-colored banner.

    Two huge blood-colored bats were perched on their foreheads, sucking away.

    Only the hunched old man, relying on the dying function of the silver bell, was contending with the true body of the Great Elder.

    However, the Great Elder at this moment was no longer youthful, but had white hair flying about, his face showing signs of old age, as if he had also activated some secret technique or divine ability at a great cost.

    "Ah..."

    Everyone was truly shocked by the sudden appearance of this scene, all wanting to turn and flee.

    Yuan Ming was also shaken, a Nascent Soul soul cultivator, actually suppressing three other cultivators of the same realm with his own power.

    No wonder soul cultivators were considered heretical and feared and shunned by the entire cultivation world; this ability was indeed beyondprehension.

 Chapter 205: Original reason

    Chapter 205: Original reason

    "Hmm, even the Soul Ignition Blood Technique has been used. I arrived a step toote, but these three Foundation Establishment cultivators will have to stay here." Everyone was shocked and fearful, but Xiying, with a slight smile on her lips, transmitted a message to Yuan Ming.

    At this moment, the Grand Elder Chen Cangqiong also noticed the anomaly and immediately saw the ck small pot suspended in mid-air, his expression suddenly changing.

    "Who is it!"

    He immediately shouted, intending to abandon the old man with the bow on his back and seize the ck small pot.

    Seeing this, Xiying raised her hand and a ck light flew out into the air.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze narrowed, and he finally saw clearly that within the ck light was a round ck pot cover with a delicate appearance.

    As the pot cover flew out, the Soul Suppressing Pot seemed to respond and flew towards the pot cover.

    The two merged and became one again.

    "How is this possible? Who is it? Who hase?" Chen Cangqiong, seeing this situation, widened his eyes in disbelief and horror.However, Xiying did not answer.

    "Receive." She had already formed the hand seal, and with a low drink, the carved figure on the pot cover, resembling a lion, suddenly lit up, as if it hade to life, and opened its mouth.

    A ck light shone from its mouth, and a swirling ck vortex like a neb emerged, emitting a strong attractive force.

    "No! Don¡¯t, don¡¯t..." Chen Cangqiong, seeing this, waspletely panicked.

    He hurriedly tried to retrieve the two blood-colored bats perched on the foreheads of the woman in the green shirt and the man in the red robe. They were his soul manifestations, just like Yuan Ming¡¯s Soul Raven, but even more important to him than the Soul Raven was to Yuan Ming.

    All the supernatural powers of a soul cultivator were rooted in their soul, and the higher their cultivation, the more so.

    The Soul Suppressing Pot was originally aimed at Chen Cangqiong¡¯s soul manifestations, and the two blood-colored bats had no resistance as they were directly sucked into it.

    Chen Cangqiong tried to stop it, but he was also affected by the Soul Suppressing Pot, and there were signs that his own soul was being dragged out.

    Xiying wasted no time and immediately raised her hand, and the Soul Suppressing Pot turned into a stream of light and flew back to her.

    At this moment, Chen Cangqiong finally followed the direction of the light and saw the "Female Formation Master" Xiying, who was surrounded by a group of people, with an expression of incredulity in his eyes.

    He wanted to pounce down, but the old man with the bow on his back took the opportunity to break the blood-colored banner and rescue the conscious woman in the green shirt and the man in the red robe. The three Foundation Establishment cultivators once again joined forces and surrounded Chen Cangqiong.

    Xiying had already withdrawn her gaze and silently recited a cryptic and difficult-to-understand secret spell, channeling her mana into the Soul Suppressing Pot, activating its refining and assimtion abilities.

    Thendscape and bird-and-flower patterns on the Soul Suppressing Pot lit up, as if infused with a soul, bing lifelike, while Chen Cangqiong in the high sky clutched his head, engulfed in immense pain.

    The man in the red robe summoned a small red hammer, and with a slight shake, dense hammer shadows appeared and attacked Chen Cangqiong along with the flying sword unleashed by the woman in the green shirt,nding on his body-protecting blood mist.

    Clusters of blood radiance burst open on the blood mist, and the sound of rain hitting banana leaves suddenly rang out. The blood mist first rippled, then turned into a fierce churn, but due to Chen Cangqiong¡¯s inability to support it, it eventually dissipated.

    Seeing this, the old man with the bow on his back stepped forward, and a silver light appeared in the palm of his hand, pping the head of the Grand Elder with a "bang."

    Chen Cangqiong¡¯s head exploded like a ripe watermelon.

    His corpse floated down, and Ouji flew forward, grabbing his body.

    With Chen Cangqiong¡¯s death, on the front mountain, those controlled by the blood bats also returned to normal one after another.

    "Chen Cangqiong has been executed, the disciples of the Biluo Cave must surrender immediately, and the Dawn Alliance will not hold them ountable for the past!" Ouji flew into the air with the Grand Elder¡¯s body, his voice rolling out.

    The disciples of the Biluo Cave who were still resisting, upon seeing the Grand Elder¡¯s corpse, lost all will to fight and threw down their magical instruments. The Dawn Alliance quickly gained control of the situation.

    On a mountaintop more than a hundred miles away from the Biluo Cave, a figure stood, a ck-robed old man with three small braids on his head, while on another mountaintop about a hundred feet away, a tall, slender woman with a colorful hairpin and heavy makeup sat in meditation with her eyes closed.

    "It seems to be over." The tall, slender woman opened her eyes and spoke.

    "Dawn has indeed taken down the Biluo Cave single-handedly. We made the right choice to approach Dawn this time. We didn¡¯t take any risks by not showing up ourselves, and in case Chen Cangqiong escaped, we wouldn¡¯t have any risk." The ck-robed old man smiled, but a hint of fear shed in his eyes.

    "Chen Cangqiong is indeed formidable. Dawn mobilized so many experts for this battle, and even lost a Foundation Establishment cultivator." A lightugh came from another mountaintop, where a burly bald giant was standing.

    "Haha, Brother Mandong is right. Approaching Dawn is the least risky way for us. Once Dawn retreats, our four families will divide the power as agreed." On another giant peak not far from the three mountaintops, a middle-aged man in Chinese attire stood against the wind, with the appearance of a person from the Southern Region but dressed in Central ins clothing.If there were people familiar with the situation in the southern and northern regions, they would be shocked to see these four individuals. They were important figures from the ck Fire Gate, Hundred Poison Cave, Beast King Sect, and Blue Rock Association.

    The ck Fire Gate¡¯s elder, ck me, the Hundred Poison Cave¡¯s Poison Mistress Miaoxi, the Beast King Sect¡¯s elder Mandong, and the Blue Rock Association¡¯s vice president Saihan.

    "Good, good, good. It¡¯s a pity that the umtion of the Biluo Cave over the years has all gone to waste. We also paid a huge price," ck me nodded slowly.

    "In recent years, the situation in the northern region has been precarious. The Biluo Cave dared to attack the Great Jin Merchant Group and the border residents. If the Changchun Sect uses these incidents as a reason to intervene in the affairs of the southern region, our sects will have to get involved in the struggle between the major sects in the southern and northern regions and the Great Jin sect. By then, we will have no choice but to get involved, and we might all end up being sacrificed. This sacrifice is worth it," Miaoxi breathed a sigh of relief.

    "Yes, fortunately, we joined forces at the beginning and persuaded Li Zhui to find out the ws in the Biluo Cave¡¯s grand formation. This allowed the Dawn Sect to immediately arrange for people to infiltrate and destroy it. He just needed to pretend to fish every day, and even Ling Songhua didn¡¯t have to take action. This time, hepletely reaped the benefits," Saihan said.

    Everyone agreed.

    "Last time, when the Great Jin came to negotiate the disappearance of the border residents, the envoy unexpectedly disappeared as well. The Great Jin Emperor was furious. ording to the domineering style of the Changchun Sect, they will definitely seize on this point. Three years ago, they could have immediately intervened in the affairs of the southern region, but they didn¡¯t. Instead, the deputy envoy of the Great Jin gave us three years to solve the Biluo Cave through the Dawn Sect. It¡¯s a bit strange," Miaoxi said.

    "It is indeed strange. The Great Jin envoy kept this matter secret and did not hold us responsible. I think this matter should not involve us," ck me said.

    "That¡¯s good. Let¡¯s pretend we don¡¯t know, just in case the Changchun Sect brings up the old matter in the future. The missing person is the only son of General Yuan, who is favored by the Jin Emperor and was the Emperor¡¯s childhoodpanion," Saihan said.

    At this moment, a streak of light flew from the direction of the Biluo Cave and stopped in the air in the middle of the four people, revealing the figure of Ougi.

    "Chen Cangqiong has been killed, the mission isplete," Ougi said.

    "Friend Ougi, you have worked hard. This is the reward we agreed upon earlier," ck me chuckled and handed over a storage bracelet.

    Ougi used his divine sense to check and found no problems, then turned to leave.

    "Friend Ougi, how do you n to deal with the disciples of the Biluo Cave?" Saihan suddenly asked.

    The other three also looked over, their eyes sharp.

    "Why do you ask, friend Saihan? Our agreement was that as long as Chen Cangqiong was removed, all the disciples of the Biluo Cave, except for the disciples of the Fire Refining Hall, would belong to us," Ougi said expressionlessly.

    "The poption in the southern region is sparse, and there are not many people with spiritual roots. In fact, the disciples of the Biluo Cave, especially the inner disciples, are all good spiritual root holders. If Friend Ougi is willing to give up, we can offer additional rewards," ck me took out another storage bracelet.

    "You are all worthy of being the leaders of the sects, rich and powerful. Unfortunately, this matter is not up for discussion," Ougi looked at the four people and shook his head.

    ck me and the others looked disappointed.

    "I won¡¯t give up the disciples of the Biluo Cave, but there are still quite a few beast ve servants in the Biluo Cave within the ten thousand mountains. If you want them, you can take them and pay the reward," Ougi spoke again.

    ck me and the others were pleased to hear this.

    Although the beast ve servants of the Biluo Cave were all four spiritual roots, four spiritual roots were still spiritual roots, and if there were enough of them, it would be quite a force.

    It was a pity that so many foundation and qi refining cultivators who had experienced life and death battles in the Biluo Cave had been given to others, making the Dawn Sect even stronger.

    ...

    On the other side of the Biluo Cave, in a secluded mountain valley, a group of people stood here, with the leader being Li Zhui and the third cave master, Lingsonghua.

    Behind the two of them stood a dozen or so disciples of the Fire Refining Hall, including Fang Ge, Chen Wan, Amuhe, and others.

    A transparent sphere floated above their heads, emitting an invisible fluctuation that enveloped everyone, forming a transparent shield.

    The nearby birds, insects, and ants were all moving naturally, as if the group of people did not exist.

    The group looked towards the direction of the Biluo Cave, their expressionsplex.

    "Chen Cangqiong led the Biluo Cave into a glorious era, but it¡¯s a pity that this person is too eager for quick sess and instant benefits. I knew he would not have a good ending. In the end, he met this fate," Li Zhui sighed.

    "The sun rises in the east and sets in the west, the moon waxes and wanes. This is the way of the world, and the rise and fall of sects is even more reasonable. We have also been liberated and be free individuals," the third cave masterforted with a calm expression, seemingly indifferent to the destruction of the Biluo Cave.

    Li Zhui let out a long sigh, his expressionplex, showing annoyance, resentment, and a hint of relief.

    "Third Cave Master, will the people from the Dawn Sect kill our disciples? Should we save some more people?" Fang Ge nced at the sphere above his head and asked.

    They were all saved by the third cave master using this treasure. This sphere had the effect of invisibility and was not afraid of divine sense detection, which was quite mysterious."The words of the Dawnbreak Alliance still hold weight, and their attack on the Biluo Cave today is aimed at the Great Elder. The ordinary disciples are not in danger; at most, they will be recruited into the Dawnbreak Alliance," the Third Cave Master said.

    Fang Ge and the others, upon hearing this, fell silent.

    "Let¡¯s go," said Elder Yu.

    The group departed from the ce, quickly vanishing into the distance.

 Chapter 206: The memories of the past flooded into his mind

    Chapter 206: The memories of the past flooded into his mind

    Yuan Ming followed Xiao Ying, Xiao Yao, and others to the front of the Qing Luo Square on the front mountain. The disciples of the Bi Luo Cave were all escorted here.

    After scanning the crowd, his brow suddenly furrowed.

    The disciples of the various halls of the Bi Luo Cave were numerous, but the people of the Fire Refining Hall were very few.

    During the previous melee, he used the Soul Crow to explore everywhere, but did not see the figure of the Fire Refining Hall disciples, and the three hall masters did not appear from beginning to end.

    "Could it be..." a thought arose in Yuan Ming¡¯s mind.

    "Who are you looking for?" Xiying¡¯s voice came.

    "It seems that the people of the Fire Refining Hall are not here," Yuan Ming said after a moment of contemtion, but he was relieved in his heart.

    He still had some feelings for the senior brothers of the Fire Refining Hall. In this chaos of the sect, the elders and disciples of the sect were probably seriously injured or killed. They were all under themand of the three hall masters, and the three hall masters were not present at the critical moment. They must have been saved by the three hall masters.

    After controlling the situation, the members of the Dawn Alliance began to systematically break the restrictions on some important ces in the Bi Luo Cave, such as the storage room of the Refining Hall, the warehouse of the Fire Refining Hall, etc. Large quantities of ore, spirit grass, elixirs, and even spirit beasts were transported out and ced in the Qing Luo Square.The items confiscated from the disciples of the Bi Luo Cave were also ced here, and from a distance, half of the square was filled with dazzling spiritual light, attracting everyone¡¯s attention.

    The savings of the Bi Luo Cave from the Three-Star Mountain to here for so many years should all be here.

    The members of the Dawn Alliance gradually gathered here, their eyes shining as they looked at the items on the ground, but no one dared to move without authorization.

    Yuan Ming listened to the nearby people discussing and knew that this was the usual practice of the Dawn Alliance. Every time theypleted a mission, they would disy all their gains in public, and then distribute them ording to the size of their contributions to show fairness.

    Yuan Ming thought that the biggest gain of the Dawn Alliance in destroying the Bi Luo Cave this time was not these things, but the storage magic tools of the Great Elder, the Grand Cave Master, and the Second Hall Master.

    How could the real good things be evenly distributed?

    "Yuan Ming, why are you here?" a somewhat surprised voice came from the front.

    Yuan Ming looked up and his gaze also moved.

    The person who came was Wu Lu, who at this moment had revealed his Foundation Establishment cultivation base, and although he was slightly injured, it was not serious.

    Standing next to Wu Lu was Xiao Yao, and the two of them seemed to be familiar with each other.

    "Brother Wu Lu, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. We have gone through thick and thin together in the Bi Luo Cave for more than three years," Yuan Ming said.

    "Yuan Brother, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. It seems that we are truly good brothers," Wu Lu said with a look of sudden realization.

    Yuan Ming smiled and nced at Xiao Yao beside him, saying loudly, "It¡¯s not just good brothers, the two of us took care of each other as beast ves in the Bi Luo Cave. We are life and death brothers."

    The two of themughed heartily together.

    Xiao Yao, who had been somewhat suspicious of Yuan Ming as a spy, now found that Yuan Ming and the extraordinary Wu Lu, who had made great contributions this time, were so familiar with each other and had gone through hardships together, dispelling her doubts.

    Before long, a streak of light flew from a distance and stopped in mid-air above the square, revealing the figure of Ougi, who announced the distribution of the items on the square to everyone.

    The members of the Dawn Alliance heard this and let out a resounding cheer.

    Bai Ye and Huan Shi were also among the group of Foundation Establishment cultivators, unscathed.

    Yuan Ming and the two of them exchanged nces from a distance, nodded, and when they saw that Yuan Ming had already put on the attire of the Dawn Alliance, they both understood and smiled at each other.

    After arranging the distribution, Ougi turned and left.

    "Are they distributing the items? Let¡¯s go, we¡¯ll go over too!" Xiying chuckled lightly and waved her sleeve.

    Yellow array patterns appeared on the ground under her, Yuan Ming, and Xiao Yao¡¯s feet, quickly forming a yellow formation.

    Before Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes were engulfed by the yellow light, when he came to his senses, they had appeared near the entrance of the Bi Luo Cave.

    Ougi, the hunched old man, and four other Core Formation cultivators were all present, and when they saw Xiying and Yuan Ming appear, they smiled.

    "Xiying, you¡¯ve finally arrived. We¡¯ve been waiting for you," Ougi said.

    "What are you waiting for? You all go ahead and distribute, don¡¯t mind me. But this Yuan Ming, he has made great contributions this time and must be rewarded generously," Xiying said with her hands behind her back.

    Upon hearing this, Ougi and the others looked a bit embarrassed, insisting that decisions must be made together.

    "Ougi, I won¡¯t be polite then. I yed the biggest role in killing Chen Cangqiong just now, so I should pick first from the items on his body," Xiying said.

    Upon hearing this, Ougi and the other three exchanged nces, the hunched old man snorted, and the man in the red robe and the young woman in the green dress looked at Xiying with some dissatisfaction.

    "Friends, how about this, let¡¯s follow our previous agreement and divide the items in Chen Cangqiong¡¯s storage magic tool into five parts, and Xiying will get one of them. Since she wants to pick first, let her go ahead," Ougi coughed awkwardly and said.

    "Ougi, we were invited by the Dawn Alliance, and we almost died in the battle with Chen Cangqiong just now. Why should she pick first?" the hunched old man said bluntly, and the three of them did not understand why Ougi was so amodating to a Foundation Establishment female cultivator, even though she had just saved them.

    "Friends, you don¡¯t know. This woman is the direct granddaughter of the patriarch of the Red Lotus Ind in the southern region of the Southern Domain. She also has the innate body of the fusion of the five elements, and is one of the most talented formation masters on this continent," Ougi exined to the three of them through voice transmission.The three of them looked surprised.

    The Xiao family on the Red Lotus Ind in the southern region of South Jiang, and even the entire South Jiang, is very famous. The Xiao family is proficient in the art of array formations and prohibitions, especially skilled in refining array gs and tes. Many sects in South Jiang havee to visit, just to obtain a good protective array for their sect.

    The Xiao ancestor mentioned by Ougi is the current head of the Xiao family, and is also a master of array formations. It is said that his cultivation has broken through to thete stage of the Foundation Establishment realm, which is rare among array masters.

    In terms of strength and connections, they were far from beingparable to the three of them.

    "Moreover, the credit for breaking the array and killing Chen Cangqiong is obvious. The three of you were indirectly saved by Xiao Ying, so everyone should be grateful," Ougi said again.

    "Alright, Xiao Ying, you go first," the hunched old man and the other two exchanged nces and felt that it made sense.

    "Xiao Ying, what do you think?" Ougi turned to Xiying and asked, ignoring the request to reward Yuan Ming.

    "What about Yuan Ming? He followed my arrangements from the beginning and risked his life three years ago to sneak into the Biluo Cave to help me steal Chen Cangqiong¡¯s magic weapon. He should also be greatly rewarded," Xiying said again.

    "I followed Senior Xiao¡¯s arrangements three years ago and entered the Biluo Cave, and also cooperated with Wu Lu to cover and protect each other," Yuan Ming said.

    "I can vouch for that. If you don¡¯t believe it, you can ask Wu Lu," Xiao Yao said.

    "Indeed, Wu Lu has reported to me many times that a disciple named Yuan Ming is very suspicious. It turns out to be your doing, Xiao Ying. It coincides with my ns, so he should be rewarded. The Biluo Cave has always been generous to heroes," Ougi said.

    "Is this person trying to take credit afterwards?" the man in the red robe said.

    The man in the red robe red at Yuan Ming, and a sense of pressure enveloped him. The gap in their cultivation levels was too great, but even with just a little external pressure, Yuan Ming felt as if a mountain was pressing down on him, and his body couldn¡¯t help but tremble slightly, with his bones making a faint cracking sound.

    At that moment, Yuan Ming almost felt as if his entire being was about to be crushed, and his spiritual consciousness was also constantly shaking.

    The pressure on his body was one thing, but his spiritual consciousness was like a me in a strong wind, and could be extinguished at any moment. His body also lost its ability to move, and he couldn¡¯t even retreat to avoid the overwhelming pressure.

    Yuan Ming exerted all his strength to operate the Nine Elements Form and the Death Moon method, desperately resisting the pressure from the man in the red robe, but it was of little use.

    The enormous pressure counterattacked, igniting his fighting spirit. Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes widened, and he pushed the Death Moon method to the extreme, and the soul power in his spiritual consciousness surged like a tide.

    Almost at the same time, Yuan Ming¡¯s arm felt a surge of heat, and a huge stream of heat flowed from the incense burner mark, merging into his spiritual consciousness.

    His mind suddenly heard the sound of cracking, and his spiritual consciousness, which was on the verge of copse, suddenly strengthened at a visible speed, firmly resisting the pressure from the man in the red robe.

    "I broke through!" Yuan Ming was both shocked and delighted. His Death Moon method had finally broken through to the third level!

    The memories of the past flooded into his mind.

    The past was vivid, and his memories were fully restored!

    During this time, while he was diligently cultivating the Nine Elements Form to improve his cultivation, he did not slow down the practice of the Death Moon method. His soul power continued to grow, and had reached the peak of the second level.

    Yuan Ming had originally nned to wait until the matter in the Biluo Cave was over, and then find a ce to seclude himself and attempt to break through to the third level of the Death Moon method. Unexpectedly, with the strong pressure from the man in the red robe and the help of the incense burner, he had seeded in one fell swoop.

    Xiying noticed Yuan Ming¡¯s changes and immediately looked at the man in the red robe.

    "Sir, you¡¯re quite imposing. You can¡¯t bully someone who has made a contribution. Ougi, you must make a decision," she said angrily.

    "Harmony is the most important thing. It¡¯s just a small matter, just a small matter. Yuan Ming¡¯s reward will be discussed separately," Ougi said, separating Yuan Ming and the man in the red robe.

    "Where¡¯s the bullying? I was just testing to see if he really had the ability to stay hidden in the Biluo Cave for so long. Yes, yes, this kid has a bright future. Poxiao has a good eye," the man in the red robe retracted his pressure and changed the subject.

    The hunched old man and the woman in the green shirt were somewhat surprised by Yuan Ming¡¯s performance under the heavy pressure.

    "Hehe, just a little test. Yuan Ming, you¡¯re not taking it to heart, are you?" Ougi said.

    "Of course not. The seniors here are role models for the younger generation. I greatly admire the seniors¡¯ heroic spirit in today¡¯s battle," Yuan Ming said calmly.

    "Sure enough, heroes emerge from the younger generation. You are from the Great Jin, right? A year after Poxiao, there will be a major task in the Great Jin. Our branch will join forces with a sect in the Great Jin to take action. Why don¡¯t you participate as well? The reward for this task will definitely satisfy you, and we need someone to stay hidden in advance, with high safety, low risk, and great rewards," Ougi said.

    "Thank you for your appreciation, Ougi, but I feel that the breakthrough in my cultivation is imminent. I may need to seclude myself for a long time. I hope the branch leader will understand," Yuan Ming said. The reward for the task at Poxiao was high, but he knew he wasn¡¯t suitable to participate.

    "What task? I can do that," Xiao Yao interjected.

    "You shut up. The ancestor¡¯s birthday ising soon. We promised to return as soon as this is over," Xiying said.

    "It¡¯s a pity, but the most important thing in cultivation is experience, as the ancestor said," Xiao Yao wanted to argue, but was red at by Xiying.

    The others nearby heard that the Xiao family on the Red Lotus Ind was about to celebrate the ancestor¡¯s birthday, and it seemed to be a major event. They couldn¡¯t help but think that it would be a great gain to go and congratte them and receive a few array gs."I also wish to offer my congrattions on this birthday celebration. I have long admired the elder of the Xiao family," said thedy in green with a light smile.

    "Of course, we must go and offer our felicitations," the man in red added.

    "Yes, yes, yes, let¡¯s go together. Today, we have faced life and death alongside the two Xiao brothers; Xiao Yao, you must give us a proper introduction," the hunchbacked elder said to Xiao Yao.

    Xiao Yao replied, "No problem."

    The atmosphere suddenly became harmonious.

    "I wonder, young friend Yuan, what is it that you desire?" Upon hearing this, Ou Ji turned his gaze to Yuan Ming and inquired.

 Chapter 207: Two Foundation Establishment Pills

    Chapter 207: Two Foundation Establishment Pills

    "Thank you, Elder Ougi. I would like to have some pills that are helpful for Foundation Establishment," Yuan Ming said, cupping his hands.

    "No problem. Elder Ougi broke through the Bi Luo Cave, and the one thing we have in abundance is Foundation Establishment Pills. Elder Ougi, give Yuan Ming a few," Xiying said casually.

    Yuan Ming inwardly chuckled at the words, but still maintained a respectful demeanor on his face.

    Although he had already obtained a Foundation Establishment Pill from Bai Ye, his spiritual root aptitude was trulyplicated. Even with the Nine Elements Form, there was not much certainty in sessfully establishing a foundation with just one Foundation Establishment Pill. However, with two Foundation Establishment Pills, the situation would be different.

    Of course, if he was lucky enough to sessfully establish a foundation with just one pill, the extra Foundation Establishment Pill would be a valuablemodity.

    "Xiao Ying, these Foundation Establishment Pills are not easy toe by, and each one has a specific purpose," Ougi said, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

    "Isn¡¯t the Dawn Sect always fair in rewarding and punishing, never mistreating brave warriors? So this is how they don¡¯t mistreat people!" Xiying sneered.

    "I haven¡¯t finished speaking yet. Although these Foundation Establishment Pills are very precious, Yuan Junior deserves this reward," Ougiughed and handed a wooden box to Yuan Ming.

    "Elder Ougi, my aptitude is really average, so it¡¯s a bit difficult to establish a foundation with just one pill," Yuan Ming said regretfully."Not enough, not enough. One pill is not enough. There are plenty of Foundation Establishment Pills in the Bi Luo Cave. Take a few more. A cultivator like Yuan Ming, who is brave and resourceful, can help with any tasks from the Dawn Sect after sessfully establishing a foundation," Xiying continued.

    The other three also echoed Xiying¡¯s sentiments, all feeling that Yuan Ming¡¯s aptitude was a bit problematic, and one pill was definitely not enough.

    Reluctantly, Ougi once again handed a wooden box to Yuan Ming.

    "Thank you, Elder Ougi, for your kindness," Yuan Ming said, happily epting the two wooden boxes, and saw Xiying looking at him with a charming smile.

    Next, Ougi and the other four Foundation Establishment cultivators, along with Xiying, began to distribute the items from Chen Cangqiong, the Grand Cave Master, and the Second Cave Master¡¯s storage artifacts.

    Ougi set up a green prohibition nearby, cutting off all lines of sight and divine consciousness.

    This scene made Xiao Yao scratch his head in frustration. He wanted to follow Xiying to see what treasures Chen Cangqiong and the others had left behind, but he couldn¡¯t enter, so he could only stand outside the prohibition and stare nkly.

    Yuan Ming cleverly walked to a distance, opened the two wooden boxes, each containing a Foundation Establishment Pill. They were shining with a brilliant blue light, even more magnificent than the one he had obtained from Bai Ye.

    He felt secretly delighted. With these three Foundation Establishment Pills as a foundation, coupled with the cultivation of the Thirteen Layers of Qi Refinement from the Nine Elements Form, his confidence in breaking through the Foundation Establishment stage would definitely increase significantly.

    Yuan Ming put away the wooden boxes, sat cross-legged, and sensed the situation in his sea of consciousness.

    Breaking through the thirdyer of the Death Moon method, his spiritual power had increased significantly. He could now condense six soul crows, and the spiritual power fluctuation of each soul crow was stronger, showing a significant improvement in both the range of travel and the power of soul collision.

    Yuan Ming nced at Ougi and the others, quietly releasing a soul crow that flew far away, weakening its connection with his main body only after flying thirty miles.

    He nodded slightly, continuing to sense the changes in the soul crow and the new ability he had obtained, "Soul Search."

    Through this ability, he could invade someone else¡¯s sea of consciousness with his divine consciousness, explore their memories, and even forcibly alter or erase their memories in the future.

    However, with Yuan Ming¡¯s current cultivation, he could only search through someone else¡¯s memories and was unable to alter or erase them.

    Even so, it made him inexplicably excited.

    At the same time, inside the green prohibition, Ougi took out Chen Cangqiong¡¯s storage artifact and infused it with his mana.

    With a "swoosh," arge pile of things appeared on the ground. In addition to six thousand spirit stones, there were two jade boxes, two bottles of pills, the Ten Thousand Ghosts Banner, the Blood Battle¡¯s blood-colored treasured de, and over a hundred ck bells, which were Soul-Capturing Bells.

    Ougi handed the storage bracelet to the others, and the old man with a bowed back and the others took turns to check, confirming that there was nothing left inside before throwing it aside.

    Ougi then pinched a seal, and the two jade boxes opened automatically, each containing two jade slips. The stoppers of the two pill bottles also flew up automatically, each containing an inconspicuous dark green pill emitting a bitter medicinal fragrance.

    "Five Organs Pill!" the old man with a bowed back eximed, staring at the ck pill in shock.

    "Oh, this is the pill that can regte the five organs, invigorate the body, and extend life by fifty years when taken. The Five Organs Pill?" Ougi was also somewhat surprised at the words.

    "This is the first time I¡¯ve seen this pill as well. It¡¯s said to be nearly lost in the Southern Frontier Cultivation World," the man in the red robe murmured.

    The old man with a bowed back remained silent, his gaze fixed on the two Five Organs Pills. With not much life left, it was clear that he was determined to obtain these pills.

    The man in the red robe and the young woman in the green shirt had plenty of life left and didn¡¯t need the Five Organs Pills. They turned their attention to the Ten Thousand Ghosts Banner and the blood-colored treasured de.

    Ougi observed the three people¡¯s reactions and was about to propose a method of distribution.Xiying raised her hand and two jade slips floated into her hand. She said, "I want these two jade slips, the soul-capturing bells, and a thousand spirit stones."

    The others had different expressions upon seeing this.

    Ouji and the old man with the bow didn¡¯t care. The two jade slips should contain Chen Cangqiong¡¯s cultivation method, and it would be troublesome if others knew that they had Chen Cangqiong¡¯s method.

    As for the soul-capturing bells, they were just ordinary low-level artifacts. They had been distributed to the low-level disciples who went out to capture beast ves. They were of no use except for collecting souls.

    Although the man in the red robe and the young woman in green were quite interested in Chen Cangqiong¡¯s mysterious soul cultivation method, Xiying had already taken the lead, and the two of them didn¡¯t say anything.

    Seeing that the four of them had no objections, Xiying did something unexpected. She lit up a white light in her hands, enveloping the soul-capturing bells and jade slips, and then crushed them with force, turning them into ck fragments that scattered.

    "What are you doing?" Ouji asked in surprise.

    "Soul cultivation and soul-capturing bells are forbidden. Once they are known to others, it¡¯s not good for anyone. It¡¯s better to destroy them," Xiying said calmly.

    Ouji and the others didn¡¯tment on this exnation, but since the soul-capturing bells didn¡¯t belong to them, they had no objections to how Xiying handled them. As for the cultivation method, since it was destroyed, it was even better that no one could obtain it.

    "You seniors can discuss slowly. I¡¯ll leave first," Xiying said, then turned and left the restricted area.

    ...Yuan Ming saw Xiyinging out of the restricted area and was about to go up to greet her, but Xiao Yao took the lead and approached Xiying, rubbing his hands together and asking, "My dear sister, you came out so quickly. Did you find something suitable for your brother?"

    "I chose Chen Cangqiong¡¯s cultivation method and the soul-capturing bells," Xiying said.

    "This soul cultivation method is really something. Let me see it," Xiao Yao said excitedly.

    "I destroyed it on the spot," Xiying said.

    "What?" Xiao Yao jumped up.

    "Keeping it would be harmful. It would be even more harmful to the Xiao family if I held onto it. So I destroyed it on the spot. It¡¯s better for our family¡¯s reputation to be known as selfless and noble," Xiying said.

    "Sister, you are truly wise. No wonder our ancestors always said that the future of the Xiao family will depend on you," before Xiao Yao could finish speaking, Xiying called out to Yuan Ming, "Let¡¯s go."

    As Yuan Ming took a few steps forward, Xiying waved her hand and activated a teleportation array. The three of them disappeared from sight and reappeared at the Qingluo Square.

    The distribution at Qingluo Square was still ongoing. Ten members of the Dawn Alliance with booklets in their hands were standing at the edge of the square, calling out names.

    The booklets seemed to record the merits of those who participated in the mission. Those whose names were called could choose corresponding rewards based on their merits, and half of the items on the square had already been taken.

    "Brother, you have made a lot of contributions this time. Aren¡¯t you going to im a reward?" Xiying suddenly spoke up.

    "Hehe, I¡¯ve already imed it. I¡¯m not as generous as you. I felt like I was at a loss after killing the young master of the White Dragon Indst time," Xiao Yao said with a smile.

    "You still have the nerve to say that. You were shouting in the market, afraid that others wouldn¡¯t know it was you who made the move. Now you¡¯ve offended Master Qingshan, and I don¡¯t know how you¡¯re going to make amends. You can track and attack, but can¡¯t you wait until you¡¯re out of the market?" Xiying said angrily.

    Xiao Yao¡¯s smile froze on his face, and he opened his mouth but ultimately didn¡¯t say anything more. He dejectedly ran towards the people with the booklets, and the pointed hat on his head drooped to one side.

    "I¡¯m going for a walk," Xiying sent Xiao Yao away, and without waiting for Yuan Ming to speak, she boldly waved her hand and activated a teleportation array, disappearing from sight.

    Yuan Ming was about to find a quiet corner to rest, but Wu Lu appeared out of nowhere, bringing Ma Xingkong with him, and warmly introduced, "Brother Yuan, where did you just run off to? You made it hard for me to find you! Let me introduce you to someone. This is Ma Xingkong, a friend of mine. I¡¯m sure you already know each other. We were fellow disciples at the Biro Cave, and now we¡¯re both in the Dawn Alliance. There¡¯s no need for formalities between us."

    "Brother Ma, I¡¯ve heard of your name for a long time," Yuan Ming said respectfully to the man.

    He had broken through the third level of the Death Moon method, and his sensitivity to the aura had be much sharper. Ma Xingkong¡¯s magical aura was somewhat simr to his.

    "Pleasure to meet you! I¡¯ve heard Wu Lu mention you before. Brother Yuan is also from Dajin, right?" Ma Xingkong looked at Yuan Ming and asked.

    "Yes! I didn¡¯t expect to meet a fellow townsman here. It¡¯s really fate," Yuan Ming said.

    All three of them had experiences as beast ves. When they talked about their past at the Biro Cave, the three of them quickly became familiar with each other, and if others had seen them, they would have thought that the three of them were long-lost close friends.

    "Brother Ma, have you been with the Dawn Alliance since leaving the Biro Cave?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "No, I only recently joined the Dawn Alliance," Ma Xingkong said, shaking his head."Brother Yuan, you may not be aware, but Brother Ma is now a distinguished disciple of the Great Jin¡¯s Changchun Temple. He has been cultivating in the Great Jin for years, and only recently joined the Dawnbreakers temporarily to eradicate the Biluo Cave," Wu Lu said.

    "Changchun Temple!" Yuan Ming eximed in surprise, followed by a moment of realization.

 Chapter 208: The fetters of youth

    Chapter 208: The fetters of youth

    No wonder Ma Xingkong¡¯s aura is simr to his own. It seems that he also practices a simr technique to the Nine Elements Form. In that case, whether it¡¯s the Biluo Cave or the Changchun Sect, the two of them can be considered as fellow disciples, and it¡¯s really fate. With this in mind, Yuan Ming had a new idea about Ma Xingkong.

    "So you¡¯re a disciple of the number one sect in Da Jin, the Changchun Sect," Yuan Mingplimented.

    "You¡¯re too kind. I can¡¯t be considered a top disciple. After I escaped from the Biluo Cave, I happened to meet my master by chance. He saw some potential in me and took me in as his disciple. Recently, we need to eradicate the Biluo Cave, and I happen to have some evidence of the Biluo Cave killing mortals, so I was sent to the Southern Frontier to handle this matter with Poxiao," Ma Xingkong said.

    "I see. Did you deliberately record the evidence of the Biluo Cave killing mortals when you were in the Biluo Cave?" Yuan Ming nodded, curious. However, he always felt that there should be some other reason for the involvement of the Changchun Sect.

    "To be honest, I used to be a merchant. When I followed a caravan to the Southern Frontier, we were attacked by the Biluo Cave, and all my family and friends were killed. I survived because I had spiritual roots. In order to avenge my family, I went from being a beast ve to a named disciple. Later, I bought some artifacts in the market and recorded several cases of the Biluo Cave killing mortals. I originally wanted to use this evidence to use the Biluo Cave of viting the Ten Rules of the Northern Region. Unfortunately, the five sects of the Northern Region kept passing the me on each other, and it wasn¡¯t until now that this evidence finally came in handy," Ma Xingkong said with a hint of resentment in his eyes.

    "The Biluo Cave is a scourge, and its destruction today is well deserved. Brother Ma, you have done a great service," Yuan Ming recalled the tragic scene in Miaohua Vige and sighed.

    "We¡¯ve been chatting for a while and almost forgot about the main business. Brother Yuan, I have already reported your contributions and added your name to the list of rewards. Hurry up and im it, or all the good stuff will be taken," Wu Lu suddenly remembered and said.

    Yuan Ming looked enlightened and thanked him, but he was secretly delighted. He had already obtained two Foundation Establishment Pills from Ougi, and he didn¡¯t expect to receive another one here!

    Naturally, more rewards were better. This time, he had also spent a lot of effort, burning incense and protecting thew, which was quite exhausting.He immediately went to the ten members of Poxiao who were holding booklets and reported his name.

    "So you¡¯re Brother Yuan, nice to meet you! The story of you and Wu Lu sessfully infiltrating the Biluo Cave is truly legendary!" a in-faced woman checked the booklet in her hand and said to Yuan Ming with a smile.

    "The basic merit value of participating members is one hundred. Brother Yuan, you have endured a lot this time, and your total merit value is five hundred. The items in the square have already been marked with merit values, so please help yourself," another young man with short hair said.

    "But you have to hurry, the good stuff is almost gone," the in-faced woman reminded in a low voice.

    "Thank you both."

    Yuan Ming thanked them and quickly walked towards the direction of the spirit beasts gathered in front of the Beast Taming Hall.

    He had always wanted a flying spirit beast as a mount, but he had never found the opportunity. This time, arge number of spirit beasts from the Biluo Cave were taken out as rewards, so he could choose one now.

    The Biluo Cave in the Southern Frontier was known for its mastery of spirit beasts, and the spirit beasts in the Beast Taming Hall had be the focus of the members of Poxiao. At this time, most of them had been chosen, and there were few flying spirit beasts left.

    After scanning the square, his gaze fell on an extraordinary green crane. The green crane stood at a height of about ten feet, with a green neck, white wings, and a unique and elegant appearance, emitting a proud and sharp cry.

    Coincidentally, the burly man standing in front of the green crane was none other than Bai Ye, and Huan Shi was nowhere to be seen.

    "Hehe, Brother Ha Gong, I didn¡¯t expect to meet again in this ce after parting ways in Heiyan City," Bai Ye also saw Yuan Ming andughed.

    "Leader Bai Ye, we do have some fate," Yuan Ming also smiled.

    "Brother, you really hide your strength well. No wonder you are so powerful, and you keep your words tight," Bai Ye looked at Yuan Ming with a meaningful look.

    "Sorry for the inconvenience, but I had no choice. Leader Bai Ye, are you here to choose a flying spirit beast?" Yuan Ming didn¡¯t confirm or deny, and looked at the green crane, asking.

    "I have limited contributions this time, and my merit value is not enough. This green cloud crane is indeed a pity, as it requires quite a high merit value," Bai Ye said, seeing that Yuan Ming didn¡¯t want to say more, and didn¡¯t ask further, turning his gaze to the green crane.

    "Four hundred and fifty merits, indeed quite high!" Yuan Ming also nodded. A first-level upper-tier flying spirit beast might not be attractive to cultivators with high merit values, but those who were interested couldn¡¯t afford it. It was quite a dilemma. Otherwise, how could it still be avable?

    "Brother Ha Gong, take your time to look. Now that this matter is settled, I will take my leave," Bai Ye said.

    "What are your ns, Leader Bai Ye? Are you nning to stay in Poxiao or revive the Bai Ye Alliance?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "To be honest, I n to return to the Thunder Province of Da Jin and seek refuge with my sect. Brother Ha Gong, I believe we will meet again in the future. Goodbye," Bai Ye said with a somewhat deste expression, and after saying that, he turned and left.Yuan Ming watched as the towering figure of Bai Ye disappeared at the end of the square, his gaze returning to the Azure Cloud Crane before him. After examining it for a moment, he nodded in satisfaction.

    He had seen this Azure Cloud Crane within the sect before; it was the mount of Elder Meng Shan from the Beast Taming Hall, graceful in stature and swift in speed. He wondered why it had not been taken along when its owner left the sect.

    He immediately confirmed the merit points with a Dawnbreaker member nearby and stored the Azure Cloud Crane in his spirit beast bag.

    As for the remaining fifty merit points, he casually exchanged them for a small pile of white spiritual fruits called "Mystic Heart Fruits," which were said to cause one to lose their mind and experience extreme pleasure, making it hard to resist.

    These fruits were harmful to the body and provided no benefits, but he nned to use them to try his hand at incense refining, so he didn¡¯t give it much thought.

    Just as Yuan Ming was about to leave the square in front of the Beast Taming Hall, Xiying appeared out of nowhere, holding Guoguo.

    "This Bi Luo Cave is indeed a blessednd, a pity it was destroyed in the great battle," Xiying remarked.

    "No matter, give it a few decades and everything will be restored to its original state. What are your ns now?" Yuan Ming inquired.

    "I¡¯ve been loitering around Bi Luo Cave for that Soul Calming Jar. Now that the matter is finally settled, I n to wander around the Southern Frontier using Xiao Ying¡¯s identity. Her ancestor will be celebrating a big birthday soon, and I¡¯ll need to return for that. Since I¡¯ve taken over her body, I should do something for her. What about you?" Xiying tilted her head and pondered before speaking.

    "My cultivation is just one step away from reaching the peak of Qi Refining. After that, I n to find a quiet ce to attempt Foundation Establishment," Yuan Ming replied.

    "That¡¯s good. Here, take this." Xiying said, tossing a storage bag over.

    Yuan Ming caught it instinctively and probed it with his divine sense.

    Inside the storage bag were a blood egg, a jade slip, and three green talismans.

    "That blood egg was found in the old fellow¡¯s cave dwelling. For many years, beast ves have been feeding it their blood. Have fun with it. The jade slip is a collection of formation techniques from Xiao Ying¡¯s family. I remember you have a set of formation gs but don¡¯t know how to use them; this book contains methods for setting up formations. As for those three talismans, they are called Azure Spirit Messenger Talismans. As long as we¡¯re not more than ten thousand miles apart, you can use these talismans to send messages to me," Xiying¡¯s calm voice came through.

    "This blood egg seems extraordinary. Do you know its origin and how to incubate it?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "Xi Cangqiong previously fed it with the blood collected by the beast ves from the Ten Thousand Mountains. I¡¯ve observed that the egg has absorbed enough blood essence. From now on, feed it a drop of your essence blood every half month, and perhaps it will hatch on its own. Alright, I¡¯ve said all that needs to be said. Let¡¯s part here, until we meet again," Xiying pondered for a moment before speaking.

    "Wait a moment," Yuan Ming called out to Xiying, taking out a grey cloak. "This is for you."

    "That ugly thing? I don¡¯t want it," Xiying turned around.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t insist and kept the cloak.

    "We part today, and I don¡¯t know when we¡¯ll meet again. I have a question in my heart, and I hope you can clear my doubts," Yuan Ming said.

    "When we first met, I was just an ordinary beast ve. Why did you treat me differently and teach me your techniques?" Yuan Ming voiced the question he had harbored for a long time.

    "Because you have that cauldron," Xiying replied.

    "Because of the incense burner?" Yuan Ming probed.

    "That¡¯s not just any incense burner; it¡¯s a treasure for soul cultivators like me. It¡¯s supposed to be the legendary ¡¯Heaven Stealing Cauldron.¡¯ It¡¯s a pity it has already recognized a master; otherwise, I would have really liked to snatch it away," Xiying¡¯s lips curled up, revealing a meaningful smile.

    "¡¯Heaven Stealing Cauldron,¡¯ what a domineering name," Yuan Ming continued, "Then you could just kill and rob me of it now." Yuan Ming looked at Xiying with a half-smiling gaze.

    "Humph, I don¡¯t care for it. Killing you would mean one less boastful hero in the world, how boring that would be," Xiying said. "Kill, kill, kill... When I get home, I¡¯ll tell my father that his prodigy has be a vulgar person who speaks of killing."

    "Do you still recognize this book?" After a moment of silence, Xiying waved her hand, and a blue object floated over.

    Yuan Ming caught it; it was an old picture book.

    He flipped through it briefly; it was a children¡¯s storybook with some hamster illustrations in the middle, and memories flooded his mind.

    In his childhood, due to certain circumstances, he did not cultivate but learned music, chess, calligraphy, painting, and martial arts. In his boredom, he wrote some children¡¯s stories, which spread. This was one of them.

    Yuan Ming was naturally intelligent and was hailed as a prodigy. The children¡¯s stories he wrote were not only widely circted in the Great Jin but also spread to neighboring countries.

    The young emperor of Great Jin was very fond of the stories written by Yuan Ming, which led to him being invited to be the emperor¡¯s readingpanion.

    "The stories I wrote in my childhood, of course, I recognize them," Yuan Ming closed the book and spoke slowly.

    "When I was a child, my father bought me this book. He praised the one you wrote, saying it was in harmony with the heavenly way. I read it when I was bored. Although the story is simple, the mouse drawings are quite good. I brought it with me this time," Xiying spoke softly. After speaking, she turned around, looking towards the distant mountains, her eyes like water, as if gazing far into a certain direction.

    Yuan Ming did not rush her, waiting quietly.

 Chapter 209: Fate

    Chapter 209: Fate

    After a long time.

    "So that¡¯s how it is. I never thought that our fate was connected to my childhood picture book. Fate is truly amazing," Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t believe that Xiying looked at him differently for this reason, and couldn¡¯t help but sigh.

    "Who has fate with you," Xiying scolded lightly, waving his hand to form a yellow array.

    A dazzling yellow light shed, and Xiying¡¯s figure had disappeared.

    As the figure disappeared, a faint fragrance still lingered in the air.

    He suddenly remembered something and looked down at his right hand.

    He was still holding the book, forgetting to return it to Xiying.

    "I¡¯ll return it to her when we meet again in the future," Yuan Ming thought to himself. Just as he was about to put the book away, he suddenly frowned.

    There was a hard feeling inside the book, as if something was sandwiched in it.He opened the book and found a thin, gray jade slip sandwiched between thest two pages.

    Yuan Ming took the jade slip and his divine sense entered it, causing his body to stiffen slightly.

    The jade slip contained the follow-up techniques of the Death Moon method, from the fourthyer to the sixthyer.

    His Death Moon method had just recently broken through to the thirdyer, and the more he cultivated, the more he could deeply feel the power of the Death Moon method. He was very eager for the follow-up techniques, and he didn¡¯t expect Xiying to give it to him directly.

    "Yuan brother, what are you doing here alone?" Wu Lu said.

    Yuan Ming was startled, not knowing when Wu Lu had already approached. He suddenly realized that he only had the jade slip in his hand, and the picture book was nowhere to be found.

    He didn¡¯t know if his meeting with Xiying was an illusion or reality.

    "Wu Lu, you appeared so suddenly, you scared me," Yuan Ming said calmly as he put away the jade slip.

    "Brother Yuan, were you lost in thought about Xiao Ying just now?" Wu Luughed.

    "Brother Wu Lu has sharp eyes," Yuan Ming alsoughed.

    "Young people should dare to think, dare to do, and dare to take responsibility. I support you," Wu Lu said.

    "How do you support me?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "Do you want me to sneak into the Xiao family to find out for you?" Wu Lu said in a low voice.

    "How much will it cost?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "Five thousand spirit stones and a high-grade magical weapon?" Wu Lu said.

    "I can¡¯t afford that. What about Brother Ma Xingkong?" Yuan Ming said.

    "Brother Ma has already left to return to the Jin Kingdom. He asked me to bid you farewell on his behalf. Does Brother Yuan have something to find him for?" Wu Lu asked.

    "Nothing. The matter of the Biluo Cave is over. I wanted to bid farewell to Brother Ma before I left. I don¡¯t know what Brother Wu Lu ns to do?" Yuan Ming said.

    "I havepleted the task assigned by my family this time, and I have a rare period of free time. I want to travel around and explore. I¡¯m going to ck Rock City in a few days, then to the Eastern Region of South Jiang, and then I want to see the sea. I¡¯m almost fifty years old and I haven¡¯t seen the sea yet," Wu Lu sighed.

    "Alright, then we¡¯ll meet again if fate allows it," Yuan Ming said.

    After chatting for a while, the two bid farewell.

    The Scattered Alliance had no restrictions on temporary members who joined, and they coulde and go as they pleased. Yuan Ming left directly from the entrance of the Biluo Cave, heading straight into the dense forest of the Ten Thousand Mountains.

    After a while, Yuan Ming arrived at a small stream in the mountains, washed his face with the cool stream water, and turned around to face behind him.

    "You¡¯ve been following me all the way. Can you show yourself now?"

    The bushes behind him rustled, and a tall figure emerged from the forest, it was Long Hao who had disyed his might during the battle to take the mountain.

    "So it¡¯s Senior Long Hao," Yuan Ming said with a look of surprise, bowing to him.

    "Are you Yuan Ming?" Long Hao¡¯s voice was like a bell, as he looked at Yuan Ming.

    "Yes," Yuan Ming said frankly.

    "Did you write this letter?" Long Hao took out an envelope from his pocket, which was not signed, only with a cat¡¯s paw print.

    Yuan Ming raised his eyebrows and nodded.

    Back in the Ten Thousand Mountains, after reaching an agreement with the King of the Renegade People, Long Xi, Yuan Ming wrote this letter to inform his people of his experiences, ording to Long Xi¡¯s wishes.

    "Since you wrote the letter, my son¡¯s body should have been buried by you. Take me there," Long Hao said.

    "Senior, please follow me." Yuan Ming had no intention of hiding anything and ran in a certain direction.

    Half a dayter, the two arrived at the valley where Yuan Ming buried the head of the King of the Renegade People. "The people of the Biluo Cave were investigating very strictly at the time, and I didn¡¯t have time to take away Long Xi¡¯s body, so I could only take his head. Please forgive me, Senior," Yuan Ming said to Long Hao as he led him to Long Xi¡¯s grave.

    Long Hao did not speak, looking at the unmarked tombstone in front of him. His tall figure suddenly became somewhat stooped, and his hands and feet trembled slightly.

    Yuan Ming sighed inwardly and quietly retreated to the outside of the valley.

    After a long time, Long Hao walked out of the valley, his expression had returned to calm, and said, "Thank you, Yuan friend, for burying my son. I wonder what reward you want?"

    Yuan Ming had promised Long Xi, took the risk of writing the letter, and Long Xi, on behalf of his family, had made a promise to Yuan Ming, which was already written in the letter.

    "Thank you for your kindness, Senior, but I don¡¯t want any reward," Yuan Ming said.

    "Alright, you already know the position of my n, you cane at any time. This is a token of passage." Long Hao took out a dark gold token with the word "Dragon" written on it. Long Hao¡¯s n seemed to be a special existence that rarely appeared in the cultivation world of the Southern Frontier.

    "Thank you, Senior," Yuan Ming epted the token and thanked him.

    Long Hao¡¯s mood was low, he collected his son¡¯s remains, said nothing more, and left.

    "Yuan Ming, Senior Long Hao, please stay," a green falcon flew over andnded nearby.A figure leaped down; it was Fang Ge.

    "Fang Ge Senior Brother, it¡¯s great that you¡¯re unharmed. Howe you are here?" Yuan Ming eximed with joy.

    Long Hao also looked towards Fang Ge, his face showing a hint of confusion.

    "I am here under the orders of Ancestor Li Zhui and the three cave masters to invite you both to their dual cultivation celebration." Fang Ge took out two red invitations and handed them to Yuan Ming and Long Hao.

    The dual cultivation ceremony of the three cave masters! Yuan Ming had not heard of her having a Daopanion, and he vaguely guessed the identity of this Li Zhui.

    "Ancestor Li Zhui is still alive?" Long Hao eximed in surprise, his voice so loud that Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but nce sideways.

    "Of course, I hope you both will honor us with your presence," Fang Ge said.

    "Ancestor Li Zhui was of great help to me in the past. I will naturally attend his dual cultivation ceremony," Long Hao immediately said.

    "I naturally cannot miss the ceremony of the three cave masters either," Yuan Ming said.

    "Good, please mount the hawk falcon," Fang Ge said.

    The azure hawk falcon quickly soared into the sky, heading towards Bi Luo Cave, and soon arrived.

    Inside the gate of Bi Luo Cave, it was deserted. Neither the captured disciples of Bi Luo Cave nor the members of the Dawn Scatter Alliance were to be seen.

    Not long ago, this ce was filled with the sounds of battle, but now it was eerily silent, prompting a sense of reflection.

    The azure hawk falcon dived down,nding near a secluded valley close to Fire Refinement Peak.

    Yuan Ming had been here before; it was where the Fisherman lived. The valley was shrouded in thick fog, obscuring the view inside.

    This ce confirmed Li Zhui¡¯s identity.

    The hawk falcon flew straight into the valley, passing through a certain void with a faint cracking sound, as if it had pierced through something.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s vision blurred, and all the fog disappeared, revealing the quiet valley once again.

    He looked back and understood that the valley was covered by an illusionary barrier, which made it appear foggy from the outside.

    The hawk falconnded, and the three of them leaped down, approaching the thatched cottage where the Fisherman lived.

    Inside the valley, many new houses had been built, adorned with red silknterns, creating a festive atmosphere. Many people were bustling about, all disciples of the Fire Refinement Hall. Yuan Ming watched with joy.

    Seeing Yuan Ming, the disciples of the Fire Refinement Hall, who had reunited after the cmity, were also very pleased.

    The three of them came to a spacious courtyard deep in the valley, where more than a dozen banquet tables were set up. In addition to the disciples of the Fire Refinement Hall, there were also some unfamiliar faces who were likely friends of the three cave masters and Li Zhui.

    At that moment, the three cave masters, dressed in red robes, and the Fisherman, also in red, were entertaining guests.

    "It really is the Fisherman," Yuan Ming thought to himself.

    Fang Ge seated Yuan Ming and Long Hao at a table, and soon the three cave masters and the Fisherman came over.

    "Ancestor Li Zhui, I didn¡¯t expect you to still be in this world," Long Hao said as he stood up.

    "Long Daoist friend, it¡¯s been over a hundred years since west met. It¡¯s really good that young friend Yuan Ming coulde as well," the Fisherman warmly greeted Long Hao and Yuan Ming.

    The three cave masters and Long Hao were not well acquainted.

    "How did you twoe to be together?" the Fisherman asked.

    "It was a chance encounter. I still owe young friend Yuan Ming a favor," Long Hao said.

    "Three cave masters, congrattions on your wedding today. Please ept this jar of clear wine," Yuan Ming said, taking out a jar of wine he had intended to give to the Fisherman.

    "You are thoughtful, but Bi Luo Cave no longer exists, so there¡¯s no need for the old title. Just call me Ling Songhua," the three cave masters said with a smile, epting the wine.

    "Yes, Elder Ling," he replied, going with the flow.

    "Young friend, not only do you have good fortune, but you also have a clever heart," the Fisherman said with augh.

    "My opportunity was Elder Ling¡¯s willingness to take me in back then. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t know where I would be now. Congrattions again to both elders on your double happiness," Yuan Ming said, bowing respectfully to Ling Songhua and the Fisherman.

    The two helped Yuan Ming up.

    Afterward, the Fisherman and Long Hao went aside to catch up on old times.

    The auspicious time arrived.

    The dual cultivation ceremony of cultivators was not much different from the marriage ceremonies of the mortal world, except that Ling Songhua and the Fisherman were both cultivators who had practiced for over a hundred years and were in the Core Formation stage. Their mortal parents had long passed away, so they skipped the traditional kneeling and bowing. After paying respects to heaven and earth and drinking a cup of wine together in front of the crowd, the ceremony wasplete.

    Being with the disciples of the Fire Refinement Hall, Yuan Ming felt veryfortable. During the banquet, they talked about how someone had finally met with retribution for their umted misdeeds, and some grieved for the fallen brothers and sisters. That night, everyone drank to their heart¡¯s content, happy for their liberation.

    After the banquet, Yuan Ming took his leave.

    "Yuan Ming, the master asks that you do not leave yet. Wait for her in the side hall," Fang Ge called out to Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming had a vague idea of why Ling Songhua wanted him to stay, and he followed Fang Ge to a nearby thatched cottage.

    Half an hourter, Ling Songhua arrived, saying, "I¡¯ve kept you waiting."

    "It¡¯s alright. Elder Ling, you have many things to attend to on such a joyous day. I have nothing pressing, so waiting is no trouble," Yuan Ming said.

    "When did you join the Dawn Scatter Alliance?" Ling Songhua sat down and asked directly.

    Yuan Ming was taken aback, not expecting Ling Songhua to also think he had joined the Dawn Scatter Alliance, and for a moment, he didn¡¯t know how to exin.

 Chapter 210: The wanderer returns

    Chapter 210: The wanderer returns

    "Wu Lu, I have long known your identity. As for you, a Jin countryman who started as a beast ve and advanced in cultivation at such a rapid pace, it is mostly rted to the Breaking Dawn Sect. It is because I know about this that I have taken a special interest in you. I have even covered for you when other elders inquired," Ling Songhua continued.

    "Thank you for your care, Senior Ling," Yuan Ming said.

    On the side, Huo Chan¡¯er jumped onto Yuan Ming¡¯s shoulder and nuzzled his head, to which Yuan Ming gently stroked.

    "Chen Cangqiong, leading the Biluo Cave, has been acting recklessly and has long since incurred the wrath of both heaven and man. Its destruction is only a matter of time. Although I do not want to help in the destruction of the Biluo Cave, I am pleased to see it happen," Ling Songhua said coldly.

    Yuan Ming suddenly realized that Ling Songhua thought he was a spy sent by the Breaking Dawn Sect. She had taken care of him before, and it was all a misunderstanding.

    "Do you know the reason I kept you here?" Ling Songhua asked.

    "Please, Senior Ling, enlighten me," Yuan Ming dared not guess and said.

    "On that day, you found the White me Essence for me. I have never repaid this favor. I had originally nned to craft a flying artifact for you, but now that the Breaking Dawn Sect has destroyed the Biluo Cave, the materials I stored in the Fire Refining Peak warehouse have been taken. It seems that this matter cannot be fulfilled," Ling Songhua said.

    "Senior Ling, you have already done enough. I already have a flying spirit beast, so it doesn¡¯t matter if I have a flying artifact or not. As for the White me Essence, I obtained it by chance and did not put in much effort. Senior Ling, there is no need for you to worry about repayment," Yuan Ming declined."Hehe, Yuan Ming, you are unaware that Songhua¡¯s cultivation technique has strict requirements for the state of mind. The White me Essence you brought helped her greatly. If you do not repay this favor, it may leave hidden dangers. You should not refuse this matter any longer," a voice came, and it was Li Zhui, who had walked in.

    "Senior Li," Yuan Ming stood up to greet him.

    "We are friends despite the difference in age, there is no need for such formality. Please, sit," Li Zhui chuckled.

    "I have two ways to repay you. One is to give you a sum of spirit stones equivalent to the market value of the White me Essence, and the other is to craft another type of artifact for you," Ling Songhua said.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming suddenly had a thought.

    "Since Senior Ling has said so, I dare to make a request. You do not need to craft an artifact for me; just upgrade this item to a high-grade artifact," he took out the ck needle artifact and said.

    This needle was a medium-grade artifact with astonishing power, and the material used was extremely superior, even surpassing the Cold Star Sword. ording to his estimation, it could be upgraded to a high-grade artifact.

    Ling Songhua took the ck needle, probed it with her divine sense, and showed a look of surprise on her face.

    "This needle is made of meteorite iron! Meteorite iron can be used to craft treasures, and upgrading it to a high-grade artifact is naturally more than enough. However, do you intend to keep these two runes on the needle?" she asked.

    "These two runes are perfectly matched with the ck needle artifact. I want to keep them. Senior Ling, you can add a ¡¯Swift Wind¡¯ rune," Yuan Ming said.

    "Good, I will go and craft it. It will bepleted in a day," Ling Songhua got up and walked out.

    Yuan Ming was about to say not to rush, but Ling Songhua¡¯s figure had already disappeared outside the door, leaving only him and Li Zhui in the room.

    "I have always felt that you and the Lord of the Three Caves have a deep rtionship. I didn¡¯t expect you two to be Daopanions. It is truly a cause for celebration," Yuan Ming chuckled.

    "I have no other thoughts now, I just want to be with Songhua," Li Zhui said slowly.

    "Now that Chen Cangqiong is dead and the Biluo Cave has been destroyed, don¡¯t you n to rebuild the Three Stars Mountain? With the two of you, both in the Foundation Establishment stage, rebuilding the Three Stars Mountain is not difficult," Yuan Ming asked.

    "After experiencing the bustling world and witnessing the vicissitudes of life, I have overlooked the world and fallen into the mortal world. What is an immortal? What is it to be an immortal? Although I am an immortal, I have no intention of seeking immortality. The past is like a prison of blue smoke, gone forever. I only hope for a carefree life with no attachments," Li Zhui leaned back in his chair, with a look of relief in his eyes.

    "What a carefree life! Although I have recently entered the path of immortality, I have never felt that immortals are much happier than ordinary people. There is so much scheming, the warmth and coldness of human rtionships, and running around all day for a bit of resources and treasures. It is not as carefree and happy as a wandering hero in the mortal world!" Yuan Ming said with a sense of realization.

    "Haha, if you, Yuan, can understand this, and achieve a single-minded and carefree state, your state of mind is already beyond that of an ordinary cultivator. The so-called immortals, in the near term, cultivate the self, and in the long term, cultivate the heart. Immortalse from the mortal world, seeking immortality, and returning to their true selves. The great Dao is within reach," Li Zhuiughed heartily.

    "From now on, the world will have one less immortal, Li Zhui, and one more idle man, Fisherman Li," Yuan Ming alsoughed.

    The two of them got along well and didn¡¯t disperse untilte at night.

    Yuan Ming did not find another ce to stay and rested in the side hall of the thatched cottage for the night.

    Early the next morning, Ling Songhua, with a hint of weariness, came to the thatched cottage.

    "It¡¯s done. Take a look and see if you are satisfied,"

    Yuan Ming opened his eyes and saw a ck shadow sh before him, and the ck needle appeared in front of him out of thin air.

    With his current divine sense, he couldn¡¯t even see the trajectory of the needle¡¯s movement.

    "Thank you, Senior Ling!"

    Yuan Ming was pleasantly surprised and, after thanking her, took a closer look.

    The appearance of the needle had not changed much; it still looked like a ck, slender needle. However, he could sense a surge in the spiritual power contained within it.

    The more runes engraved, the more it could stimte the spiritual power of the material itself.

    After the ck needle was upgraded to a high-grade artifact, its power was iparable to before.

    He infused his mana into the ck needle, and the three runes inside the needle were activated, disappearing with a "swoosh" and reappearing a dozen yards away in the next moment.

    His divine sense could barely keep up, and the ck needle only stabilized after a slight shake."The small size and swift nature of this ck needle are further enhanced by the inscription of the gale runes, increasing its speed. However, this makes it somewhat difficult to control. It would be best to wait until you¡¯ve advanced to the Foundation Establishment stage, when your spiritual consciousness is strong enough, before using this magical instrument. Otherwise, a mishandling could easily harm others," Ling Songhua cautioned.

    "Thank you for the reminder, Senior Ling. I¡¯ll keep that in mind," Yuan Ming responded, his heart bursting with joy.

    In terms of magical power, he still had a significant gappared to Foundation Establishment cultivators. However, with the strength of his soul force after breaking through the thirdyer of the Death Moon method, he was confident that he could match any Foundation Establishment cultivator.

    Having finished his business, Yuan Ming took his leave.

    Ling Songhua and Fisherman Li Zhui did not insist on him staying and personally saw him out of the valley.

    To Yuan Ming¡¯s surprise, the disciples of the Fire Refinement Hall, who had been in the valley just the day before, were now nowhere to be seen. The valley was empty and quiet, as if it had returned to its former state.

    "Where is Brother Fang Ge and the others?" Yuan Ming inquired.

    "Li Zhui and I have no intention of rebuilding the Three Stars Mountain. Fang Ge and the others have been sent away. They have their own paths to follow. The world is vast; they should not spend their lives confined to this valley," Fisherman Li Zhui said with a smile.

    Yuan Ming deeply agreed with this sentiment.

    "Yuan Ming, if you encounter Fang Ge and the others in the future, please take care of them," Ling Songhua said.

    Yuan Ming readily agreed, took out the beast-controlling talisman stone, and held it in his hand. He then lightly patted the white spirit beast bag at his waist, and a blue-necked, white-winged spirit crane flew out.

    "Yuan bids farewell for now. I hope to visit you both again if there¡¯s a chance in the future, and by then, I hope the two seniors will have worthy sessors!" He leaped onto the Azure Cloud Crane,ughing and bidding farewell.

    Fisherman Li Zhui maintained his cheerful demeanor, while Ling Songhua¡¯s pretty face blushed red, and she waved her hand dismissively: "Get lost, you have no filter, asking for a beating!"

    Yuan Mingughed heartily, controlling the Azure Cloud Crane to take flight, dodging Ling Songhua¡¯s palm wind. He waved to the two of them and quickly left the valley behind.

    The Azure Cloud Crane was swift in flight, and it wasn¡¯t long before the gates of the Bi Luo Cave were left behind.

    The fire glutton on the rooftop squeaked in the direction of Yuan Ming¡¯s departure, as if it knew he was embarking on a long journey and was bidding him farewell.

    Yuan Ming sat cross-legged against the wind on the back of the white crane, looking down at the vast mountains below. The answers from the three cave masters had dispelled hisst doubts, and he felt a sense of relief he hadn¡¯t experienced in a long time.

    He took a deep breath, took out the ck needle magical instrument again, and channeled a robust spiritual consciousness into the needle.

    The ck needle magical instrument emitted a dense ck light and slowly levitated, speeding up as it circled around.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming¡¯s soul force was sufficient to control the ck needle magical instrument without any strain. The speed increased steadily, and it remained perfectly stable.

    A slender ck shadow flickered and darted through the nearby void, looking like four or five flying needles at a nce.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze shifted, and he raised his hand to stop the ck needle.

    Although the ck needle was now as fast as lightning, he could sense that its full potential had not been activated; the soul force he had infused was still insufficient.

    Yuan Ming silently operated the Death Moon method, and a soul crow shot out from his brow, entering the ck magical instrument.

    The ck needle magical instrument immediately shone with a dense ck light, and the needle bodypletely merged into it.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes showed surprise, and with a gesture, he pointed out.

    The ck needle magical instrument vanished in a sh, and almost at the same time, a piercing scream came from the jungle below.

    A half-human-tall ck boar beast ran out, with a slender needle hole right in the middle of its forehead, from which blood slowly seeped.

    The ck boar beast only managed a few steps before its body began to wobble and then it copsed with a thud. The ck needle magical instrument hovered behind the fallen beast, its needle body as clean and shiny as new, without a trace of blood.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s smile grew even brighter as he gestured, and the ck needle magical instrument disappeared with a sh.

    A few breathster, a green wolf beast howled miserably from a distance and likewise fell over.

    Yuan Ming was delighted, raising his hand to beckon.

    A ck shadow shed in his palm, and the ck needle magical instrument reappeared.

    The direct control of the soul crow within the ck needle magical instrument had exceeded his expectations.

    The soul force of the soul crow was both abundant and refined, making it exceptionally suitable for activating a high-grade magical instrument like the ck needle, which was inscribed with numerous runes.

    Moreover, this was Yuan Ming¡¯s first time using the soul crow to control a magical instrument, and he made an unexpected discovery: the attack range of the ck needle magical instrument had greatly expanded.

    The attack range of a magical instrument is constrained by both spiritual consciousness and magical power.

    Magical power can be embedded within the magical instrument, closely linking the two, allowing it to travel a considerable distance without dissipating. However, spiritual consciousness cannot merge with the magical instrument, and if it exceeds the coverage range, it will dissipate.

    Generally speaking, the farther a cultivator¡¯s spiritual consciousness can spread, therger the attack range of the magical instrument.

    For ordinary cultivators, even those at the Foundation Establishment stage, the range of spiritual consciousness is only about a hundred meters, but the soul crow¡¯s roaming range reaches a terrifying thirty li.

    For Yuan Ming, the attack range of the ck needle magical instrument was no longer limited by his spiritual consciousness but by the extent of his magical power attachment.

    The material of meteoric iron was special, closely integrating with his magical power, and within a range of three hundred meters, it would not dissipate. Therefore, the attack range of the ck needle magical instrument reached an astonishing three hundred meters!

    Attacking from three hundred meters away, with the concealment effect of the ck needle magical instrument, even Foundation Establishment cultivators might not be able to evade it.

    Thinking of this, Yuan Ming felt a surge of excitement and controlled the Azure Cloud Crane to fly deeper into the vast Ten Thousand Mountains.

 Chapter 211: Wisteria change

    Chapter 211: Wisteria change

    A few dayster, deep in the mountains, a dense forest.

    A fierce beast with a body covered in money patterns was running wildly in the forest, its face full of fear and anger, roaring from time to time.

    The beast was two to ten meters long, with a sleek body and a powerful aura. Wherever it passed, birds and insects were scared away. It was a second-level fierce beast.

    The beast had no wounds on its body, but blood was constantly flowing from its mouth.

    No matter how the beast ran, the blood from its mouth continued to flow, its speed rapidly decreasing until it finally fell to the ground, motionless.

    Two hundred meters away, a green figure slowly emerged from the grass, it was Yuan Ming.

    He was wearing the gray cloak given to him by Xiying, which was now a deep green color, blending in with the surroundings.

    Yuan Ming quickly approached the body of the fierce beast.

    The beast, named Golden Patterned Leopard, was a second-level lower-tier fierce beast, with strengthparable to an early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. However, Yuan Ming had just controlled the ck Needle artifact from a distance, attacking the beast¡¯s abdomen and piercing its body, causing the beast¡¯s heart, liver, and lungs to be riddled with holes.The Golden Patterned Leopard couldn¡¯t even find its enemy and fell here in confusion.

    Yuan Ming raised his hand, and the ck Needle artifact flew out of the leopard¡¯s mouth and into his hand.

    Looking at the delicate high-grade artifact in his hand, he nodded in satisfaction and put it away.

    After spending a few days refining the artifact to better suit himself, he was pleased to see that it had met his expectations.

    Yuan Ming took out the Cold Star Sword and carefully peeled off the leopard¡¯s skin.

    The leopard¡¯s skin contained abundant gold attribute spiritual power, strong and yet thin and soft, suitable for refining armor-type artifacts, and was quite valuable.

    As for the rest of the leopard¡¯s body, it was not very valuable.

    Yuan Ming put away the leopard skin and patted another spirit beast bag.

    The ck Toad Spirit Beast leaped out and, sensing the abundant blood energy of the Golden Patterned Leopard, immediately shot out several dark purple demon vines, quickly draining the leopard¡¯s body.

    The demon energy contained in the leopard¡¯s skin and flesh was different from that of the ck Toad, and the ck Toad¡¯s aura did not increase much. Itzily ran back to Yuan Ming¡¯s side.

    Yuan Ming frowned slightly. The ck Toad Spirit Beast had always been full of energy and had never been sozy before.

    He tried tomunicate with it through the beast-controlling runes engraved in its sea of consciousness, but found nothing, so he ignored it and put it back in the spirit beast bag.

    Yuan Ming then summoned the Azure Cloud Crane and flew out of the Ten Thousand Mountains, not continuing to hunt for beasts here.

    Two dayster, Yuan Ming arrived outside the Snake King Valley.

    After experiencing the battle of the Bi Luo Cave and facing powerful cultivators and hordes of beasts, he keenly felt his own insignificance, but it also broadened his horizons.

    Now, he was even more eager to improve his cultivation. He had made all the necessary preparations, and if he could break through the bottleneck in one go, his cultivation would take a qualitative leap.

    When he returned to Da Jin, he would have to settle the score with certain people.

    Breaking through the Foundation Establishment stage would take some time, so he needed to find a safe and secluded ce. After much thought, he decided that the underground passage in the Snake King Valley was the most secluded and safe ce among the ces he had visited, and it was a good ce for seclusion.

    Although the valley was full of dense miasma, the underground was thin, and with the effect of the Barrier-Avoiding Pearl, it would not affect his cultivation.

    Yuan Ming released three Soul Crows to thoroughly investigate the Snake King Valley. After confirming that no one had been there, he entered the valley and quickly arrived at the underground passage below the Snake King¡¯s Cave, summoning the ck Toad.

    As soon as the ck Toadnded, its eyes lit up with excitement and it ran towards the depths of the passage.

    Yuan Ming did not stop it and let the ck Toad disappear into the darkness ahead.

    He came here for seclusion, not only because it was quiet, but also because the ck Toad had greatly improved its strength after absorbing the strange ck energy in the ancient tomb. He nned to continue letting the ck Toad absorb it and see how much it could improve.

    The fact that the ck Toad was so energetic now indicated that there was no problem, and its previousziness was probably just a coincidence.

    Yuan Ming focused his mind and ced four sealing talismans on the four stone walls, creating a spiritual barrier topletely iste the thin miasma.

    He sat down cross-legged, took out a Golden Hua Pill, and began to refine it.

    Time passed, and more than a month quickly went by. In the underground passage, Yuan Ming¡¯s body suddenly emitted a burst of green light, and a powerful aura surged in all directions, causing the spiritual barrier formed by the four sealing talismans to tremble.

    He opened his eyes, a hint of joy on his face.

    After all the hard work and with the assistance of the Golden Hua Pill, the Nine Elements Form had finally broken through again, reaching the thirteenth level of Qi Refining.

    The Golden Hua Pill was almost gone, but it had sessfully helped him break through. The thirteenth level of Qi Refining was very different from the twelfth level. The spiritual energy in his dantian was more condensed, tending to be liquid.

    The sign of a Foundation Establishment cultivator was the liquefaction of spiritual energy. The Nine Elements Form reaching the thirteenth level would indeed greatly assist in advancing to Foundation Establishment.

    Yuan Ming did not stop, but continued to stabilize his cultivation realm by operating the Nine Elements Form.

    Three days and three nightster, the spiritual energy in his dantian waspletely stable, and his mind was in the best state.

    Yuan Ming took out a Foundation Establishment Pill and began to refine it.

    The Foundation Establishment Pill waspletely different from the pills he had taken before, and it took a long time to slowly melt.

    Before long, a burning sensation erupted from his lower abdomen, as if a fire had ignited inside.

    Yuan Ming had long since learned the method of using the Foundation Establishment Pill. He operated the Nine Elements Form and transferred the extremely hot medicinal power to his dantian.The usage of the Foundation Establishment Pill is quite simple; one only needs to guide its medicinal power into the dantian. The scorching medicinal power will repeatedly temper one¡¯s mana like a great hammer forging ore until a breakthrough is achieved.

    This process is extremely lengthy, requiring ten days to half a month to see results.

    Yuan Ming closed his eyes and circted his mana, coordinating with the power of the Foundation Establishment Pill.

    Ten days passed in the blink of an eye.

    Yuan Ming opened his eyes and ceased his cultivation, a wry smile appearing on his face.

    This attempt at Foundation Establishment had ended in failure. Although his mana boiled and surged under the influence of the pill, there was little tendency for it to liquefy. Each time he reached the critical threshold for a breakthrough, he would be forced to retreat.

    He wasn¡¯t surprised that his four spiritual roots, which had allowed him to make rapid progress during the Qi Refining stage with the help of the Nine Elements Form and arge quantity of pills he had obtained, were not enough for Foundation Establishment. The difficulty had increased more than tenfold; it wasn¡¯t something that could be easily ovee with just one Foundation Establishment Pill.

    "It seems I need to find some additional aids," Yuan Ming thought to himself.

    If he had been full of confidence before, this attempt had given him a much deeper understanding. Although he still had two Foundation Establishment Pills left, he decided not to try again without at least a fifty percent chance of sess, to avoid wasting them.

    Of course, this attempt was not without gains. The mana in his dantian had be more robust and viscous, which would increase his chances of breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage next time.

    After the failed attempt at Foundation Establishment, Yuan Ming had no intention of staying here any longer. He tried tomunicate with the ck Toad to prepare to leave but received no response.

    Yuan Ming felt puzzled and got up to walk deeper into the passage, quickly arriving at the ancient tomb in front.

    Just like before, the demonic vines within the ck Toad spread out again, covering arger area than before, nearly submerging the entire chamber. The purple-ck vine flowers were alsorger and more numerous, with a strange fragrance wafting through the air.

    The originally dim ancient tomb chamber now seemed like a lush garden.

    Yuan Ming admired the strange beauty before him and was about to step forward when several vine bodies, like venomous snakes, leaped up and took an attacking stance against him.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s expression darkened as he grabbed a vine with lightning speed and activated his beast taming technique.

    Thick ck qi rolled out, flowing along the vine into its body, pulling at the beast taming runes.

    The demonic vines throughout the chamber writhed in pain and quickly retracted.

    In a few breaths, aside from the one in Yuan Ming¡¯s hand, all the demonic vines in the chamber had disappeared, revealing the ck Toad¡¯s figure, which had undergone a drastic change.

    The ck Toad¡¯s originally plump body had be extremely shriveled, and it was not an exaggeration to describe it as skin and bones. Protrusions covered its body, which at first nce looked like meridians, but Yuan Ming could clearly sense that these were the purple-ck demonic vines.

    The purple-ck demonic vines, which had originally coexisted with the ck Toad, were now beginning to plunder its vitality!

    "Could it be because of the absorption of the ck qi?" Yuan Ming recalled the vines¡¯ daring attack on him and felt increasingly uneasy.

    A spirit beast imprinted with beast taming runes was not infallible and could lose control. There had been many precedents in the history of the Bi Luo Sect where spirit beasts turned on their masters.

    Yuan Ming had originally thought that with his powerful soul and beast taming technique, he could control the demonic vines, but now it seemed he had underestimated them!

    However, as a major beast taming sect, the Bi Luo Sect naturally had methods to deal with out-of-control spirit beasts.

    Yuan Ming held the vine in one hand and continued to drive the beast taming technique, while his other hand sliced open the skin on his fingertip and formed a seal in the air.

    A stream of fresh blood shot out, moving through the air with his seal, quickly forming a blood-colored rune-like pattern.

    "Zha!"

    Yuan Ming shouted loudly, and the blood-colored rune shone brightly, turning into a beam of blood light that entered the demonic vine¡¯s body, striking its beast soul consciousness.

    This rune, known as the Blood Spirit Rune, not only strengthened the power of the beast taming technique but also severely damaged the spirit beast¡¯s soul, preventing it from acting rashly.

    The consciousness of the purple-ck demonic vine was severely damaged and became listless. The vine in Yuan Ming¡¯s hand hung down like a dead snake.

    The ck Toad also let out a pained cry, flipped over, and fell, motionless.

    Yuan Ming quickly crouched down to check on the ck Toad. Its consciousness had also be very weak, and it was now in a deep slumber.

    He was not very proficient in beast taming, and in the current situation, he did not know what to do. He could only temporarily ce the ck Toad into a spirit beast bag and observe the situationter.

    Several dayster, in the afternoon.

    At a tavern near the main street of ck Rock City, a somewhat delicate-looking young man and a burly man sat opposite each other, drinking.

    "Brother Wu Lu, it¡¯s quite a coincidence! You said you would being to ck Rock City in a few days, and it turns out that just as I set foot in the city, I ran into you," the delicate young man said with a smile.

    "This is what they call a destined meeting across a thousand miles! I also encountered some matters on the road, which dyed me a bit. Come, let¡¯s toast to our fate!" Wu Luughed heartily, clinking his cup with Yuan Ming¡¯s and downing it in one gulp.

    Yuan Ming was naturally skeptical of Wu Lu¡¯s words, but since his own retreat was a secret and his arrival in ck Rock City was a spur-of-the-moment decision, unless the other party could read his mind, it was impossible for them to know his itinerary.

    "Perhaps it really is a coincidence?" Yuan Ming thought to himself and emptied his cup in one gulp.

 Chapter 212: I am the author

    Chapter 212: I am the author

    "Speaking of which, Brother Yuan¡¯s cultivation aura seems to have thickened a lot. Could it be that there has been a breakthrough in his cultivation?" Wu Lu looked Yuan Ming up and down and said.

    "Brother Yuan is being modest. I tried to break through the Foundation Establishment stage by taking Foundation Establishment Pills, but unfortunately, I failed. It¡¯s better not to mention it. What are your ns next?" Yuan Ming sighed.

    "I have some things to take care of, and I¡¯ll be quite busy for a while. We may not have much time to meet again, and we¡¯ll have to go our separate ways." Wu Lu smiled and said.

    "It seems that Brother Wu Lu has encountered the God of Wealth on this journey and gained quite a bit." Yuan Ming joked with a smile.

    "The same goes for you, Brother Yuan. What are your ns?" Wu Lu raised an eyebrow and asked with a smile.

    "I n to stay in the city for a while and then return to Da Jin in the south. From then on, we may not easily meet again." Yuan Ming said.

    "This time the mission in the Biluo Cave will take a while. I am also physically and mentally exhausted. I n to leave the south and go see the scenery in the north where you are." Wu Lu smiled.

    "You want toe to the Central ins?" Yuan Ming asked in surprise.

    "Yes, I have always been fascinated by the coastal areas recorded in the travel notes of the knights, and I want to see what is meant by ¡¯the rocks copse and the clouds break, and the waves roll up thousands of heaps of snow!¡¯" Wu Lu nodded."Brother Wu Lu likes the rocky coastal areas where the waves crash, rather than the sandy beaches with sunset coconut shadows. It¡¯s not possible to go to the south, you have to look for it in the north of the East Sea." Yuan Ming analyzed subconsciously.

    "I already have a destination in mind. After I¡¯m done here, I n to go to the city of Haiyan in Yueguo. Brother Yuan is also heading north to Da Jin, so why not travel with me?" Wu Lu said.

    Yuan Ming thought for a moment and remembered that the city of Haiyan was located in the territory of Huazhou in Yueguo, near the East Sea.

    "I won¡¯t go. If I go to Da Jin, it will be a detour to go through the territory of Yueguo, which is not a good choice." Yuan Ming said.

    "That¡¯s a pity." Wu Lu sighed.

    "How long will you stay there, and do you have any ns toe to Da Jin?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "It¡¯s hard to say. The journey is long, and it will take months just to travel there. I should stay for a while after that. Haha, I won¡¯t go to Da Jin. The ce is much deeper than Yueguo. I remember that Huazhou is not far from Da Jin. If Brother Yuan is interested, you might as welle to Haiyan City to meet me?" Wu Lu thought for a moment and said.

    "Okay." Yuan Ming thought for a moment and nodded.

    After a few more pleasantries, the two of them drank a few more cups and then bid farewell to each other.

    Yuan Ming came to the Heiyan City Market this time without any urgent matters. His main purpose was to ask the Master of Fire Refining to help him refine a pair of inner armor with the umted materials before leaving. In addition, he had two old acquaintances in this market that he wanted to meet.

    Compared to his previous visit to this market, Yuan Ming¡¯s mood was much lighter.

    Although he had a purpose, none of them were urgent matters. Yuan Ming rarely felt so rxed, and he strolled through the market with the mindset of a tourist.

    In fact, since regaining all his memories, Yuan Ming was not really at ease. There were some doubts about the amnesia that had been resolved, but more doubts had emerged in his mind.

    Lin Junsheng was clearly his childhood ymate. Although they were not as close as he and the Little Emperor, they were still considered close friends. He couldn¡¯t understand why Lin Junsheng would harm him.

    In his memory, after Lin Junsheng suddenly attacked him, he said, "Yuan Ming, don¡¯t me me. I have my reasons." Yuan Ming still had some guesses in his mind, but there was no evidence at the moment, and they were just guesses.

    Returning to Da Jin, returning to the capital, would inevitably lead to a bloody battle.

    As Yuan Ming walked through the bustling streets, his gaze was suddenly drawn to a quaint shop sign not far away, and his steps came to a halt.

    "Heiyan Bookstore."

    He muttered to himself, a smile appearing on his lips, and he turned into the bookstore.

    "A bookstore is just a ce that sells ordinary books, and there are no martial arts or cultivation books for sale. If it were the old Yuan Ming, he probably wouldn¡¯te in, or even notice this shop."

    But things were different now. After regaining all his memories, some of his old habits and instincts had taken control of his body once again.

    So when he smelled the ink of printed books, he instinctively stopped.

    When he was young, he was already well-versed in the ssics and various teachings of sages, not because his parents forced him, but because he naturally loved reading.

    Evenpared to some civil official families, General Yuan was more open-minded and did not limit Yuan Ming¡¯s reading choices.So much so that when he was ten years old, he had already read "Jinping Lan" and "Shitou Lu", which were criticized by many Daoist schrs as "contrary to the norms, harmful to the customs", and what he knew and saw was far from what ordinary people couldpare.

    Therefore, during the Great Jin Dynasty, Yuan Ming had the habit of visiting bookstores. This "Heiyan Bookstore" was notrge in size, and there were not many books hidden inside. There were only bookshelves on both sides of the store, filled with books of different sizes and categories.

    This bookstore was obviously not very popr, with no customers inside, only a clerk leaning on the counter with his hands supporting his head, looking drowsy.

    Seeing Yuan Minge in, the clerk only raised his eyelids and nced at him, without even the intention ofing up to greet him.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t care, it was just a habit. He nned toe in and take a look, try his luck, and if he could find some rare ancient books, he would buy them.

    If not, he would just leave after taking a look around.

    The cultural development of the Southern Frontier wasgging behind, and it was iparable to the Central ins region. Even in the bookstore, this was very evident.

    Yuan Ming casually flipped through a few books, and found that the paper used was of mixed quality and not uniform.

    Some of the better ones were made of bark paper as the main material, with thick and sturdy paper that was flexible, but also somewhat rough and inconvenient for writing.

    The next level used white hemp paper, made from materials such as x and hemp, with a paper surface that was not smooth and had a lot of fiber bundles, making it easy to absorb ink, but also had the problem of thick paper and a lot of impurities.

    If these were ced in the Central ins, they would all be considered substandard paper for books.

    ording to the customs of the Great Jin Dynasty, at the very least, a finer and thinner white cotton paper would be used, and the normal paper used would be the twisted Xuan paper, which was not only thin, but also more durable.

    After flipping through several misceneous books, Yuan Ming found that they were all written in the Southern Frontier script, and the content was just some misceneous records, which made him feel uninterested. With a brief nce, he was about to leave.

    Just then, his gaze was suddenly drawn to a single bookshelf near the counter.

    There were about ten books with gilded covers, delicately bound, and they were obviously different from the other casually ced books, as if they were nobles dressed in gorgeous clothes in a slum.

    "Bring me those books to take a look," Yuan Ming walked up and said.

    "Sir, you have a good eye. These books are all passed down from the Central ins, each one a ssic that cannot be found elsewhere," the clerk rubbed his eyes, turned his head to take a look, and said as he brought the separate bookshelf over.

    Yuan Ming was speechless. This clerk probably didn¡¯t even understand what "ssics that cannot be found elsewhere" meant, and was just shamelessly trying to deceive him.

    When the clerk brought the bookshelf over andid out the few dozen books, Yuan Ming was dumbfounded when he saw the titles of these books.

    "Shitou Lu", "Jinping Lan", "Dongxiang Ji", "Yupu Yuan"... they were all indeed ssics. It was a pity that they were only favorites of a certain type of people. If they were seen by Daoist schrs, they would probably be used of "harming the customs and spreading obscene materials".

    However, he couldn¡¯t me the clerk. These books were well-made and beautifully printed, but they were all written in the Central ins script. As a young man from the Southern Frontier, he naturally couldn¡¯t recognize them.

    Just as Yuan Ming was about to leave, he saw a book among these books that was a little different.

    He picked up the book and took a careful look. The text on the cover was in themon script of the Southern Frontier, but the paper used inside was actually the "Yunhua Paper" specially supplied by the Great Jin Dynasty.

    Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but narrow his eyes and was stunned.

    "Children¡¯s Stories... Isn¡¯t this the children¡¯s stories I wrote when I was young? How did it spread to the Southern Frontier and get tranted into the Southern Frontier script?" Yuan Ming was extremely surprised.

    He quickly turned to the back cover of the book, and there he saw a seal in the Central ins script:

    "Tianming Book Society."

    It was the book society he and the young emperor Liu Tianming had jointly established, although it was privately owned, it could use the royal paper, and not only published children¡¯s stories, but alsoic books, all of which were of excellent quality and well-received throughout the Great Jin Dynasty.

    However, Yuan Ming was always responsible for the creation and didn¡¯t care about the profits.

    The printing and publishing matters were arranged by the shopkeeper of the book society, and he didn¡¯t know that his book had been published in the script of the Southern Frontier.Seeing Yuan Ming staring nkly at the "Childish Tales," the shop assistant thought he was interested in the book and immediately began to enthusiastically introduce it: "Esteemed guest, you truly have an excellent eye. This ¡¯Childish Tales¡¯piles thirteen independent stories, specially tranted into our Southern Border script. It became a sensational hit upon release, not only beloved by children but also providing a unique experience for many adults. Over a thousand copies were brought over from the Great Jin with difficulty, and they sold out quickly. The one in your hands is thest in stock."

    "This book... sells that well?" Yuan Ming was somewhat incredulous.

    "Let me put it this way, in the entire bookstore, the only one that canpete with it is ***. To be honest, I am also a loyal fan of this book, and my favorite story is the one about the hamsters holding a meeting," the shop assistant said, patting his chest.

    Yuan Ming held the book and looked at the shop assistant in surprise.

    "Don¡¯t doubt it, sir. I truly believe that the person who wrote this book has an extraordinary mind, full of imagination, and is certainly no ordinary individual," the shop assistant praised sincerely.

    At that moment, Yuan Ming, holding his own book and listening to the man¡¯s ttering words, felt an inexplicable surge of spirit.

    "This feeling of being praised is really not bad at all," Yuan Ming thought to himself, feeling a wave of satisfaction.

    However, he couldn¡¯t possibly reveal to the other person that he was the author of the book; that would be akin to showing off as a saint in public.

    While it might be more exhrating, it could also lead to being regarded as a madman or a swindler.

 Chapter 213: A person of good books

    Chapter 213: A person of good books

    As the clerk was enthusiastically rmending books to Yuan Ming, another person walked into the bookstore. "Have my books arrived?" The man was obviously familiar with the clerk, and he shouted before even entering the door.

    "Yes, they have arrived and are ready for you," the clerk immediately shifted his attention from Yuan Ming and warmly replied.

    Upon hearing the voice, Yuan Ming was slightly stunned, then turned to look at the person. He saw a fair, round-faced man with thick eyebrows and bright eyes, and a smile involuntarily appeared at the corner of his mouth.

    "Zhao Tong." Upon hearing Yuan Ming¡¯s greeting, the man also turned to look over, first stunned, then a smile spread across his face.

    "Haha, Yuan Ming, you¡¯re still alive?" Zhao Tong¡¯s smile was genuine, filled with joy.

    Hepletely ignored the approaching clerk, walked up to Yuan Ming, and after sizing him up, suddenly sighed, "I heard that our sect was destroyed by someone?"

    "Done by the Dawn Scattering Alliance," Yuan Ming nodded, giving a definite answer.

    Upon hearing this, Zhao Tong did not show any sadness, but instead a sense of regret, sighing, "What is lost in the east is gained in the mulberry grove. I was exiled and disheartened back then, but I didn¡¯t expect toe back with my life. It¡¯s just that I can¡¯t go back in good condition now..."

    "Zhao, everything happens for a reason. There¡¯s no need to go back. It¡¯s almost a ruin there now. After the Dawn Scattering Alliance looted everything, I¡¯m afraid there will be other forces and scattered cultivatorsing to pick up the leftovers. I don¡¯t even know whose territory it is now," Yuan Ming said.Although the clerk was not a cultivator, living in this area, he had been exposed to some knowledge about the cultivation sects, especially the destruction of the Blue Luo Cave, one of the five major sects, which had been widely spread in the ck Rock City.

    But listening to the conversation between Yuan Ming and Zhao Tong, he didn¡¯t dare to interrupt.

    After a moment ofment, Zhao Tong suddenly turned to the clerk and asked, "Is my book ready?"

    His change of topic was so sudden that the clerk was caught off guard and stammered, "Not yet, I¡¯ll get it ready for you right away..."

    The clerk hurried back to the counter, took a piece of thick cowhide paper, wrapped a book in the Central insnguage, "Jade Love" and "Brocade Screen Orchid," and brought it over.

    "Here are your ¡¯Seven Steps Poetry Collection¡¯ and ¡¯Autumn Farewell,¡¯" the clerk respectfully handed them over.

    He really treated these books as some kind of ssics... Yuan Ming¡¯s mouth twitched as he watched.

    "Whether immortal or mortal, one must read more books. In books, there are beautiful faces and the way of heaven. Where the heart goes, the realm follows," Zhao Tong said without blushing, taking the books and muttering something while quickly paying.

    Yuan Ming felt that his Southern Frontier version of "Childish Tales" was quite meaningful, so he also bought it.

    "Do you like to read children¡¯s fables?" This action surprised Zhao Tong, with a hint of teasing in his tone.

    "It¡¯s better than your preference for adult ssics," Yuan Ming emphasized the words "adult ssics."

    "Yuan, it seems that we are kindred spirits. How about going for a drink?" Zhao Tongughed and put his arm around Yuan Ming¡¯s shoulder, leaving the store.

    At the Mountain Treasure Tower.

    Yuan Ming and Zhao Tong sat facing each other, and Zhao Tong also brought Gu Yue along. The three of them drank and chatted.

    During this time, no one mentioned the Blue Luo Cave, only chatting about some interesting things in the Southern Frontier cultivation world.

    "What are your ns for the future?" Finally, Yuan Ming asked about Zhao Tong¡¯s ns.

    "Me? I¡¯m used to being idle. I used to read books and pass the time in the sect. Now the shop has been taken over by the owner of the market, so I¡¯ll be a scattered cultivator for a while. The time here is soft, and the years are gentle, which suits me," Zhao Tong smiled and said.

    "I heard that the Southern Frontier might reopen trade with the Central ins, especially with the Great Jin, which is an opportunity for the two of us. There will be a lot of business to be done in the future. Cultivation is about wealth first!" Gu Yue said.

    "Right, with abundant resources, one can achieve immortality," Zhao Tong nodded in agreement.

    "Reopening trade means that the official trade routes will be opened?" Yuan Ming asked.

    The business dealings between the Central ins and the Southern Frontier had never beenpletely cut off, but it was all private trade under the official ban, essentially smuggling.

    "Yes. I heard that some of the post roads have been rebuilt," Gu Yue nodded.

    "In that case, if we go to the Great Jin, we just need to follow the original post roads to get there?" Yuan Ming was suddenly delighted.

    "Not yet... After all, the trade ports have been closed for too long. If they are reopened, not to mention rebuilding the system and procedures, it will take at least a year to rebuild some of the post station facilities," Gu Yue said after thinking for a moment.

    "Yuan, with your current strength, there¡¯s no need to rush back to the Great Jin. Even in the cultivation world of the Great Jin, you are just a scattered cultivator without any support. It¡¯s better for us to stay here together and take care of each other," Zhao Tong added.

    "Yes, Yuan, think about it. As long as you buy property in the ck Rock City, you won¡¯t have to pay spirit stones every time you enter and leave. With the Green Scattered Hermit here, your safety will be guaranteed," Gu Yue continued.

    "Thank you both, my parents are still alive, and I miss them now," Yuan Ming replied upon hearing this.

    Without further ado, Gu Yue immediately took out a map made of water buffalo hide from his sleeve and pointed out the way for Yuan Ming.

    After a full meal and drink, it was already getting dark, and the three of them parted ways.

    Yuan Ming then hurried to the Fire Refining Master¡¯s ce.

    He was still greeted by the bald man, butpared to the first time they met, his attitude was a bit better."Refining a soft armor lining, that¡¯s no problem. Will you be providing your own materials, or shall we supply them?" The bald man pondered briefly before asking.

    "I have my own," Yuan Ming replied.

    With that, he flicked his wrist, and all the spiritual materials appeared on the table.

    The main materials were the skins of the Golden Flower Poisonous Python King and Queen, along with some special materials Yuan Ming had collected. The materials were ready; the actual refining process would depend on what the Fire Refining Master had to say.

    "The materials are well-prepared. During the refining process, the Fire Refining Master might add some of his customary auxiliary materials. Including the refining fee, the totales to fifteen spirit stones, with a deposit of ten to be paid upfront," the bald man stated.

    As always, it was expensive, but at least the quality was guaranteed.

    "Money is not an issue, but I wonder when the Fire Refining Master will have it ready?" Yuan Ming inquired.

    The bald man thought for a moment, took out a small ledger used for keeping ounts, flipped through it, and then gave his answer:

    "Eight dayster."

    "It takes eight days to refine?" Yuan Ming asked, surprised.

    "The actual refining won¡¯t take eight days, but the Fire Refining Master¡¯s schedule is fully booked for the next few days. Your soft armor lining can be refined on the evening of the seventh day, and you cane to collect it on the eighth day," the bald man exined.

    "Alright," Yuan Ming considered and then nodded.

    After speaking, he took out another item and ced it on the table.

    "A high-grade magical instrument?" The bald man, who had seen much of the world, recognized it at a nce.

    What was ced on the table was the Bagua Mirror he had previously obtained from Elder Meng Shan.

    He had hastily refined it before, and Elder Meng Shan had cracked the mirror with a strike. Fortunately, the damage was not too severe, and it should still be repairable.

    Besides the Bagua Mirror, Yuan Ming had also obtained from Elder Meng Shan¡¯s storage ring a pair of ck hooks and a dagger with a verdant sheen, both middle-grade magical instruments. One was called the Wushan w, and the other was the Short Verdant Dagger, both were poison-infused magical instruments.

    In addition, he had acquired some healing and cultivation pills suitable for Foundation Establishment cultivators, as well as more than two hundred low-grade spirit stones and three middle-grade spirit stones.

    "Not bad, this is a high-grade defensive magical instrument. I wonder if the Fire Refining Master can repair it?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "That... I¡¯ll have to let the Fire Refining Master take a look himself. Please wait a moment, I¡¯ll take it to him," the bald man hesitated slightly before taking the Bagua Mirror and turning to leave.

    Before long, the bald man returned with the Fire Refining Master¡¯s reply:

    "The damage is not severe; it can be repaired. Same as the other,e to collect it in eight days."

    "I have some questions. If the Fire Refining Master can repair high-grade magical instruments, why does he limit himself to only refining lower-grade ones?" Yuan Ming wondered aloud.

    "That¡¯s the Fire Refining Master¡¯s business. I¡¯m not clear on it, and I can¡¯t give you an answer," the bald man shook his head. "Alright then."

    Yuan Ming reluctantly paid the deposit for the two magical instruments and left.

    He was going to stay in ck Rock City for a while, so he wasn¡¯t in a hurry to leave. He immediately found a quiet inn in the market to settle down.

    In the deepest room of the inn¡¯s courtyard, the lights were bright.

    Yuan Ming cradled an incense burner, with a homemade ck incense stick inserted on top, yet to be lit.

    After some hesitation, he chose to possess Tu Ya, the daughter of his father¡¯s friend Ha Gong, rather than his own father.

    He was about to leave the Southern Border soon, and if there was anything he was concerned about, it was Ha Gong¡¯s wife and daughter.

    This was also thest tie to his first friend since he had embarked on the path of cultivation.

    Looking back, his actions seemed reckless to Xiying, and he also realized that in the world of cultivation, acting impulsively without absolute strength was not only futile but would only lead to more casualties.

    However, since he had already made a promise, he hoped to fulfill it as much as he could, so as not to affect his future cultivation mindset.

    If Yuan Ming was willing to put in the effort, he could certainly find them, but he chose not to.

    He was unsure of what kind of life the mother and daughter were leading now, and whether he should reappear in their lives and disturb them.

    Thus, possessing their spirits became the best way.

    Having made up his mind, Yuan Ming lit the ck incense, closed his eyes slightly, and in his mind, he sketched the young face of Tu Ya, softly calling her name.

    Before long, wisps of blue smoke rose, and Yuan Ming¡¯s vision began to blur.

    "Tu Ya, Tu Ya, it¡¯s time to eat..." The voice of a woman calling out came through.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s vision brightened, and a small but clean and tidy room appeared before him.

    "I know, I¡¯ll be right there," the young girl¡¯s tender voice responded.

    Yuan Ming confirmed that his attempt was sessful, and he had possessed Tu Ya¡¯s body.

    At that moment, Tu Ya¡¯s gaze moved downward, and Yuan Ming saw that she was sitting cross-legged on the bed.

    In front of her was a slightly yellowed piece of paper, which he recognized. It contained the cultivation mantra of the "Biluo Art."

 Chapter 214: Benefactor takes in disciples

    Chapter 214: Benefactor takes in disciples

    "Look at this little girl, she has indeed started practicing."

    Yuan Ming¡¯s heart moved slightly, and upon closer inspection, he indeed sensed a trace of spiritual power emanating from her.

    Although very weak, the presence of spiritual power meant that she had already embarked on the path of cultivation.

    At this moment, footsteps approached from outside, and the little girl immediately put away the sheet of cultivation technique, carefully folded it, and tucked it into her arms.

    As the door was pushed open, Tu Ya had already jumped off the bed and rushed into the embrace of a dark-skinned woman.

    "Why have you been staying in the house all the time and not going out to y?" Ha Gong¡¯s wife squatted down, stroking her daughter¡¯s hair with concern.

    "Tired, I haven¡¯t been getting enough sleeptely," the little girl lied.

    "I haven¡¯t asked you to do any..." Ha Gong¡¯s wife stopped herself from saying the word "work," only then realizing that the pile of firewood in the yard had all been collected by her daughter.

    In fact, not only did she collect them, but she also broke the thick firewood with her bare hands."If you¡¯re tired, then don¡¯t help with the *** work. We still have money in our family," Ha Gong¡¯s wife said.

    Yuan Ming had given them a lot of silver coins at the beginning. They were a mother and daughter living alone, and it was unclear whether they were used to living in poverty or if they were just not materialistic, as they seemed to live quite frugally.

    "Okay. I understand, mother. Is the food ready? I¡¯m hungry again..." Tu Ya rubbed her stomach, making a "gurgle" sound, indicating that she was really hungry.

    Ha Gong¡¯s wife stood up and smiled gently, "Alright, I made your favorite stewed mountain chicken with bamboo strips."

    "Great!" The little girl cheered and ran out.

    Behind her, the woman murmured with a hint of confusion, "She can eat and sleep so well, it seems like she has grown taller recently?"

    Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze followed Tu Ya as she went outside and saw a small farmhouse courtyard.

    The courtyard was notrge, surrounded by a low wooden fence with no gatehouse. The ground inside the courtyard was solid hard soil, not paved with bricks, but it was swept clean.

    At this moment, amotion came from outside the courtyard, and a group of more than ten people riding various strange beasts stopped outside the courtyard.

    Hearing themotion, the woman inside the house was greatly surprised and immediately ran out, pulling her daughter back into the house.

    However, the courtyard gate had already been pushed open.

    A woman wrapped in a white robe from head to toe, wearing a bamboo hat and a veil covering her face, rode a beast that looked like a fierce tiger into the courtyard.

    Ha Gong¡¯s wife was shocked to see this and quickly protected her daughter behind her.

    But Tu Ya, who was still young, was not afraid at all. She poked her head out from behind her mother, curiously looking at the person.

    "Is it her?" Yuan Ming¡¯s heart trembled at the sight of the woman.

    Looking at the group outside the courtyard, he saw many tattooed knights riding beasts, just like the group that he had seen by the river when he was unconscious and received medicine from.

    "It¡¯s really them!" Yuan Ming confirmed.

    This woman was his benefactor. If it weren¡¯t for her detoxifying and healing elixir, he didn¡¯t know what would have happened to him.

    After confirming this, Yuan Ming was somewhat puzzled as to why these people would appear here.

    At this moment, the woman in the white robe riding the fierce beast suddenly waved her hand, and a five-colored disc flew out and hovered over Tu Ya¡¯s head.

    In the next moment, the disc emitted a bright light, and a green light column shot up into the sky, rippling with spiritual energy.

    The woman¡¯s face was covered by the veil, so her expression couldn¡¯t be seen, but there was a hint of joy in her eyes.

    Ha Gong¡¯s wife initially showed a look of suspicion, but seeing that the woman seemed to have no ill intentions, she forced herself to calm down and asked, "What do you want?"

    "Your daughter has rare aptitude for cultivation. We want to take her in as a disciple, so that she can leave the mundane world behind and embark on the path of cultivation," the veiled woman said.

    If it were an ordinary woman, she would probably have been at a loss and not understood what the other party was talking about.

    But Ha Gong¡¯s wife had seen such cultivators before and knew how cruel they could be when they fought. She instinctively refused, "You, you must be mistaken. My daughter is just an ordinary person, she doesn¡¯t want to..."

    "Mother, I want to go," before she could finish her sentence, Tu Ya stood up on her own.

    "Tu Ya..." Ha Gong¡¯s wife was shocked.

    "Mother, I want to cultivate and be someone like big brother. I want to protect you and not let bad people bully you anymore," Tu Ya spoke fluently and with determination.

    The veiled woman saw this scene, her eyes shed slightly, showing even more joy.

    Without waiting for her mother¡¯s consent, Tu Ya looked at the veiled woman and said, "Sister, I want to go with you, but I want to bring my mother with me."

    "What if I say no?" the veiled woman frowned and said.

    "Then I won¡¯t go. I cultivate to protect my mother. If my mother is not by my side, how can I protect her?" Tu Ya didn¡¯t hesitate, shaking her head.

    Ha Gong¡¯s wife was stunned, and tears flowed down her cheeks.

    "Alright, then let¡¯s go together. Remember what you said today," the veiled woman nodded.

    She then ordered her subordinates to help Tu Ya and her mother pack up and leave together.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming also felt emotional for a moment, but he had no way to show it.

    When the convoy started moving again, Yuan Ming suddenly remembered that he didn¡¯t know which sect or faction this woman belonged to. Just as he was about to look around for any gs or symbols, his vision blurred again, and his spirit returned to his body.

    When the scene reappeared before his eyes, Yuan Ming sat quietly for a long time, feeling the wonder of fate.

    The benefactor who had saved him back then had actually taken Tu Ya, whom he had saved, as her disciple. He just didn¡¯t know what she meant by Tu Ya¡¯s rare aptitude. But no matter what sect the other party belonged to, encountering such a disciple, he believed that she would not be mistreated.

    With a sect to rely on, Tu Ya¡¯s life would be guaranteed, and Yuan Ming felt a little more at ease.

    He got up, pushed open the window of the inn, looked at the moonlight streaming in, and directly took out a cushion, sitting on the floor to start practicing the Death Moon method.

    In the blink of an eye, seven days had passed.

    During these days, Yuan Ming had gone to Changxian Tower again and bought some elixirs to assist in his cultivation.He had originally intended to purchase some elixirs that could aid in Foundation Establishment, but Zhuo Lingling bluntly informed him that such elixirs were extremely precious and had a singr effect, belonging to the category of priceless goods that were hard toe by in ordinary markets.

    Their Changxian Tower didn¡¯t have them, and they were a rare sight even in the entire marketce of Heiyan City.

    Yuan Ming, not giving up, searched for several days, visiting the ghost market every day to try his luck, but in the end, he came up empty-handed.

    Tonight, Yuan Ming did not go out again, as tomorrow was the day he was to retrieve the Bagua Mirror and the snake skin inner armor. ording to the bald man, the Fire Refining Master would begin crafting his magical artifact tonight.

    The image of that short and skinny old man surfaced in Yuan Ming¡¯s mind, and a thought suddenly arose:

    "How does this Fire Refining Master craft artifacts?"

    It wasn¡¯t that he had nothing better to do; he was simply curious as to why the old man, clearly capable of repairing superior-grade magical artifacts, insisted on only crafting inferior ones. There must be a reason behind it.

    With this thought, he immediately took out the incense burner and lit the ck incense.

    Apanied by the familiar sensation of blurred vision, Yuan Ming¡¯s spirit once again plunged into darkness.

    When his vision brightened again, Yuan Ming felt a scorching wave of air hit his face.

    Looking at the scene before him, he saw that not far away, in the casting furnace, fierce mes were surging, burning something.

    The sound of "ng ng" hammering echoed in his ears, steady and continuous.

    "Is he refining the embryo?" Yuan Ming wondered in surprise.

    But as his gaze followed the Fire Refining Master¡¯s line of sight downward, he saw that the old man was holding a piece of soft armor with obvious snake scale patterns in one hand, and a carving knife in the other, engraving intricate runes on it.

    The old man¡¯s technique was skilled, and the speed of inscribing the spirit patterns was fast, at least Yuan Ming felt that his own skill was far inferior.

    His gaze continued downward and he noticed that the runes inscribed were a rather rare type of defensive rune, strong against shing and piercing damage, but weaker against blunt force trauma.

    This was quite fitting for the nature of the soft armor.

    "No, if the Fire Refining Master is inscribing runes, then who is refining the embryo? Could there be a second hidden artifact refiner?" Yuan Ming suddenly thought, puzzled.

    Unfortunately, the sound came from behind, and he couldn¡¯t make the Fire Refining Master turn around.

    "Master, business has been getting bettertely, you might have to work hard for a while," a voice came from behind at that moment.

    Yuan Ming immediately recognized it as the bald man¡¯s voice.

    "Could it be him refining the embryo? To be able to refine the embryo while talking, and the hammering sound not breaking at all, the breath during speech not the slightest bit disordered, isn¡¯t this also a sign of a master refiner?" Yuan Ming grew even more astonished.

    The Fire Refining Master did not respond until he had finished inscribing all the runes, then he finally spoke: "Don¡¯t talk to me while I¡¯m inscribing runes, have you forgotten again?"

    As he spoke, he continued to focus intently on the soft armor in his hands, without turning to look at the bald man.

    "I¡¯m sorry, Master," the bald man immediately responded.

    "Go, bring me a spirit stone, be careful not to get the wrong one, I need one with wood attributes," the Fire Refining Master instructed.

    Not long after his words fell, the bald man came running over, holding a green spirit stone in his hand, and asked with confusion, "Master, using spirit stones for infusion can save spiritual energy, I understand that. But aren¡¯t defensive artifacts better suited to metal and earth attributes? Why choose a wood attribute spirit stone for infusion?"

    "What do you know? The special feature of this snake scale soft armor lies in its toughness, not its solidity, it is a weapon against cuts and stabs, naturally, it is appropriate to use the flexible properties of wood attribute, this is called using materials ording to their properties," the Fire Refining Master said irritably.

    "So that¡¯s how it is, I never realized that there was so much to consider in artifact infusion," Yuan Ming thought to himself,mitting the Fire Refining Master¡¯s words to memory.

    Just as he agreed with him in his mind, another question couldn¡¯t help but arise: "If the bald man is right in front of me, then who exactly is refining the embryo?"

    While the two of them were talking, the "ng ng" of hammering continued, steady and uninterrupted.

    For a moment, Yuan Ming felt as if a hundred ws were scratching at his heart, his curiosity intense.

 Chapter 215: Karma

    Chapter 215: Karma

    A momentter, the Master of Fire Refinement held the spirit stone and used a secret method to start infusing the soft armor. Soon, the infusion wasplete, and the runes on the snake scale armor lit up, with a faintyer of green light appearing on the outside of the armor before quickly disappearing.

    "Not bad," the Master of Fire Refinement said, satisfied as he carefully inspected the armor. A bald man immediately brought over a y teacup filled with bright red tea.

    After setting down the armor, the Master of Fire Refinement picked up the teacup and took a sip. Then, he stood up and stretched his muscles.

    "Turn around, turn around," Yuan Ming silently urged. Unfortunately, his thoughts couldn¡¯t influence the Master of Fire Refinement, who simply stretched his waist before sitting down again. Yuan Ming estimated that the time for his possession was about to end, and he couldn¡¯t help but sigh.

    But at that moment, the "ng ng" sound behind him suddenly stopped, and the voice of the bald man immediately followed, "Master, it¡¯s done." Just as Yuan Ming was feeling puzzled, the Master of Fire Refinement finally stood up and turned around.

    As his gaze shifted, Yuan Ming also looked over. However, behind the Master of Fire Refinement, there was no one else except the bald man. But next to the bald man, there was a six-foot-tall figure that looked human but clearly wasn¡¯t - the "Irond Man."

    The Irond Man was wrapped in dark green iron skin, with only a human-like outline but no human features, and even the body structure looked rough and crude, with only two finely crafted arms. One of the arms didn¡¯t have a human hand structure, but was directly connected to a huge forging hammer.

    Whether it was the forging hammer or the other parts of the Irond Man, the surface was covered with dark red sunken circles, with intricate lines connecting the circles, resembling unique runes that were magnified several times and severely distorted.

    "Just what is this thing used for refining?" Yuan Ming was thinking this when the bald man gave the answer. "Master, although this mechanical puppet is useful, its limitations are too great..." His words contained someints."How much rice you eat and how big a bowl you hold, what¡¯s there toin about? Being skilled in making low-grade artifacts is enough in this ckrock City," the Master of Fire Refinement scolded him.

    "But the iron ore it refines can actually reach the middle-grade level. Your skill in carving and infusing runes is exquisite. Why don¡¯t we take on the business of middle-grade artifacts? The profits could increase at least fivefold," the bald man said.

    "I¡¯ve told you this so many times. This puppet¡¯s level is not high. Even if it can refine middle-grade iron ore, it¡¯s not the best quality. Wouldn¡¯t the artifacts made from it be just for show?" the Master of Fire Refinement frowned and said.

    "You¡¯re just too demanding," the big man muttered under his breath, knowing that the Master was getting angry. "If I hadn¡¯t been injured by someone in my early years and couldn¡¯t wield a hammer to refine the ore, why would I need to buy a puppet from the Hundred Mechanisms Sect?" the Master of Fire Refinement sighed.

    Yuan Ming listened with great interest. So there were puppets that could specialize in refining ore. What was the Hundred Mechanisms Sect? A sect that specialized in producing puppets? He hadn¡¯t heard of it in the Southern Frontier, maybe it was a sect from the Central ins?

    Just as Yuan Ming was lost in thought, his vision began to blur, and he fell into darkness once again.

    The next day, Yuan Ming retrieved the snake scale armor and the Eight Trigram Mirror from the Master of Fire Refinement. Although the snake scale armor was a low-grade artifact, the appearance and quality were fine, and the Eight Trigram Mirror was repaired very well. Yuan Ming was very satisfied and left after paying.

    After leaving ckrock City, Yuan Ming patted his spirit beast bag, and a streak of green light flew out. When the green lightnded, a clear and melodious crane call sounded, and the Azure Cloud Crane spread its wings and danced in ce, clearly preferring to be outside rather than sleeping in the spirit beast bag.

    Yuan Ming reached out and the Azure Cloud Crane immediately obediently lowered its head, gently rubbing against his palm, showing great obedience. "Let¡¯s go," Yuan Ming leaped onto the back of the Azure Cloud Crane and gave a lightmand.

    The Azure Cloud Crane immediately let out a long cry, pping its wings powerfully to stir up the air, lifting its body into the sky and flying towards the east. In just two days, the Azure Cloud Crane descended towards a town below.

    Afternding outside the town, Yuan Ming put away the Azure Cloud Crane and walked to the city gate. Iron Tiger Town, he hadn¡¯t expected toe back here. Looking at the familiar sign, he chuckled softly. With that, he quickly walked into the city gate.

    After entering, Yuan Ming subconsciously nced at the notice board next to him, only to see that the papers on it had faded, and thetest one was a recruitment notice for what seemed to be a painter. Yuan Ming didn¡¯t pay much attention. He hade to Iron Tiger Town this time mainly to see if the people his father had sent to meet him were still there.

    Although Yuan Ming didn¡¯t know if they were still there, he decided to make a trip. It was almost noon, the busiest time in the city. As Yuan Ming passed by the inn owned by Old Pipe, he found that it had closed and stopped operating.

    He didn¡¯t mind and nned to walk through the streets to the Lord¡¯s Manor to gather information. But as he walked through the streets, the scent of food and wine wafted from both sides, making Yuan Ming¡¯s mouth water and his stomach growl.

    He chose a restaurant with a moderate number of people and walked in. A dark-skinned young man with furrowed brows came forward to greet him."Upstairs we have private rooms avable, please follow me," the young man with thick eyebrows began, but his expression soon turned into a frown. He looked at the customer before him, feeling a sense of familiarity, yet he couldn¡¯t quite recall who it was.

    "Hu Tu, long time no see. Yuan Ming here has been having a good time," he chuckled. Hearing Yuan Ming¡¯s voice, Hu Tu immediately realized, "You¡¯re Yuan Ming?" His face lit up with joy, then quickly shifted to guilt, his gaze darting away.

    "Oh, have you be the boss now?" Yuan Ming teased. He noticed at a nce that although Hu Tu¡¯s clothes were simple, the fabric was not something a mere waiter would wear.

    "This is just a small tavern, Brother Yuan, please follow me upstairs, we can talk there," Hu Tu stammered for a bit before finally calming his nerves and leading Yuan Ming to the second floor.

    Once in a private room, Hu Tu instructed the waiter to serve the best banquet they had and then closed the door. Turning around, he immediately knelt before Yuan Ming, filled with both guilt and gratitude, "Brother Yuan, I¡¯ve been looking for you for a long time, but since ourst parting, there has been no news of you."

    "Why were you looking for me?" Yuan Ming feigned ignorance. "To apologize and to repay you. I once harbored ill intentions towards you, yet you did not me me, and instead left me ten silver coins. Anyone else would have sold me off to work in the mines," Hu Tu said with a serious expression.

    Yuan Ming thought to himself, I did sell you, but then I took you back. "Enough, if you hadn¡¯t taken me out of that graveyard, I might well be dead by now. It¡¯s all karma," Yuan Ming had thought of this before and thus hadn¡¯t truly sold Hu Tu off.

    "This time, no matter what, I must properly thank you." Seeing that Yuan Ming bore no grudge, Hu Tu was overjoyed. Momentster, the waiter brought up a table full of fine wine and dishes, and Hu Tu, disregarding his business, joined Yuan Ming for the meal.

    He recounted his experiences since parting with Yuan Ming, how he used those ten silver coins to struggle and gradually build his wealth, eventually settling down in Iron Tiger Town and opening this "Ming En Tavern."

    In fact, Yuan Ming had passed by this tavern thest time he was in Iron Tiger Town. After a long conversation, the two menughed off their past grievances.

    Just as Hu Tu was about to ask about Yuan Ming¡¯s adventures, amotion suddenly erupted from downstairs. Yuan Ming listened closely and heard the sound of armor shing, with at least a dozen men involved.

    Before he could make out the details, the noise escted into the sound of tables being overturned, curses being shouted, and the panicked cries of customers. "It¡¯s nothing, I¡¯ll go have a look," Hu Tu said, furrowing his brow to reassure Yuan Ming before hurrying downstairs.

    Upon reaching the ground floor, he recognized the armored soldiers as the personal guards of the Iron Tiger Town lord, and his expression immediately soured.

    "My lord, what is this about? I am the owner of this tavern, and I¡¯m friends with the steward of the lord¡¯s mansion, Wu Lin. Please show some respect, whatever the issue is, let¡¯s sit down and talk it over," Hu Tu paused, then quickly put on a smile and went to greet them.

    "It¡¯s you, you scoundrel, to hell with you!" The leader, a burly man with a full beard, was furious and pped Hu Tu, sending him staggering and crashing to the ground.

    "That damn Wu Lin introduced a swindler from the Central ins, iming to be a court painter directly taught by Wu Daozi, and cheated the lord out of arge sum of money before fleeing. He¡¯s been beaten half to death and confessed that it was you who introduced that swindler to him, is that true?" the burly man bellowed.

    "Ah... it wasn¡¯t me..." Hu Tu was shocked and quickly tried to defend himself. "I don¡¯t care if it was you or not, that swindler called ¡¯Wu Liao,¡¯ did he stay here or not?" the burly man demanded.

    "He moved to the lord¡¯s mansion two days ago and hasn¡¯t been back since..." Hu Tu immediately responded. Wu Liao had stayed at his tavern for several days, eating and drinkingvishly on credit.

    When Hu Tu pressed for payment, the man imed to be a direct disciple of the painter Wu Daozi from the Wu Kingdom, a court painter who could easily paint a picture worth more than the tavern itself.

    Hu Tu didn¡¯t believe him and intended to report him to the authorities, but Wu Liao said he saw a notice at the city gate that the lord¡¯s mansion was looking for a painter, and taking on that task would easily allow him to repay his debt. As a result, Hu Tu was once again duped by someone from the Central ins, falling for Wu Liao¡¯s trick.

 Chapter 216: I am also an artist

    Chapter 216: I am also an artist

    "Grab him and take him back to the Lord¡¯s Mansion, seal the shop for me." The burly man frowned and waved his hand directly.

    As soon as he finished speaking, his men immediately started to move around. The guests in the shop had already fled, and the waiters had all hidden in the crowd outside. Hu Tu¡¯s face turned pale, and he was at a loss.

    Seeing peopleing to arrest him, he instinctively struggled, but before he could break free, he was struck on the back. He staggered, feeling dizzy, and stumbled to the ground.

    Fortunately, a man came down the stairs and caught him. "It¡¯s just a matter of losing some silver, why resort to violence? If you lost money, justpensate. There¡¯s no need to resort to violence," Yuan Ming said as he helped Hu Tu to the side, looking at the fierce leader.

    "Nonsense, did our Lord lose silver? It¡¯s about losing face! Where did this troublemakere from? Get lost, mind your own business, and if you interfere further, you¡¯ll be considered an aplice and taken away," the burly man scolded angrily, ring.

    Although Hu Tu was flustered, he didn¡¯t want to drag Yuan Ming down, so he quickly pulled at his sleeve and said, "I¡¯ll go with you, this has nothing to do with him." He was about to step forward, but was stopped by Yuan Ming.

    "Alright, we have a fearless one here. Do you want to resist arrest?" The burly man was getting angry, and when he saw Yuan Ming¡¯s little movement, heughed instead of getting angry. "I didn¡¯t mean that. You¡¯re looking for an artist, right? That¡¯s me," Yuan Ming said with a smile.

    "Are you making fun of me? I¡¯ll take you down first!" The burly man was really losing his temper. As he finished speaking, he suddenly drew the curved knife from his waist and swung it at Yuan Ming.

    Hu Tu reacted quickly and tried to pull Yuan Ming away, but found that it was like pulling a bronze statue, he couldn¡¯t move him at all.Yuan Ming simply waved his hand, and the iron curved knife was twisted into a spiral, and the burly man also spun in mid-air a few times before the force was removed, and he fell heavily to the ground.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s move truly shocked the onlookers, and they couldn¡¯t help but exim in surprise. The Lord¡¯s Mansion guards saw this and drew their swords, but they only surrounded them and no one dared to step forward.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming took a step closer to the burly man with a smile. Thetter, who was in a mess, was so scared that he kept retreating.

    "Don¡¯te near me, I know you¡¯re a cultivator... Our Lord¡¯s Mansion also has cultivators. If you dare to kill, you won¡¯t escape punishment," the burly man, who had seen the world, said.

    In the Lord¡¯s Mansion, those cultivators who were worshipped could easily kill people, and he had never seen one who didn¡¯t respectfully call them "Immortal."

    "Let¡¯s go, take me to the Lord¡¯s Mansion, it¡¯s just a matter of painting, right?" Yuan Ming said with a light smile. As he spoke, he reached out and helped the trembling burly man, and a stream of energy quietly entered, restoring the dislocated meridians in his injured arm.

    "Are you... really an artist?" The burly man felt a significant reduction in the pain in his arm, steadied his mind, and asked. "Stop talking nonsense, show me the way," Yuan Ming scolded. The guards of the Lord¡¯s Mansion came to investigate, but they were almost taken back.

    As they left, Yuan Ming looked back at thepletely stunned Hu Tu and said with a smile, "It¡¯s nothing, just keep doing business as usual." Hu Tu forced a smile and watched them leave, sitting dejectedly on the steps. "Is he really the same Yuan Ming?" Hu Tu felt a mix of emotions.

    On the other side, Yuan Ming followed the guards to the Lord¡¯s Mansion. "You, wait here... I¡¯ll go report first," the burly man led Yuan Ming to a courtyard in the Lord¡¯s Mansion, rubbed his shoulders, and hurriedly left.

    Yuan Ming sat calmly at a stone table in the courtyard, looking around. He found that many of the furnishings in this small courtyard had a strong Central ins style, which was very different from the architectural decorationsmonly seen in the Southern Frontier.

    Yuan Ming was lost in thought when the burly man returned. "The Lord is entertaining guests, I¡¯ll reportter," the burly man said.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t mind and casually asked, "Have there been any visitors from the Central ins to your Lord¡¯s Mansion recently?" Upon hearing this, the burly man was visibly startled. "Yes, there have been. How long have they been here, and have they left?" Yuan Ming asked.

    The burly man clearly didn¡¯t want to answer, but intimidated by his identity as a cultivator, he couldn¡¯t pretend not to have heard, so he could only say, "Indeed, some people havee from the Central ins and have been staying in the Lord¡¯s Mansion¡¯s side courtyard, and they haven¡¯t left. Do you know where in the Central ins they came from?" Yuan Ming asked.

    I don¡¯t know where in the Central ins they came from, they¡¯re all very secretive, only dealing with the Lord¡¯s trusted aides, we can¡¯t see them," the burly man said, shaking his head. "After they arrived, did they do anything unusual?" Yuan Ming asked.

    The day after they arrived, the Lord ordered the closure of the Shanhe Gambling House and a guesthouse under the name of a certain innkeeper. They were both businesses that had been supplying the Lord¡¯s Mansion," the burly man said after some thought.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming had a clue in his mind. After waiting for a short while, he urged the burly man to report again. This time, however, it was not the burly man who came, but arge group of well-armed soldiers and two cultivators supported by the Lord¡¯s Mansion.The burly man from before was dragged back, already beaten ck and blue. "You scoundrel, wasn¡¯t it enough to deceive us once? You want to bring another one?" A bald, middle-aged man with a burly figure and ck tattoos shouted.

    The burly man was so beaten that he was barely breathing, unable to utter a word in his defense. Yuan Ming frowned upon seeing this.

    "You blind fool, thinking you can swagger into the lord¡¯s mansion with your half-baked tricks. Are you tired of living?" Another man, skinny with a sharp chin and monkey cheeks, screeched.

    Yuan Ming nced at the two, noting they were around the fourth or fifth level of Qi refining, and had an idea of the situation. "I¡¯m just here to paint a picture for the lord; is there a need for such amotion?" Yuan Ming said with a helpless expression.

    "Shall I, Garu, handle this, or will you, Hda?" The sharp-chinned man ignored Yuan Ming and turned to the burly middle-aged Garu with a smile.

    Hda nodded, then sneered at Yuan Ming, "Today, you¡¯ll learn how to write the word ¡¯death¡¯!" As his words fell, he pulled out a short spike from his waist, muttered a few words, and with a sh of spiritual light, the spike flew out, transforming into a long ck cord, slithering like a snake.

    But in a few breaths, a scream rang out. Hda was sprawled on the ground, motionless, and the short spikey on the ground. "I may not know how to write ¡¯death,¡¯ but it seems I¡¯ve written ¡¯big¡¯ quite well," Yuan Ming said with a smile.

    As soon as he finished speaking, a bear¡¯s roar erupted. The tattoos on the burly man lit up, his body shrouded in a green malevolent aura, forming a vague bear shadow that charged at Yuan Ming. With each step, the ground shook, his momentum fierce.

    In an instant, he too lost consciousness, lying next to Hda in the same posture, neatly arranged. Seeing these two cultivators fall in the blink of an eye, the remaining soldiers were terrified, none daring to step forward.

    Suddenly, a low shout came from outside the courtyard: "Who dares to cause trouble in the lord¡¯s mansion?" As the voice fell, a streak of golden light leaped over the courtyard wall.

    Following closely, seven or eight figures walked over from outside the courtyard, half of them dressed and looking like people from the Central ins.

    At the center was avishly dressed, corpulent middle-aged man with the appearance of a Southern Border native, none other than the master of Iron Tiger Town, Lord Ba Yin. "Someone exin to me what¡¯s going on here?" Lord Ba Yin demanded angrily upon surveying the scene.

    "Lord Ba Yin, please calm your anger. With ourmander here, there¡¯s no need to worry." Everyone¡¯s gaze shifted to the first person who had leaped over. The golden light on him had dissipated, revealing a set of leather armor. His shoulders trembled slightly, as if he too was on the edge of anger.

    They had been troubling the lord¡¯s mansion for a while, coinciding with Lord Ba Yin¡¯s banquet today. Unexpectedly, they encountered someone causing trouble, and it was a cultivator no less. Seeing that the mansion¡¯s cultivators couldn¡¯t handle it, they decided to intervene, repaying a favor in kind.

    "Commander Fu, take care of him," someone in the crowd jeered. The other Central ins people also shouted along, and although most of the Southern Border natives didn¡¯t understand, they joined in the mor. Amidst the crowd¡¯s expectation, Commander Fu, confronting Yuan Ming, suddenly bellowed, "Silence!"

    His shout startled everyone. Even the host, Ba Yin, trembled with his fat. Before the crowd couldprehend what had happened, Commander Fu at the forefront suddenly "thump" knelt on the ground, eliciting another cry of surprise.

    "Young Master, I¡¯ve finally found you," Commander Fu¡¯s eyes reddened as he sped his hands towards Yuan Ming and called out with a trembling voice.

    "Young Master?" His shout made the others stiffen, and they were no fools. After a moment of shock, they quickly ran over and knelt down one after another.

 Chapter 217: Tales of Young Master Shengâ€™s Southern Journey

    Chapter 217: Tales of Young Master Sheng¡¯s Southern Journey

    Yuan Ming carefully looked at the person in front of him and recognized him.

    The leader Fu, named Fu Qing, was one of his father¡¯s personal guards, not only holding a military position, but also a cultivator.

    As for the people behind him, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t recognize any of them, all of them were strangers.

    But it wasn¡¯t hard to guess that General Yuan, in order to prevent leaks from those around him, had selected Fu Qing as a trusted aide for this mission, and reced the others with new people.

    "Brother Fu," Yuan Ming chuckled and went forward to help Fu Qing up.

    "Young Master, I finally found you," Fu Qing said, his eyes turning red.

    "I didn¡¯t expect father to send you to meet me. It must have been harding all the way here," Yuan Ming said.

    "As long as I can find Young Master, I would die without regret," Fu Qing said, sping his hands together.

    At this time, Lord Ba Yin stepped forward and asked, "Do you know each other?""This is the person we asked the Lord to help find: the young master of our general¡¯s mansion," Fu Qing said.

    "Oh... may the gods bless you, allowing you to reunite. This is the best arrangement," Ba Yin said with a drawn-out tone.

    After that, he called over a burly man who had been beaten half to death, revived him with a medicinal soup, and asked about the cause and effect.

    "In your words, this is like a family not recognizing each other after a big change. Young Master Yuan, please don¡¯t me our rudeness," Ba Yin quickly changed to a warm and enthusiastic smile.

    "No problem. I heard that Lord Ba Yin is looking for a painter. I happen to have some skill in painting. If you don¡¯t mind, I can give it a try," Yuan Ming said, looking at him and finding that he was also a Qi Refining cultivator, and smiled.

    "Young Master Yuan is a distinguished guest, how can we trouble a distinguished guest? Come, the banquet has just begun. Young Master Yuan and Leader Fu, please take a seat together," Ba Yin said, leading Yuan Ming and the others back to the banquet hall.

    After taking their seats, the banquet began.

    After a few rounds of toasting, Lord Ba Yin spoke of being deceived, still somewhat angry.

    That scoundrel Wu Liao was so eloquent that he made everyone believe he was a court painter, a direct descendant of the Wu family, and after two days of eating and drinking at the mansion, he stole some gold and silver, and swaggered out of the Lord¡¯s mansion under the guise of going out to find inspiration.

    It was his "open and honest" behavior that deceived everyone, causing them to rx their guard, and by the time they realized it, the scoundrel was nowhere to be found.

    "Lord Ba Yin, the main family of the Ming En Tower is also puzzled by him. Please don¡¯t me him again. I am also an old acquaintance with him, and I came here to help him understand the situation. I wonder what Lord Ba Yin wants to paint?" Yuan Ming asked.

    At this, Ba Yin hesitated for a moment.

    "Lord Ba Yin, I don¡¯t hide it from you, our young master is a young genius of Great Jin, proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. If you have such a need, it¡¯s just right to let our young master show his skills," Fu Qing also added.

    Yuan Ming nodded with a smile.

    "In that case, I¡¯ll trouble Young Master Yuan," Ba Yin said with a smile.

    After the meal, Ba Yin led Yuan Ming and Fu Qing all the way to the inner courtyard of the Lord¡¯s mansion, until they came to a house with arge bronze lock on the door.

    "This is our family¡¯s shrine, simr to your ancestral hall in the Central ins, but we don¡¯t have as many rules, and the things inside are more chaotic," Ba Yin exined as he opened the door.

    The three of them walked into the room, and Yuan Ming realized why Lord Ba Yin had said that the things inside were more chaotic.

    It turned out that the shrine was divided into two rooms, with three disy racks outside, holding all kinds of misceneous items, including exquisitely crafted bronze and porcin, some bows, arrows, and knives, as well as some ancient books.

    "These are the favorite items of our ancestors. Everyone who enters the shrine will leave a personal item here, not necessarily something valuable, but mostly something they like. There are also some autobiographies of our ancestors stored here," Ba Yin exined with a smile.

    The three entered the inner hall, where arge altar was ced, with the ancestral tablets of the Ba Yin family¡¯s ancestors on it, and arge ancient painting hung on the wall behind the altar.

    On the ancient painting, there was a tall man dressed in the costume of the Kasite tribe, with apletely different appearance and temperament from Ba Yin. His phoenix eyes were sharp and full of heroic spirit.

    However, the ancient painting was old and had been exposed to incense for a long time, with the paper turning yellow and covered with fine cracks, despite being repeatedly mounted, it still showed signs of damage.

    "Young Master Yuan, can you restore this painting?" Ba Yin asked.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t answer, remaining silent for a while.

    At this moment, when he looked at the ancient painting, what he saw waspletely different from what others saw, feeling a thinyer of mist on the ancient painting, making it difficult to see clearly.

    This kind of misty thing was not visible to the naked eye, but was perceived by his spiritual sense, a special and indescribable mental power.

    "Lord Ba Yin, how long has this portrait been enshrined here?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "I haven¡¯t counted, but it¡¯s been at least three or four hundred years," Ba Yin said.

    "Is it worshipped here every day?" Yuan Ming asked again."It¡¯s not a daily urrence, but a minor ritual on the first and fifteenth of each month, and a major ritual during the Lantern Festival and the Ghost Festival each year. The minor ritual is nothing much, but the major ritual requires the presence of all family members to worship and pray for blessings together," Ba Yin exined, though he didn¡¯t understand why Yuan Ming was asking these questions.

    "No wonder this painting, despite its signs of wear, still retains the ancestral spirit without any loss. I dare not im to replicate it with perfect uracy, but preserving seven or eight parts out of ten should not be difficult," Yuan Ming said, his spection confirmed.

    "That would be most fortunate; I dare not ask for too much," Ba Yin replied with joy upon hearing this.

    Previously, he had sought several painters from the Southern Border, but none dared to make such a bold im.

    "I will need seven days to carefully observe and capture the essence of the portrait. It would be best if I could remain undisturbed, without leaving the room. Is that possible?" Yuan Ming inquired.

    "Of course, I will have the servants bring over a bed and a desk shortly," Ba Yin responded promptly.

    After Ba Yin left to make arrangements, only Yuan Ming and Fu Qing remained in the room.

    "Young Master, you have suffered," Fu Qing finally said.

    "It¡¯s nothing serious. Misfortune and blessing go hand in hand, leading to my current state," Yuan Ming replied with a smile.

    "The General sent me to assist you as soon as he learned you were here. Dy could lead toplications; we really should return as soon as possible," Fu Qing said with slight hesitation.

    "No need to worry, I have my ns," Yuan Ming shook his head, offering no further exnation.

    Fu Qing hesitated, wanting to say more.

    "Did Father have any message for me?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "The General only said that if we found you, we are to protect you with our lives. He didn¡¯t have any specific messages for me to convey," Fu Qing replied.

    "That¡¯s Father¡¯s style," Yuan Ming said with a smile.

    Soon after, the servants from the lord¡¯s mansion brought over a small bed and a writing desk.

    Later, Ba Yin himself delivered the finest brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone from the Central ins.

    Once everyone had left, Yuan Ming closed the door and first tidied up the umted incense ash in the censer on the altar.

    Then he approached the desk, looked at the thick stack of rice paper, and with fingers like a knife, swiftly cut through it, neatly dividing the sheets.

    Looking at the cut rice paper, Yuan Ming smiled knowingly. After grinding the ink himself, he picked up the brush and began to draw on the paper.

    With a few simple strokes, he depicted arge ship sailing through the waves, with a young man on the bow, his face filled with anger, looking back.

    Behind him, a group of fierce bandits, armed with swords, axes, and bows, seemed intent on plundering him.

    After finishing one drawing, Yuan Ming set it aside to let the ink dry, then immediately began the second.

    The second depicted the young man being shot with arrows and falling into the water, while his pursuers celebrated wildly with raised swords.

    The third showed the young man lying on the riverbank, being robbed by a corpse picker, stripped of his clothes.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s painting speed was incredibly fast, his fine brushwork smooth and effortless, as if divinely assisted. Without much thought, as if he had a clear n in mind, he produced dozens of line drawings in less than half a day.

    The shelves in the offering hall were almostpletely filled with his illustrations.

    Without pause, Yuan Ming then began to write swiftly and meticulously in small, fragrant script, pleasing to the eye.

    "The tale tells of the young master of the Sheng family from Jiangnan, who traveled to the northern regions of the Southern Border...

    Just like his painting, Yuan Ming¡¯s writing of the already well-conceived "Tales of Young Master Sheng¡¯s Southern Journey" was equally divine. His thoughts flowed like a fountain, and his writing blossomed with life.

    He refined and adapted his experiences in the Southern Border, blending the local customs of the northern regions into his writing, making it vivid and as if the reader had experienced it themselves.

    After just three days, Yuan Mingpleted the manuscript and illustrations, reviewed them thoroughly, arranged them neatly, and put them away.

    Only then did he truly begin to replicate the portrait of Ba Yin¡¯s ancestor.

    As he started to paint, a few strokes in, Yuan Ming¡¯s brush hesitated, and he found himself unable to continue.

    It wasn¡¯t that there was a problem with his painting skills, but rather that something felt off.

    He could replicate the form of the painting but not its spirit, the subtle essence he had previously noticed that was difficult to discern with the naked eye.

    Even if he forced himself to paint, it wouldck vitality and spirit.

    Others might not notice, but he felt it was not right. He had previously boasted that he could capture seven or eight parts of the essence, but now it seemed that achieving three or four parts would be quite good.

    After several failed attempts, Yuan Ming did not persist. He stood up to observe for a moment before heading to the outer hall.

    Ba Yin had mentioned that the biographies of his ancestors were stored here, and Yuan Ming thought that reading about that particr ancestor might help with his painting.

    After searching the shelves, he indeed found a book at the very bottom.

    The book was stored in a square sandalwood box, with camphor inside to prevent insects, so it was very well-preserved. Aside from some yellowing of the pages, there were no signs of insect damage or decay.

    Yuan Ming immediately took it out and began to read.

    Only then did he discover that Ba Yin¡¯s ancestor was also a cultivator, and moreover, a cultivator who specialized in the study of talismans and seals.

 Chapter 218: Eerie Runes

    Chapter 218: Eerie Runes

    Ba Yin¡¯s ancestor was named Ba Lin, and his life experiences can be considered legendary.

    He was originally a ve in a mine, living a dark and sunless life every day. It can be said that if nothing unexpected happened, his ultimate fate would be to mine until he died of exhaustion.

    However, by a lucky chance, he actually dug up a damaged stone tablet in the mine, and obtained a damaged cultivation method from it.

    After that, through diligent cultivation and his outstanding talent, he actually changed his own destiny.

    However, because the cultivation method he practiced was iplete, he was unable to reach Foundation Establishment even until the end of his life. But he left behind a family business for future generations, which has been passed down through the ages.

    Because Ba Lin was unable to make progress in his cultivation, heter turned to the path of talisman crafting. As a result, he had some talent in this field and even gained some fame with his talisman techniques.

    After Yuan Ming finished reading, he felt a sense of admiration for this ancestor.

    Afterward, he read some more about this person¡¯s rted deeds and relics, gradually forming a more vivid and concrete image in his mind.

    When he returned to the desk and looked at the scroll again, he immediately felt a different sensation.After grinding the ink, Yuan Ming stood solemnly at the desk with his eyes closed for a long time.

    When he opened his eyes, he immediately began to draw on the paper.

    After about half an hour, Ba Lin¡¯s image on the paper had alreadye to life, bearing a striking resemnce to the original, both in appearance and demeanor.

    Yuan Ming looked at the details of the original portrait, and as he was about to continue drawing, his brow suddenly furrowed.

    He suddenly raised his head and stared at a pattern on the clothing in the painting.

    He found that the pattern wasplex andpletely different from the surrounding patterns, even appearing out of ce.

    At first, Yuan Ming thought it was just a crack in the paper or some kind of stain covering it. But upon closer inspection, he realized it was not that simple.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s spiritual sense and mana began to flow to his eyes, and his pupils shone slightly.

    He looked at the painting, and his vision became incredibly clear.

    "This is a talisman, it¡¯s definitely a talisman," Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but exim in surprise.

    After saying this, he was puzzled as to why there would be a talisman on the portrait, and it was clearly deliberately hidden.

    "It¡¯s just a talisman, why would it be deliberately hidden in the portrait?" Yuan Ming pondered.

    At this thought, he suddenly remembered something he had read in the biography earlier.

    Ba Yin¡¯s ancestor was able to establish a career in the Southern and Northern regions as a peak-level Qi Refiner because he possessed a secret method of controlling corpses.

    At the time, Yuan Ming found it strange because he was not a soul cultivator. How did he control corpses?

    "Could this be a control talisman?" Yuan Ming suddenly thought.

    He immediately took out yellow talisman paper, a brush, cinnabar, and other materials from his storage ring, and attempted to draw the talisman.

    When he was in the Fire Refining Hall, he had practiced drawing talismans with Senior Brother He. Yuan Ming was quite skilled in this area due to his strong spiritual power, but it was his first time drawing on yellow talisman paper.

    Yuan Ming carefully observed the appearance of the talisman, analyzed the starting and ending points of the strokes, and then, holding his breath, began to draw on the white paper.

    Drawing talismans required a continuous flow of energy, and the lines had to be smooth without interruption. If the strokes were broken, the talisman would not function properly and would be useless.

    Yuan Ming was well aware of this, but he failed on his first attempt.

    He discarded the paper and tried again, but the result was the same.

    However, Yuan Ming nevercked patience and never gave up. He practiced from day to night without a moment¡¯s rest, even persuading Fu Qing to leave when he came to bring him food.

    Fortunately, his efforts paid off in the middle of the night.

    He picked up the white paper from the table and carefully examined it. It was identical to the image on the scroll, with smooth lines and no signs of interruption.

    Yuan Ming nodded in satisfaction and set it aside.

    The pile of discarded paper at his feet had umted into a small mountain, but there was only a little paper left for drawing.

    This time, heid out a piece of purchased yellow paper, prepared the cinnabar and spirit stone powder-infused ink, and began to draw on the yellow talisman paper with a fine brush.

    Yuan Ming took a pill, sat by the bed to meditate and rest for half an hour, and then returned to the desk.With the experience of nearly a thousand attempts before, Yuan Ming found it easy this time, and with a single stroke, he sessfully drew the spirit talisman.

    As the rune touched the paper, Yuan Ming immediately felt a connection, noticing the yellow talisman paper slightly sinking, with a faint fluctuation of spiritual power emanating from its surface.

    "Sess," Yuan Ming rejoiced inwardly.

    He lifted the yellow paper talisman, examined it carefully for a moment, then waved his hand to summon the "Heavenly Serpent Elder."

    Whether it was a corpse-controlling talisman or not, he would know after a try.

    Yuan Ming immediately pinched the talisman and pped it onto the chest of the Heavenly Serpent Elder.

    As the yellow paper talisman touched him, Yuan Ming channeled a bit of his mana into it, causing the talisman to ignite and turn into a ball of yellow light, which shed and merged into the body of the Nascent Soul stage corpse.

    As the light faded, Yuan Ming¡¯s mind moved, and with a flick of his finger, he tried tomand the corpse to move.

    However, the Heavenly Serpent Elder stood still, motionless.

    "What¡¯s going on? Could I have been wrong, and this isn¡¯t a corpse-controlling talisman?" After several attempts, Yuan Ming achieved nothing.

    Just as he was feeling regretful, he suddenly noticed something unusual.

    This corpse, dead for who knows how many years, was faintly emanating a pulse of vitality!

    It was utterly preposterous.

    Shocked, Yuan Ming hurriedly went forward to inspect and discovered that indeed, a force of vitality had appeared out of nowhere within the body, making it seem not like a rigid corpse, but rather like a living being.

    After pondering for a moment, Yuan Ming pointed at his own brow, and a ck soul crow flew out, crashing into the brow of the Heavenly Serpent Elder.

    The Heavenly Serpent Elder slowly opened his eyes.

    With the soul crow in control, Yuan Ming felt a deeper connection. He maneuvered the Heavenly Serpent Elder to walk around the room, changing postures, and his amazement grew stronger.

    The original zombie seemed to have gained a trace of life, its body bing more supple and flexible, and it was easier to control with the soul crow.

    However, the vitality from the talisman was not permanent and was gradually fading over time, growing weaker and weaker.

    "If this body has vitality and the soul crow acts as the consciousness, wouldn¡¯t it be no different from a living person?" Yuan Ming had a sudden inspiration.

    Thinking this, he immediately tried to use the Nine Revolutions Technique to stimte the Heavenly Serpent Elder to circte mana, but it was futile.

    "It¡¯s no use... Let¡¯s try the White Ape Skin."

    While the power of the talisman had not yetpletely faded, Yuan Ming took out the White Ape Skin and draped it over the Heavenly Serpent Elder.

    As a thread of mana was channeled into it, the skin shed with white light, stretching and wrapping around the body of the Heavenly Serpent Elder.

    In no time, it actually transformed into a white ape over three meters tall.

    At the same time, Yuan Ming felt the vitality within the Heavenly Serpent Elder rapidly depleting.

    Before he could understand what was happening, the power of the talismanpletely dissipated. Yuan Ming¡¯s soul crow could not withstand the erosion of the negative energy within the body and was forced out.

    "s, the talisman¡¯s power was consumed too quickly, perhaps due to the use of overlymon materials. Using higher-grade ones might be better."

    Yuan Ming rubbed his brow as he thought this.

    At that moment, he reached out to retrieve the Heavenly Serpent Elder.

    As he extended his hand, his expression suddenly froze: "What... is this?"

    Only then did he notice that the White Ape Skin, which should have retracted on its own, was still covering the Heavenly Serpent Elder, not just draped over but maintaining the form of the white ape.

    When Yuan Ming tried to pull it off, he found that the White Ape Skin was tightly fused with the body of the Heavenly Serpent Elder, as if it had grown together.

    "What¡¯s going on? Have the flesh and skin merged?" Yuan Ming was dumbfounded.

    If this were a living person, repeated use of the skin-wearing technique could indeed cause the skin to fuse with the flesh and eventually be human-like.

    But this was just a single use, and on a corpse at that?

    Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t figure it out. After a thorough examination, he found that the Heavenly Serpent Elder, now in the form of a white ape, had no other abnormalities and was still the same as before.

    He even tried to control the corpse with the soul crow again and found that it could still bemanded as before, with no change in the duration of use, everything as usual.

    He had no choice but to put it away.

    After all thismotion, it was already getting light outside.

    Yuan Ming rested briefly before picking up his brush to continue painting the portrait of Balin, as he had originally imed he wouldplete the painting within seven days.

    He examined the details of the original portrait once more, then meticulously revised it on the rice paper, finallypleting the painting.

    The portrait that emerged was very close to the original in terms of appearance and majestic demeanor, with the only difference being the newness, hardly distinguishable from the original.

 Chapter 219: Lack of notation

    Chapter 219: Lack of notation

    Two dayster.

    Ba Yin once again hosted a banquet to entertain Yuan Ming and his party. The portrait he had redrawn of Yuan Ming was highly praised, and the surrounding people were amazed.

    After responding with a smile, Yuan Ming discussed the return journey with Fu Qing and the others.

    Ba Yin also helped to point out the best route.

    Later, Yuan Ming went to Ming En Lou and met with Hu Tu.

    The Lord¡¯s Mansion had already sent someone to inform Hu Tu of Yuan Ming¡¯s identity and, in light of the previous misunderstanding, provided Hu Tu with arge sum ofpensation.

    This finally put Hu Tu¡¯s mind at ease, and that day, he offered free meals to all the guests at the restaurant.

    It was nothing, just a gesture of happiness.

    No one knew what Yuan Ming and Hu Tu talked about, but the next day, Ming En Lou closed its doors.The neighbors thought that the shopkeeper, Hu Tu, had struck it rich and climbed the socialdder, enjoying a life of luxury.

    Two dayster, escorted by a team of guards from the Lord¡¯s Mansion, a group of people from the Central ins left Tiehu Town and returned to Da Jin.

    On the carriage guarded by the people, Hu Tu asked excitedly, "Can I really go to Da Jin?"

    "Young Master arranged it this way," Fu Qing, sitting opposite him, nodded.

    However, Yuan Ming himself was not actually in this group.

    Originally, Fu Qing was firmly against this arrangement, but at Yuan Ming¡¯s request, he and Yuan Ming had a showdown, and the result was an unsurprising defeat, which forced him to agree to separate.

    As for bringing this person from the Southern Frontier, it was also arranged by Yuan Ming.

    In addition, Yuan Ming also gave him a task, which was to take the newly written "Young Master Sheng¡¯s Journey to the South" back to the Little Emperor.

    The new book would also be published by Tianming Book Society and circted in the Central ins and even the Southern Frontier.

    In addition, Yuan Ming also wrote a confidential letter and a map of the Southern Frontier, based on the Southern Frontier ssics and his own travels, marking the locations of ethnic groups and sects such as the Kasi tribe and the Biluo Cave, as well as providing a brief overview.

    "Young Master said that he can take you into the territory of Da Jin, but he cannot take you to the capital," Fu Qing, knowing that Hu Tu¡¯s rtionship with Yuan Ming was not ordinary, treated him with great respect.

    "This Yuan Ming... Young Master told me, I understand," Hu Tu said somewhat awkwardly.

    He had asked Yuan Ming for the reason, and Yuan Ming only said, "The capital is not safe," without further exnation.

    Hu Tu didn¡¯t care, as long as he could leave the Southern Frontier and go to the Central ins that he longed for, he would naturally have to rely on his own efforts and strive for it...

    On the other hand, Yuan Ming left Tiehu Town from another direction.

    As soon as Yuan Ming had left the town, not far away, his brow suddenly twitched. Without changing his expression, a slender ck needle-like artifact shed out from his sleeve and silently disappeared into the nearby jungle.

    Then, Yuan Ming turned to look behind him and said slowly, "You three have been following me for so long, why note out and meet me?"

    "Hehe, Young Master Yuan is so perceptive, you noticed us so quickly," apanied by a light sound, three figures walked out.

    All three of them were of Central ins appearance. The leader was an old man with a goatee, sunken cheeks, and an exceptionally bright and piercing gaze.

    The two behind him were a young man and woman. The woman was tall and strong, with dark skin and a somewhat masculine appearance. She had a green pouch hanging from her waist, which seemed to be a spirit beast pouch.

    As for the young man, he had a handsome appearance, but with a hint of femininity.

    The pair of men and women exchanged nces from time to time, obviously having a close rtionship.

    The clothing of the three people was in the style of Da Jin, and they all exuded a wave of spiritual power.

    Yuan Ming quietly used his divine sense to probe. The old man with the goatee had a strong aura and was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, while the other two were at the peak of Qi Refinement.

    "Who are you three? Why have you been following me?" he asked.

    "Young Master Yuan, don¡¯t be nervous. We three are not here to harm you. We are members of the Guangli Scattered Alliance of the Da Jin cultivation world, and we have beenmissioned by the Emperor to escort you safely back home," the goatee old man said.

    "The Emperor sent you? Then why sneak around like this?" Yuan Ming thought of the image of the Little Emperor and asked.

    "The Emperor already knows about the previous assassination attempt by the envoy and also knows that General Yuan sent people to the Southern Frontier. He is just worried that the other party is not dead yet. To ensure that everything is foolproof, he asked us to act in secret and ensure the safe escort of Young Master back to Da Jin. If Young Master Yuan doesn¡¯t believe it, you can check this item. This is a personal letter written by the Emperor for you," the old man with the goatee took out a sealed envelope and handed it over.

    Yuan Ming used his technique to make the envelope fly over and hover in mid-air.

    He did not touch the envelope, but with a slight movement of his finger, the envelope automatically opened, revealing a letter.

    "Young Master Yuan¡¯s technique is truly exquisite. I am ashamed inparison," the goatee old man praised.

    "You tter me," Yuan Ming said modestly, looking at the letter.

    The handwriting on the letter was indeed that of the Little Emperor, and the contents were the same as what the goatee old man had said.

    The letter also introduced the names of the three people: the goatee old man was named Xu Changqing, the powerful dark-skinned woman was named Liu Su, and the handsome young man was named Lin Liumu."Turns out it¡¯s Senior Xu, Friend Lin, Friend Liu. I¡¯ve recently encountered many dangers and have to be careful in my actions. I may have offended many people, please don¡¯t take it to heart," Yuan Ming said, cupping his hands in respect.

    "It¡¯s only natural for people to have their own concerns. Young Master Yuan, what are your ns for the future? Before Emperor Jin left, he instructed the three of us to cooperate with you," Xu Changqing returned the courtesy and asked.

    "Since the three of you were ordered to take me back to Da Jin, you must have already thought of a n to return. I¡¯d like to hear your opinions first," Yuan Ming considered for a moment and asked in return.

    "Currently, we are not clear on who was behind the attempt on Young Master¡¯s life, but the enemy is lurking in the shadows. We need to be cautious. We have prepared two ways to return to Da Jin. The first is to ride on my flying artifact and fly directly back to Da Jin. I don¡¯t mean to boast, but my artifactes and goes without a trace. Even Foundation Establishment cultivators would find it difficult to catch up," Xu Changqing spoke confidently, and a white jade shuttle about a foot long appeared in his hand, emitting a faint white light.

    "What about the second method?" Yuan Ming looked at the shuttle and asked without expressing approval.

    "The second method is to blend in with a merchant caravan. There is a Da Jin caravan fifty miles east of here in Green Cloud Town, which is about to return. I have some connections with caravans traveling to and from Da Jin and can easily blend in with them, returning to Da Jin under the protection of the caravan members," Xu Changqing looked towards the east and said.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming fell silent.

    "You can take your time to think, but we should leave first. There may be enemies watching in Tiehu Town," Xu Changqing reminded.

    The four of them were standing not far from the town, and they all had the appearance of people from the Central ins, making them quite conspicuous.

    "Alright, let¡¯s head towards Green Cloud Town first, and I¡¯ll consider it carefully on the way," Yuan Ming said.

    Xu Changqing and the others had no objections.

    The four of them headed east and soon left Tiehu Town behind, with a range of low mountains appearing in the distance.

    There were no paths here, but fortunately, all four of them were cultivators, so crossing the mountains was not a problem.

    A small stream flowed down from upstream, its water exceptionally clear, seeming to be spring water.

    "This water is good. I¡¯m a little thirsty, so I¡¯ll get some water," Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes lit up, and he stopped to say.

    "Liu Su, go get some water," Xu Changqing instructed the sturdy dark-skinned woman.

    Liu Su agreed and took out a water bag, walking towards the stream.

    "I¡¯ll go take care of something," Yuan Ming added.

    "Please, Young Master Yuan," Xu Changqing pursed his lips and smiled.

    Yuan Ming walked towards the nearby woods, with Lin Liumu following him, saying, "I need to go too. Let¡¯s go together."

    Yuan Ming did not refuse, and the two of them walked into a nearby grove.

    Yuan Ming looked up at the sky and did not undress.

    "You said you needed to go, Young Master Yuan?" Lin Liumu asked, puzzled by the strange behavior.

    "I¡¯m not in a hurry for that. Since you¡¯vee to kill me, we¡¯re already far from Tiehu Town, and it¡¯s almost time to make a move," Yuan Ming suddenly said.

    "What do you mean by that, Young Master Yuan?" Lin Liumu¡¯s face changed slightly as he asked.

    Yuan Ming just looked at Lin Liumu without saying a word.

    At that moment, there was a "rustling" sound behind Lin Liumu, as if someone had entered the grove.

    "It¡¯s you! How did you get here?" Yuan Ming looked behind Lin Liumu, his face changing dramatically as if he had seen an unbelievable person.

    Lin Liumu was startled and involuntarily turned around, but there was nothing there, not even a shadow.

    He realized he had been tricked and immediately turned back, only to find that Yuan Ming, who had been standing there, had disappeared, and the lush bushes nearby were swaying gently.

    Lin Liumu¡¯s expression changed drastically, and he immediately gave chase, but he couldn¡¯t see any trace of Yuan Ming, and Yuan Ming¡¯s aura had disappeared without a trace.

    "Yuan Ming has escaped!" Lin Liumu shouted loudly.

    Whoosh!

    Xu Changqing and Liu Su flew over in the blink of an eye.

    "Where did he escape to? We can¡¯t even keep an eye on one person. What a waste!" Liu Su red at Lin Liumu, speaking irritably.

    Lin Liumu¡¯s face turned red, but he did not retort.

    "A Qi Refining cultivator can¡¯t escape from my grasp. Split up and search!" Xu Changqing shouted sternly, releasing his spiritual sense, but he couldn¡¯t sense Yuan Ming¡¯s whereabouts either.

    Liu Su and Lin Liumu also began searching in the dense forest, using their artifacts to sweep and sh in all directions.

    Bushes and grass were cut and sent flying, and almost half of the undergrowth was destroyed, but Yuan Ming seemed to have truly disappeared, without any movement.

    Yuan Ming was quietly lurking under a clump of low bushes a dozen yards away, draped in the gray cloak given to him by Xiying, blending in with the surrounding green leaves.

    Xu Changqing¡¯s spiritual sense swept over several times, but he did not notice anything unusual.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes flickered, and with a simple probe, he discovered that these three people were indeed suspicious. He would search for the Three Superiorities every day.

    The handwriting in that letter was wless, and he had been corresponding with the young emperor since childhood. As part of their youthful y, they had a secret code that only the two of them knew: in thest sentence of the letter, a random word was missing, but it was not missing in this letter.

    At that moment, he knew that the three of them were up to something, but he pretended not to know, just to make them reveal their true intentions.Seeing Xu Changqing and his twopanions scouring the ground with such ferocity, as if they would dig three feet deep to find him, it was clear they were not intent on escorting him back to the Great Jin, but rather on killing him to erase all traces.

 Chapter 220: One against three

    Chapter 220: One against three

    Is it the follow-up to thest assassination attempt by the delegation? Or has there been a new change on the side of Da Jin?

    Yuan Ming¡¯s thoughts were churning, and a cold light flowed in his eyes. He quietly took out an incense burner and lit a stick of poisonous incense.

    The smoke rose and, under his control, spread along the ground, quickly dissipating into the air and spreading towards Xu Changqing and the others.

    The green bag around Liu Su¡¯s waist suddenly bulged, and a faint chirping sound came from inside.

    "Someone is releasing poison gas! The source is in that area. Hold your breath and protect your body with your spiritual power," Liu Su suddenly looked towards the ce where Yuan Ming was lurking.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s face showed surprise. His poison incense was colorless and odorless, how did this woman discover it? And it seems that she has already seen through his hiding ce!

    He didn¡¯t get up immediately, just quickly extinguished the poisonous incense and reced it with a mist incense, then lit it.

    Xu Changqing heard the sound and flew over, a golden light shed in his hand, and a golden curved sword appeared, the sword body resembling a golden snake, with a forked tip, like the core of a venomous snake.

    He pointed in the void, and the sword tip lit up with dazzling golden light. Over a dozen golden sword auras whistled out, hitting the ce where Yuan Ming was hiding.Yuan Ming could no longer hide his tracks and leaped up, summoning the recently repaired Eight Trigrams Mirror to block in front of him.

    "ng, ng," Yuan Ming, along with the mirror, was pushed back a few steps, and his tracks werepletely exposed.

    Xu Changqing seemed to be wary of Yuan Ming¡¯s poisonous incense, and stopped about seven or twenty metres away from him. The golden snake sword was released with a "ng," shooting straight towards Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming had already fought against early Foundation Establishment cultivators many times, and had long figured out their casting speed. As soon as Xu Changqing¡¯s hand lifted, he activated the White Jade Belt and darted to the side, easily avoiding the attack of the golden snake sword.

    "Just hold your breath and protect your body with your spiritual power, there¡¯s no need to be too cautious," Liu Su shouted loudly, ayer of golden light appearing on her body as she flew over from another direction.

    A green shadow shed from the green bag around her waist, and a green strange snake shot out, with a green fleshy wing on its back that could lift off the ground and nk Yuan Ming from the other side.

    Lin Liumu¡¯s body emitted a green shield, flying to block Yuan Ming¡¯sst escape route.

    Just at this moment, white mist suddenly rose in the dense forest, quickly bing dense.

    "What¡¯s going on?" Xu Changqing and the others were all surprised, and even Liu Su, who seemed to be very knowledgeable about poison mist, changed her expression.

    Yuan Ming took the opportunity to activate the White Jade Belt, and used the Wind Swift Technique and Shadowless Steps, turning into three or four indistinguishable figures, shooting in different directions.

    Xu Changqing and the others couldn¡¯t recognize Yuan Ming¡¯s true body for a while, and with the influence of the white mist, Yuan Ming easily broke out of the encirclement and flew towards the distance.

    "Don¡¯t let him escape, chase after him!" Xu Changqing¡¯s face suddenly darkened, and a piece of white light rose from under him, which was the White Jade Shuttle.

    His body rose into the air, turning into a white light and chasing after Yuan Ming.

    Liu Su and Lin Liumu also hurried to catch up, the two of them didn¡¯t have flying magic tools, so they could only run with their legs, quickly falling behind.

    The mist around them became thicker and thicker, and Yuan Ming and Xu Changqing disappeared in front of them.

    Liu Su and Lin Liumu hurriedly increased their pace to catch up when they saw this scene.

    Although Yuan Ming¡¯s body technique was extremely fast,pared to Xu Changqing¡¯s flying magic tool, he was still far behind. The distance between the two of them was getting closer and closer, and soon there were only ten meters left.

    Just at this moment, Yuan Ming in front suddenly stopped, and swiftly turned back.

    Boom!

    Four streams of light of different colors shot out from his sleeves, it was the Cold Star Sword, the Nine-Ring Golden Knife, and the pair of Meng Shan¡¯s ck Mountain ws.

    The four magic tools burst out with powerful energy, carrying four tails of light, and in the blink of an eye, they arrived in front of Xu Changqing.

    Xu Changqing was surprised, but he was still a cultivator in the early Foundation Establishment stage, and his reaction was swift. He immediately stopped his figure and controlled the golden snake sword to intercept the Cold Star Sword.

    A ck light shed in his right hand, and a ck inkstone magic tool appeared out of thin air, growing to the size of a table, and collided with the other three magic tools.

    A series of intense collisions rang out, and the Cold Star Sword and the other three magic tools were all blocked.

    Xu Changqing¡¯s eyes glowed with a cold light, and a golden light appeared at his fingertips as he pointed into the void.

    The golden snake sword burst out with dazzling golden light, sweeping away the Cold Star Sword, turning into a blurry golden shadow and shooting straight towards Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming was not the least bit flustered. He lightly waved his right arm, and a tall white ape figure appeared in front of him, it was the corpse of the Heavenly Serpent Man merged with the White Ape Skin. Both hands suddenly reached forward.

    With a loud "ng," the golden snake sword suddenly stopped, firmly held by the white ape¡¯s hands.

    Xu Changqing was shocked by the sudden appearance of the white ape, and hurriedly activated the golden snake sword. The golden snake sword struggled hard, but couldn¡¯t break free at all.

    A cold smile appeared at the corner of Yuan Ming¡¯s mouth, and he lightly hooked his index finger.

    A faint ck needle shot out from the white mist behind him, silently piercing towards the back of Xu Changqing¡¯s head.

    The ck needle was two feet behind Xu Changqing when he suddenly woke up, and with a wave of both hands, a blue light burst out from his palms, forming a spherical blue shield around him in an instant.

    The shield had just formed when the ck needle magic tool pierced it, and the tiny ck needle suddenly burst out with an astonishing surge of spiritual power, fully disying the power of a top-grade magic tool.

    This blue shield was just an ordinary water attribute shield, and Xu Changqing hadn¡¯t been able to infuse too much spiritual power into it. With just one sudden stab, the ck needle magic tool pierced through it.

    The shield shattered with a "bang," turning into countless blue lights floating away.

    The ck needle paused slightly, then continued to shoot out, piercing towards the back of Xu Changqing¡¯s head.Xu Changqing needed just that moment of respite. He spat out a golden orb the size of a chicken egg from his mouth, which swiftly floated behind him, barely blocking the ck needle.

    However, a shadow flickered on the ck needle, and a ck crow burst forth, circumventing the golden orb and lunging towards Xu Changqing with astonishing speed.

    Xu Changqing failed to react in time, and the ck crow struck him right between the eyebrows, vanishing without a trace.

    The Foundation Establishment cultivator¡¯s body shuddered, and he stood frozen in ce, his control over several magical instruments ceasing abruptly.

    Seizing the opportunity, the ck needle shook off the golden orb and, in a sh, pierced through Xu Changqing¡¯s skull from the back and exited through his forehead, trailing a line of blood.

    Xu Changqing¡¯s aura dimmed rapidly, and he fell from his jade shuttle,nding motionless on the ground.

    The jade shuttle, the golden snake sword, the golden orb, and the ck inkstone¡ªall magical instruments¡ªlost their luster and ttered to the ground.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s expression rxed, he retracted the white ape, took out a wood-attributed spirit stone to restore his mana, and with a wave of his hand, summoned the items.

    The white jade shuttle, the golden snake sword, the golden orb, the ck inkstone, and Xu Changqing¡¯s storage instrument flew towards him andnded in his hand.

    Liu Su and Lin Liumu finally caught up and, seeing Xu Changqing¡¯s corpse on the ground, their expressions drastically changed, and they halted in their tracks.

    "Now, the two of you can talk to me. Who sent you here?" Yuan Ming looked at them and spoke slowly.

    Liu Su and Lin Liumu showed fear on their faces and, in the next moment, fled in different directions.

    Yuan Ming let out a cold chuckle and waved his hands left and right.

    The Cold Star Sword and three other magical instruments split into two groups, with the ck Mountain ws pursuing Liu Su, while the Cold Star Sword and the Nine Rings Golden Saber went after Lin Liumu.

    A Soul Crow flew out from Yuan Ming¡¯s forehead and entered the nearby ck needle instrument, which vanished in a sh.

    Lin Liumu¡¯s movements were sluggish, and he was quickly overtaken by the Cold Star Sword and the Nine Rings Golden Saber. The two instruments shone brightly and chopped down upon him.

    Lin Liumu¡¯s face was filled with terror as he channeled all his mana into his flying wheel instrument.

    The wheel¡¯s white light surged wildly, expanding tenfold in the wind, transforming into a massive white wheel that collided with the two instruments.

    With two loud ngs, the white wheel was sent flying, and Lin Liumu¡¯s body shook violently, falling to the ground with a pale face due to the shock.

    Behind him, Yuan Ming¡¯s figure appeared like a ghost, holding a fist-sized red fireball in his hand¡ªit was the Explosive me Technique, and it seemed he had umted a considerable amount of mana.

    "Go!" With a flick of his wrist, the red fireball shot towards Lin Liumu¡¯s back.

    Lin Liumu hastily summoned a ck cloud-shaped protective instrument, but before it could fully envelop him, the Explosive me Technique¡¯s fireball struck his body.

    With a thunderous explosion, rolling mes engulfed Lin Liumu, forming a scorching pir of fire that shot dozens of feet into the air, shaking the nearby ground.

    Lin Liumu¡¯s charred body flew out of the mes and crashed to the ground, half of his body a bloody mess, appearing to have more breaths out than in.

    Yuan Ming appeared beside Lin Liumu, ced his right hand on his head, and performed the Soul Search technique. Wisps of crystalline light shot from his palm, quickly prating the victim.

    This was Yuan Ming¡¯s first time conducting a Soul Search. The crystalline light soon touched Lin Liumu¡¯s soul essence, essing his memories.

    Momentster, Yuan Ming withdrew his hand, frowning.

    Lin Liumu was not very clear about the details of the assassination attempt, merely following Xu Changqing¡¯s arrangements. He only knew thatpleting the task would reward him with arge sum of spirit stones.

    However, Yuan Ming learned an important piece of information from Lin Liumu¡¯s memories: Xu Changqing and hispanions were not members of any widespread alliance but were cultivators from the Changchun Temple.

    The fact that cultivators from the Great Jin¡¯s Changchun Temple were sent to assassinate him meant that this was no small matter, certainly not something Lin Junsheng could have managed.

    Already gravely injured and further devastated by the Soul Search, Lin Liumu¡¯sst breath finally dissipated.

    Yuan Ming collected the white wheel and the man¡¯s storage instrument, then dashed in the direction Liu Su had fled, quickly arriving at a small puddle near a grove of trees.

    Liu Su sat in the puddle, with deep, bone-exposing w marks on each of her legs, the surrounding flesh ck and purple, swollen significantly.

    Bloodstains were faintly visible on the clothing over her lower abdomen, where a small hole pierced through her dantian, her manapletely dissipated.

    The ck Mountain ws and the ck needle instrument hovered in mid-air, slowly rotating.

    Through the Soul Crow within the ck needle instrument, Yuan Ming had full control over the battle.

    Liu Su seemed to be an independent cultivator, with swift movements and fists harder than iron, capable of shing with magical instruments, her strength far surpassing Lin Liumu¡¯s. Unfortunately, the ck needle had advanced to a superior-grade instrument, and with the Soul Crow controlling it, Liu Su stood no chance.

    While Liu Su was preupied with the ck Mountain ws¡¯ attack, the ck needleunched a sneak attack from behind, piercing through her dantian in one strike, causing her energy to dissipate and her cultivation to be destroyed. For thetest chapters, visit Syou or search on Baidu.

    Yuan Ming beckoned with his hand, and the ck Mountain ws and the ck needle instrument flew into his sleeve.

    "Yuan... Fellow Daoist Yuan Ming, I was coerced by those two and did not wish to be your enemy. I am willing to reveal the name of the person behind the scenes in exchange for my life," Liu Su pleaded urgently upon seeing Yuan Ming, trying to look pitiful.

    However, with her robust and sturdy appearance, her attempt at looking pitiful only made Yuan Ming feel a chill. Heposed himself before responding calmly.

    "Your voice is so steady; it seems you are not gravely hurt. To withstand the ck Mountain ws¡¯ deadly poison even after your mana has been destroyed is indeed beyond my expectations," Yuan Ming said slowly.

 Chapter 221: Lin Junsheng

    Chapter 221: Lin Junsheng

    "I don¡¯t mean to hide it from you, fellow Daoist. I have cultivated a body-refining technique, which has made my physical body tough and resistant to poison, stronger than the average cultivator," Liu Su exined with a pleasing expression on her face.

    "So, it turns out that you are a body cultivator. No wonder you are still trying to fight back in this situation," Yuan Ming stopped ten meters away from Liu Su and said.

    "Young Master Yuan, what do you mean by that? I am sincerely surrendering and have no other intentions," Liu Su hurriedly said.

    "Is that so?" Yuan Ming sneered and pointed his finger. A blue sword energy shot out and shed towards Liu Su¡¯s right arm.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s divine sense was powerful, and he could see everything clearly. Although the muscles on the surface of Liu Su¡¯s body looked calm, in fact, every muscle was tense and ready tounch a fierce attack at any moment.

    Liu Su¡¯s face suddenly turned cold as ice, and her tall figure suddenly leaped out of the water, easily dodging the blue sword energy, and pounced towards Yuan Ming like a cheetah. The injuries and poison on her legs seemed to have no effect on her.

    Yuan Ming was slightly surprised, and his figure shot back, while the Cold Star Sword and the Nine-Ring Golden Knife crossed and shed towards Liu Su.

    A green shadow shed on the spirit beast bag around Liu Su¡¯s waist, and a green snake leaped out, using its body to block in front of her.

    With a light sound, the green snake¡¯s body was cut into three pieces, but its head could still move and spat towards Yuan Ming.A green poisonous mist gushed out, instantly engulfing an area of more than thirty meters, and wherever the poisonous mist covered, all the nts quickly turned yellow.

    Yuan Ming quickly summoned the Water Cloud g to protect his whole body, isting the poisonous mist outside, and the Cold Star Sword shed into the air.

    A huge sword energy of about a meters long shed on the head of the green snake, directly splitting it in half, making it unable to move.

    However, a blurry figure swiftly flew from the other side and in an instant, arrived next to Yuan Ming, who was none other than Liu Su.

    Her right arm suddenly swelled, and the surface of her arm suddenly bulged with green veins, emitting a metallic luster, like a diamond club, fiercely hitting the Water Cloud g.

    The Water Cloud g surged with waves, deeply sunken, and Liu Su¡¯s fist hit Yuan Ming¡¯s chest.

    With a loud ng, Yuan Ming was sent flying with the g, but a slender needle shadow shed in front of Liu Su, piercing through her head.

    The next moment, Liu Su¡¯s figure suddenly leaped forward, as if she wanted to catch up to Yuan Ming and deliver a fatal blow. However, her figure paused in mid-air, and the light in her eyes quickly dissipated. Her tall figure fell to the ground.

    Yuan Ming was thrown out three or twelve metres, but he immediately jumped up as soon as he touched the ground.

    The Water Cloud g spread out, revealing his figure.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s face was slightly pale, but he didn¡¯t seem to be injured. His clothes in front were scattered like debris, revealing a golden inner armor, which was made from the scales of a Golden Flower Poison Python.

    If it weren¡¯t for this inner armor, he would have been hit directly in the chest this time, and he would probably have lost half his life if he didn¡¯t die.

    The physical body of a body cultivator was unexpectedly tough to this extent. Even without using spiritual power, he couldunch such a fierce counterattack, which was truly unexpected.

    Yuan Ming fell silent for a moment, then took Liu Su¡¯s storage magic tool and separately collected the bodies of the three people, and summoned the Azure Cloud Crane to leave the ce.

    After flying for dozens of li, he found a secluded valley andnded, then checked the items obtained from Xu Changqing and the others.

    He first picked up the white jade shuttle and found that there were three runes inside, which turned out to be a high-grade flying magic tool.

    Yuan Ming became interested and paused to examine it. He picked up the jade shuttle and threw it in front of him, then waved his hand to cast a spell.

    The jade shuttle floated in front of him, slowly growingrger, quickly reaching a metres in length and half a chi in width.

    Yuan Ming jumped on it and infused spiritual power into the jade shuttle from his feet.

    The jade shuttle suddenly emitted a bright light, turning into a white rainbow shooting forward. Everything around him quickly receded, and it was not something that a spiritual bird like the Azure Crane couldpare to. The consumption of spiritual power was also very high.

    Yuan Ming secretly rejoiced that he had killed Xu Changqing with a lightning-fast strike earlier. If he had missed, and let this person escape with this magic tool, it would have been impossible to catch up with the speed of the Azure Crane.

    He controlled the jade shuttle to fly back and forth, experiencing a speed he had never felt before. It took him half an hour to return to the valley, and he continued to check Xu Changqing¡¯s belongings.

    The golden hook sword, the ck inkstone, and the golden beads were all medium-grade magic tools. The golden hook sword was for attack, the ck inkstone was for defense, and the golden beads were the most special, an auxiliary magic tool that could suddenly emit a dazzling golden light, dazzling the enemy¡¯s eyes and even causing temporary blindness, which could be very effective in certain situations.

    Xu Changqing was indeed a Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Changchun Sect in Da Jin, and his belongings were far fromparable to those of cultivators of the same level in the Southern Wilderness.

    Yuan Ming then checked Xu Changqing¡¯s storage magic tool, which was also quite rich in contents. There were nearly a hundred pieces of spiritual stones, as well as a green token, two white medicine bottles, a jade box, and a document.

    One side of the token was inscribed with the three characters "Changchun Sect," and the other side was inscribed with "Guhe," which seemed to be Xu Changqing¡¯s identity token.

    However, what his real name was no longer important. All of this would be forgotten with his fall today, and with the passage of time, no one would even remember that there was once a Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Changchun Sect.

    The world of cultivators was so cruel. Although their lifespan was longer than that of ordinary people, they were more easily forgotten.

    Yuan Ming regained hisposure and looked at the two jade bottles. Inside the bottles was a kind of milky white pill, which, judging from its aura, was a pill for solidifying the foundation and nurturing the primordial spirit. This milky white pill was exceptionally rich in spiritual energy, far from beingparable to the Golden Flower Pill, and should be a pill that could enhance the cultivation of Foundation Establishment cultivators, with a considerable value.

    As for the jade box, there was a silver talisman pasted on it.Yuan Ming expended considerable effort to break the seal, only to find a piece of yellow wood inside, emitting a strange, tranquil fragrance that invigorated the spirit and soothed the soul.

    The scent from the yellow spiritual wood seemed to possess a unique effect of calming the mind.

    Yuan Ming could not identify the origin of the wood, but ever since he began studying incense-making, he had taken a keen interest in all materials rted to the craft. Suspecting that this wood might be useful for incense-making, he carefully ced it back into the jade case and re-affixed the silver talisman.

    Five hundred spirit stones, to bepleted within three months: Assassinate Jin national Yuan Ming. If the task is overdue, it will be canceled, and thrice the deposit will bepensated as a guarantee. Signed by Guangli Alliance Leader Wu Xuming. The date of the signature was one month prior.

    He then proceeded to inspect the storage artifacts of Lin Liumu and Liu Su.

    As Qi Refining stage cultivators, the contents of their storage artifacts were indeed far inferior to Xu Changqing¡¯s. In terms of magical tools, aside from Lin Liumu¡¯s white flying wheel, all were of low quality. The spirit stones totaled only five to six hundred, and the other items like pills and spiritual materials were also of low grade, of little use to Yuan Ming, who was now at the thirteenth level of Qi Refining.

    Yuan Ming set aside Liu Su¡¯s storage artifact and toyed with a copper bottle.

    Over the past two years, he had continuously used the Hair-Thickening Technique, which had somewhat strengthened his physical body, but it was still far from matching Liu Su, who was a body cultivator.

    Yuan Ming greatly envied Liu Su¡¯s robust physique. Unfortunately, her storage artifact did not contain the body cultivation technique she practiced. When he had searched her soul earlier, he hadn¡¯t managed to find the memories of her cultivation method. The only thing rted to body cultivation he found was the pill inside this copper bottle. The pill was a body-refining pill called Copper Skin Pill, which, when taken in conjunction with a body cultivation technique, could make the body as tough as ironstone, impervious to des and swords.

    Without a body cultivation technique, Yuan Ming dared not rashly consume the pill, so he put away the copper bottle and began to n his next move.

    Since the Guangli Alliance was waiting ahead, returning directly to the Great Jin from the southern bordends would significantly increase the risk.

    Although his strength was unmatched in the Qi Refining stage, and he could even contend with early Foundation Establishment cultivators like Xu Changqing, he was not so arrogant as to believe he could handle six or seven Foundation Establishment cultivators. For now, it seemed he would have to find another route.

    "Who could be so determined to kill me?" Yuan Ming pondered for a moment, an image shing through his mind.

    He took out a stick of ck incense, ced it in the incense burner, and carefully recalled Lin Junsheng¡¯s appearance and rted memories. His consciousness was soon engulfed by darkness, and when he awoke, he found himself in a room.

    Lin Junsheng was sitting cross-legged, forming hand seals. Yuan Ming, experiencing Lin Junsheng¡¯s perspective, was somewhat surprised¡ªnot because Lin Junsheng was cultivating, but because the scene before him was exceptionally clear, much clearer than any previous possession.

    "What¡¯s going on here?"

    Yuan Ming quickly thought of a possible reason: the ck incense he used was newly made from the ashes of the city lord¡¯s mansion. It seemed that different incense ashes produced different effects on possession.

    He quicklyposed himself and, unable to control the other¡¯s body, simply focused on sensing the technique Lin Junsheng was cultivating. The next moment, he was taken aback.

    The technique Lin Junsheng was practicing was eerily familiar, very simr to the Nine Elements Form. Could it be that this person had been epted into Changchun Temple?

    Changchun Temple, as the foremost cultivation sect of the Great Jin, was extremely strict about epting disciples, even for the children of high officials and nobles, who also had to possess sufficient aptitude.

    Yuan Ming vaguely remembered that both he and Lin Junsheng had once sought to be disciples in their youth, but despite both having spiritual roots, their aptitudes were quite ordinary, and they were bluntly turned away. Now, as times had changed, Lin Junsheng had actually been taken in by Changchun Temple.

 Chapter 222: Youthful spirit

    Chapter 222: Youthful spirit

    Yuan Ming, harboring his doubts, keenly observed Lin Junsheng¡¯s cultivation process. He quickly noticed that the way Lin Junsheng circted his technique, and the sensations of mana flowing through his meridians, were significantly clearer than what he had experienced when practicing the Explosive me Technique in the body of the young emperor.

    Lin Junsheng¡¯s cultivation method closely resembled the Nine Elements Decision, a technique Yuan Ming hadrgely mastered through self-study, without any mentor¡¯s guidance. Directly experiencing it in contrast with his own practice of the Nine Elements Decision, Yuan Ming found this observation surprisingly beneficial.

    Nevertheless, Yuan Ming¡¯s purpose in attaching himself to Lin Junsheng wasn¡¯t for these insights. He intended to investigate whether Lin Junsheng had any connection to a recent assassination attempt on himself. But with Lin Junsheng engrossed in his immobile practice, Yuan Ming found himself unable to delve into this matter.

    Yuan Ming attempted to influence Lin Junsheng, but despite their seeming proximity, they were as if separated by vast distances. No matter how he exerted his soul power or made other efforts, he couldn¡¯t affect Lin Junsheng in the slightest.

    This left Yuan Ming feeling helplessly powerless.

    All he could do at present was to share Lin Junsheng¡¯s perspective and sensations.

    "This must be the disparity between imitation and authentic ck Incense," Yuan Ming mused after his fruitless attempts, resigned to giving up.

    Shortly thereafter, his vision darkened, and he returned to his own consciousness.

    Upon opening his eyes, Yuan Ming¡¯s brow furrowed slightly.This time, despite using the same materials for the incense, except for the addition of incense ash from the Lord¡¯s Manor, the attachment sensation was clearer than before, yet the duration remained simr. It seemed this variance was due to the different incense ashes used.

    Unable to use the incense burner for another seven days, and with no immediate way to unravel the truth behind the assassination, altering his uing ns became a necessity.

    Yuan Ming pulled out a piece of beast skin on which he had personally drawn a map of the Southern Frontier. With no option to return to the Central ins from the Northern Region, he had to choose a detour through the Eastern or Western Regions.

    The Western Region of the Southern Frontier, shrouded in mystery and controlled by arge, religiously tinted cultivation power, was known for its extreme exclusivity and minimal interaction with the other three regions. Cultivators from elsewhere were strictly forbidden entry.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes settled on the Eastern Region of the Southern Frontier on his map. It seemed that was his only viable route.

    After a brief contemtion, he retrieved a somewhat dirty token from his storage ring. This token, a gift from a Xuanhua Sect master during a purchase in ck Rock City, was a pass to visit the Eastern Region¡¯s Xuanhua Sect if ever he passed through.

    At the time, Yuan Ming had listened without much regard, storing the token more as an afterthought than anything of importance. However, following the synergistic effects of Qingxuan Incense and pills during his cultivation, and his deepening understanding of spiritual incenses, Yuan Ming hade to reevaluate the value of spiritual incenses, previously underappreciated in the Northern Region.

    Now, with many tasks at hand, a visit to the Eastern Region wasn¡¯t Yuan Ming¡¯s initial intention, but given the circumstances, it seemed an inevitable detour. Fortunately, it presented an opportunity to consult the old Taoist about incense-making techniques.

    With this in mind, Yuan Ming nned his route on the beast skin map. He then set off in his white jade shuttle, soaring out of the valley and heading eastward.

    ***

    The vast expanses of the Southern Frontier and the Northern Region made for a long journey. The white jade shuttle, though fast, consumed substantial mana. The Qingyun Crane, less demanding in mana,cked endurance. Yuan Ming alternated between the two, traveling day and night, taking a full five days to reach the border of the Northern Region.

    Despite the Eastern Region of the Southern Frontier not being as secluded as the Western Region, entering rashly, especially by flying, could attract unwanted attention from local cultivators. Yuan Ming, preferring subtlety, blended with ordinary traders andmon folk, easily crossing into the Eastern Region. The coastal cities here were notably more prosperous than those in the Northern Region, and the lives of its people seemed more peaceful. Walking among them, Yuan Ming found the simplicity and naturalness of the mortal world easing his previously tense state of mind.

    ***

    Three days passed uneventfully.

    Feeling somewhat reassured, Yuan Ming resumed his journey on the jade shuttle, following his initial n.

    Half a dayter, a lush, green mountain loomed ahead, its rich spiritual energy marking it as an excellent cultivation site. Such sites were typically imed by cultivation sects. Yuan Ming was about to bypass it when something caught his eye at the mountain¡¯s summit.

    From his vantage point, he could make out the peak¡¯s condition: numerous buildings, all dpidated, creating a deste, uninhabited scene.

    Intrigued, Yuan Ming steered his shuttle closer to the mountain. The closer view revealed more details: buildings at the peak and halfway up the mountain, remnants of what once must have been a sizable cultivation sect, now overgrown with moss and cobwebs, long abandoned.

    Yuan Ming felt a twinge of disappointment. Such a prominently situated, long-derelict sect would have been thoroughly scavenged, leaving little chance of undiscovered treasures.

    Circling the mountain, he discovered a dusty que in a copsed building, bearing the name "Liu Xin Sect." It seemed to be the name of this once-great sect.

    A sudden impulse led Yuan Ming to a ruined hall on the mountainside. Inside, what seemed like a shrine held a half-copsed table with several spirit tablets, inscribed with the names of cultivators. The ce was thick with dust, and a partially intact portrait of a dignified elder hung behind the table.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s attention shifted, and he quickly moved towards a copsed corner of the wall. After clearing some debris, he uncovered a bronze incense burner propped against a wooden block, its interior filled with dark gray incense ash.

    He pondered the significance of the incense burner. His previous experiences with body possession had taught him that different incense ashes produced varying effects. Understanding the specifics could be key to unlocking the secrets of the original ck incense.

    After collecting some ash, Yuan Ming found a secluded spot on the green mountain to begin crafting incense. His skills had improved markedly, and he soon produced a stick of possession incense.

    With the Tai Chi pattern on the burner fully illuminated, he lit the incense, thinking of Lin Junsheng, the young emperor, and finally, his father, General Yuan. Darkness soon enveloped his vision.

    ***

    When he regained consciousness, he found himself in General Yuan¡¯s body. The general was resting in a carriage, seemingly returning from court.

    The rity of Yuan Ming¡¯s vision was remarkable. He could sense the energy flow within his father¡¯s body with great precision, more distinctly than during his possession of Lin Junsheng.

    "Different ashes yield different effects. The Liu Xin Sect¡¯s ash seems superior to that from Iron Tiger Town," Yuan Ming mused, unsurprised by this discovery.

    Soon, the carriage arrived at the general¡¯s residence. General Yuan changed into casual attire and swiftly made his way to a side hall in the annex.

    There, a dignified woman in her forties, adorned with a blue jade hairpin and draped in a white fur coat, sat alone. Her eyebrows, arched like crescents, and her demure, distant demeanor, exuded a serene grace.

    Seeing her, Yuan Ming felt a surge of indescribable emotion. She was General Yuan¡¯s wife, his mother. Compared to his memories, fine lines now framed her eyes, and strands of silver mingled in her dark hair.

    "Madam, why are you out with your cold still troubling you?" General Yuan inquired.

    Yuan Ming tensed. His mother was unwell? Her pallor indeed seemed off.

    Colds, trivial or serious, should not be taken lightly. He regretted not being home to tend to her.

    As he pondered, General Yuan unexpectedly grasped thedy¡¯s wrist.

    "Why are you holding my hand? You¡¯re no physician," thedy queried, puzzled.

    "It¡¯s nothing..." General Yuan, momentarily disoriented, released her hand and sat down, slightly confused.

    He couldn¡¯t fathom why he had grasped her wrist, driven by a sudden, inexplicable urge.

    <em>Was Yuan Ming influencing his father¡¯s actions? He pondered, perplexed by the incident.</em>

    "Any news about Ming¡¯er?" thedy asked, ignoring the general¡¯s odd behavior.

    "Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s been found," General Yuan assured her, his stern face softening with a hint of a smile.

    <em>"Truly?"</em> She stood, a mix of surprise and joy in her voice.

    "Indeed. And Ming¡¯er has turned misfortune into a blessing, joining a sect in the Southern Frontier for cultivation," General Yuan borated.

    "<em>He¡¯s safe </em>, that¡¯s what matters. Ming¡¯er once aspired to join the Changchun Sect but was rejected forck of talent. He was too proud to ept it, swearing off the path of immortality. I knew his heart wasn¡¯t at peace. Now, he¡¯s achieved his heart¡¯s desire," thedy said, relieved.

    "Ming¡¯er may be a cultivator, but his skills are still nascent. The journey from the Southern Frontier to Great Jin is long. I¡¯ve sent for him; he should be home soon," General Yuan added.

    Yuan Ming realized General Yuan was unaware he hadn¡¯t apanied the sent guards. The vast distance between the Southern Frontier and the Great Jin capital,cking quickmunication like transmission talismans, was likely the cause.

    He shook off these thoughts, his mind returning to the issue at hand.

    Except for the ck incense inherent to the censer, which could directly manipte others¡¯ actions, Yuan Ming had always been a mere ¡¯observer¡¯ during previous possessions via homemade spiritual incense, never influencing the host¡¯s actions. This was evident when he tried to affect Lin Junsheng seven days ago, to no avail.

 Chapter 223: Thoughts

    Chapter 223: Thoughts

    Yuan Ming thought for a moment and decided to try again, locking his thoughts on his father and constantly thinking in his mind: "Turn around, turn around..."

    After General Yuan finished speaking, he sat down next to the beautiful woman and picked up a cup of tea to drink, suddenly turning his head to the back.

    "Good, I will have Wang Shun and his men clean Ming¡¯er¡¯s courtyard again. Our family can finally reunite. Hmm, why are you looking back?" The beautiful woman in white saw General Yuan¡¯s movement and asked with a smile.

    <em>"Did I look back...?"</em> General Yuan was stunned to find that he did indeed turn his head back, feeling a little confused.

    "I¡¯m talking to you about Ming¡¯er, can you focus a little?" The white-d beauty¡¯s face darkened.

    "I understand, I understand..." General Yuan, feeling puzzled, quickly put down the teacup and nodded repeatedly in the face of his wife¡¯s scolding.

    Seeing this scene, Yuan Ming felt a little sorry for his father, but also surprised and happy that he could really influence his father¡¯s behavior. Could this also be caused by the incense ash of the Willow Heart Sect?

    "Ming¡¯er has been missing for so long this time, and the Emperor is very worried. Tell him this news so he can be at ease," the white-d beauty continued to talk to General Yuan.

    "I have already sent someone to deliver the message," General Yuan said."These two children... Ming¡¯er was once rejected by the Changchun Sect and vowed not to embark on the path of immortality. The Emperor also decided not to enter the path of immortality. They are really two loyal children." The white-d beauty thought of some past events and her expression softened.

    "The Emperor has his own difficulties. His decision not to cultivate immortality may not be entirely because of Ming¡¯er. Once he enters the Foundation Establishment stage, he will have to abdicate and pass the throne to someone else. The Emperor has not yet married, and has no heirs. Once he abdicates, his line will probably bepletely cut off from the throne," General Yuan said as he picked up a cup of tea and slowly drank.

    Yuan Ming was surprised to hear this. It was the first time he had heard of such rules within the royal family of Da Jin.

    "That doesn¡¯t matter. The power and glory of the throne are all fleeting. Even if it shines brightly and gloriously, it will be nothing but dust in a hundred years. Only by cultivating immortality can one hope to live as long as the heavens and the earth," the white-d beauty said.

    "Thedy is right. The Emperor has been obsessed with cultivation recently, paying little attention to state affairs. The power struggles in the court are bing increasingly intense, disturbing and distracting me. My own cultivation has also made little progress," General Yuan said.

    "Pursuing the path of immortality is indeed good, but having heirs is equally important. I heard that once one reaches a high level of cultivation, it will be very difficult to have children. When Ming¡¯eres back, should we arrange a marriage for him first?" The white-d beauty hesitated for a moment and said.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming secretly smiled bitterly.

    His mother had always been thinking about his marriage. Before he went on a mission to the Southern Frontier, she was already arranging a wife for him. Now she was thinking about it again.

    The saying goes, "A son¡¯s actions cause a mother¡¯s worry." His previous disappearance had caused her to worry day and night, and now that she knew he was safe, she was starting to worry about this again.

    Yuan Ming currently only wanted to focus on cultivation and had no intention of starting a family.

    He used his thoughts to influence his father, causing him to oppose his mother¡¯s proposal.

    "Ming¡¯er is still young and doesn¡¯t seem to be in a hurry to start a family," General Yuan said, in line with what he was thinking.

    Yuan Ming was overjoyed. It was really useful and fun to be able to control others with his thoughts.

    With this ability, he could do many more things when he possessed others in the future.

    "What are you saying as a father? Marriage cannot be dyed. I think the daughter of the Prime Minister¡¯s family, Lon, is good. She and Ming¡¯er have known each other since childhood, and I heard she also has spiritual roots. I will send someone to inquire about it another day," the white-d beauty said eagerly, giving her husband a nce.

    "Madam, please don¡¯t meddle in matchmaking. Ming¡¯er told me that Lon from the Prime Minister¡¯s family has been devoted to the Emperor for many years. It¡¯s not suitable for Ming¡¯er to be with her. Moreover, due to the Emperor¡¯s negligence, the current court rtions areplex. It¡¯s not a good time for Ming¡¯er to marry. Let¡¯s discuss this matterter," General Yuan said with some concern. The white-d beauty saw her husband¡¯s solemn expression and did not mention the matter again.

    Yuan Ming breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his mother no longer insisting.

    General Yuan and the white-d beauty went on to discuss some trivial family matters, and Yuan Ming, feeling mischievous, continued to influence his father and provoke a good scolding from his mother.

    Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help butugh to himself, seeing his father, who was always stern and scolding, being scolded.

    <em>"Oops, I was so caught up in ying that I forgot the purpose of this possession!"</em> he reproached himself and tried to make his father talk to his mother about the assassination with his thoughts.

    However, General Yuan had no reaction this time and continued to chat with his mother about family matters.

    Yuan Ming frowned. Why didn¡¯t it work this time?

    At that moment, everything suddenly turned dark before his eyes. The time for possession had ended, and when he woke up, his consciousness had returned to his original body.

    ***

    Yuan Ming furrowed his brow, pondering why he had failed to make his father talk about the assassination.

    After much thought, he came up with a possible exnation: <em>his father had no idea that someone from the Changchun Sect hade to assassinate him.</em>

    If his father didn¡¯t know about it, he naturally couldn¡¯t do it.

    "It seems that influencing the person I possess is not something I can do in every situation," Yuan Ming thought to himself. He could only wait and try again when he possessed someone in the future.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze shifted to the remaining incense ash in his hand.

    The sudden ability to influence his father during the possession was most likely rted to this incense ash.He had been trying to make incense from incense ash for some time now and was graduallying to understand a few things. The reason incense ash could create miraculous spices was due to the transformation it underwent from people¡¯s prayers and worship, triggering some peculiar change that he couldn¡¯tprehend.

    It was this peculiar change that made the spices made from incense ash so wondrously effective.

    Originally, Yuan Ming spected that the more people who worshipped, the stronger this peculiar change would be, and the better the effect after the incense ash was embodied.

    However, thest two embodiments made him doubt whether his spection was valid.

    After all, the number of people worshipping ancestors in Iron Tiger Town was limited to the lord and his kin, which couldn¡¯t possibly exceed the number ofmoners offering incense at Jiuli Temple.

    And the Liuxin Sect before him seemed small in scale, even smaller than Biluo Cave, so the number of disciples couldn¡¯t possibly exceed the endless stream of pilgrims at Jiuli Temple every day.

    "Could it be because those who offer incense at Jiuli Temple are all mortals? There are cultivators in Iron Tiger Town¡¯s lord¡¯s mansion, and all those who worship within the Liuxin Sect are cultivators, so the embodiment effect is the best?" A thought emerged in Yuan Ming¡¯s mind.

    "Speaking of which, although the Liuxin Sect has declined over the years, the umted incense ash in this censer must be the result of years of umtion. Although the number of people offering worship back then was not as many as at Jiuli Temple, the disciples¡¯ devout faith in the sect might be much stronger.

    Whether it was the previous spection or the current thought, they were all preliminary guesses that needed to be verified slowly in the future.

    Yuan Ming stood up, took all the incense ash from the censer, and left the verdant mountain peak with his flying instrument, continuing towards the Eastern Domain.

    ***

    Several dayster, in a guest room of a small city in the Eastern Domain, Yuan Ming sat cross-legged, flipping through several thick tomes.

    These were collected from the city, containing records of the geography and culture of the Eastern Domain.

    The Venerable Xuanhua had not told him where the Xuanhua Observatory was located, so Yuan Ming had to investigate while traveling.

    After several days, he had not found the Xuanhua Observatory, but his understanding of the Southern Border¡¯s Eastern Domain had deepened.

    The cultivation forces here in the Eastern Domain were simr to the five major sects in the Northern Domain previously, with four first-rate forces almost managing the entire Eastern Domain¡¯s cultivation world, one of which was the White Dragon Ind.

    These four major sects were powerful and acted quite domineeringly, with the small and medium-sized cultivation sects in the entire Eastern Domain basically being their vassals.

    Naturally, the Xuanhua Observatory did not belong to the four major sects. ording to his guess, it should only be a rtively unknown medium or small sect.

    The Eastern Domain was not divided by ns but had a stronger concept of nation-states, possibly influenced by the Central ins¡¯ ideas.

    The country where Yuan Ming was currently located was called "Lieguo," which was considered a rtivelyrge nation in the Southern Border¡¯s Eastern Domain.

    The books he was currently reading introduced the geography and famous scenic spots of Lieguo, but unfortunately, even after reading to the end, he could not find any trace of the Xuanhua Observatory.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t mind and picked up another book to continue reading.

    He had his own ways to find the Venerable Xuanhua, but it would still take some time.

    Half a dayter, Yuan Ming put the book aside and summoned the incense burner, whose Great Ultimate pattern at the bottom was once again fully lit.

    He skillfully took out a stick of ck incense, made from the Liuxin Sect¡¯s incense ash, and lit it in the censer.

    Yuan Ming recalled the figure of the Venerable Xuanhua in his mind, and his vision quickly fell into darkness.

    ***

    When Yuan Ming¡¯s consciousness awoke, a dim stone chamber appeared before him, with the Venerable Xuanhua sitting inside, meditating with closed eyes.

    Seeing this scene, Yuan Ming did not act rashly. His purpose in embodying the Venerable Xuanhua was to ascertain his whereabouts, and it was unexpected that the man was also hiding in a secret chamber to cultivate. Influencing him with his thoughts might make him get up, but that would disturb the Venerable Xuanhua¡¯s cultivation.

    Yuan Ming first looked around the stone chamber. To the left of the Venerable Xuanhua, there was an incense burner with a stick of purple spiritual incense inserted, emitting curling spiritual smoke, which seemed to be simr to Qingxuan incense, capable of elerating cultivation.

    On the right side of the wall, there was arge stone table filled with a dazzling array of tools.

    Ordinary people might not understand the use of these tools, but Yuan Ming could see that they were all tools for making incense, much more refined than the set he had.

    Yuan Ming carefully observed the surrounding environment, trying to deduce the Venerable Xuanhua¡¯s location from some details, but unfortunately, the stone chamber was very ordinary with no extra decorations, making it impossible to discern.

    "Never mind, I¡¯ll disturb him if I have to." He helplessly influenced the Venerable Xuanhua with his thoughts, trying to make him get up and leave the stone chamber.

    The sea of thoughts in the Venerable Xuanhua¡¯s consciousness rippled slightly but soon returned to calm, and his body remained closed-eyed in cultivation.

    Yuan Ming inwardly smiled wryly, realizing that influencing the Venerable Xuanhua was much more difficult than influencing his father.

    This was normal; after embodying, he could sense the strength of their souls, and the Venerable Xuanhua was indeed much stronger than his father.

    Moreover, the purple spiritual incense, besides elerating cultivation, also had the effect of stabilizing the mind, weakening the influence of his thoughts to some extent.

 Chapter 224: Live up to oneâ€™s name

    Chapter 224: Live up to one¡¯s name

    "It seems that influencing others through intention also has its limitations," Yuan Ming thought to himself.

    However, he did not give up and continued to try to influence Xuanhua Zhenren again and again, while also sensing Xuanhua Zhenren¡¯s cultivation situation.

    Xuanhua Zhenren¡¯s cultivation had also reached the peak of Qi Refinement, but the technique he practiced was quite ordinary. It relied entirely on the assistance of the nearby purple spirit incense to barely reach the level of absorbing spiritual power required for the Biro Technique.

    Yuan Ming discovered that this purple spirit incense had a much more significant auxiliary effect on cultivationpared to the green spirit incense, but he didn¡¯t know its name.

    If he could meet Xuanhua Zhenren this time, he would definitely try to buy some. Of course, it would be best if he could find a way to obtain the method of refining it.

    Under Yuan Ming¡¯s repeated influence, Xuanhua Zhenren¡¯s thoughts in his sea of consciousness became increasingly intense, and he soon stopped cultivating and stood up.

    However, Xuanhua Zhenren did not leave the stone room but took out a somewhat old beast skin book to read, as if he wanted to calm his mind.

    Yuan Ming thought to himself that Xuanhua Zhenren¡¯s mental strength was quite strong, and it was not easy to influence his state of mind.

    He was not in a hurry and continued to influence Xuanhua Zhenren to leave the stone room, while also paying attention to the beast skin book. Suddenly, he was stunned and stopped controlling Xuanhua Zhenren¡¯s thoughts.The beast skin book was a book on making incense, recording the methods of making various spirit incenses.

    Xuanhua Zhenren quickly turned the pages and soon stopped at a certain ce. Yuan Ming hurriedly looked over and found that these two pages recorded the methods of making three kinds of spirit incense, named <em>"Purple Maiden Incense,"</em><em>"Red Earth Shadow Butterfly Incense,"</em> and <em>"Seven Steps Down."</em>

    From the description, he found that the purple spirit incense was exactly the purple spirit incense, which had a more significant auxiliary effect on cultivation.

    He spected that the green spirit incense that Xuanhua Zhenren took out to sell should belong to the least popr type of auxiliary cultivation incense, and there were probably better spirit incenses than the purple spirit incense.

    The <em>"Red Butterfly Incense"</em> was a tracking spirit incense. Once it touched the target, it could not be removed, whether bathing or changing clothes.

    The incense itself had no smell and needed to bebined with another special potion applied to the nostrils to feel a special scent, which was used for tracking and was both secretive and convenient.

    As for the <em>"Seven Steps Down,"</em> there was no need to look at the introduction to know that it was a kind of stupefying incense. The enemy would fall to the ground after taking seven steps, simr to the poison incense that Yuan Ming had developed himself, but with a more significant effect.

    Both the materials and the production steps of these three kinds of spirit incense were quiteplicated. Compared to the few kinds of spirit incense Yuan Ming made, they immediately seemed somewhat crude.

    "This is the real incense," Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but exim, and then he memorized the methods of making the three kinds of spirit incense with his extraordinary memory. Then, he tried to influence Xuanhua Zhenren to continue reading and look at several other spirit incense forms.

    However, Xuanhua Zhenren¡¯s gaze was fixed on the method of making the purple spirit incense, pondering its essence, and his intention was so strong that he was not affected by Yuan Ming at all.

    He quickly put down the beast skin book, came to the incense-making table, and began to prepare various materials. From the materials he took out, it was clear that he intended to make the "Purple Spirit Incense."

    "I previously possessed the Emperor¡¯s body and borrowed his insights into the cultivation technique to quickly learn the Explosive Technique. I wonder if I can have a simr effect byprehending this person¡¯s incense-making," Yuan Ming thought to himself.

    At this point, Xuanhua Zhenren had already prepared the preliminary work and started making incense. Yuan Ming hurriedly observed with his mind.

    A considerable amount of time had passed since the possession this time, and he was somewhat anxious, silently praying that he could see the entire process.

    Because the method of making the purple spirit incense was not simple, it required not only ordinary incense-making skills but also the coordination of spiritual power to integrate many spiritual materials. The difficulty was far beyond that of the ck Incense. Although he had memorized the method, he would undoubtedly need to spend a lot of time to experiment when he tried it himself. If he could directly experience it during this possession, he would naturally be able to achieve twice the result with half the effort in the future.

    Fortunately, Xuanhua Zhenren had obviously already mastered the making of the purple spirit incense and quicklypleted one. Yuan Ming also experienced the process of making the purple spirit incense firsthand.

    Just as Xuanhua Zhenren had finished making the purple spirit incense and had not yet had a chance to try it, Yuan Ming¡¯s possession time was up, and he suddenly returned to his original body.

    ***

    "Speaking of which, it¡¯s not a bad idea to learn incense-making through possession, but unfortunately, it can only be done once every seven days, and the other party has to be making incense," Yuan Ming closed his eyes and recalled the process of making the purple spirit incense, feeling exceptionally skilled. He had made thousands of purple spirit incenses, and he could clearly understand the details of each step. However, this feeling was somewhat elusive, and he needed to make the purple spirit incense himself to have a more profound experience.

    Thinking like this, Yuan Ming got up and left the inn, heading south to the city.He had been staying in this small town for two days, and heard that there was a small market fifty miles south of the city where he could buy a lot of things.

    Half a dayter, he returned to the inn, closed the door, and waved his hand towards the table.

    A white light shed, and seven or eight spiritual materials appeared on the table, which were the materials for the Purple Profound Incense. Yuan Ming took out the tools for making incense, and carefully thought through the entire process of making the Purple Profound Incense by the Xuanhua True Man before starting to make the incense.

    Before long, he had a purple stick of incense in his hand, which was almost identical in color and fragrance to the one made by the Xuanhua True Man. Yuan Ming took out an ordinary incense burner, lit the Purple Profound Incense, and then activated the Nine Elements Form to test its effect.

    After a moment, he opened his eyes.

    The effect of the Purple Profound Incense in assisting cultivation was slightly worse than that made by the Xuanhua True Man, but it was much better than the Green Profound Incense. There was no doubt that it was a sessful spiritual incense.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s cheeks flushed with excitement. The fact that he was able to sessfully make the Purple Profound Incense for the first time indicated that his spection was correct. The incense burner¡¯s ability to possess could help him learn spells and quickly master the art of making incense, of course, it also required a bit of luck. Thinking deeper, alchemy, artifact refining, talisman drawing, and other skills could also be quickly acquired using the incense burner¡¯s ability to possess.

    The name of this incense burner was not wrong at all. The achievements that others worked hard for their whole lives could easily be obtained by the incense burner. It was truly worthy of being called the <em>"Heaven-stealing Cauldron."</em>

    Yuan Ming got up and walked around the room for a long time before calming down.

    Although the ability of the Heaven-stealing Cauldron was incredible, he still felt that he had not truly mastered this treasure and needed some time to slowly explore its mysteries.

    The most unsettling thing for him at the moment was to ensure that he had truly evaded the "pursuit" of the Guangli Scattered Alliance and returned to the Great Jin safely.

    If he could break through to the Foundation Establishment stage, many problems could be easily solved, but unfortunately, he didn¡¯t have much confidence in it right now."

    With these thoughts in mind, Yuan Ming walked to the desk and continued to make the Purple Profound Incense. In the following days, he stayed in the small town, making the Purple Profound Incense during the day and continuing to cultivate the fourth level of the Cold Moon Form at night.

    ***

    Seven dayster, the incense burner recovered.

    Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t wait to light the ck Incense and possess the Xuanhua True Man again.

    To his surprise, the Xuanhua True Man was still in that dim secret room making incense, but this time it was not the <em>"Purple Profound Incense,"</em> but the <em>"Seven Steps Downward."</em>

    Naturally, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t hesitate to be an apprentice, carefully pondering the production of the <em>"Seven Steps Downward"</em> from the perspective of the True Observer. The Xuanhua True Man was extremely skilled in making the <em>"Seven Steps Downward,"</em> seemingly thinking about something while casually making it. In just fifteen minutes, he had made two sticks.

    The insights gained from two consecutiveplete processes made Yuan Ming¡¯s understanding of the production process of the "Seven Steps Downward" even surpass that of the "Purple Profound Incense." He began to n that after this possession ended, he would go to the market to buy materials and try it himself.

    After not continuing to make the third "Seven Steps Downward," the Xuanhua True Man took out a small animal skin book and flipped to thest page, his eyes shining with a burning light.

    Yuan Ming noticed the anomaly of the Xuanhua True Man and looked over curiously. Thest page of the book recorded the form for a spiritual incense, but there was only one kind, called "Foundation Establishment Incense."

    Yuan Ming was suddenly shocked and was about to concentrate on reading it carefully when endless darkness engulfed him, and his consciousness fell into chaos.

    When he regained consciousness, his awareness had returned to his body.

    ***

    Yuan Ming suddenly stood up from the bed, his eyes shining, and he was quite excited. Although he hadn¡¯t seen the form for the "Foundation Establishment Incense" clearly just now, he had also glimpsed some of its effects. ording to its description, this incense, as its name suggested, was a kind of spiritual incense that could assist in Foundation Establishment, and its effect was quite good, increasing the sess rate of Foundation Establishment by about twenty percent.

    If it were an ordinary method to assist in Foundation Establishment, Yuan Ming might not have paid much attention to it, but spiritual incense was different. His Heaven-stealing Cauldron had the effect of stimting the spiritual incense. The increase in the sess rate that the Foundation Establishment Incense could originally bring would probably be even more significant under the stimtion of the Heaven-stealing Cauldron.

    <em>"This is truly a great help to me. If I can obtain this incense, coupled with the assistance of the Foundation Establishment Pill and my foundation of cultivating the thirteen levels of Qi, the possibility of sess will greatly increase!"</em> Yuan Ming thought to himself and couldn¡¯t help but clench his fists.

    Yuan Ming sat quietly in the room for a moment, and when his mood hadpletely calmed down, he set off to the market to buy the materials for making the "Seven Steps Downward."

    In the following days, Yuan Ming attempted to possess the Xuanhua True Man every seven days to investigate his whereabouts.

    But the Xuanhua True Man seemed to be enchanted, always staying in the secret room, practicing most of the time and making spiritual incense the rest of the time.

    Unfortunately, after catching a glimpse of the <em>"Foundation Establishment Incense,"</em> the Xuanhua True Man did not look at the description of this incense again, nor did he actually refine it. Even under the repeated influence of Yuan Ming¡¯s thoughts, he remained the same.This made Yuan Ming anxious, as the incense ash he had obtained from the Liu Xin Sect was extremely limited, yet there was nothing he could do about it.

    Fortunately, during hisst possession, he had identally discovered the location of Xuanhua Zhenren, in Ning City of Yue Country in the Eastern Region.

 Chapter 225: Talent for making incense

    Chapter 225: Talent for making incense<hr>

    Having learned the location of Xuanhua , Yuan Ming immediately left the small town and set off for the country of Yue.

    Yue was thergest country in the southern and eastern regions, bordering the Central ins. Over a hundred years ago, it had even conquered a small country in the Central ins, iming its territory as its own. In fact, it could no longer be considered a purely southern country.

    Ningcheng was arge city in Yue, located by the sea and surrounded by beautiful scenery.

    ***

    Several dayster, Yuan Ming stood on the edge of a cliff outside the city, overlooking the sea.

    As far as the eye could see, there was boundless blue sea water, with the sea breeze causing waves to rise and fall, sshingyers of white foam and carrying a slightly salty scent in the air.

    Most of the sea ships had gray and white sails, sailing or mooring on the sea. The sunlight reflected off the sea, creating countless golden scales that extended to the end of the field of vision, blending into the pale blue sky. asionally, groups of seagulls soared freely above the surging waves, emitting a few loud and clear calls as they lightly touched the wave crests.

    Yuan Ming had lived in the capital of the Great Jin since he was a child and had never been to the seaside. He had only heard people talk about the magnificent waves of the sea, never having seen it with his own eyes. His previous travels to the southern regions had mainly been bynd and river. Now, for the first time, he was truly shocked to be by the sea. "The chaotic rocks, the shocking waves, and the surging snow. It is truly breathtaking," he murmured to himself, beginning to understand why Wu Lu was so fascinated by the sea.

    Yuan Ming did not stay by the sea for long. He quickly turned and entered the city.***

    Yue spanned the Central ins and the southern regions, and both theyout of the streets and the architectural style of the citybined the characteristics of both regions. Most of the buildings were surrounded by lush and broad-leaved trees, and were mostly built with trees or green bamboo, creating a space that was both scattered and verdant, giving people a refreshing exotic atmosphere.

    However, Yuan Ming had something on his mind and had no time to appreciate the scenery of Ningcheng. He went straight to a dpidated temple in the west of the city, with the three characters "Xuanhua Guan" written on the que above the main gate. He walked over and knocked on the tightly closed door.

    After a while, a white and clean-looking boy of about eleven or twelve years old came out and, seeing Yuan Ming¡¯s unfamiliar face, showed a hint of nervousness on his small face.

    "Senior, may I ask what business you have at our Xuanhua Guan?" Although the young boy was nervous, he did notck courtesy, and he bowed to Yuan Ming, speaking crisply.

    "I am Yuan Ming, an old friend of Xuanhua Zhenren. I am passing through Ningcheng and havee to visit. Please inform my junior brother." Yuan Ming had seen this young boy a few times during the time he was with Xuanhua Zhenren, and knew that he was Xuanhua Zhenren¡¯s disciple. He took out an ancient bronze token and said.

    "Our master is practicing inside the temple. Please wait a moment, senior." Upon hearing Yuan Ming¡¯s name and seeing the token, the young boy seemed to rx and then ran into the temple.

    Yuan Ming raised his eyebrows, looking at the young boy¡¯s expression. It seemed that Xuanhua Guan was not very peaceful?

    After a while, a heartyughter came from inside the temple.

    "Haha, so it¡¯s Senior Yuan who hase. What a rare guest, a rare guest indeed." Xuanhua walked out with a pair of wooden clogs,ughing heartily.

    "Xuanhua , I hope I am not disturbing your meditation bying unannounced." Yuan Ming sped his hands and said. "How could you be a bother? Pleasee in quickly." Xuanhua smiled and led Yuan Ming into the temple.

    As the two chatted, the young boy had quickly set up a table of food in a reception room and began to arrange the dishes and utensils.

    "Xuanhua has set up a banquet, and I will bring a jar of fine wine." Yuan Ming smiled and took out a bright red wine jar.

    This was a fine wine he had bought on a whim from a market he passed through on his way to Ningcheng. It was brewed with a hundred-year-old spirit fruit and cost him more than twenty spirit stones.

    "<em>Hundred Fragrance Wine?</em> Senior Yuan has good wine!" Xuanhua was taken aback for a moment, then smiled.

    The two old friends caught up, talking about trivial matters. It was only after they had eaten and drunk their fill that they got to the main topic.

    "Senior Yuan hase all the way from the northern region to Ningcheng. I presume you are not just here to visit me?" Xuanhua asked.

    "Xuanhua is straightforward, so I will be direct. The incense you sold to mest time was very useful, and I have since spent a lot of effort learning the art of making incense. I havee to Ningcheng today to discuss the method of making incense with you and to purchase some incense from you again." Yuan Ming said with a smile.

    "Senior Yuan is also interested in the art of incense? This art of incense,pared to alchemy and talisman making, is considered minor, and is not well-regarded by many." Xuanhua looked at Yuan Ming with some surprise.

    "I do not think so. Incense has many wonderful uses. For example, the Qingxuan Incense can elerate cultivation. Although it is not as fast and remarkable as the effect of elixirs, it is beneficial in the long run and canplement other methods. In addition, making incense is much simpler than alchemy, artifact making, and formation setting. I regret not havinge into contact with the art of incense earlier." Yuan Ming said.

    Xuanhua looked at Yuan Ming, his eyes bing brighter, but soon dimmed again. "Senior Yuan can see the unique aspects of incense. Your insight is remarkable. It¡¯s just a pity that the current cultivation world is so focused on quick results and is obsessed with elixirs and artifacts. Few people pay attention to incense. Even in the market, incense is sold in a corner." He said, downing a mouthful of wine and shaking his head with a bitter smile.

    "It is precisely because of this that we, as incense makers, should work harder to produce high-quality incense and change people¡¯s misconceptions about incense." Yuan Ming encouraged Xuanhua as he refilled his cup."Hehe, Brother Yuan speaks the truth; it is I who have be disheartened." Master Xuanhua adjusted his breathing, smiled, and then asked, "Since Brother Yuan is interested in discussing, I naturally cannot refuse. May I ask to what extent you have reached? Do you have a finished product of spiritual incense for me to review?"

    Yuan Ming knew that his words had already moved Master Xuanhua, and he was secretly delighted. He took out a stick of Zixuan Incense and handed it over.

    <em>"Zixuan Incense!"</em> Master Xuanhua¡¯s eyes narrowed as he took the incense to examine it closely, his expression gradually bing solemn.

    He then took an incense burner, inserted the incense, and lit it, closing his eyes to meditate.

    After a moment, Master Xuanhua opened his eyes and looked at Yuan Ming with a peculiar gaze.

    "Is there a problem with this incense?" Yuan Ming inquired.

    "No, this Zixuan Incense is excellently made. Aside from one or two minor details that are slightly wed, it can be considered perfect."

    "Brother Xuanhua tters me," Yuan Ming said with a smile.

    "However, I am puzzled about one thing. The recipe for Zixuan Incense is exclusive to me in the entire Yue Kingdom, and even in the South Bordends. Where did Brother Yuan obtain it?" Master Xuanhua stared at Yuan Ming, as if trying to discern something from his eyes.

    Yuan Ming did not have the recipe for Zixuan Incense. He had previously explored the refinement of Qingxuan Incense on his own and umted some insights. Not long ago, he had chanced upon a stick of Zixuan Incense in a market and, after identifying it, had attempted to replicate it. Yuan Ming met the other¡¯s gaze and exined.

    <em>"What!"</em> Master Xuanhua¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief.

    Among alchemists, there is a saying: <em>"Even immortals struggle to deduce the form from a pill,"</em> meaning that it is nearly impossible to reverse-engineer a form from a finished pill. Although spiritual incense is simpler than pills, deducing the recipe from the finished product is also extremely difficult, requiring vast experience, talent, and skill.

    Master Xuanhua knew he couldn¡¯t do it himself, and yet Yuan Ming had managed? "Although I do not know how Brother Yuan achieved this, I truly admire you from the bottom of my heart. Now, I have an impolite request. Could Brother Yuan demonstrate making a stick of Zixuan Incense on the spot, so I can better understand your current level of incense-making?" He paused before continuing.

    "Of course, I was about to ask Brother Xuanhua for guidance," Yuan Ming readily agreed.

    Master Xuanhua led Yuan Ming into the temple and soon arrived at a secret chamber. There was a set of incense-making tools, somewhat more rudimentary than Master Xuanhua¡¯s but much better than what Yuan Ming had.

    Yuan Ming did not stand on ceremony. He took the tools, gathered the materials for Zixuan Incense, and began to make the incense. Over the past month, he had repeatedly observed Master Xuanhua¡¯s process of making Zixuan Incense and had practiced many times himself, bing thoroughly familiar with the process.

    Of course, to avoid suspicion, he had made some unimportant adjustments to the incense-making technique, which took slightly longer than the original process. Even so, it did not take long before he produced a finished product.

    Master Xuanhua took the newly made spiritual incense and inspected it carefully before sighing deeply, seeming to age several years in an instant.

    "If we disregard the process, this stick of Zixuan Incense is perfect. I ask myself, even if I were to make it, I could only streamline the process a bit, but the quality of the product would be no better."

    Yuan Ming felt a twinge of guilt but said nothing tofort him.

    "Brother Yuan¡¯s talent in incense-making is truly unparalleled. I am far inferior. Are you sure you researched the art of incense on your own, without any guidance?" Master Xuanhua quickly recovered and asked.

    "A few months ago, I visited various towns and temples to learn incense-making and did receive some introductory knowledge from a senior. Afterward, it was all my own haphazard exploration,cking any systematic approach. That¡¯s why I came to visit Brother Xuanhua today," Yuan Ming said, mixing truth with fiction.

    "Just introductory knowledge, and you were able to easily replicate Zixuan Incense. It seems that senior must be a hidden master of incense, a grandmaster unknown to the world. May I be fortunate enough to know his name?" Master Xuanhua pressed.

    "That senior did not reveal his name to me and strictly forbade me from telling anyone about him. I ask for your understanding," Yuan Ming said with a bow.

    "Not revealing his name means no formal apprenticeship, that¡¯s wonderful, that¡¯s wonderful," Master Xuanhua muttered under his breath.

    "What did Brother Xuanhua say?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "Nothing much. Your incense-making skills are already very advanced; there¡¯s hardly anything I can teach you. I noticed you handled some materials as if you¡¯re not very familiar with the knowledge of incense. Perhaps that¡¯s where youck," Master Xuanhua said with a serious expression.

    "Indeed, that is where I fall short. I would appreciate any guidance Brother Xuanhua can provide," Yuan Ming said, sitting up straight and performing a gesture of respect as if to a teacher.

 Chapter 226: Incense crafting

    Chapter 226: Incense crafting<hr>

    "Guidance is naturally no issue, but these are the secret teachings of our Xuanhua Sect¡¯s ancestors, not to be lightly shared with others," Xuanhua spoke slowly, his words seemingly pointed.

    "Understands. I have some savings and am willing to donate five hundred spirit stones to repair the Xuanhua Sect¡¯s temple. Please ept this gesture," Yuan Ming said as he took out a storage device and handed it over.

    "Spirit stones are not necessary. I have another matter to request, which would benefit us both. Should you agree, I am willing to impart the incense-making heritage of the Xuanhua Sect¡¯s ancestors, as well as my life¡¯s knowledge of incense crafting,"Xuanhua did not ept the storage device, instead gazing at Yuan Ming with an eager look.

    "What would you have me do?" Yuan Ming, seeing Xuanhua peculiar expression and unsure of what he might ask, spoke with deliberate vagueness.

    "Your talent in the art of incense is astonishing, Yuan Ming. Would you be interested in joining the Xuanhua Sect to focus on mastering the art of incense? With your aptitude and our sect¡¯s support, within fifty years, you could be a grandmaster of incense," Xuanhua said solemnly, his sincerity evident at a nce.

    "Join the Xuanhua Sect?" Yuan Ming¡¯s brows slowly furrowed, clearly reluctant.

    "Do not misunderstand, Yuan Ming. I invite you to join not as a disciple, but as a peer. Although our sect is notrge, we have resources, especially in the field of incense research, which is profound. There are few in the Yue Kingdom who canpare. Should you join, everything in our sect, including all types of incense materials and records, will be at your disposal,"Xuanhua urged with a hint of urgency.

    Yuan Ming, hearing that he could freely ess any text, thought of the beast-skin secret manual and was tempted, but ultimately shook his head, saying, "Thank you for your kind offer, but I prefer my freedom, unencumbered by sect obligations."

    "Do not worry, Yuan Ming. If you join our sect, you can ignore all trivial matters and focus solely on the art of incense. I will handle all the daily affairs of the Xuanhua Sect and will not trouble you," Xuanhua persisted, still trying to persuade him.A talent like Yuan Ming in the art of incensees once in hundreds of years. If he could be brought under the Xuanhua Sect¡¯s wing, its future would be assured.

    "There¡¯s no need to continue, I will not join any sect at this time, please understand," Yuan Ming said with unwavering resolve.

    Having just experienced the destruction of the Biluo Cave, he now only wished to cultivate in solitude, with no desire to join a sect at this critical juncture.

    Seeing Yuan Ming¡¯s firm stance, Xuanhua knew further persuasion was futile and might even cause annoyance, so he ceased his efforts.

    "I am willing to offer an additional three hundred spirit stones to your sect in exchange for some guidance in incense crafting. Would that be possible?" Yuan Ming made onest attempt.

    "Our Xuanhua Sect may be small, but we have some spirit stones; there¡¯s no need,"Xuanhua replied.

    Yuan Ming felt a tinge of disappointment but didn¡¯t mind too much. With the Heaven-Stealing Cauldron, he could possess Xuanhua at any time to secretly learn the essence of incense crafting. Lacking direct guidance was not a concern.

    "Exchanging insights on the incense crafting passed down by our sect¡¯s ancestors is certainly possible. Since you¡¯re interested, we can learn from each other," to Yuan Ming¡¯s surprise,Xuanhua continued.

    Yuan Ming was momentarily stunned, forgetting to respond. "The most important aspect of spiritual incense is the ¡¯spirit,¡¯ and thenes the ¡¯incense,¡¯" Xuanhua said, not waiting for a reply.

    "What do you mean by that? Could you please rify?" Yuan Ming, puzzled by the deeper meaning, listened intently and inquired.

    "Spiritual incense, like all living beings, is a product of the five elements. Each type of spiritual incense contains materials representing the attributes of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, which form the foundation of a stick of incense. Only then do you add other materials before finally condensing it into spiritual incense," Xuanhua exined.

    Yuan Ming nodded repeatedly, gaining some rity on his previous doubts about incense crafting. "In making spiritual incense, avoid rigidity. Each cultivator¡¯s spiritual root and constitution are different. Even for the same type of incense, you must adjust the ratio of the five materials ording to the individual¡¯s condition for the best effect,"Xuanhua continued.

    Although Yuan Ming did not agree to join the Xuanhua Sect, Xuanhua did not withhold any secrets, imparting all his knowledge of incense crafting. Time quickly passed, and half a day had gone by.

    In just half a day, Yuan Ming¡¯s understanding of spiritual incense had deepened significantly, andbined with his previous experience, his insight into the art of incense grew more profound. "Xuanhua, I¡¯ve heard that there¡¯s a Foundation Establishment spiritual incense within the Xuanhua Sect that can increase the sess rate of Foundation Establishment. Is this true?" Yuan Ming inquired.

    Xuanhua showed a look of surprise upon hearing this: "Foundation Establishment spiritual incense is not shared with outsiders; it is our sect¡¯s greatest secret. Even our own disciples do not know of it. How did youe to learn about this?"

    "A senior who guided me in the art of incense told me to seek it here, to use this incense to break through the Foundation Establishment phase," Yuan Ming fabricated.

    "That senior said..."Xuanhua¡¯s expression changed slightly. With Yuan Ming¡¯s astonishing achievements in the art of incense, Xuanhua firmly believed he had guidance from a master. With this preconception, he did not doubt Yuan Ming¡¯s words and spected whether that master had a connection with the Xuanhua Sect.

    "Since that senior has spoken, I will not deceive you. Our sect indeed has the form for Foundation Establishment spiritual incense. To be honest, I also wish to use this incense to advance to Foundation Establishment. However, this incense requires abination with Foundation Establishment pills to be effective, and the difficulty of its crafting is quite high, far beyond that of ordinary incense. The materials required are also exceptionally rare, and I have yet to gather them all, let alone produce it," Xuanhua shook his head and sighed.

    "What materials are you stillcking?" Yuan Ming pressed, thinking to himself that it was no wonder the Foundation Establishment incense was not as widely circted as the Foundation Establishment pills; the difficulty of crafting it seemed to rival that of the pills, with many restrictions.

    "I have gathered most of the other materials; currently, I am only missing a main water-attributed material," Xuanhua replied.

    "I have found out that the White Dragon Commerce on White Dragon Ind recently acquired this material, but unfortunately, they are unwilling to sell it," Xuanhua added after a moment¡¯s thought.

    "Could you tell me the name of the material? Perhaps I can find a way to persuade them to part with some," Yuan Ming said upon hearing this.

    Before Xuanhua could speak, a knocking sound interrupted their conversation. "Come in," Xuanhua said.

    The door opened, and a fair-skinned young attendant hurried in, seemingly having run all the way, now gasping for breath.

    <em>"Why are you in such a panic?" </em>Xuanhua asked sternly.

    "Has someone from White Dragon Inde." the fair-skinned attendant nced at Yuan Ming before speaking. "Didn¡¯t we already clearly refuse them a few days ago? Why have theye again?" Xuanhua frowned. The attendant bowed his head, remaining silent.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s expression shifted; they had just been discussing White Dragon Ind, and now someone from there hade knocking, quite the coincidence.

    But the visitor likely had ill intentions, which exined why the attendant had been so wary when Yuan Ming had arrived.

    "Yuan Ming, there are some matters within the sect that I need to attend to. Please wait here for a moment," Xuanhua said as he turned to Yuan Ming.

    "Please, Xuanhua, go ahead," Yuan Ming nodded.

    "Stay here and attend to our guest,"Xuanhua instructed the attendant before quickly leaving. Yuan Ming sat down at a table inside the room and asked, "Is there any tea?"

    "Please wait a moment, senior; I¡¯ll fetch some right away," the fair-skinned attendant replied before hurrying out.

    Yuan Ming took this opportunity to collect a small amount of incense ash from a nearby incense burner and stashed it away, also slipping a few spirit stones into the burner.

    The incense ash he had obtained from the Liuxin Sect had already been used up. Although the Xuanhua Sect was not asrge as the Liuxin Sect, it was still a sect, and there were many disciples offering incense to the ancestors daily. This incense ash was worth a try.

    ***

    Unnoticed by the bustling attendant, a ck soul crow followed closely behind him and flew silently towards the front courtyard of the Xuanhua Sect, quicklynding on arge tree near the front hall.

    From here, one could see the guest hall in the front courtyard of the Xuanhua Sect, where a middle-aged man in ck sat, with thick eyebrows and sharp eyes, exuding an unapproachable aura. His cultivation was profound and inscrutable; even through the soul crow, Yuan Ming could not see through him, indicating he was likely at the Foundation Establishment stage.

    The man¡¯s attire was identical to that of the White Dragon young master who had died in ck Rock City, suggesting he was also an elder of White Dragon Ind.

    At that moment, the fair-skinned attendant returned with a steaming teapot and cup, pouring a drink for Yuan Ming.

    "This is our sect¡¯s Green Dew Tea. Although it¡¯s not a spiritual tea, it has a fine vor. Please, senior, have a taste," the fair-skinned attendant said dutifully.

    Yuan Ming took a sip from the cup, nodded, and asked, "What¡¯s your name?"

    "Reporting to senior, my name is Kong Bing," the fair-skinned attendant replied respectfully.

    "Kong Bing, a fine name. Tell me, what does White Dragon Ind want with the Xuanhua Sect?" Yuan Ming inquired.

    "It seems they wish to discuss a business deal with my master. I¡¯m not very clear on the details; my master doesn¡¯t allow us to inquire about such matters," the fair-skinned attendant said, lowering his gaze. Yuan Ming smiled; despite his young age, the attendant was quite astute, effectively blocking any further questioning.

    Fortunately, with the soul crow to investigate, Yuan Ming would soon learn the purpose of the ck-clothed man.

    Xuanhua soon arrived at the front hall and, seeing the ck-clothed man, said in a deep voice, "Elder Bai, I have already made it clear to you. The incense crafting scriptures are the foundation of our sect and cannot be sold. Please leave. If you persist, I will have to report this matter to the Tieyun Sect for them to handle."

    Tieyun Sect was one of the major sects in the eastern domain, and Ning City was under its protection.

    "Hehe, Xuanhua, why get angry? Just nod, and this piece of Tianshui glue, along with two thousand spirit stones, will be yours, I heard you went to the White Dragon Commerce a few days ago seeking Tianshui glue; I have brought it with me." the ck-clothed man chuckled, cing a white jade box and a storage bag on the table.

    He opened the box, and a faint chill spread out. There¡¯s no deal that can¡¯t be made in this world; it all depends on whether the buyer is willing to pay the price.. Inside the boxy an egg-sized, crystal-clear white gel, and the moisture in the room seemed to thicken. Xuanhua visibly swallowed at the sight.

 Chapter 227: Volunteer for a mission

    Chapter 227: Volunteer for a mission<hr>

    <em>"Tianshui Glue!"</em> Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes lit up as he saw the contents of the jade box through his Soul Crow.

    When he first entered the Eastern Domain, he had heard a shopkeeper in the market mention this item, saying that Tianshui Glue is produced at the bottom of the deep sea and requires abination of spiritual energy, earth veins, temperature, water pressure, and other conditions to form. It is extremely rare, with a small piece costing seven to eight hundred spirit stones, and it is hardly ever avable for sale.

    "Elder Bai, please keep this item. I am the master of Xuanhua View and bear the mission of our ancestors. I dare not forget that the incense-making scriptures of Tianben View cannot possibly be sold," Xuanhua said, shaking his head with unusual determination.

    Bai Lin¡¯s face darkened as he said coldly, "Fellow Daoist Xuanhua, I have already made such an offer, do not be ungrateful! At the root of it, it¡¯s because you failed toplete themission of one hundred Seven-Step Incense on time, ruining my big ns, leading to the current situation. Even if you go to Tieyun View to argue, you have no grounds to stand on!" Xuanhua¡¯s face turned beet red.

    "That beast has been startled and is hiding in itsir, refusing toe out. The only n now is to use the incense-making scriptures of your Xuanhua View and ask Fellow Daoist Lanxi to help, only then might we have a chance to hunt down that beast. If we fail, both our lives are at risk. If you die, Xuanhua View will vanish into thin air, what legacy is there to speak of?" Bai Lin¡¯s eyes were frighteningly cold as he spoke, word by word.

    With each word from Bai Lin, Xuanhua¡¯s face grew paler, and by the time Bai Lin finished speaking, fine beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

    "I¡¯ll give Fellow Daoist Xuanhua one more day. I wille again tomorrow, and I hope you won¡¯t disappoint me, otherwise, don¡¯t me me for being ruthless." Bai Lin said, packing up the jade box and storage bag, and left.

    Xuanhua had no color left in his face and sat down in the front hall, utterly dejected. Footsteps sounded, and it was Yuan Ming who walked in.

    "Fellow Daoist Yuan, what brings you here?" Xuanhua asked as he stood up."Do not take offense, Fellow Daoist Xuanhua. I have a secret technique that allows me to hear distant sounds. I identally overheard your conversation just now and thought toe over and discuss the matter with you," Yuan Ming apologized with a bow.

    Xuanhua was taken aback, then waved his hand wearily and sat back down.

    "Fellow Daoist Xuanhua, from your conversation just now, it seems that you¡¯ve fallen into a difficult situation because you failed to hunt down a fierce beast. What exactly happened? I don¡¯t dare to im expertise in other matters, but when ites to hunting fierce beasts, I believe I have some skills that might be of help," Yuan Ming said as he sat down on a bench next to the wall.

    "You? Hunt a fierce beast?" Xuanhua looked at Yuan Ming with surprise, clearly disbelieving.

    It was no wonder, as incense makers spend their years busy in closed chambers, and even purchasing materials requires others to act on their behalf, having no connection tobat. Yuan Ming smiled slightly and made a hand gesture.

    A nearby chair suddenly split in two, the cut so smooth it was exceptional, and Xuanhua didn¡¯t even see what happened.

    "I didn¡¯t expect Fellow Daoist Yuan to have such skills, but I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to help with this matter," said Xuanhua, surprised but still shaking his head.

    "Why not tell me about it?" Yuan Ming didn¡¯t give up and continued to inquire.

    "Alright, this started a month ago," Xuanhua sighed and began to speak.

    ***

    A month ago, that Bai Lin brought a big business deal,missioning the crafting of one hundred Seven-Step Incense sticks, offering a high price but requiringpletion within ten days.

    Xuanhua was gathering spirit stones to prepare for the crafting of Foundation Establishment Incense and agreed immediately.

    With Xuanhua¡¯s incense-making skills, crafting one hundred Seven-Step Incense sticks in ten days was more than achievable. However, fate was not on his side, and on the seventh day, an old ailment in his head red up, causing him to faint in the chamber for two whole days before waking up, greatly dying the incense-making process. In the end, he only managed to make just over eighty Seven-Step Incense sticks, failing to meet Bai Lin¡¯s deadline.

    Bai Lin needed one hundred Seven-Step Incense sticks to hunt a Vortex Beast in the sea. The beast was already at the peak of the second level, just half a step away from the third level, and was extremely cunning, hiding in the undercurrents and whirlpools at the bottom of the sea year-round.

    Bai Lin somehow lured it to the surface, trapped it with a formation, and used arge amount of Seven-Step Incense to bewilder it, taking the opportunity to strike.

    But with an insufficient number of Seven-Step Incense sticks, the Vortex Beast regained consciousness at a critical moment, broke free from the formation¡¯s constraints, and escaped back to the sea bottom. No matter how Bai Lin tried to lure it out afterward, it never showed itself again.

    Bai Lin was hunting the Vortex Beast on the orders of a Nascent Soul cultivator from Bailong Ind. That Nascent Soul cultivator had a vtile temper, and if Bai Lin couldn¡¯t bring back the Vortex Beast¡¯s body on time, his life would be in danger.

    With no other choice, Bai Lin sought help from a formidable rogue cultivator near Ning City, Lanxi the Hermit. Lanxi had reached mid-stage Foundation Establishment, his cultivation method was adept at underwater activities, and he had a water spirit beast to assist him, which was enough to contend with the Vortex Beast and perhaps lure it out again.

    However, Lanxi demanded the incense-making scriptures of Xuanhua View as his price for helping, otherwise, he refused to make a move, leading to Bai Lin¡¯s forceful visit.

    ***

    "Fellow Daoist Xuanhua, you suffer from a brain ailment?" Yuan Ming asked after hearing the story.

    "Yes, it¡¯s an old problem. I get attacks when I¡¯m agitated or emotionally excited. I¡¯ve been taking medicine to suppress it for years and haven¡¯t had an episode for a long time. But recently, for some unknown reason, my thoughts have been restless, and coupled with non-stop incense-making, it triggered the old ailment," Xuanhua sighed.

    Yuan Ming opened his mouth as if to say something but then hesitated, a flicker of apology in his eyes.

    Xuanhua¡¯s recent restlessness might be due to the influence of Yuan Ming¡¯s consciousness since he possessed the body.

    "What do you n to do, Fellow Daoist Xuanhua? Are you really going to hand over your sect¡¯s scriptures?" Yuan Ming asked again.

    "Even if I die, I will never hand over the scriptures of my sect to others!" Xuanhua¡¯s eyes were resolute.

    "In that case, there¡¯s only one path left, and that¡¯s to hunt down the Vortex Beast. Do you know where itsir is?" Yuan Ming paused before asking again.

    "I heard Bai Lin mention it once; it¡¯s near Coral Ind, about a hundred miles to the southwest. Do you really intend to hunt this beast? I appreciate your kindness, but that Vortex Beast is powerful; even several Foundation Establishment cultivators working together might not be able to defeat it, let alone us Qi Refining cultivators. I¡¯d rather ask Tieyun View to handle this matter, even if it costs a lot of spirit stones, I don¡¯t believe we can¡¯t settle this," Xuanhua shook his head.

    "I alone certainly can¡¯t handle it, but I have several quite formidablepanions. If they take action, there should be a good chance of sess," Yuan Ming said.

    "Do you really have confidence, Fellow Daoist Yuan?" Xuanhua¡¯s face showed a glimmer of hope upon hearing this.

    He had just said he would pay to ask Tieyun View for help, but in reality, he had no confidence at all. The matter was his fault, and he had no close friends in Tieyun View, so it was unlikely they would take his side against the elders of Bailong Ind for some spirit stones.

    "I can¡¯t guarantee a hundred percent sess, but there¡¯s a fifty to sixty percent chance," Yuan Ming thought for a moment and said.

    "If you really can hunt down the Vortex Beast, you will be a benefactor to Xuanhua View. In the future, whatever you ask for, I will not refuse!" Xuanhua bowed deeply, making a solemn promise.

    "Fellow Daoist Xuanhua, you are too kind. If I retrieve the Vortex Beast¡¯s body, I should be able to exchange it for Tianshui Glue from that person on Bailong Ind. If you can make more than two Foundation Establishment Incense sticks, I hope you can spare one for me."

    Whether to express his apology or to craft the Foundation Establishment Incense, he was determined to hunt this Vortex Beast.

    The beast might be troublesome for others, but Yuan Ming had many methods at his disposal, especially with the corpse of the Heavenly Serpent Elder merged with the skin of the White Ape. As long as he wasn¡¯t directly fighting a Nascent Soul cultivator, he feared nothing.

    Moreover, from the conversation between Xuanhua and Bai Lin, the hardest part of hunting the beast was luring it out from the sea bottom, and for this, he had a unique secret method. Xuanhua readily agreed.

    "From what you¡¯ve said, the Vortex Beast is cunning. I might not be able to return tomorrow. If that cultivator from Bailong Indes again, try to dy him for a few days," Yuan Ming said.

    "No problem, leave this small matter to me," Xuanhua replied. Yuan Ming nodded, stood up, and walked outside, with Xuanhua personally seeing him off.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t leave through the main entrance he had entered, but had Xuanhua lead him out the back door.

    His Soul Crow had detected that Bai Lin had people watching the main entrance, and Yuan Ming didn¡¯t want to deal with Bailong Ind¡¯s people yet to avoid trouble. The two passed through the courtyard behind the front hall, and a pavilion appeared in front of them, where they could see ancestral tablets and candles burning brightly, with incense wafting in all directions.

    "That¡¯s the ancestral hall where we worship the ancestors of our view," Xuanhua exined as he noticed Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze.

    Yuan Ming looked at arge incense burner inside the hall, filled with incense ash, and his eyes brightened. He had thought the amount of incense ash in the main hall was too little, but there was more here.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t ask for it and continued walking forward, soon leaving Xuanhua View through the back door.

    ***

    Half an hourter, a nearly invisible figure slipped into the ancestral hall of Xuanhua View, approached the incense burner, took out arge jade bottle, and scooped up nearly half of the incense ash before swiftly leaving the premises. A disciple of Xuanhua View, broom in hand, suddenly stopped; he thought he saw a shadow sh by, but upon closer inspection, saw nothing and shook his head, dismissing the incident and began cleaning the ancestral hall.

    The shadow left Xuanhua View and quickly arrived at a deserted alley nearby, lifting a gray cloak to reveal its true form¡ªit was Yuan Ming. Looking at the jade bottle in his hand, he showed a pleased expression. With so much incense ash, he would have enough for a long time toe.

 Chapter 228: Set sail

    Chapter 228: Set sail<hr>

    Yuan Ming tucked away the jade sk and didn¡¯t immediately leave the city. Instead, he headed to a secluded alley in the north of the city, stepping in and vanishing halfway as if merging into water. His vision blurred, and a bustling street appeared before him, crowded with cultivators. Shops lined both sides of the street, selling all kinds of pills, talismans, and magical instruments. This was a market within Ning City, which Yuan Ming had learned about while drinking with Master Xuanhua.

    Yuan Ming nced over the market, which was modest in scale and offered goods not surpassing those in Heiyan City¡¯s market.

    He was busy and had no interest in strolling through the market. Finding a bookstore, he purchased a volume detailing the sea beasts of the Eastern Sea. Confident in hunting the Vortex Beast, he still believed in the importance of preparation.

    "Rest assured, customer, this tome was penned by a revered figure from Tieyun Temple after decades of travel in the Eastern Sea. It has been widely circted for some time, with detailed and urate content, and will surely not lead you astray," the bookstore owner dered confidently.

    "Let¡¯s hope so," Yuan Ming responded, flipping through the book right there in the shop, quickly finding the section on the Vortex Beast. The owner hadn¡¯t exaggerated; the book thoroughly detailed the beast¡¯s abilities, what powers it was vulnerable to, and its preferred prey. Satisfied, Yuan Ming stored the tome in his storage ring and left the bookstore. He then purchased some water-use talismans from nearby shops and headed towards the market entrance.

    Just as he reached the entrance, two people approached from the opposite direction. One was Bai Lin, and the other appeared to be his attendant, a youth in a short robe.

    The two hurried past without noticing Yuan Ming, who was a stranger to them. He listened as their footsteps faded and continued on his way.

    ***

    A quarter of an hourter, he left Ning City, summoning his Azure Cloud Crane and flying southwest. Once far from Ning City, he switched to his jade shuttle artifact, transforming into a streak of white light and swiftly covering a hundred miles. Surrounded by endless seas, no inds were in sight.Other cultivators new to this ce might feel lost and unsure of where to begin, but Yuan Ming excelled at exploration. Releasing five Soul Crows to search the vicinity, he soon found arge coral ind spanning over ten miles, covered in red coral that shimmered beautifully under the sun. To the north of the ind was a vast whirlpool, dozens of yards in diameter, with roaring waters that thundered deafeningly.

    "This must be the ce Master Xuanhua spoke of," Yuan Ming murmured to himself, sending a Soul Crow into the whirlpool, which quickly dove a hundred yards deep. The water pressure was immense, and without top-notch water-repelling treasures, even a Foundation Establishment cultivator would struggle to withstand it. Fortunately, as a spiritual entity, the Soul Crow could endure and continued to dive deeper. Another hundred yards down, and it still hadn¡¯t reached the bottom. At this point, the Soul Crow¡¯s spiritual energy began to dissipate, and Yuan Ming frowned, pondering a solution.

    Suddenly, the nearby water churned loudly as a fish about a yard long, with eyes as big as bells and a body covered in sharp spikes, darted towards the Soul Crow. Its gaping maw was full of sharp teeth, and it radiated a strong demonic aura, identifying it as a high-tier sea beast...

    "Thousand-Needle Fish," Yuan Ming controlled the Soul Crow to dodge the fish¡¯s attack, quickly recognizing it from the tome he had read. It was one of the Vortex Beast¡¯s favorite prey, so its presence here was to be expected.

    Originally, he had intended to use the Soul Crow to scout the Vortex Beast, but now that a Thousand-Needle Fish had appeared, his ns needed adjusting.

    Yuan Ming was excited to set up his firstrge formation, gesturing with his hands. Several water ropes emerged from the formation, extending into the sea. Deep in the ocean, a hundred yards away, an octopus sea beast was hunting when several blue streaks shed by, and it was suddenly ensnared by the water ropes.

    The octopus sea beast panicked and struggled fiercely, but a binding force from the ropes seeped in, leaving it powerless as its tentacles drooped. The ropes contracted sharply, and in a blur, the beast found itself within arge formation.

    Sensing the octopus sea beast¡¯s condition through his spiritual consciousness, Yuan Ming nodded in satisfaction and ceased controlling the formation. The ropes vanished, and the beast regained its strength, hastily fleeing. Yuan Ming ignored the frantic creature and sat down in a concealed spot on the ind. He set up a barrier with Four Directions Spirit-Sealing Talismans and then lit an Attracting Beast Incense in a censer. Wisps of white smoke rose and spread in all directions.

    Yuan Ming took out a pair of ck gloves, the magical instruments he had acquired from Sang Yan in Snake King Valley.

    These gloves did not enhance offensive capabilities but contained an internal space for storing poisons or miasmas. Activating the runes inside the gloves, they each emitted a suction force, drawing in the white smoke from the incense. After absorbing for a good while, Yuan Ming extinguished the incense.

    The internal space of the gloves was now filled with dense white smoke, nearly solidifying. Since the gloves had absorbed the smoke and Yuan Ming had erected a barrier, no beasts were lured in. He put away the censer and returned to the Thousand-Knot Water Rope Array, making a precise gesture.

    A thick water rope rose from the formation, plunging into the nearby sea, and soon returned with a half-yard-long ck sea snake. The snake also bore a demonic aura but was merely a low-tier sea beast.

    Yuan Ming killed the sea snake, leaving some spiritual power within it, then controlled it with a Soul Crow, taking one of the ck gloves to dive towards the Vortex Beast¡¯sir. It wasn¡¯t long before they neared the destination.

    Most of the spiritual power in the sea snake¡¯s corpse had dissipated, but the Soul Crow manipted the remaining power, channeling it into the ck glove to stimte the runes. Arge cloud of white fog began to billow out, merging into the surrounding waters.

 Chapter 229: Capture beast

    Chapter 229: Capture beast<hr>

    Inside their, the Vortex Beast had just devoured a Thousand Needle Fish and was contentedly closing its eyes to sleep when its nose twitched, catching a scent but not paying it much attention. Before long, however, the creature abruptly lifted its head and looked outside, its eyes revealing a wariness.

    As time passed, its eyes slowly reddened, its expression growing agitated as if it wanted to burst out, yet it hesitated. ...The Sea Serpent, hiding in a nearby crevice, watched the Vortex Beast intently.

    ***

    Above the sea, Yuan Ming breathed a sigh of relief.

    His biggest concern had been that the seawater would block the scent of the beast lure, which is why he went to great lengths to carry the lure¡¯s mist in a ck glove to the vicinity of the Vortex Beast¡¯sir before releasing it. Now it seemed he had worried unnecessarily; at most, the seawater only affected the spread of the scent, not its effectiveness.

    Yuan Ming used a Soul Crow to control another hunted sea beast, lurking near the seabedir with a second glove, releasing the white mist of the lure in the same manner. Gradually, the Vortex Beast¡¯s eyes turned even redder, as if blood would drip from them, and its lower abdomen swelled with a bloody hue, its scales opening and closing. Momentster, unable to endure any longer, the Vortex Beast shot out of itsir.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming quickly took out an incense burner and lit the beast lure incense, releasing plumes of white mist.

    He then took out a homemade poison incense, a Seven-Step Down Dizziness Incense, and inserted it into the burner to light it.

    After doing all this, Yuan Ming affixed a blue talisman to his body, donned a Cloak of Invisibility, and submerged into the sea.This blue talisman, called the <em>"Water Avoidance Talisman,"</em> could iste currents, allowing the caster to lurk underwater for a long time. With the Cloak of Invisibility on, even the magical fluctuations of the Water Avoidance Talisman werepletely blocked.

    Above the sea, only an incense burner floated quietly, the white mist of the lure rapidly spreading.

    Amid the <em>"Whooshing"</em> sound of water, a lizard sea beast with red eyes swam over quickly. It was a first-grade lower-tier ferocious beast that suddenly leaped from the water, pouncing towards the incense burner.

    However, just as the beast was about to reach it, the green incense burner <em>"whooshed"</em> up into the sky, hovering several yards away. The lizard sea beast swam anxiously below, unable to reach the incense burner as it could not fly.

    The sound of water continued to echo as more sea beasts were attracted. Soon, over a dozen had gathered, all low-tier, with two reaching first-grade upper-tier.

    Yuan Ming, hiding in the nearby sea, was secretly pleased with the effect of the lure incense from the burner. In the future, if he wanted to hunt ferocious beasts, there was no need to search hard; just light the incense, and they woulde on their own.

    At that moment, with a <em>"Ssh"</em> on the water near the Coral Ind, the Vortex Beast emerged, its eyespletely blood-red, drooling thick saliva, excitedly pouncing towards the floating incense burner.

    The sea beasts below sensed the Vortex Beast¡¯s presence and showed signs of fear, moving away, but due to the scent of the lure incense, they were reluctant to leave too far.

    The Vortex Beast paid no attention to the other sea beasts and swam over quickly. But just as it was about to enter the range of the Thousand Knot Water Rope Array, it suddenly stopped, its blood-red eyes looking towards the seabed, seemingly aware of the magical fluctuations of the array.

    Yuan Ming thought to himself that this Vortex Beast was indeed cunning, so he took out the main array g and quietly activated therge array.

    A blue light shed near the Vortex Beast, and thick water ropes materialized out of thin air, wrapping around its body with a violent pull, dragging it into the Thousand Knot Water Rope Array.

    More water ropes quickly condensed, sweeping in from all directions.

    Even though the Vortex Beast was driven mad by the lure incense, it had notpletely lost its reason. Its front paws waved, and thick blue arcs of electricity burst from its body, tearing nearly half of the water ropes on its body.

    The beast, with the strength of a second-grade peak, had an exceptionally robust demonic power. The Thousand Knot Water Rope had not fully formed, and the restraining power could not significantly affect it. Yuan Ming narrowed his eyes and, after a brief contemtion, made a gesture in the air.

    Behind the Vortex Beast, a sh of spiritual light appeared, and two magical weapons, the Cold Star Sword and the Nine Rings Golden Knife, shot out, shing towards the Vortex Beast¡¯s back.

    With a low growl, the Vortex Beast caused the surrounding seawater to surge up, rapidly spinning around its body, instantly forming a fast-spinning vortex water column. The Cold Star Sword and the Nine Rings Golden Knife struck it and were immediately repelled by the spinning water, not even touching the Vortex Beast. The Vortex Beast continued to unleash blue lightning to tear the water ropes, stomping fiercely, causing the nearby water surface to surge violently and forming several vortices with a thunderous rumble from the depths.

    With a loud bang, several thick water columns rose from the depths of the vortices, each as thick as a millstone, swirling in mid-air like swimming dragons, agile as if alive, all striking towards the ce where the three magical weapons broke through the water. The sea surface exploded with a roar, and the water columns struck the seabed, easily sting a hole ten yards deep, scattering mud and sand, and turning the nearby seawater murky.

    Yuan Ming, hiding on the other side, was not affected by the water columns and continued to control the Cold Star Sword and the Nine Rings Golden Knife to attack the Vortex Beast, drawing its attention.

    At the same time, he released a White Ape, controlled by a Soul Crow after removing the sealing nail from its head. The aura of the White Ape surged, causing a disturbance in the nearby spiritual energy.

    The Vortex Beast looked over sharply, its expression grave. The White Ape¡¯srge figure burst out of the water with a ssh, gliding across the surface and pouncing towards the Vortex Beast, cutting a long white wave through the sea.

    The Vortex Beast, greatly rmed, saw its arms glow with intense blue light, and the surrounding vortex water columns suddenly thickened, with several rising from nearby vortices to strike at the White Ape. The White Ape let out a long howl and swung a punch.

    Within a range of ten yards, the air exploded with a series of booms, and an overwhelming force pressed down. The body of the Heavenly Serpent, having absorbed yin energy and transformed into something akin to a human specter, had an astonishing cultivation level before death. Although itsbat power had fallen out of the Foundation Establishment stage, ever since donning the White Ape¡¯s skin, the Heavenly Serpent¡¯s body had gained strength, surpassing the strongest physical cultivator Yuan Ming had ever seen, Long Hao, and returning to the Foundation Establishment realm. The water columns hadn¡¯t even approached the White Ape when they were crushed by the overwhelming punch.

    The White Ape¡¯s figure turned into a white shadow, instantly reaching the Vortex Beast, its massive fist turning into a white blur, striking the vortex water column. With a sizzling sound of shattering, the Cold Star Sword and the Nine Rings Golden Knife, which had been unable to affect the water columns, were smashed by its punch. The White Ape¡¯s fists were as fast as lightning, solidly hitting the Vortex Beast¡¯s shoulder.

    The Vortex Beast¡¯s shoulder burst open, its right arm flying off, and its huge body was sent flying. Yuan Ming was overjoyed and controlled the Cold Star Sword and the Nine Rings Golden Knife, which had been waiting behind, to strike with full force on the Vortex Beast¡¯s back. Two half-foot-long wounds were shed into the Vortex Beast¡¯s back, but the flesh wounds were not deep.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes darkened, knowing that his current cultivation was far too inferior to the Vortex Beast, and that any further attacks would be futile. He focused most of his energy on controlling the Thousand Knot Water Rope Array and the White Ape.

    Thick water ropes shot out from the sea surface, once again entangling the Vortex Beast, firmly restraining it, while the White Ape turned into a white shadow, relentlessly pursuing.

    The pain from the Vortex Beast¡¯s severed limb was unbearable, suppressing the influence of the lure incense. The blood in its eyes dissipated significantly, and it seemed to regain its senses, with only its left arm emitting a bright blue light, waving in the void. Suddenly, several waves, each several yards high, rose from the nearby sea surface, like giant palms covering the sky, pping towards the White Ape.

    The White Ape¡¯s arms blurred, striking out in a chain, shattering the iing waves, but its figure was also blocked. The Vortex Beast growled lowly, its left arm suddenly bursting with blinding blue lightning, an aura of destruction erupting.

    Yuan Ming, feeling the hairs on his skin stand from a distance, sounded the rm in his heart and decisively abandoned his hiding spot, summoning a white jade shuttle to shoot up into the sky, taking the incense burner, the Cold Star Sword, and the Nine Rings Golden Knife with him.

    With a <em>"Sizzle,"</em> all the water ropes were easily cut.

    The lightning de then exploded, turning into dense blue lightning that engulfed the area for several yards around, each arc of electricity as powerful as a strike from a Lightning Talisman.

    The sea surface boiled instantly, the water ropes of the Thousand Knot Water Rope Array were shattered, and the arrayid on the seabed was damaged, unable to continue operating.

    The White Ape was also affected by the blue lightning. The body of the Heavenly Serpent, wrapped in ape skin and belonging to the dead, was vulnerable to the power of lightning, which was its nemesis. Yuan Ming quickly controlled it to retreat. ...The Vortex Beast continued to exert its divine powers, its aura weakening considerably,

    Turning into a ck shadow, it dived towards the deep sea, as if drunk. Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes lit up, knowing that the poison incense and the Seven-Step Down were finally taking effect. He quickly surfaced, waved his hand, and threw a round bronze ball, hitting the Vortex Beast in front, which was a Heart-Splitting Thunder.

    A dazzling streak of light, the Heart-Splitting Thunder suddenly split open, a burst of brilliant silver-white lightning erupting, instantly forming a striking column of lightning, heavily striking the Vortex Beast¡¯s chest. The Vortex Beast¡¯s chest was split open with a huge wound, staggering backward.

    The White Ape shot from the side, a fan-shaped golden sword light appearing out of thin air.

    In a sh, it stood behind the Vortex Beast, holding a golden long sword, the very Golden Serpent Sword. A sh of golden light, and the Vortex Beast¡¯s head tilted and fell, a fountain of blood spraying out, itsrge body swaying twice before copsing into the water.

    Yuan Ming rxed, quickly waved his hand to collect the Vortex Beast¡¯s corpse, even retrieving the severed limb, and took out the Thousand Knot Water Rope Array buried on the seabed. After the Soul Crow returned with the two gloves, he put away the Soul Crow, summoned the jade shuttle magical tool, and shot away into the distance.

 Chapter 230: Blue Lizard

    Chapter 230: Blue Lizard<hr>

    Momentster, Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t wait tond on another ind.

    His eyes were tinged with threads of blood, a result of his soul being eroded by the malevolent aura while controlling the white ape through the possession of the soul crow.

    As the white ape¡¯s strength surged, the malevolent aura within it grew denser. Controlling it with the soul crow multiplied the burden on his own soul. Had it not been for his Death Moon method reaching the thirdyer, he wouldn¡¯t havested until now.

    Yuan Ming quickly found a secluded spot on the ind to sit down, set up a barrier with spirit-sealing talismans, and began to meditate with his eyes closed, circting the Death Moon method.

    As soon as he sat down, he felt the world spin and his body became unbearably hot. However, the warmth flowing from the mark of the Heaven-Defying Cauldron on his arm kept thest bit of rity in his heart.

    <em>"Ugh... Ah!"</em>

    Biting the tip of his tongue, Yuan Ming let out a low growl, suppressed with effort, filled with a bloodthirsty ferocity, but he finally regained some control over his body.

    He hurriedly circted the Death Moon method within his body, and his consciousness cleared.

    ***A quarter of an hourter, with the mutual support of the Death Moon method and the Heaven-Defying Cauldron, he finally expelled all the malevolent thoughts from his mind.

    Yuan Ming let out a sigh of relief, opened his eyes, and gently wiped the sweat from his forehead.

    At this moment, he realized why soul cultivation was so unpopr in the world of cultivation.

    The process of soul cultivation, whether it was training or casting spells, was fraught with danger, deterring most people. Yet, the formidable power of soul cultivation always attracted those unafraid of death to continue on this path, with the few who seeded almost invincible among their peers, even able to defeat those of higher levels.

    Naturally, this was a situation most people did not want to see.

    Chen Cangqiong, the great elder of the Biluo Cave, even without resorting to heinous methods, as long as there was hope for his cultivation to break through thete stage of Foundation Establishment, the forces behind Dawn would probably find other reasons to eliminate him quickly.

    <em>It seems that I must be more cautious in my actions from now on, especially when I return to the Central ins</em>. It¡¯s better not to reveal my identity as a soul cultivator in front of others.

    Heposed himself, took out the carcass of the vortex beast, and probed its interior with his divine sense.

    His two soul crows and the ck needle artifact were still inside the beast and had not been retrieved, which was quite strange.

    Yuan Ming carefully examined the carcass of the vortex beast with his divine sense, finding nothing until his divine sense swept over the stomach of the beast, raising his eyebrows.

    Inside the pitch-ck stomach of the vortex beast seemed to be a special power that blocked his divine sense. Could it be that the ck needle artifact and the two soul crows were inside?

    ording to the sea beastpendium, although many parts of the vortex beast¡¯s body were precious spiritual materials, the stomach was not included.

    Yuan Ming took out his Cold Star Sword and carefully cut out the stomach, removing it.

    As soon as the stomach was separated from the body of the vortex beast, the special power leaked out, and Yuan Ming clearly sensed the presence of the ck needle artifact and the soul crows within the stomach.

    He carefully cut open the stomach, and the ck needle artifact along with the two soul crows flew out.

    Yuan Ming put away the ck needle and soul crows and continued to cut the stomach openpletely.

    A silver-white tokeny quietly inside, engraved with strange patterns, the source of that special power.

    Yuan Ming tried to probe the token with his divine sense but found that his divine sense was repelled by an invisible force when it was about a foot away.

    After pondering for a moment, he used a spell to make the silver token float up without any abnormality.

    Yuan Ming then wrapped the token with a surge of mana, and the token remained unresponsive, reassuring him to take it. The silver token was cool to the touch, smooth, as if carved from a piece of cold jade.

    He infused mana into it, and the surface of the token emitted a faint silver glow, but nothing else happened.

    Yuan Ming, not giving up, continued to try to probe it but still had no clue.

    He remembered something, picked up the stomach of the vortex beast to examine it, and found that the stomach no longer had any abnormalities, indistinguishable from ordinary viscera.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes flickered as he ced the token back into the stomach, but no change urred.

    He smiled wryly, unable to understand the reason, and decided not to bother with it anymore, about to store the token in his storage ring.

    Just as his palm touched the stomach of the vortex beast, which was coated with mucus, the silver token, slippery in texture, slipped from his fingertips and fell to the ground.

    As soon as the token touched the ground, liquid-like silver light surged from its surface, spreading rapidly along the ground, quickly reaching the barrier formed by the spirit-sealing talismans.

    In a few breaths, the ground and the barrier were covered with ayer of silver light, and Yuan Ming¡¯s divine sense could not prate the barrier to explore the outside; the inside and outside seemed to bepletely isted.

    He looked surprised, nced around, and picked up the token from the ground.

    As it left the ground, the silver light on the barrier quickly dissipated, and his divine sense could once again extend freely inside and out.

    Yuan Ming understood a bit, took out a wooden box, threw the token into it, and closed the lid. The inside of the box was immediately enveloped by an invisible force, and his divine sense could not probe inside.

    He opened the lid of the wooden box, and everything returned to normal.

    A smile appeared on Yuan Ming¡¯s lips. Just as he thought, as long as the token was in a closed space and touched any side of the space, it would immediately release silver light, sealing the closed space.

    Although he didn¡¯t know why it was so, this silver token was clearly a strange treasure, and if used well, it could have remarkable effects.

    The vortex beast must have found this token somewhere and swallowed it, which gave it the ability to devour artifacts.

    Yuan Ming stored the token and disposed of the vortex beast¡¯s carcass, then summoned the Azure Cloud Crane and flew towards Ning City.

    Unlike his eagerness on the way there, now that his goal was achieved, he was not in a hurry to travel, allowing the Azure Cloud Crane to gallop freely above the sea.

    Standing against the wind, he looked at the vast sea and the rolling waves, feeling the sea breeze on his cheeks and the warm sun on his face. Suddenly, he felt his chest broaden, as if all the hardships he had experienced seemed so insignificant in front of the vast sea, as if they were nothing.

    At the same time, a heroic spirit arose in his heart. One day, he would master the legendary divine powers that could move mountains and fill seas, traverse the unknown thousands of miles of rivers and mountains, and truly see the world for what it was.

    The "White Horse Youth Dream" of his childhood had settled deep in his memories, never to return. The rivers andkes were no longer the same, and now he, reborn from the cocoon, would start his own journey. "Augh over the vast sea, past dreams drift far away, unaware of the thousands of miles of rivers and mountains, how many dawns have passed? I cultivate the soul against the heavens, why fear the disapproval of the world, what do immortals fear? Stealing the heavens to embrace the Death Moon, all shackles be fleeting!"

    Riding the Azure Cloud, wielding the Cold Star, the needle without a shadow. Where is the shadow of the past? No one apanies my drunken song.

    Thousands of miles from my homnd, thoughts of return are as swift as arrows, people¡¯s hearts as deep as the sea. With a magnanimous spirit, I roam the world freely!"

    Yuan Ming took out a sk of wine, tilted his head back, and took a big gulp, singing a bad that came naturally to him.

    A man and a crane, in the vastness of the sea and sky,

    be more distant as they go.

    ***

    Half a dayter.

    Yuan Ming returned to Ning City, not immediately seeking out Master Xuanhua. Such a quick round trip to kill a second-level peak beast would be too shocking. Master Xuanhua and the others would probably be scared.

    Yuan Ming found an inn to rest for the night, and early the next morning, he casually entered the Xuanhua Temple.

    "Daoist Yuan, was there a problem with the beast hunting? No matter, the vortex beast has the strengthparable to a half-step Foundation Establishment cultivator, it¡¯s not so easy to deal with." Seeing Yuan Ming return so early, Master Xuanhua¡¯s heart sank, but he maintained an indifferent demeanor.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t speak, instead handing over a storage bag.

    Master Xuanhua was taken aback, epted the storage bag, and probed it with his divine sense.

    His eyes immediately widened, his mouth half-opened in disbelief, and then his face lit up with ecstasy. It took a while before he couldpose himself.

    <em>"Daoist Yuan, you and your friends are truly remarkable, to have hunted down the vortex beast so quickly!</em> With this beast, Xuanhua Temple can avoid this disaster, thank you!"

    Master Xuanhua bowed deeply to Yuan Ming.

    "There¡¯s no need for such formality, Master Xuanhua. I also did it for the Foundation Establishment Incense." Yuan Ming returned the bow.

    "Rest assured, Daoist Yuan, if I get the Heavenly Water Glue, I will do my utmost to refine the Foundation Establishment Incense as a token of gratitude," Master Xuanhua said earnestly.

    Just then, footsteps approached from outside, and a disciple of Xuanhua Temple rushed in, his face full of panic.

    "Master, it¡¯s not good, a group of people have broken in and blocked our gate!"

    "It seems that Bailin has arrived; he really is impatient. I have no intention of meeting him, so I¡¯ll leave everything to Master Xuanhua to handle," Yuan Ming said, stepping into the inner chamber.

    "Don¡¯t panic, let them in," Master Xuanhua said calmly, turning around.

    "Heh, has the master of Xuanhua Templee to his senses? It should have been like this from the start. Hand over the incense-making secret manual, and we can all end this on good terms." Before the disciple could speak, a group of people strode in, led by Bailin.

    Beside Bailin was a blue-robed man, standing shoulder to shoulder with him, his demeanor also that of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

    "Blue Lizard Daoist has alsoe, I¡¯m afraid you will be disappointed," Master Xuanhua said, looking at the blue-robed man and shaking his head calmly.

    "I¡¯ve always said that old Daoist Xuanhua is stubborn and unyielding, why waste time with him?" Blue Lizard, theyman, sat down on a chair beside him and said.

    "So, Master Xuanhua intends to remain obstinate? If so, then don¡¯t me Bailin for being ruthless!" Bailin¡¯s face darkened as he raised his hand.

    The cultivators behind him slowly surrounded them, and a faint white light appeared around Xuanhua Temple, quickly solidifying into a white light screen, enveloping the entire temple.

    "Don¡¯t rush, Elder Bailin. Take a look at this first," Master Xuanhua¡¯s expression changed slightly as he threw the storage bag over.

    Bailin caught it and subconsciously probed it with his divine sense, then froze on the spot, his expression identical to Master Xuanhua¡¯s earlier.

    "What¡¯s wrong?" Seeing this, Blue Lizard couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    "With Xuanhua Temple¡¯s strength, how could they possibly hunt down this fierce beast!" Bailin ignored Blue Lizard and asked Master Xuanhua.

    "Our temple has the help of a great expert," Master Xuanhua said proudly.

    <em>"A great expert?</em> Is it the friend in the back room? Why not show yourself and make friends?" Bailin looked towards the inner chamber and called out.

 Chapter 231: The fox exploits the tigerâ€™s might

    Chapter 231: The fox exploits the tiger¡¯s might<hr>

    Yuan Ming¡¯s brow furrowed slightly as he took out a green robe and put it on before stepping out.

    The robe, acquired from Lin Liumu¡¯s storage artifact, was the standard attire of a disciple from the Changchun Temple.

    "I dare not im to be a master; I am merely an ordinary disciple of the Changchun Temple," Yuan Ming said frankly.

    <em>"Disciple of the Changchun Temple!"</em> Bai Lin and the others¡¯ gaze fell upon Yuan Ming, who was d in the temple¡¯s attire, exuding a spirited and proud demeanor.

    The eastern region of the Southern Frontier bordered the Central ins, with frequent interactions and a far greater understanding of the Central ins¡¯ cultivation world than other parts of the Southern Frontier. Although Bailong Ind was one of the four major sects in the eastern region, it was not on the same level as the Changchun Temple.

    The expression of the Blue Lizard Hermit turned solemn as he slowly stood up from his chair. Upon hearing Yuan Ming¡¯s words, Xuanhua also showed a look of surprise, but he quickly regained hisposure.

    "Hehe, so you are a disciple of the Changchun Temple. I, Bai Lin, also know a few friends from there. May I ask your esteemed name and which master you follow?" Bai Lin discreetly signaled with his eyes, prompting the crowd to step back as he stepped forward with a fist and palm salute.

    The white light barrier outside the Xuanhua Temple gradually dissipated. "I am Lin Liumu, a disciple under Elder Xu Changqing of the Changchun Temple. I havee to the Xuanhua Temple to represent my master in discussing the trade of spiritual incense," Yuan Ming said, shaking Xu Changqing¡¯s identity token in his hand.

    Bai Lin, responsible for the trade of spiritual materials on Bailong Ind, had indeed interacted with disciples from the Changchun Temple and had vaguely heard of Xu Changqing. Seeing Yuan Ming¡¯s identity token, he no longer doubted and showed a warm smile."So it¡¯s Lin Daoist, a pleasure to meet you. I wonder if Elder Xu is in Ning City? I have long heard of his name but have yet to meet him. I hope Lin Daoist can introduce me."

    "My master has other important matters to attend to in this ce, but I will convey Elder Bai¡¯s greetings," Yuan Ming replied unhurriedly. Bai Lin nodded with a smile, his thoughts racing. He hadn¡¯t expected the Changchun Temple to be involved in this matter and knew he had to handle it carefully. Angering them would be disastrous for him.

    "My master is already aware of the dispute with the Xuanhua Temple. This Vortex Beast was personally hunted by him as an exnation to Bailong Ind. I wonder if Elder Bai Lin is satisfied?" Yuan Ming asked, looking towards Bai Lin.

    "Satisfied, of course, I am satisfied. It¡¯s a small matter for me, and to have Elder Xu personally handle it, I must express my gratitude in person if I have the chance," Bai Lin said with augh. "That¡¯s good. The Xuanhua Temple will need to provide various types of spiritual incense to our Changchun Temple in the long term. Let¡¯s not let minor details hinder important matters," Yuan Ming said with a smile. "Of course, I understand," Bai Lin nodded repeatedly.

    "Who is this?" Yuan Ming nodded satisfactorily, his gaze shifting to the Blue Lizard Hermit beside him, his tone shifting from light to somber.

    The atmosphere around them cooled rapidly, and many people held their breath subconsciously. The Blue Lizard Hermit clenched his fists, unable to utter a word. Although Yuan Ming was only a Qi Refining stage cultivator, he had the backing of the Changchun Temple, an entity far beyond the reach of Bailong Ind, let alone a solitary cultivator like him.

    "This is the Blue Lizard Hermit. I was originally nning to entrust him with hunting the Vortex Beast in the sea, but now that Elder Xu has taken action, his services are no longer needed," Bai Lin, having brought the Blue Lizard Hermit, could not ignore the situation and spoke up with a forced tone.

    "Oh, so this is the Blue Lizard Hermit. I heard from the master of the Xuanhua Temple that you wanted their incense-making secret manual. My Changchun Temple also appreciates the spiritual incense produced by the Xuanhua Temple, but we only discuss trades with the temple master and have never thought to seize their heritage. You certainly have quite the appetite," Yuan Ming¡¯s expression cooled, his eyes like two icy pools. The Blue Lizard Hermit¡¯s face turned pale, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

    "Lin Daoist, the Blue Lizard Hermit was greedy and caused a misunderstanding. I assure you, such incidents will not happen again. Blue Lizard Hermit, step forward and apologize to Lin Daoist," Bai Lin hesitated slightly before speaking, giving the Blue Lizard Hermit a look.

    "I was foolish, please forgive me, Lin Daoist, and the master of the Xuanhua Temple," the Blue Lizard Hermit took a deep breath and saluted with a fist and palm.

    "I am also to me for this matter. In addition to the Tianshui glue, there are three pieces of precious spiritual wood from Bailong Ind, all of excellent quality. Please ept them, Lin Daoist, and the master of the Xuanhua Temple," Bai Lin took out a storage artifact and passed it over.

    Yuan Ming did not ept it, instead ncing at Xuanhua. Xuanhua took it, scanned it with his divine sense, and nodded at Yuan Ming.

    "Alright, for Elder Bai¡¯s sake, I will not pursue this matter," Bai Lin said with a smile stered across his face, and after exchanging a few more pleasantries with Yuan Ming, he quickly left with everyone, looking dejected.

    After watching Bai Lin and the others leave, Xuanhua opened his mouth to speak but was stopped by Yuan Ming, who turned and entered the inner chamber. He took out a Four Directions Sealing Talisman and set up a barrier, then touched the silver token to the barrier¡¯s light screen, which immediately took on a silver sheen,pletely isting the inside from the outside. Only then did he rx.

    "Yuan Daoist, are you really a disciple of the Changchun Temple?" Xuanhua asked eagerly. "Of course, I am a disciple of the Changchun Temple. My master and I came from Tiehu Town in the Southern Frontier to Yue Country for business," Yuan Ming said.

    "A fortunate meeting indeed," Xuanhua said, looking into Yuan Ming¡¯s profound eyes, feeling a sudden jolt in his heart and refraining from further questions.

    He took out the storage artifact given by Bai Lin, infused it with mana, and waved it towards the ground. A sh of white lightter, a small pile of spirit stones, totaling two hundred, and three pieces of spiritual wood ¨C two red and one white ¨C as well as a white jade box appeared on the ground.

    "It¡¯s all thanks to Yuan Daoist that Bai Lin left these items. I only need this Tianshui glue; the spirit stones are yours," Xuanhua said, taking the white jade box.

    Yuan Ming only took the three pieces of spiritual wood. He recognized them as Fire Pine Wood, Blood Red Branch, and White Yuan Bamboo, all containing abundant spiritual energy. He nned to mix them into the ck Incenseter to see if it could extend the possession time.

    Xuanhua felt both awe and gratitude towards Yuan Ming, not saying much and taking the spirit stones. "The matter of the Foundation Establishment Incense, I¡¯ll leave it to Xuanhua Daoist," Yuan Ming said.

    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve got this," Xuanhua patted his chest and said.

    With the crisis of the Xuanhua Temple fully resolved and thanks to Yuan Ming¡¯s previous words, neither Bailong Ind nor the Blue Lizard Hermit would dare to bully them in the future. Xuanhua now felt light-hearted and was confident in sessfully creating the Foundation Establishment Incense.

    ***

    Seven dayster, Xuanhua sessfully emerged from seclusion. "Congrattions, Daoist, on your sessful emergence," Yuan Ming said with a smile. Xuanhua was half joyful and half worried as he spoke, "I¡¯m ashamed to say that with those materials, I only managed to make two sticks of incense."

    "Sess is already an achievement worth celebrating," Yuan Ming said with a smile. "Now we can only each take one and see if we can seed in Foundation Establishment; it¡¯s all up to fate," Xuanhua said, temporarily putting aside his worries and handing a stick of incense to Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming took it and examined it closely, noticing that the aura it emitted was somewhat simr to that of a Foundation Establishment Pill, which gave him a bit more confidence.

    "Then let¡¯s both entrust our fate to the heavens and wish each other well," Yuan Ming said with a smile. Xuanhua nodded silently.

    Half a dayter, the two made their preparations, each choosing a quiet room to retreat into for their Foundation Establishment attempt.

    Xuanhua was unaware, but Yuan Ming was holding his breath and concentrating, sitting cross-legged within the quiet room, silently circting the Nine Elements Form, adjusting his state untilte at night.

    At midnight, feeling that he had reached his peak condition, Yuan Ming immediately took out a Foundation Establishment Pill and swallowed it whole, holding a ball of energy in front of him, with the Stealing Heaven Cauldron ced in his arms.

    As his mana began to circte, the medicinal power of the Foundation Establishment Pill slowly transformed, and a burning sensation began to rise slowly in Yuan Ming¡¯s lower abdomen.

    Feeling the heat, Yuan Ming immediately circted his mana, guiding that power towards his dantian. As the burning force continued to pour into his dantian, Yuan Ming felt as if it had be a zing furnace, constantly heating and burning his mana, making it rise in temperature.

    This burning force was difficult to endure, but it was the necessary path for mana to transform from gas to liquid, bing more condensed and pure.

    Yuan Ming knew this was a long and arduous process, so he couldn¡¯t be too hasty. He had to stabilize his mind and use the power of the Foundation Establishment Pill to slowly refine the mana in his boby.

    ***

    Time ticked away, and Yuan Ming spent a difficult twelve days in the quiet room.

    During these twelve days, hepletely refined the power of the Foundation Establishment Pill and transferred it to his boby.

    The burning power in his boby tormented and tempered him, making his mana boil, but he was still unable to cross the final hurdle to achieve the qualitative change from gas to liquid. At that moment, a stick of incense with a unique scent was inserted in the incense burner. It had burned more than halfway, with the crimson me at the tip still flickering, emitting thick white smoke.

    The smoke enveloped Yuan Ming, not dispersing, making it look as if he was wrapped in a white cotton coat.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes were tightly closed, his brow furrowed, his cheeks covered in sweat, and his expression pained.

    This morning, he felt the power of the Foundation Establishment Pill in his body had peaked and then began to wane ¨C not a good sign. His previous experience told him that this meant his Foundation Establishment was likely to fail again.

    At this critical moment, he didn¡¯t hesitate and immediately lit the Foundation Establishment Incense. The blue smoke rose and swirled around the quiet room. However, half a day had passed, and the incense had burned down significantly. Aside from maintaining the gradually fading power of the Foundation Establishment Pill in his body, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t feel anything special. His mana was still boiling in his boby. Could the incense also not make up for the deficiencies in his spiritual root?

 Chapter 232: Foundation Establishment

    Chapter 232: Foundation Establishment<hr>

    Finally, as thest moments drew near, the Foundation Establishment incense slowly burned down to its end.

    "With so much preparation, am I still destined to fail?" Yuan Ming slowly opened his eyes, murmuring with a hint of unwillingness.

    As his words faded, he couldn¡¯t help but take a deep breath. At that moment, as the me on the Foundation Establishment incense extinguished, the Yin-Yang pattern on the Stealing Heaven Cauldron suddenly lit up. The thick white mist surrounding Yuan Ming split into two streams, swirling back and entering his nostrils.

    Yuan Ming felt a burning sensation in his throat that spread downwards into his chest and abdomen, finally settling in his body. In the next instant, as if lightning had struck the earth¡¯s core, the boiling mana within his body broke through its shackles, undergoing a qualitative change. The mana began to condense and shrink, as ifpleting some miraculous extraction, until it formed droplets of glistening transparent liquid that umted in his body.

    <em>"Drip, Drip."</em> Yuan Ming first heard the sound of water droplets, then his ears were overwhelmed by the howling of a strong wind.

    He felt his eardrums bulge as he was enveloped by powerful natural energies. Every pore on his body seemed to open up, greedily absorbing the spiritual energy that converged around him. "Is this what condensing the liquid for Foundation Establishment feels like?"

    Yuan Ming felt utterly intoxicated, as if he had drunk arge jar of fine wine, basking in a blissful sensation. His body, at that moment, was like a self-operating puppet, almost without his control, automaticallypleting the absorption of spiritual energy from the world, channeling it into his body, refining and extracting it into liquid, and gathering it into a small pond.

    After an indeterminate amount of time, Yuan Ming¡¯s body finally felt full and saturated, and the automatic state of absorbing spiritual energy gradually ceased.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s consciousness returned to normal. Reluctantly awakening from that transcendent state, he eagerly checked his body, only to find that all the stored mana had condensed into a liquid state, resembling a shimmeringke. In terms of the total amount of mana, it had increased more than threefoldpared to his Qi Refining stage, and as for the purity of the mana, it was iparable to before.In fact, having achieved Foundation Establishment at the thirteenth level of Qi Refining, Yuan Ming¡¯s mana was not only purer than that of ordinary cultivators at the same realm, but also at least half more in quantity. This gave him a significant advantage when facing other cultivators at the initial stage of Foundation Establishment. At the same time, Yuan Ming felt that his spiritual consciousness, as Xiying had said, had nearly doubled. Afterpleting his meditation and emerging from seclusion, it was already the morning of the third day.

    ***

    Yuan Ming, feeling refreshed, pushed open the door of the meditation room and saw Master Xuanhua sitting on a stone bench in the courtyard, his back to Yuan Ming, shoulders slightly slumped, seemingly disheartened. Yuan Ming had an inkling that Master Xuanhua had likely failed at Foundation Establishment. After all, Foundation Establishment was a major hurdle on the path of cultivation, and it was normal for most to fail. If it weren¡¯t for the Stealing Heaven Body enhancing the effects of the Foundation Establishment incense, his own sess would have been uncertain.

    Hearing footsteps from behind, Master Xuanhua turned his head to look. Seeing Yuan Ming¡¯s calm expression, which revealed neither joy nor sorrow, he instinctively thought Yuan Ming had also failed.

    "Fellow Daoist Yuan, Foundation Establishment is no easy feat. Although I managed to create the Foundation Establishment incense, I couldn¡¯t guarantee its infallibility. Don¡¯t take it too hard. We can find more materials in the future and continue to refine," Master Xuanhuaforted Yuan Ming first.

    "Um... Fellow Daoist Xuanhua, I¡¯ve seeded in Foundation Establishment," Yuan Ming said with a light cough. Master Xuanhua was taken aback, staring at Yuan Ming incredulously, his eyes wide.

    Seeing him silent, Yuan Ming spoke up: "I won¡¯t lie to you; it was only after three attempts that I seeded." He deliberately mentioned an extra attempt to emphasize the difficulty of his Foundation Establishment.

    To his surprise, Master Xuanhua¡¯s face fell as he said, "This was my third attempt as well." "The third time? What about the previous two?" Yuan Ming asked in astonishment.

    "I spent all my wealth on Foundation Establishment pills, all ending in failure. My talent is simply too poor, and my luck... even worse," Master Xuanhua said helplessly. After a pause, he forced a smile and added, "No worries. With this skill, I won¡¯t starve in the future."

    "That¡¯s the spirit," Yuan Ming replied, managing an awkward smile in agreement.

    "Fellow Daoist Yuan... I should call you Senior Yuan now, what are your ns going forward?" Master Xuanhua asked.

    "There¡¯s no need for such formalities between us," Yuan Ming said with a chuckle.

    "<em>In the path of cultivation, the aplished are revered. </em>One level higher in cultivation means one level higher in seniority; that¡¯s the norm." Master Xuanhua insisted earnestly.

    "No, let¡¯s continue as fellow Daoists. I n to set off soon for a solitary journey." Yuan Ming said.

    "That¡¯s a good idea. I also n to leave Xuanhua Observatory and wander in search of opportunities," Master Xuanhua nodded.

    "Where do you intend to go, Fellow Daoist Xuanhua?" Yuan Ming inquired.

    "I¡¯m thinking of heading to the Southern Bordends to take a look, and perhaps even visit the inds in the South Sea. It¡¯s said that there are many overseas cultivators there, and they have special spiritual materials not found in the Southern Bordends or the Central ins. Many of the ores there are useful for refining incense," Master Xuanhua said, his eyes gleaming with longing.

    "Take care on your journey. My sess in Foundation Establishment wouldn¡¯t have been possible without your help, Fellow Daoist Xuanhua. I¡¯ve seeded in establishing the Four Spirits Foundation; don¡¯t lose heart," Yuan Ming encouraged.

    If it weren¡¯t for Yuan Ming obtaining the materials, Master Xuanhua wouldn¡¯t have been able to create the Foundation Establishment incense, nor would he have been helped out of trouble. In truth, Yuan Ming owed him a greater debt of gratitude. Master Xuanhua appeared contemtive, and after a long moment, he took out a blue book and handed it to Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming looked closely and realized it was the treasured incense-making manual of Master Xuanhua, which surprised him greatly.

    "Fellow Daoist Xuanhua, what are you doing?" Yuan Ming blurted out.

    "Senior Yuan, you have better talent than I do, and you also possess sufficient aptitude for making spiritual incense. Now that you¡¯ve seeded in Foundation Establishment, you have a longer lifespan and more time to delve into this craft. I don¡¯t want this secret technique to be lost after my death. I hope you can make good use of this manual and truly elevate the art of incense-making," Master Xuanhua said earnestly.

    Yuan Ming was momentarily at a loss for words.

    "Take it, and don¡¯t let my intentions go to waste," Master Xuanhua insisted, pressing the manual into Yuan Ming¡¯s hands.

    "I will not let you down," Yuan Ming promised solemnly, bowing with his fists sped.

    Afterward, Master Xuanhua seemed to have resolved some inner turmoil and mored for Yuan Ming to treat him to a good meal, insisting on not returning until they were both drunk. Thus, Yuan Ming summoned a Qingyun Crane, carrying Master Xuanhua to a nearby state city, where they found an ordinary restaurant and reserved a private room.

    ***

    Two dayster, Yuan Ming bid farewell and continued on his journey northward. As Master Xuanhua had said, he left Xuanhua Observatory and headed south. Seven or eight dayster, Yuan Ming soared through the sky on his crane, his mindsetpletely different from when he first arrived in the Yue Kingdom.

    Leisurely holding the manual gifted by Master Xuanhua, he flipped through it. The various incenses recorded within, each with different effects, dazzled him, and he couldn¡¯t help but itch to try making some.

    Along the way, passing through a small market town, Yuan Ming also bought a batch of materials. He then proceeded on his journey, stopping now and then to refine some special incenses.

    Whenever he passed through ces with beautiful scenery, he wouldnd and stay for a few days. In addition to the Mist Incense, Beast Attracting Incense, and other incenses he had identally made before, he also refined some that aided in meditation and calming the mind, such as Qingxuan Incense and Anshen Incense, as well as the health-enhancing Yangshen Incense.

    The manual also contained incenses like the Foundation Establishment Incense with special effects, but the requirements for materials and craftsmanship were much stricter, beyond Yuan Ming¡¯s current ability to produce.

    ***

    Two monthster, in the central part of Yue Kingdom, outside a small city built at the intersection of two rivers.

    Yuan Ming, dressed in a blue robe, held the brim of his hat and looked up at the not-so-tall city gate tower in front of him, reading the name on the que: "Hekou Town."

    "It seems the source of the epidemic is here," Yuan Ming sighed lightly, looking towards the city gate. There, the tworge vermilion doors stood ajar, unguarded by soldiers, with only a dirty, emaciated old man leaning half-dead against the city wall.

    Yuan Ming approached and bent down to check on him, finding the old man¡¯s breath weak, his life hanging by a thread.

    Shaking his head, Yuan Ming took out a medicinal pill, intending to feed it to the old man to prolong his life, but the mancked even the strength to open his mouth. Even if Yuan Ming forced it open, he feared the man wouldn¡¯t have the strength to chew.

    The old man¡¯s eyes were lifeless, his expression indifferent, clearly devoid of the will to live. Helpless, Yuan Ming put away the pill and walked past the old man into the city. He had arrived near Hekou Town three days prior. Several nearby market towns and viges had experienced a widespread outbreak of gue.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t ignore the situation; with a slight effort, he helped clear the surrounding epidemic. After inquiring, he learned that the epidemic had first broken out in this now-abandoned "Hekou Town," where it had started earliest and was most severe. Other market towns had initially offered assistance, but finding it impossible to contain, they had no choice but to give up.

    With no external aid, Hekou Town was left to deteriorate, resulting in the death of most of its poption. Those who remained were simply waiting to die, with no hope in sight.

    The local government was unable to intervene, and no cultivation sects had stepped in. Yuan Ming, unable to bear it, came to the town. If he hadn¡¯t seen the situation, he might have let it be, but having witnessed it, he wanted to save these mortals. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be able to live with himself.

 Chapter 233: Meeting an old friend in a foreign land

    Chapter 233: Meeting an old friend in a foreignnd<hr>

    Upon entering the city, Yuan Ming discovered that the situation was even more dire than he had imagined. The streets were littered with corpses, some already rotting and emitting a foul stench. Along the way, he encountered two medical halls and a government office, all filled with piles of bodies, a sight too ghastly to describe. In the city, the dead outnumbered the living.

    Yuan Ming had brought medicine to eradicate the gue, originally nning to add it to the well water for the townspeople to drink and cure their ailments. However, given the current state of affairs, that was no longer possible.

    With his limited ability, it was impossible to administer the medicine to each individual. Therefore, Yuan Ming found a residence, cleared out the corpses, and began busily preparing the incense materials he had purchased earlier.

    ***

    By evening, Yuan Ming had produced several sticks of pale yellow incense. The base materials were the same as those used for making fog incense, but with the addition of some gue-eradicating medicinal powder and special refining techniques from the Spirit Incense Secret Manual.

    Afterpleting the gue-eradicating incense, Yuan Ming took the incense to an open space in the center of the town and tapped his forehead. Four soul crows flew out, three of whichnded on the bodies of the recently deceased, while the remaining one soared above to keep watch. The three bodies, with the soul crows inside, lit up with a faint green glow in their eyes and shakily rose to their feet, approaching Yuan Ming.

    He handed each of them a stick of the gue-eradicating incense and instructed them to carry it in three different directions of the town.

    Yuan Ming, holding the Heaven-Stealing Cauldron with the incense inserted, sat in the center. Once the bodies reached their designated positions, he controlled them and himself to light the incense. Moments after the incense was lit, billows of yellow smoke rose from various parts of the town, soon engulfing the entire ce. Amidst the dense smoke, the townspeople, who were on the brink of death, believed they had reached theherworld.

    With their current physical state, they were too weak to avoid the smoke and resigned themselves to their fate. However, after inhaling the smoke, they felt rejuvenated, their spirits lifted, and their previous despair vanished. They were unsure whether this was a final flicker of life before death or a genuine recovery.After a long while, as the smoke gradually cleared, the survivors in the city were free of the gue. When they could see their surroundings clearly again and realized they were still in the town, they wept with joy, and their cries echoed throughout the ce.

    Yuan Ming had already put away the Heaven-Stealing Cauldron, and the four soul crows had returned to his body. After advancing to Foundation Establishment, his soul power had greatly increased, and now even releasing all six soul crows did not overly strain him. After a brief rest, Yuan Ming was back to normal. When he opened his eyes, he saw that some of the recovered townspeople were gathering around him.

    They were still weak, some needing support to stand, but upon hearing a child who had witnessed Yuan Ming¡¯s entire process of casting spells call him a lifesaver, they all gathered around.

    "We kneel to thank the immortal master for saving our lives," someone called out, and others quickly echoed. Soon, the crowd began to kneel and kowtow to Yuan Ming in gratitude.

    "You have just recovered from a severe illness and are still weak. Do not tire yourselves with kneeling. Quickly return home to eat and rest. You must also properly handle the aftermath for your deceased rtives. Please, go back," Yuan Ming said, trying to dissuade them. However, more survivors approached and continued to kneel and thank him.

    Knowing his words were futile, Yuan Ming pped his spirit beast bag at his waist, releasing a Qingyun Crane. He stepped onto it and ascended into the sky.

    "He¡¯s an immortal, truly an immortal!" "Thank you, immortal master, for saving our lives!" "We are saved!" The excitement among the townspeople on the ground grew even more intense. Seeing this, Yuan Ming had no choice but to leave. As the people watched him depart, having just walked back from the brink of death, they finally got up.

    A n elder with considerable prestige suddenly spoke up, "The immortal master asks for nothing in return and has left after bestowing his kindness. We must not be ungrateful. We shall erect a temple in his honor and offer incense." "Yes, we must build a temple for the immortal master and erect a monument!" someone responded immediately. "Is Schr Lu still alive?" the elder asked with hisst bit of strength. "Uncle, I¡¯m still alive," a schr in the crowd quickly replied. "Did you get a good look at the immortal master? Go home and draw his likeness, so we can sculpt his statue," the eldermanded.

    Schr Lu found it difficult as the immortal master had worn a hat that obscured his face, but he had no choice but to agree.

    Inter years, the town of He Kou added a temple known as the gue-Eradicating Temple, with a statue of a figure wearing a hat and standing on a crane. Although it was not officially recognized by the government, the temple¡¯s incense offerings remained prosperous, with people traveling from afar to visit, a tradition that continued for a hundred years. But let¡¯s not dwell on that for now.

    ***

    After this brief interlude, Yuan Ming rode the Qingyun Crane away from He Kou Town and continued northward.

    On his journey, he delved into the Spirit Incense Secret Manual and discovered many incense recipes for healing, rejuvenating, and preserving health. Most had mild effects for cultivators but were invaluable elixirs for ordinary people. Since the materials weremon, Yuan Ming refined some during his cultivation breaks, improving his incense-making skills and asionally helping the sick and troubled he met along the way, which brought him peace of mind.

    Eventually, Yuan Ming arrived at Hai Yan City, located in the northeast of Yue Country, near the East Sea. When they had parted in Hei Yan City, Wu Lu had mentioned he would rest here for a while and invited Yuan Ming to join him.

    However, Yuan Ming was intent on returning to the Great Jin and had other ns, so he did not ept the invitation. Now that he had arrived in Hai Yan City, he thought of meeting Wu Lu again, as he also had a favor to ask. Hai Yan City was named for its location at the mouth of a river called Hai River, meaning "clear river and calm sea." Besides the famous sight of waves crashing against cliffs, there was also the grand tidal spectacle every year on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month.

    It was not the right season to witness the majestic tides, but Yuan Ming was not interested in that. Seeing Wu Lu was his only concern. Upon entering Hai Yan City, Yuan Ming found that the city¡¯s prosperity was no less than that of the Great Jin¡¯s capital.

    The city was crisscrossed with branches of the Hai River, creating a rich waterwork that formed a uniquendscape with streets and buildings along the waterways. The customs and architectural styles in the southern part of Yue Country were still simr to those of the southern border, with some traces remaining in the central region. However, in Hai Yan City to the north, the style waspletely that of the Central ins.

    Upon entering the city, Yuan Ming did not immediately seek out Wu Lu. Instead, he found a pleasure house to rx, drink tea, and listen to music. Back in the capital of Great Jin, he often visited such ces and asionallyposed his own lyrics and music, though not as frequently as he created paintings and stories. To this day, hispositions were still circted in Great Jin.

    ***

    After a refreshing bath in the afternoon and changing into new clothes, Yuan Ming left the inn and headed toward the famous Wang Hai Cliff in the east of the city. He had already learned of Wu Lu¡¯s whereabouts through the Heaven-Stealing Cauldron before arriving in Hai Yan City.

    Wu Lu was staying in a cliffside inn near Wang Hai Cliff, overlooking the East Sea, with the best view in Hai Yan City to watch the tides and the spectacr sight of waves crashing against the cliffs. When Yuan Ming found Wu Lu, thetter was sitting on the second floor of the Guan Hai Lou Inn, at a window facing the sea, with a few dishes and a pot of wine, clearly enjoying himself.

    Wu Lu was visibly stunned when he saw Yuan Ming sit down opposite him, seemingly in disbelief. "Brother Wu Lu, it¡¯s been a while," Yuan Ming greeted with a smile. "Brother Yuan, is it really you? What a coincidence!" Wu Lu held his wine cup, momentarily stunned, then a sudden joy welled up in his heart.

    The joy of "reunion after a long separation"bined with the surprise of "meeting an old friend in a foreignnd" made him feel almost unreal upon seeing Yuan Ming. The reason for his strong emotional reaction was not solely due to these feelings.

    In fact, Yuan Ming had already used the Heaven-Stealing Cauldron to attach himself to Wu Lu three times in a row before deciding toe to him. Each time, Yuan Ming used the power of the ck incense to subtly suggest to Wu Lu that he was a lifelong friend. As a result, Wu Lu sometimes thought there was something wrong with his mind, as he would inexplicably think of Yuan Ming.

    However, the ck incense made from the ashes of the Xuanhua Viewing Incense seemed to have a weaker effect on psychological suggestion than the incense ashes obtained from Liu Xin Sect, which were unfortunately too scarce and had been used up long ago.

    "Why are you here?" Wu Lu asked, somewhat surprised. "I was returning north to Great Jin when I encountered some trouble on the way, so I changed my route and passed through Yue Country. Knowing that Brother Wu Lu was here, how could I note to meet you?" Yuan Ming replied with a smile. "But how did you know I was dining here?" Wu Lu asked.

    "It was just a coincidence. I saw that this ce had a nice view, and I didn¡¯t expect to actually find you here," Yuan Ming said. "What trouble did you encounter on the road?" Wu Lu asked, frowning.

    "Near Tie Hu Town, I ran into some old debtors and managed to collect some interest from them," Yuan Ming nodded and replied.

    Wu Lu took a closer look at Yuan Ming, his pupils constricting in surprise."Brother Yuan, you¡¯ve actually reached Foundation Establishment."

 Chapter 234: Stealing technique

    Chapter 234: Stealing technique<hr>

    "Yes, this time at dawn they gave me a Foundation Establishment Pill. With nothing better to do on the road, I passed through a quiet valley and couldn¡¯t resist taking it. I never expected that with my mediocre talent, I would seed in Foundation Establishment with just one pill. Truly a stroke of luck." Yuan Ming chuckled.

    "Congrattions, congrattions! How can this be mere luck? This is the result of umted efforts paying off. Crossing this monumental gap adds a hundred years to your lifespan, and now the path to greatness lies ahead," Wu Lu hurriedly congratted with a fist and palm salute.

    "With this, we can still share a drink and merriment a hundred years from now," Yuan Ming replied. Both of them burst into heartyughter.

    "It was only after Foundation Establishment that I remembered something. When we were in the Bi Luo Cave, Brother Wu Lu, you must have already been at the Foundation Establishment stage, right? How did you manage to conceal your cultivation level and even fool so many elders?" Yuan Ming inquired.

    Hearing this, a sh of pride crossed Wu Lu¡¯s eyes before he quicklyposed himself, waved his hand dismissively, and said, "Ah, it¡¯s just a trivial skill, not worth mentioning."

    "Brother Wu Lu, did you create this method of concealing your cultivation level yourself?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "Where would I have such talent? The origins of this method are...plicated, please forgive me," Wu Lu nced at Yuan Ming and said.

    "Brother Wu Lu, with the destruction of Bi Luo Cave, I¡¯m now a wandering soul. If I could learn your technique, I could disguise myself as a Qi Cultivation practitioner and find a way to join a prestigious sect," Yuan Ming sighed.

    Upon hearing this, Wu Lu remained silent, his face contemtive, but he still shook his head and sighed, "Brother Yuan, if it were anything else, I might have agreed, but this technique really can¡¯t be shared." "Brother Wu Lu, I have many magical artifacts, spirit stones, and even a spirit beast. If you¡¯re willing to teach me this secret technique, whatever you ask for, I¡¯ll do my utmost to fulfill," Yuan Ming said."To be honest, this technique for concealing one¡¯s cultivation level is... it¡¯s... I really can¡¯t reveal it. If it weren¡¯t for the mission assigned by my family, which forced me to act and break the formation, I would never reveal this technique. Please keep this a secret for me," Wu Lu said with a troubled expression. Although he was interested in Yuan Ming¡¯s mysterious vines, he still refused.

    "If that¡¯s the case, Brother Wu Lu, don¡¯t trouble yourself. I was too presumptuous. How about this¡ªif Ie across any secret techniques in the future, we can exchange them at equal value," Yuan Ming, knowing his bargaining chips were insufficient, tentatively suggested.

    "Alright, we¡¯ll talk about it when the timees. Let¡¯s not waste this rare reunion. Let¡¯s enjoy a good drink and not let this meeting go in vain," Wu Lu said with a smile.

    After speaking, he called over an inn attendant to set the table with more food and wine, and he began to drink and chat leisurely with Yuan Ming. As evening approached and they watched the sunset, Yuan Ming bid farewell with a fist and palm salute and returned to his lodging.

    ***

    At night, Yuan Ming took out the Heaven-Stealing Cauldron again and lit a ck incense stick. As the smoke wafted up, Yuan Ming quicklypleted the possession and descended once more upon Wu Lu.

    At that moment, Wu Lu stood by the window of his room, listening to the sound of the waves outside and gazing at the dark sea in the distance. He couldn¡¯t possibly agree to Yuan Ming¡¯s request from earlier that day. Suddenly, a snow-white bird with a red mark on its forehead appeared in the distant sky, flying towards him. The bird glided past the shadows of the trees andnded on Wu Lu¡¯s windowsill. Wu Lu quickly reached out and caught the bird, removing a delicate jade slip from its ankle.

    "A jade slip for messaging?" Yuan Ming thought to himself. When Wu Lu saw the jade slip, he instinctively frowned, clearly resistant to it. At the same time, Yuan Ming faintly sensed his inner thoughts: "Another mission, those ambitious old fellows in the n are truly greedy."

    As he spoke, Wu Lu took off the miniature jade slip and pressed it to his forehead. In the next instant, the contents of the jade slip appeared in Wu Lu¡¯s sea of consciousness, and Yuan Ming also reviewed it.

    The message was simple: <em>infiltrate a sect called the Fire Element Sect as a new disciple, rise through the ranks to be a core disciple, and learn the sect¡¯s core technique, the Red Fire Heart Method.</em>

    The jade slip contained the location and overview of the Fire Element Sect, mentioned the time of the next disciple recruitment event, and offered some advice and guidance. Additionally, it praised Wu Lu for not onlypleting the task set by his n in infiltrating Bi Luo Cave but also for cooperating with the Dawn Alliance, achieving two goals with one action, which was highlymendable.

    The n recorded his achievements and promised that a tenth of the profits from the sale of the techniques and secrets obtained from Bi Luo Cave would be given to him.

    As Wu Lu read this, he felt no joy but cursed inwardly, "Such a high risk for only a tenth of the profits? They¡¯re all old fellows who only know how to give orders. If they¡¯re so capable, why don¡¯t they go themselves?"

    After cursing, he couldn¡¯t help but think that friends like Yuan Ming, whom he met by chance without many entanglements, were more precious and sincere. Yuan Ming, sensing his thoughts, couldn¡¯t help but wonder if his psychological suggestion had been too much.

    He reined in his doubts and remembered the real purpose of his visit, thinking to himself, "Sorry, Brother Wu Lu," and then began to secretly operate the Death Moon method, strengthening his own divine sense and firmly locking onto Wu Lu. Then, he began to repeat in his mind, "I haven¡¯t practiced the secret technique in a long time; I should practice it again."

    At first, it had no effect. But on the thirteenth repetition, Wu Lu, as if possessed, muttered, "I have to undertake another mission; I should get familiar with the secret technique."

    He was stunned by his own thought, not understanding why it had urred to him, but then he remembered Yuan Ming¡¯s request from earlier that day and thought it was because of that. In fact, this was the third time Yuan Ming had suggested practicing the technique to conceal cultivation during possession.

    His method of psychological suggestion was extremely limited; guiding the possessed person to perform a specific action was less likely to seed the moreplex the action or the less it fit the current situation.

    Yuan Ming had thought he would surely fail, which is why he had tested the waters earlier in the day. Unexpectedly, whether it was because Wu Lu was reminded by Yuan Ming or because he had epted a new infiltration mission and needed to review, he actually epted Yuan Ming¡¯s psychological suggestion.

    He closed the window, set up a formation, released a spider that quickly spun arge web around the room, and then sat down on his bed to meditate.

    Yuan Ming, sensing that Wu Lu was about to practice the secret technique, became excited and focused intently on the flow of Wu Lu¡¯s magical power. Soon after, Wu Lu finished his meditation and began to silently recite the incantation of the secret technique.

    Only then did Yuan Ming learn that this technique was called the Concealing Essence Art, a method of reversing the flow of magical power to seal some of the energy in the dantian, simr to a sealing technique.

    As Wu Lu¡¯s magical power reversed, his brow furrowed, his face turned red, and his breathing became rapid. The flow of magical power in the meridians was natural like a river when it flowed smoothly, but reversing it was like a tidal wave crashing backward, bringing indescribable pain. Even as a mere possessor within Wu Lu¡¯s body, Yuan Ming could feel his agony and hear the rapid beating of his heart.

    This reminded him of the time in the Hundred Thousand Mountains when he had saved Wu Lu and witnessed a simr scene, sending shivers down his spine. It seemed that practicing the Concealing Essence Art carried certain risks, and he would need to be careful when cultivating and using it in the future.

    Fortunately, the process didn¡¯tst long; after about a dozen breaths, the pain from the reversal of magical power disappeared, and the energy that had been scattered in the veins returned to Wu Lu¡¯s dantian, restrained by a sealing force and falling dormant. His breathing and heartbeat gradually returned to normal.

    Perhaps because it was only a practice session, Wu Lu¡¯s aura only fell from the Foundation Establishment stage back to the seventh level of Qi Cultivation, without beingpletely sealed to be an ordinary mortal. After all, that would mean sealing all magical power, and the process of reversing the flow of energy and meridians would likely be longer and more painful.

    After the practice, Wu Lu checked his body and found no abnormalities. He ced a hand on his dantian and silently recited the unsealing incantation. A surge of magical power entered his dantian from his palm, immediately releasing the seal. The awakened energy burst forth, causing Wu Lu¡¯s face to redden and his head to spin. Before he could fully recover, Yuan Ming¡¯s time for possession hade to an end.

    When he awoke in his own room, he immediately sat in meditation, recalling every phrase of the incantation Wu Lu had recited and every detail of the flow of magical power.

    ***

    With the support of his powerful soul, this was not difficult. After confirming every detail, Yuan Ming closed his eyes and began his first attempt.

    Half an hourter, hey on the bed with a flushed face and aching body, his chest heaving violently. The first attempt had failed as expected; the pain of the meridians reversing was now his alone to bear, and he realized how truly bone-deep it was. Everything had its price.

    Yuan Ming grimaced and struggled on the bed for a while before finally calming down. Throughout the process, his mind never stopped pondering his mistakes, and as soon as he recovered, he immediately began his second attempt, followed by a third and a fourth.

    As dawn broke, Yuan Ming sat cross-legged on the bed with a calm expression.

    At that moment, the aura emanating from him was unmistakably at the seventh level of Qi Cultivation¡ªhe had seeded. The Concealing Essence Art was indeed a heaven-defying technique. He took a moment to adjust his breathing, getting used to the state of his energy being sealed and suppressed, then got up and moved around the courtyard before using the unsealing method to restore his dantian¡¯s magical power.

    ***

    At noon, Wu Lu came to find Yuan Ming on his own initiative. Without asking, Yuan Ming knew he was there to say goodbye, ready to embark on his next mission.

    Seeing Yuan Ming¡¯s listless appearance, Wu Lu felt an inexplicable guilt. Yuan Ming, too, felt remorseful; after all, he had stolen Wu Lu¡¯s secret technique, albeit through his own abilities, but it was still somewhat unfair to him.

    Both harboring their own thoughts, they said their farewells, each telling the other to take great care. Clearly, the challenges they would face in theing period were not easy, each fraught with risk.

 Chapter 235: Guoguo looks great

    Chapter 235: Guoguo looks great<hr>

    Two weekster, at dawn in a humble inn room within a small border town of the Great Jin Dynasty, Yuan Ming, having cultivated the Xia Use Technique throughout the night, slowly opened his eyes.

    After entering the fourth level of the method, the speed of his cultivation had noticeably slowed, but this was expected and not worth fretting over.

    He nced outside the window to see the dancing shadows of trees, reminiscent of his room at the Huolian Hall.

    "I wonder where Xiying is now?" Yuan Ming mused. A thought struck him, and he decided to check on Xiying. It was just after dawn, and he figured Xiying was likely still asleep.

    Yuan Ming sat cross-legged once more, meditating for a long time until nearly noon before taking out the Heaven-Stealing Mirror.

    Yuan Ming twirled a piece of ck incense between his fingers, contemting. He couldn¡¯t directly possess Xiying¡¯s shadow body, but if he possessed Xiao Yao, he would surely see Xiying. He was somewhat at a loss.

    "It¡¯s up to you now, Guoguo," Yuan Ming said with a focused smile.

    With that, he lit the ck incense, and as its tip ignited, a red glow flickered. The rising smoke blurred his vision, filling his mind with the image of a silver cat as the room¡¯s scenery faded away.

    ***After an indeterminate amount of time, Yuan Ming¡¯s vision cleared, but he was met with the sight of a figure shrouded in a gauzy skirt. He was taken aback.

    On the half-covered white embroidered shoe was a brilliantly stitched orchid, exquisitely beautiful.

    "Feet?" Yuan Ming was startled.

    "Guoguo, how did you get to the ground again? Your feet are dirty,e here for a hug," a pleasant female voice rang out.

    Then, Yuan Ming saw the embroidered-shoe-wearing foot step back as a pretty young woman bent down, cradling the silver cat under its arms and lifting it up.

    Through Guoguo¡¯s eyes, Yuan Ming saw the woman¡¯s beautiful face. Although Xiying¡¯s soul resided within her, it still felt somewhat unfamiliar.

    Especially from Guoguo¡¯s unique, elevated perspective, the sight of Xiying¡¯s softly contoured chest was a novel experience for Yuan Ming.

    He instinctively wanted to turn his head away, but when Xiying saw Guoguo suddenly twist its head to the side, she thought something had caught its attention and looked in that direction too.

    All she saw was a plum tree outside the pavilion, nothing more.

    "What are you looking at?" she asked, forcibly turning Guoguo¡¯s head back towards her chest.

    Reluctantly, Yuan Ming had to turn his head away again, his mind cluttered with distracting thoughts, not realizing that Guoguo¡¯s actions were almost entirely influenced by him.

    Seeing Guoguo struggle, Xiying didn¡¯t insist and ced it on the stone table in front of her, sitting down herself.

    On the small stone table was a pot of tea with six cups, one already filled with fragrant tea infused with spiritual energy.

    "Guoguo, it¡¯s so boring staying here. In a few days, we¡¯ll go out and have fun," Xiying said, resting her head on her snow-white arm and gazing at the silver cat.

    Yuan Ming looked into her bright eyes, feeling as if he could see the shadow within, and his mood instantly brightened.

    Just as Yuan Ming was secretly delighted, the silver cat¡¯s ears perked up at the sound of distant footsteps, and it looked towards the outside of the pavilion.

    Two figures were approaching along the winding path from the pavilion, one after the other.

    Xiying¡¯s expression darkened slightly as she saw them, her brows furrowing as she muttered, "Annoying, here theye again."

    Soon after, a man and a woman entered the pavilion. The man in front, dressed in a white brocade robe with a carved jade crown, had sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, quite handsome but with a slightly upturned corner of his eyes, giving him a somewhat sinister charm.

    Following him was a woman in a water-green blouse, with a graceful figure and spring-like almond eyes, her gaze often subtly resting on the man in front.

    "Ying¡¯er," the man in brocade called out affectionately as he entered the pavilion. The woman behind him frowned at the sound, her eyes shing with jealousy as she looked at Xiying.

    The silver cat, hearing the call, couldn¡¯t help but turn around, not wanting to see the man.

    "Stop it, Guanchen. I¡¯ve told you many times not to call me that; we¡¯re not that close," Xiying said, raising her hand to stop him.

    The brocade-d man seemed puzzled and said, "Ying¡¯er, you¡¯ve changed so much towards me since your trip to the Northern Territory. Haven¡¯t we met several times?"

    "We¡¯ve only met three times. Keep calling me that, and I¡¯ll ask you to leave," Xiying responded coldly.

    "Alright, alright, it was love at first sight for me. I believe one day you¡¯ll ept me. No matter howte that dayes, I¡¯ll wait for you, even if it takes forever," Guanchen dered passionately, causing Xiying to roll her eyes.

    Yuan Ming felt a chill in his heart, twisting ufortably in his body, while the spring-eyed woman looked at the man with a mournful gaze.

    "What do you want? If there¡¯s nothing important, leave," Xiying said with a look of disdain.

    "Ying, don¡¯t go too far," the woman who had been silent finally couldn¡¯t hold back and scolded.

    Xiying turned her head to look at her, her eyes filled with undisguised disgust.

    "My cousin has been showing you kindness repeatedly. It¡¯s one thing not to ept him, but why treat him like this?" the woman said angrily.

    Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help butugh inwardly, and Guoguo stood up on the table.

    "Fu Yao, don¡¯t be rude to Miss Xiao," Guanchen said before Xiying could speak.

    "My cousin, I just can¡¯t stand it," Fu Yao immediately teared up, looking pitifully aggrieved.

    "Miss Xiao, my cousin is ignorant; please don¡¯t mind her. I came to see you because I know you¡¯re preparing a birthday gift for the Lai family¡¯s ancestor. I recently acquired a Dragon Saliva Pearl from the South Sea, the size of a chicken egg, very precious, perfect for a birthday gift," Guanchen said, still trying to win Xiying over with a peachy gaze.

    "No need, I¡¯ve already prepared the birthday gift myself. The Dragon Saliva Pearl is a good item; you should keep it," Xiying refused without a second thought.

    "Miss Xiao, why make such distinctions between us?" Guanchen began, but before he could finish, Xiying mmed her teacup onto the table, her patience with Guanchen wearing thin.

    Just as she was about to p the table, someone else couldn¡¯t stand it any longer.

    "Get lost quickly," Yuan Ming¡¯s voice echoed silently within the silver cat.

    In the next instant, Guoguo suddenly leaped from the stone table, swiping its paw at the teacup in Guanchen¡¯s hand.

    Guanchen, being a cultivator, noticed the silver cat¡¯s odd behavior, but by the time he reacted, it was toote.

    With a <em>"Bang"</em> the silver cat¡¯s paw struck Guanchen¡¯s teacup, and he felt it fly out of his hand.

    The pavilion fell silent, everyone stunned, with Xiying and Fu Yao both looking at the silver cat in disbelief.

    "What are you all staring at? I just had a thought, and Guoguo acted on it, or rather, pawed it?" Yuan Ming realized.

    He then understood that although humans and beasts are different, his replicated incense couldn¡¯t control a person¡¯s actions, but the enhanced version could influence simple actions of the possessed through constant suggestion.

    But Guoguo was just a cat, with undeveloped intelligence and a weaker spirit than humans, making it easier to be influenced by his thoughts.

    "Ah, cousin, are you alright?"

    "I don¡¯t like you; I think you and your cousin are well-suited. Cherish what¡¯s in front of you," Xiying said, affectionately picking up the silver cat.

    Now inhabiting Xiao Yao¡¯s body, she had to be somewhat restrained in her actions. Guanchen¡¯s eyes flickered with hesitation, but he quickly concealed it.

    Still maintaining the demeanor of a noble son, he said, "No harm done. How could I take offense at a cat, especially a spiritual pet? I¡¯m too fond of it."

    "This isn¡¯t a spiritual pet; it¡¯s my good friend who understands my heart," Xiying said with a light smile.

    Yuan Ming felt Guoguo¡¯s joy, and before he could fully savor Xiying¡¯s kiss, he lost sight through the silver cat¡¯s eyes.

    In the pavilion, Guanchen¡¯s gaze dimmed as he stared nkly at Xiying¡¯s departing figure. Fu Yao tried to speak several times but found no words, her heart filled with sorrow.

    Yuan Ming returned to his own body in high spirits, humming a tune unconsciously.

    "The beloved travels south, her traces elusive in the world. In the vastness of heaven and earth, my spirit reaches out, but where will the journey lead? Only the shadow flows ceaselessly." He soon left the inn, the small town, and rode a green cloud crane straight towards the capital of the Great Jin Dynasty.

 Chapter 236: Rise to fame through a misfortune

    Chapter 236: Rise to fame through a misfortune<hr>

    Just past noon, under the towering city tower with blue tiles, armored soldiers stood tall and straight, gripping long spears. Below the tower, the expanse of the city wall stretched into the distance, and at its center, three broad gates stood open¡ªone tall nked by two shorter ones¡ªthrough which a ceaseless stream of people and horses flowed, painting a bustling scene.

    The fierce sun hung high in the sky, casting a vast shadow from the city gate over the throngs entering and exiting. The shadow stretched across the drawbridge and moat, reaching the feet of Yuan Ming.

    Gazing at the familiar gates, Yuan Ming slightly lifted his head, his eyes finally resting on the grey stone que above the archway, inscribed with two bold characters: "Qu Jiang."

    It was under this very que that Yuan Ming had bid farewell to the crowd seeing him off, leaving the Capital City of the Great Jin. Apanied by Lin Junsheng as his deputy, he had set off for the southern bordends, brimming with ambition and vigor.

    Now, things had changed, and people were no more the same. After a moment of silence, gathering his scattered thoughts, Yuan Ming stepped forward towards the city.

    <em>"Make way, make way!"</em> Just as he crossed the drawbridge, the sound of horsewhips and shouts erupted from behind. Turning his head, Yuan Ming saw three or four fully armored soldiers on horseback, brandishing whips and herding the crowd of civilians and carts away from the city gate.

    Though their manner was rough and fierce, the whips never actually struck anyone, serving more to intimidate. In the distance, a Production Brigade of carriages slowly approached, their banners fluttering in the wind, revealing the character "Zhao."

    Yuan Ming¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, but he said nothing, stepping aside like the other frightened civilians. Soon, a path wide enough for two carriages to pass side by side was cleared, and the procession bearing the Zhao banners made its way through.

    The convoy was sizable, with mounted soldiers guarding both front and rear. The carriages in the middle, though not overlyvish, bore carvings and patterns that were simple yet grand, clearly not meant for ordinary folk. Seeing the decorations on the carriages and the Zhao banners, a thoughtful expression crossed Yuan Ming¡¯s face.As the convoy drew near, the city guards seemed to tense, and a doorkeeper in armor hurried out from the city tower, reaching the gate just before the convoy arrived.

    The leading carriage came to a halt at the city gate, and a servant lifted the curtain to reveal an elderly man with white hair, his expression solemn. "Greetings, Lord Zhao," the doorkeeper said with a smile, bowing to the old man.

    Meanwhile, beside Yuan Ming, a merchant dressed man whispered to hispanion, "Brother Lu, whose procession is this, with such grandeur?" Hispanion nced around before lowering his voice, "Keep it down. This is the convoy of the General of the Northern Peace. If we disturb them, our lives wouldn¡¯t be enough topensate."

    "So overbearing? I¡¯vee from the south; tell me more," the merchant eximed in surprise.

    "You¡¯ve never been to the north, so you wouldn¡¯t know. General Zhao has guarded the border for many years, and he¡¯s known to be domineering, with a formidable reputation," hispanion said with awe. Nearby, Yuan Ming chuckled silently.

    Whether the General of the Northern Peace was domineering or not, he didn¡¯t know, but he remembered that in his childhood, General Zhao was a frequent guest at his home, watching him grow up.

    On the other side, General Zhao merely nodded to the doorkeeper, and the servant dropped the curtain as the convoy moved on, quickly restoring the city gate to its usual state.

    But the two men beside Yuan Ming continued their conversation, "However, General Zhao usually stays in the northern bordends and rarely returns to the Capital City unless there¡¯s a major issue. With the year-end still far off, why would he suddenly bring troops into the Capital?"

    "How would I know? Probably some big event at the court," the merchant replied as he walked and talked with hispanion. Yuan Ming had reached the city gate by then, where the city guard asked, "Name?" "Yuan Ming," he replied.

    "Yuan Ming? The Young Master Yuan of the Yuan household?" the guard asked in surprise.

    "Indeed, it is I," Yuan Ming answered. When the guard recognized Yuan Ming¡¯s appearance, he eximed excitedly, reaching out to shake his hand.

    Another person added, "Young Master Yuan, it¡¯s really you! I heard you went missing on a mission to the southern bordends and feared the worst. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re still alive!" As if remembering something, he patted his clothes and pulled out a scroll of silk.

    Wrapped in the silk was a beautifully bound book with four gilded characters on the cover: <em>"The Young Master¡¯s Southern Journey."</em> "I¡¯m a loyal fan of yours, Young Master Yuan. I came specifically to buy this deluxe edition of <em>¡¯The Young Master¡¯s Southern Journey,¡¯</em> and I never imagined I¡¯d run into you right at the city gate."

    The man¡¯s eyes shone with anticipation as he held the deluxe book out to Yuan Ming, "Could I trouble you to autograph it? I will treasure it forever!"

    Overwhelmed by his enthusiasm, Yuan Ming took the book but said, "Sorry, I don¡¯t have a pen," and was about to leave when the man eximed, "Ah, my oversight, just a moment."

    The man smacked his forehead in annoyance and turned to grab someone nearby, "Excuse me, do you have a pen and ink I could borrow?"

    "Pen and ink? I¡¯m out on an errand; why would I carry those things?" the passerby asked, puzzled, looking between him and Yuan Ming, then his eyes suddenly lit up. "Eh, aren¡¯t you Young Master Yuan Ming?"

    "Indeed, I¡¯ve just returned from the southern bordends," Yuan Ming replied with a smile.

    "I¡¯ve read ¡¯The Young Master¡¯s Southern Journey,¡¯ and it¡¯s truly thrilling. Your adventures are remarkable," the man said.

    Before Yuan Ming could respond, the passerby realized he didn¡¯t have pen and ink either and turned to ask others, just as the previous man had done. Word spread from one to ten, and from ten to a hundred, and in no time, arge crowd had gathered around Yuan Ming.

    Themotion at the city gate soon caught the doorkeeper¡¯s attention. "Make way, make way, don¡¯t crowd around. What¡¯s happening here... Young Master Yuan?" He directed the city guards to clear a path, and upon seeing Yuan Ming¡¯s face, he too shouted in surprise.

    Yuan Ming was puzzled, "You recognize me too?"

    "Of course! Young Master Yuan, when you rode out of the city with the delegation years ago, I was on duty! Although you¡¯ve changed a bit, grown taller, I still recognize you. After you went missing, the books you wrote sold out, and some editions are now hard to find!" The doorkeeper immediately beamed with a smile, directing his men to keep the crowd at bay.

    Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help butugh at the irony. It wasmon knowledge that an artist¡¯s work soared in value after their death; now it seemed his turn hade.

    In the crowd, someone was desperately trying to push through, shouting, "Young Master Yuan, I¡¯ve found pen and ink!"

    The guard¡¯s face darkened, ready to scold, but Yuan Ming stopped him, "Let him through. I promised to sign for him." "Young Master Yuan is as kind-hearted as ever," the doorkeeperplimented, ordering his men to make room.

    Yuan Ming took the book, wrote an encouraging message for the man¡¯s daughter, and signed his name. The man retreated with a goofy smile. Seeing this, the crowd grew even more excited, and many people produced copies of the same book, moring for Yuan Ming¡¯s autograph. "Is ¡¯The Young Master¡¯s Southern Journey¡¯ a true story, Young Master Yuan?"

    "Young Master Yuan, please wait!" The city guards were overwhelmed.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming raised his voice, "Ladies and gentlemen, I understand your sentiments, but having been away for many years, I¡¯ve only just returned to the Capital today. My heart is with my parents, and I cannot linger. Rest assured, after a few days, I will visit Tianming Bookstore and we can talk more then."

    Hearing this, the crowd erupted into a mix of cheers and understanding murmurs. The doorkeeper wiped his brow and quickly arranged for guards to escort Yuan Ming into the city. But as soon as they passed through the city gate, another wave of cheers like a tidal roar filled the air.

    The wide streets were packed with people, the human tide blocking the city gate entrance. Schrs, merchants, andmoners alike jostled in the crowd, standing on tiptoes, eager to catch a glimpse of Yuan Ming¡¯s grace.

    Yuan Ming himself was taken aback by the scene before him, thinking that he hadn¡¯t been this famous before his disappearance, and he couldn¡¯t help but turn and say with a wry smile, "It seems I¡¯ll need to trouble you to send some men to notify the General¡¯s Mansion to clear a path."

    "No need to bother the General¡¯s Mansion for such a trivial matter. I have some spare men who can escort Young Master Yuan home," the doorkeeper said, patting his chest.

    Soon, he called over several idle city guards to escort Yuan Ming to the General¡¯s Mansion. The armed guards intimidated the crowd, finally carving out a passable path for Yuan Ming.

    Even so, the sides of the street were still crowded with onlookers, and the windows of the taverns and teahouses along the way were thrown open. The patrons crowded at the windows, curiously observing themotion outside, and became inexplicably excited to see Yuan Ming being escorted past.

    Before long, news that Yuan Ming, the best-selling author of the Capital City and the sole son of General Yuan Zuochong, had safely returned from the southern bordends after years of absence, spread throughout the entire Capital.

    At the General of the Northern Peace¡¯s Mansion, Lord Zhao Jisheng was assisted down from his carriage, about to enter his residence, when he heard the noise from the main road.

    His brow furrowed, and immediately, armored soldiers went to investigate. Soon, they returned with news, and after hearing the report, Zhao Jisheng¡¯s face showed a sh of surprise, followed by a sincere smile.

    "Heh, that kid Yuan, I always said he had great luck!" He waved his hand, "Someone, prepare a gift for the Yuan household and send a visiting card along, saying that I will visit soon."

    Meanwhile, at Tianming Bookstore, the shopkeeper was arranging for new stock of the deluxe edition of "The Young Master¡¯s Southern Journey" when an assistant stumbled in breathlessly. "Shopkeeper, big news, big news!"

    "What¡¯s all the fuss about? What if you disturb the customers?" the shopkeeper scolded.

    The assistant, gasping for breath and resting his hands on his knees, finally managed to say, "Good news, shopkeeper, it¡¯s Young Master Yuan, he¡¯s back!"

    "Young Master Yuan? Which Yuan?" the shopkeeper was taken aback, grabbing the assistant¡¯s arm, "You mean Yuan Ming, Young Master Yuan?"

    "That¡¯s right, the whole street is buzzing with it. They say Young Master Yuan has returned from the southern bordends after oveing great hardships!" the assistant nodded eagerly.

    The shopkeeperughed heartily, "Excellent! Quick, arrange for people to spread the word. Say that to celebrate Young Master Yuan¡¯s return, all books in the store will be sold at a 10% discount, no, make it 20% off!"

    Following his orders, the assistants quickly dispersed, and the shopkeeper¡¯s eyes shone with unspoken excitement.

    <em>"Your Majesty, Young Master Yuan has finally returned!"</em>

 Chapter 237: Go home

    Chapter 237: Go home<hr>

    The Southern General¡¯s Mansion was located to the north of Qujiang City, near the imperial pce.

    Yuan Ming, escorted by the city guards, made his way forward, themon folk gradually dispersing to the sides. The broad road was nked by sparse, luxurious residences, all as Yuan Ming had seen through Wang Shun¡¯s eyes.

    In the distance, a five-story pagoda with a spire adorned with eight treasures rose into view, stirring a sense of urgency and unease in Yuan Ming¡¯s heart.

    Suddenly, the city guard escorting him halted. Yuan Ming instinctively looked up to see many people standing in front of the mansion gate.

    Leading the group were a man and a woman. The man was tall and imposing, standing still like a mountain-stele, his temples graying and eyes misty. The woman was dignified and graceful, her face as fresh as a lotus flower, though her silk dress was damp with tears. Upon seeing Yuan Ming, she could no longer hold back her sobs. Yuan Ming felt a lump in his throat, his eyes blurred, and after struggling for words, he finally spoke with a hoarse voice.

    "Father, mother, your child has returned..."

    Hearing Yuan Ming¡¯s voice, his mother could no longer contain her emotions and rushed forward, embracing him tightly, "Ming¡¯er, my Ming¡¯er, you¡¯ve finally returned. Let me have a good look at you."

    Yuan Ming basked in the long-missed warmth of her embrace, turning his gaze towards his father.

    His father, who was usually so reserved, now wiped his face and approached Yuan Ming, saying with relief, "It¡¯s good that you¡¯re back, good that you¡¯re back."Witnessing this scene, the city guards, including Fu Qing and his soldiers, were all moved, and the mother¡¯s personal maids wept even more.

    "Alright, madam, Ming¡¯er has had a hard journey back. Let¡¯s not have him stand outside any longer," Yuan Zuochong patted the shoulder of Yuan Ming¡¯s mother.

    At his words, Yuan Ming¡¯s mother finally stopped her tears, and Yuan Zuochong signaled the maids to lead her and Yuan Ming inside the mansion.

    Then, he called over Fu Qing and turned to the city guards who had escorted Yuan Ming, "Thank you, brothers, for bringing my son back. Fu Qing, reward each of them with ten taels of silver, and prepare some more to send to the city gate."

    The city guards were overjoyed at the prospect of receiving silver and expressed their heartfelt thanks.

    ***

    Meanwhile, Yuan Ming was led by his mother into the general¡¯s mansion, where they entered a spacious courtyard.

    At this moment, almost all the servants and maids of the mansion had gathered there, their eyes on their young master, unable to hide their curiosity and anticipation.

    Yuan Ming scanned the crowd and saw many familiar faces, including Wang Shun.

    Feeling Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze, Wang Shun looked over instinctively.

    Yuan Ming smiled inwardly, remembering the past when Wang Shun took care of his horses and their good rtionship. Recalling the time he had borrowed Wang Shun¡¯s eyes to observe the mansion, he winked and nodded at him.

    Wang Shun was initially startled, then showed a ttered expression. Yuan Ming patted Wang Shun¡¯s shoulder gently, smiled, and continued walking forward with his mother.

    They stopped in front of the main house in the northern part of the courtyard, and Yuan Zuochong also came over, standing beside Yuan Ming, signaling him to address the many servants below.

    With an unspoken understanding between father and son, Yuan Ming stepped forward and cleared his throat.

    Looking at the familiar and unfamiliar faces of the servants, Yuan Ming announced loudly, "Raise your heads, everyone. As you may know, over three years ago, I unfortunately went missing in the southern bordends. Now, by the grace of heaven, I have returned home, and seeing my parents again is a joyous asion."

    "To celebrate, I dere that every servant in the mansion, no matter their rank, will receive a reward of one tael of silver, and this year¡¯s annual allowance will be increased by thirty percent!" Instantly, the courtyard erupted with excitement. The already jubnt hearts of the servants swelled with even more enthusiasm, their gazes towards Yuan Ming filled with undisguised warmth.

    "Thank you, General, and congrattions, Young Master!"

    Amidst the cheers of the servants and maids, Yuan Ming smiled and waved his hand, then turned and entered the house with his parents, leaving behind the excited crowd that filled the entire mansion with celebration.

    ***

    Inside the house, Yuan Ming¡¯s mother pulled him to sit down, touching his face and shedding tears again, "Ming¡¯er has grown strong, but be so tanned, I barely recognize you. What hardships did you endure in the southern bordends?"

    Yuan Ming choked up but didn¡¯t want to worry his mother, "It¡¯s nothing, mother. I¡¯m fine, and I¡¯ve returned, haven¡¯t I?"

    His mother wiped her tears, still heartbroken, "Your hair is such a mess. When I was looking after you, it was never like this." She then suddenly ordered the servants to bring a bronze mirror and started tob and tie Yuan Ming¡¯s hair herself.

    Unable to resist her, Yuan Ming sat obediently in front of the mirror, letting his mother fuss over him.

    Reflected in the mirror was his mother¡¯s face, which he silently observed. She had grown thinner than three years ago, with fine lines on her forehead and around her eyes. Her temples had more white hair than when Yuan Ming hadst inhabited his father¡¯s body, and the tear stains on her cheeks were not yet dry. But now, she smiled as ifbing her son¡¯s hair was a matter of great joy.

    His father also came over silently, looking at Yuan Ming with aplex expression that seemed to mix relief, heartache, and perhaps guilt and concern.

    Soon, his mother finishedbing Yuan Ming¡¯s hair. He stood up awkwardly and, at his mother¡¯s urging, turned this way and that to show her his current appearance.

    "Ming¡¯er has grown up," Yuan Zuochong said.

    His mother nodded, but her gaze suddenly fell on Yuan Ming¡¯s clothes.

    She stepped forward, touching the hem of Yuan Ming¡¯s garment and eximed, "Are these the clothes you bought in the southern bordends? This poor quality fabric, you¡¯ve never worn such clothes before! No, the new clothes are ready. I¡¯ll have someone fetch them right away."

    Yuan Ming smiled wryly and stopped her, "Mother, there¡¯s no need to trouble yourself. I¡¯m used to these clothes."

    "You child, how can you go out and meet people in these clothes? Listen to your mother, don¡¯t be stubborn."

    As his mother continued to scold, she alsomented, "I advised you not to go on that diplomatic mission, but you insisted on going to make a name for yourself, and look what happened in the southern bordends. I¡¯ve always told you, it¡¯s not just the Changchun Sect out there; your grandmother¡¯s sect is also not bad. I wanted you to take the white jade ring she left you, but you refused. If you had gone there, you wouldn¡¯t have met this disaster."

    Listening to his mother¡¯s nagging, which Yuan Ming would usually retort to, today it felt especially endearing.

    Suddenly, Yuan Zuochong coughed twice, "Let¡¯s talk about these matterster, madam. You¡¯ve been ill these past few days and haven¡¯t fully recovered. Go rest for now, and let me have a word with Ming¡¯er alone."

    "Mother, are you feeling well?" Although Yuan Ming knew from hisst possession of his father that his mother was ill, he didn¡¯t expect her to still be unwell after so long.

    "Don¡¯t listen to your father¡¯s nonsense. I¡¯m fine."

    Interrupted by Yuan Zuochong, his mother finally stopped her scolding. Although she wanted to talk more with Yuan Ming, she knew her husband had important matters to discuss with him, so she didn¡¯t stay long. After a few simple instructions, she got up and left.

    Seeing this, Yuan Zuochong looked around and said, "You all may leave as well. Fu Qing, take your men and stand guard outside. Don¡¯t let anyone in."

    Realizing the secrecy of the matter, Yuan Ming tensed, wondering what had happened in the capital during his absence.

    Once everyone had left the room, Yuan Ming released his Soul Raven to watch over the entire mansion, and Yuan Zuochong looked on in surprise.

    "Fu Qing tells me that your strength now far surpasses his, is that so?" Yuan Zuochong asked. Yuan Ming smiled slightly, took out the Cold Star Sword, and activated the frost runes on it, immediately filling the room with an intense chill as the temperature plummeted.

    He also summoned the Azure Cloud Crane,manding it to stand still in the room.

    "Father, please look. These are the magical artifacts and flying spirit pet I acquired in the southern bordends. It¡¯s with their help that I was able to return to the Great Jin." Yuan Ming said, his cultivation level appearing to be at the mid-stage of Qi Refining due to the concealment of his Hidden Yuan Art.

    Yuan Zuochong, being a discerning man, recognized the value of these two items, his eyes shing with admiration, "Excellent, it seems you¡¯ve had quite the fortune in the southern bordends. With just this sword and crane, even I am no match for you. Well done!"

    As the Southern General of Great Jin and a cultivator himself, Yuan Zuochong¡¯s cultivation was much higher than Fu Qing¡¯s, but only around the seventhyer of Qi Refining.

    "I¡¯ve read the secret letter you sent through Fu Qing, and you¡¯ve suffered greatly these past three years. It¡¯s a pity that with the current situation in the court, I can¡¯t even avenge you," Yuan Zuochong sighed.

    Yuan Ming was puzzled, "Father, why do you say that?"

    Yuan Zuochong shook his head, "Lin Junsheng is now a disciple of the Changchun Sect, and the Lin family is now favored by the Eighth Prince, gaining influence and gradually controlling the court. The situation is now set, and I cannot move against him."

    "I remember Lin Junsheng¡¯s talent wasparable to mine. Why would the Changchun Sect ept him? How is the Emperor now?" Yuan Ming asked, confused.

    Yuan Zuochong exined, "It all started with the diplomatic mission. After you went missing, Lin Junsheng took it upon himself to continue the mission to the southern bordends. Upon his return, he used his achievements from the mission and somehow found a connection to directly enter the Changchun Sect. As for the Emperor, he has been obsessed with cultivation in recent years, gradually neglecting state affairs and leaving them to the Eighth Prince. That¡¯s how the Lin family got their chance."

    <em>Yuan Ming recalled that the young Emperor Liu Tianming¡¯s involvement with the path of immortality was due to the incense he had used during his first possession, which was the initial ck incense.</em> It likely had more effects than just controlling his actions, including influencing his thoughts. Now, with the situation in the court as it was, it seemed to be somewhat rted to him.

    Unaware of Yuan Ming¡¯s thoughts, Yuan Zuochong continued with a sigh, "Speaking of which, I was entrusted by thete Emperor to assist His Majesty. Seeing that His Majesty was focused on cultivation and neglecting state affairs, I gradually relinquished power, thinking of improving my own cultivation and perhaps even attempting to reach Foundation Establishment if the opportunity arose..."

    He paused before continuing, "But then I received your secret letter and learned that it was Lin Junsheng who harmed you. I wanted to deal with him, but he¡¯s now a disciple of the Changchun Sect and rarely leaves. <em>s... opportunities are hard to find.</em>"

 Chapter 238: Father and son, ruler and minister

    Chapter 238: Father and son, ruler and minister<hr>

    "Father, there¡¯s no need for self-reproach. Lin Junsheng ambushed me, and I will have my revenge. Even if I have to join the Changchun Temple, I¡¯ll find a way to deal with him. It would be counterproductive if you, Father, were to disturb your state of mind and hinder your cultivation over this." Yuan Ming saw his father¡¯s guilty expression and spoke tofort him.

    Yuan Zuochong looked at Yuan Ming with relief: "Heh, I never thought I¡¯d see the day when my son Ming wouldfort me. A gentleman¡¯s revenge is not toote even after ten years. Don¡¯t act rashly."

    "Father, don¡¯t worry about me. I have my ways. I¡¯ve already waited three years; what¡¯s another ten?"

    Hearing this, Yuan Zuochong breathed a sigh of relief.

    Suddenly, Yuan Ming took out a wooden box and handed it to his father.

    Yuan Zuochong instinctively took the box, looking puzzled at Yuan Ming. Seeing Yuan Ming¡¯s silent smile, he opened the box.

    A faint medicinal fragrance wafted out, and in the center of the boxy a pill shimmering with star-like blue light.

    "This, this is a Foundation Establishment Pill! Where did you get this?" Yuan Zuochong stood up abruptly, eyes wide with disbelief.

    Yuan Ming nodded calmly: "The Southern Border is risky, but it also offers opportunities. This Foundation Establishment Pill was acquired by a stroke of luck. Since Father is intent on cultivating, this should greatly aid you."Yuan Zuochong quickly closed the box and pushed it back to Yuan Ming: "<em>No!</em> Ming, you¡¯ve just officially started on the path of immortality. Such a treasure, you need it more than I do!"

    Yuan Ming shook his head: "Please rest assured, Father, I have more."

    <em>"More?"</em> Yuan Zuochong¡¯s mouth fell open, at a loss for words but also proud of his son. Due to the restrictions of sects like Changchun Temple, Foundation Establishment Pills were rarely seen in the secr world of the Great Jin Dynasty. In fact, even within the Changchun Temple, they were only provided to outstanding disciples.

    Yuan Ming also took out various pills for his mother to regte her health and carefully taught his father how to use a spiritual incense.

    After being busy for a while, Yuan Zuochong finally sat down again, his expressionplex as he looked at Yuan Ming: "I thought you suffered hardships in the Southern Border these three years, but I didn¡¯t expect such gains. You¡¯ve also be much more mature."

    "Ming, I know you now capable, but still, within this capital city, all major sects have an agreement that no cultivator should act recklessly, or they will be jointly hunted down. You must be careful," Yuan Zuochong cautioned.

    "I understand," Yuan Ming replied.

    Yuan Zuochong continued: "Moreover, there¡¯s another matter. The Emperor¡¯s abdication ceremony is imminent..."

    Yuan Ming was startled, remembering the secret of the Great Jin royal family he had heard when he possessed his father. But he feigned surprise: "The abdication ceremony? The Emperor is about my age, why would he abdicate so suddenly?"

    "You may not know this, but as the saying goes, immortals and mortals are separate. Our Great Jin¡¯s cultivation world has a rule that once someone reaches Foundation Establishment, they can no longer hold secr power, to avoid excessive interference with the mortal world," Yuan Zuochong exined.

    "So His Highness has reached Foundation Establishment?" Yuan Ming inquired.

    "Indeed. The Emperor has an extraordinary talent, diligently cultivates, and with the aid of pills, he is on the verge of Foundation Establishment, naturally, he must start preparing for the abdication ceremony," Yuan Zuochong nodded and continued:

    "Calcting the time, it should be within this half year. Not only civil and military officials, envoys from other countries, but also cultivators from all major sects of our Great Jin will attend. Your cultivation is sufficient now,

    when the timees, I will help youwork, so you can choose a suitable sect to join."

    After hearing his father¡¯s words, Yuan Ming nodded, about to reply, when he noticed arge group of armored soldiers escorting a carriage to the outside of the residence. He said, "Father, the Emperor has arrived. Let¡¯s go greet him."

    ***

    Soon after, a shrill eunuch¡¯s voice came from outside.

    <em>"The Emperor has arrived!"</em>

    Before the words fell, a figure in a bright yellow dragon robe arrived like the wind, pushing open the door and entering.

    "Haha, Brother Ming, you¡¯re finally back!"

    Seeing the figure rushing into the room, Yuan Zuochong was taken aback and quickly bowed in salute.

    "Greetings, Your Majesty."

    Beside him, Yuan Ming¡¯s lips curled into a smile, and he also shouted, greeting the young Emperor.

    The young Emperor immediately stepped forward,ughing: "Brother Ming, you¡¯ve grown so tall."

    Yuan Ming replied, "Shall wepare?"

    "Sure."

    The young Emperorughed and patted Yuan Ming, then turned to Yuan Zuochong, apologizing: "I¡¯m sorry, General Yuan, for interrupting your reunion with your son. You¡¯re not mad at me, are you?"

    Yuan Zuochong quickly replied: "Your Majesty is too concerned. You two talk; I shall take my leave." Knowing he was somewhat in the way, he found an excuse to leave.

    "General Yuan, there¡¯s no need for formalities. If you have matters to attend to, please go ahead," the young Emperor said with a smile.

    After Yuan Zuochong left, the young Emperor looked around, winked at Yuan Ming, and suggested: "This ce feels a bit awkward. Shall we go to our old spot?"

    ***

    Not long after, in the garden behind the general¡¯s residence.

    Lotus leaves in the pond were like umbres, holding up delicate pink lotuses, and several red and yellow koi swam through the gaps like ribbons, adding a different ssh of color.

    In the middle of the pond sat a cool pavilion with green tiles. Yuan Ming and the young Emperor sat opposite each other, each with a jade cup in front of them.

    After dismissing the apanying eunuchs with a wave, the young Emperorughed and suddenly produced a jar of fine wine from nowhere, cing it on the stone table.

    "Brother Ming, this is tribute wine from the Northern Territories, not even a hundred taels of silver could buy a cup in themon world. As soon as I heard you were back, I specially had someone pick an eighty-year-old vintage to wee you back."

    Yuan Ming opened the seal of the wine, and a rich aroma hit his nose, invigorating his spirit.

    "Excellent wine!"

    The young Emperorughed: "Heh, you couldn¡¯t find such good wine in the barbards of the Southern Border. You must have been craving it, Brother Ming. Today, as brothers reunited, we must drink our fill until we¡¯repletely drunk!"

    As they talked, they poured the wine, clinked cups, and drank in one gulp, feeling refreshed.

    They drank cup after cup, chatting as they went, and soon had consumed more than half the jar.

    Although both were cultivators, they did not use their powers to dissipate the alcohol, so they gradually became tipsy.

    After another cup, the young Emperor suddenly said: "Brother Ming, did you know? I¡¯m about to reach Foundation Establishment."

    Although Yuan Ming already knew this, hearing the young Emperor say it himself, he couldn¡¯t help but feel joy for his friend. He had gone through hardships in the Southern Border, gaining various opportunities, and had only just managed to reach Foundation Establishment.

    And yet, the young Emperor, who had only cultivated in the capital, was also about to reach Foundation Establishment. It just showed that his talent was indeed far superior. Search for Souqu House on Baidu.

    After thinking for a bit, Yuan Ming suddenly spoke: "I heard from my father about this. But Your Majesty, didn¡¯t you say before that you didn¡¯t want to cultivate for the time being? Why now..."

    "Ah, it¡¯s a bit frustrating to talk about. I had made a pact with you back then, that I would first be a wise ruler and you a virtuous official. After my marriage and the birth of a crown prince, we would cultivate together. But during the time you were in the Southern Border, I might have been too worn out by state affairs, and in a daze, I agreed to the national teacher¡¯s suggestion to try cultivating the ¡¯Nine Elements Form.¡¯"

    Hearing this, Yuan Ming¡¯s heart skipped a beat, as this was an unintended consequence of his actions.

    The young Emperor sighed, took a swig of wine, and continued: "You should also know, now that you have cultivation, how exhrating it is. After trying it, I couldn¡¯t stop, and before I knew it, I found myself on the verge of Foundation Establishment."

    "Life is unpredictable. Before I left on my mission, I never imagined I would end up in the Southern Border, and by a twist of fate, I also embarked on the path of immortality," Yuan Ming said with a touch of emotion.

    Speaking of this, the young Emperor¡¯s expression became serious: "The secret letter you sent to General Yuan, I read itter. I can¡¯t believe it was Lin Junsheng who plotted against you. It¡¯s truly detestable."

    "With my understanding of Lin Junsheng, this couldn¡¯t have been his idea alone; there must be another mastermind behind it," Yuan Ming said.

    "I¡¯ve already arranged for people to investigate, and I will give you an exnation before the abdication ceremony," the young Emperor assured him.

    "I heard from my father that cultivators above Foundation Establishment cannot meddle in power. After Your Majesty abdicates, are you nning to go to Changchun Temple for secluded cultivation?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "Indeed, my father and several ancestors are currently in seclusion there, and I will also join them for cultivation in the future. Brother Ming, although you were previously rejected by Changchun Temple, now that you have cultivation, I will make arrangements, and you can join me in cultivating there," the young Emperor nodded.

    "Thank you for your kind offer, Your Majesty, but I need to consider it further," Yuan Ming politely declined.

    The young Emperor, fueled by the alcohol, pped his chest and eximed: "Brother Ming, are you holding a grudge because Lin Junsheng was epted into Changchun Temple? Don¡¯t worry, what¡¯s hepared to you? Even if he shamelessly begged to join Changchun Temple, he¡¯s just a low-ranking disciple. If you join with me, you¡¯ll be directly under the royal lineage, far above him!"

    As if afraid Yuan Ming wouldn¡¯t believe him, the young Emperor suddenly took out a secret manual and pushed it in front of Yuan Ming, saying: "This ¡¯Nine Elements Form¡¯ is a secret cultivation method of Changchun Temple, which can be practiced all the way to the Core Formation stage. Brother Ming, take it first. The methods in the Southern Border are mixed and inferior, notparable to the authentic teachings of the Xuanmen. You should practice this, and your cultivation will quickly improve."

    "Your Majesty, this is not appropriate," Yuan Ming was taken aback and immediately refused.

    He was indeedcking the subsequent methods of the Nine Elements Form, but he knew how special it was to Changchun Temple and was worried that the young Emperor¡¯s actions would cause trouble. With the Heaven-Defying Cauldron in hand, he nned to find opportunities to acquire theplete manual eventually, believing he would seed, although it would take more time and effort. Despite the inconvenience, each incense burning could bring him opportunities.

    The young Emperor said: "Brother Ming, if you don¡¯t ept it, you¡¯re not treating me as a brother! Rest assured and take it; I¡¯ll take responsibility for this. Even if you don¡¯t join Changchun Templeter, it¡¯s fine as long as you don¡¯t pass it on to others. We cultivators shouldn¡¯t hesitate."

    Seeing the young Emperor¡¯s insistence, Yuan Ming reluctantly epted the manual.

 Chapter 239: Illusion

    Chapter 239: Illusion<hr>

    In the following time, Yuan Ming chatted with the young emperor about cultivation insights and amusing anecdotes. While recounting his experiences in the Bi Luo Cave, Yuan Ming suddenly remembered someone and asked, "Your Majesty, could you help me inquire about a disciple from the Chang Chun Temple?"

    The young emperor, curious, asked, "Who is worth such a personal inquiry from Brother Ming? Could it be a beauty you met on your travels?"

    Yuan Ming rolled his eyes and said irritably, "What are you thinking? His name is Ma Xingkong. He was originally a disciple of Bi Luo Cave before joining Chang Chun Temple. That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking."

    "Ma Xingkong? It seems I¡¯ve heard this name before. I¡¯ll ask around for you after I return," the young emperor promised.

    Yuan Ming then described Ma Xingkong¡¯s appearance and personality, along with some of his past.

    The two continued their conversation until evening, only parting reluctantly when the eunuchs outside began to urge them, having finished the wine in the jar.

    ***

    The tribute wine brought by the young emperor was indeed exceptional. Not long after parting with him, Yuan Ming felt the effects of the alcohol and slept until midnight before waking.

    Looking out at the thick night outside the window, Yuan Ming chuckled softly, circted his mana throughout his body, and dispelled thest traces of drunkenness.During the past three years in the southern bordends, although he couldn¡¯t say he was constantly on edge, he certainly didn¡¯t dare to indulge in such carefree drinking and chatting with a confidant as he did today.

    After steadying his mind, Yuan Ming took out the Nine Elements Form given by the young emperor and began to read it carefully.

    Previously, when he possessed the young emperor, Yuan Ming only obtained the first part of the Nine Elements Form from the national teacher. This time, the young emperor didn¡¯t hold back and sent the entire Nine Elements Form.

    Besides the first part for Qi Refining stage, the Nine Elements Form also included middle and final parts corresponding to the Foundation Establishment and Core Formation stages, detailing not only the respective cultivation techniques but also some powerful spells.

    With Yuan Ming¡¯s current level of cultivation, the content in the final part was too abstruse, so he focused on the middle part.

    The middle part had fouryers, corresponding to the four stages of Foundation Establishment, shifting the focus from consolidating meridians and regting qi and blood to nurturing the sea of consciousness and tempering the dantian.

    This also showed how terrifying soul cultivators, as the oddities of the cultivation world, truly were.

    The Death Moon method given by Xiying required nurturing the sea of consciousness and tempering the soul even during the Qi Refining stage. Compared to the Nine Elements Form¡¯s middle part, it was even more effective at that stage.

    Yuan Ming thought about it and soon came to terms with it.

    After all, as a mainstream Daoist cultivation technique, the Nine Elements Form¡¯s ability to absorb spiritual energy and umte mana was rare in the world, so it was understandable that itcked in the aspects of the sea of consciousness and the soul.

    Pushing aside his distracting thoughts, Yuan Ming sat cross-legged and began to cultivate the Nine Elements Form¡ªMiddle Part.

    As the technique circted, the manake within Yuan Ming¡¯s dantian, which was originally calm, suddenly stirred.

    The transparent liquid mana roiled and surged like waves, each wave crashing against the inner walls of the dantian, making it morepact, while the liquid mana gradually thickened in the process.

    At the same time, the pores all over Yuan Ming¡¯s body opened up, and just like when he first broke through to Foundation Establishment, he frantically absorbed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, transporting it through his meridians to his dantian, furtherpressing and refining it to replenish the liquid mana.

    After about a quarter of an hour of cultivation, Yuan Ming opened his eyes, both surprised and delighted.

    That familiar feeling had returned. The Nine Elements Form, as a secret transmission of Chang Chun Temple, was just as smooth to cultivate as the first part, seemingly without any bottlenecks.

    With this, he could cultivate without any worries.

    After a moment of excitement, Yuan Ming calmed his emotions, set aside the Nine Elements Form, and turned to cultivate the Death Moon method.

    After Foundation Establishment, his soul power had greatly increased, and he could truly operate the fourthyer of the Death Moon method¡¯s spells.

    Aside from the increase in the number of soul crows and their range with each level, the advancement in soul cultivation also granted Yuan Ming the illusionary abilities he had long coveted.

    During the battle at Bi Luo Cave, Chen Cangqiong¡¯s illusions covered arge area, not only confusing the three Core Formation cultivators within it but even Yuan Ming and others who were observing from outside couldn¡¯t discern the truth.

    With Yuan Ming¡¯s current cultivation, the illusions he could cast naturally couldn¡¯t reach that level.

    By his estimation, at full power, his illusions could affect people and objects within ten meters at most and could only be maintained for half an hour. As the number of people affected increased, the duration would further shorten.

    However, through repeated trials, he had figured out several new applications.

    After silently operating the Death Moon method for a while, Yuan Ming suddenly stood up, left the room, and wandered aimlessly through the general¡¯s mansion.

    On the way, a night-patrolling servant saw Yuan Ming and paused, asking in confusion, "Wang Shun, what are you doing wandering around in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?"

    Yuan Ming looked at him but said nothing. However, the servant nodded as if he had heard something, "A horse is sick and you¡¯re going to check on it? Alright, make it quick and remember the rules, don¡¯t wander off."

    After the servant prepared to leave, Yuan Ming¡¯s thoughts moved, and the servant suddenly turned around and walked back the way he came.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming smiled slightly, returned to his room, and casually lifted the illusion from the servant.

    At the same time, the servant¡¯s body stiffened, he looked around and saw the scenery had suddenly changed, a drop of cold sweat fell from his forehead, "Ghost... hitting the wall?"

    Yuan Ming had just used two illusions, one covering his body, making anyone who saw him recognize him as Wang Shun, and the other, aimed solely at the servant, altering his senses to see a realitypletely opposite to what was there.

    Anyone with soul power inferior to Yuan Ming¡¯s could not see through the former¡¯s disguise.

    Thetter targeted only one person, and anyone else present would not be deceived.

    Yuan Ming returned to his room, sat cross-legged, felt the consumption of his soul power, pondered the shorings of his illusion casting, and then immersed himself in cultivation again.

    ***

    Half a monthter.

    Yuan Ming had just finished cultivating when he opened the door to see several servants carrying a pile of items towards him.

    "Young Master, these are the letters and congrattory gifts that arrived at the mansion today."

    Yuan Ming massaged his forehead, resignedly saying, "Sigh, just do as I¡¯ve instructed before: organize the letters and gift lists on the desk, and send the rest to the storeroom."

    This scene had be almost a daily urrence.

    As news of his return spread, old friends sent their congrattions and warm inquiries, along with many gifts.

    In addition, there were many who didn¡¯t know of his experiences, simply sending their thoughts and greetings out of admiration for "The Young Master¡¯s Journey to the South."

    Some old friends even made special trips to visit, and Yuan Ming, unable to refuse, would chat and drink with them until they were content.

    Considering all this, the time Yuan Ming actually had for cultivation was extremely limited.

    Just as he finished instructing the servants, another doorman came running.

    "Young Master, someone named Ma Xingkong is outside, iming to be an old acquaintance of yours," the doorman reported with his head bowed.

    "Please invite him in," Yuan Ming said, his interest piqued, not expecting this person to visit, and immediately gave the order.

    The doorman obeyed and soon returned with a young man with sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes.

    Upon seeing Yuan Ming, Ma Xingkong immediately greeted him with sped hands and a smile, "I was blind to Mount Tai during the battle at Bi Luo Cave and didn¡¯t recognize Brother Yuan¡¯s status. If I¡¯ve offended you, please forgive me."

    "Brother Ma, what are you talking about? We¡¯ve had simr experiences, and now we¡¯re both cultivators. What does a mortal identity matter?" Yuan Ming waved his hand dismissively.

    Ma Xingkong nodded in agreement, showing no restraint, and Yuan Ming pulled him into the room to sit down and share some experiences from Bi Luo Cave. Ma Xingkong empathized and also shared his own past encounters.

    After a long conversation, reminiscing about the hardships of being beast ves and their current situations, both were filled with emotion.

    Seeing Ma Xingkong rx his guard, Yuan Ming suddenly asked, "Do you still have the Shadow Retaining Artifact you used before? Could I borrow it?"

    "That¡¯s no problem. That artifact isn¡¯t anything rare; you can find one in the cultivation markets outside the city. If you need it, why not buy one yourself?" Ma Xingkong was curious.

    "I¡¯ve only recently returned home and have been busy meeting rtives and friends every day. I haven¡¯t had time to go to the market," Yuan Ming said with a wry smile.

    "That makes sense. But if you have time, you should really visit the markets near the capital. With the abundant resources of the Central ins, especially in the capital, the markets¡¯ prosperity is iparable to those small ces in the southern bordends," Ma Xingkong said, realizing.

    "Good, I¡¯ll definitely take a look when I have time."

    Seeing Yuan Ming¡¯s nomittal response, Ma Xingkong didn¡¯t mind and took out a blue orb from his storage bag and handed it to Yuan Ming.

    "Since returning to the Central ins, I haven¡¯t used this artifact again. Brother Yuan, you can use it for now."

    The orb was simple to use, and under Ma Xingkong¡¯s guidance, Yuan Ming quickly learned how to operate it.

    After more casual conversation, the two parted ways.

    After sending off Ma Xingkong, Yuan Ming instructed the servants not to disturb him, then closed the door, sat cross-legged on the bed, closed his eyes, and shifted his perspective to the soul crow located at Lin Junsheng¡¯s residence.

    On his first night back in the capital, Yuan Ming had quietly sent a soul crow to Lin Junsheng¡¯s residence to monitor his every move.

    But Lin Junsheng seemed rooted in ce, only focusing on cultivating day and night without stepping a foot outside his room.

    If not for Yuan Ming confirming Lin Junsheng¡¯s presence in the room by possessing an incense burner, he might have thought Lin had already left the capital.

    After a month of observation, Yuan Ming also found that the other people in the Lin residence seemed unaware of the true events of the southern expedition.

    Lin Junsheng¡¯s father even prepared a gift to send over after hearing of Yuan Ming¡¯s return.

    Yuan Ming continued to monitor for a while and saw that Lin Junsheng still had no intention of leaving the house, so he withdrew his attention and pondered.

    <em>"Huh!"</em>

    Suddenly, his eyebrows twitched, and with a soft exmation, he used an illusion to conceal his form and left the room.

 Chapter 240: Just call you flower branch

    Chapter 240: Just call you flower branch<hr>

    Yuan Ming strode into the secluded corner of the mansion¡¯s garden and gently tapped the spirit beast bag he carried.

    A burst of purple-ck light shot out from the bag andnded on the ground.

    As the light touched the ground, it transformed into its true form¡ªthe demonic vine ck toad that had been slumbering for ages. However, its appearance had drastically changed from before.

    The creature no longer bore any resemnce to a toad, havingpletely morphed into a mass of intertwining purple-ck vines, covered in sharp thorns and adorned with faint red vine flowers, giving it an exceptionally eerie look.

    For some reason, Yuan Ming felt as though he had seen this pattern of sharp, w-like thorns somewhere before, but despite pondering for a long time, he couldn¡¯t recall where.

    While he racked his brain, the demonic vine began to slowly wriggle, splitting into five strands that grew outward.

    Soon, the two strands at the bottom solidified into legs, lifting the body of the demonic vine upright, while the two strands on the sides took the shape of arms, albeit overly long and noodle-like, dangling at its sides.

    Unlike the other four strands, the one at the top didn¡¯t grow outward but instead swelled inward into a spherical shape. Two vine flowers transformed into eyes, several vines coiled into lips and a nose, new shoots twisted into ears, and old vine skin spread out like long hair.

    In no time, a vine creature of the same height as a normal person, with slender limbs and a bizarre face, stood before Yuan Ming.Yuan Ming was somewhat surprised and quicklymunicated with the demonic vine using his mind. To his astonishment, the vine waved its arms at him and a voice suddenly echoed in his mind.

    "Master."

    Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes widened as he asked, <em>"You¡¯ve awakened your spiritual intelligence? When did this happen?"</em>

    "I don¡¯t know about before, but I remember everything else."

    The demonic vine counted on its fingers, its voice resonating in Yuan Ming¡¯s mind: "I met Master in the desert... oh, no, it was a forest, and at that time I fought with someone who had a tattoo... no, it was someone wearing toad skin... and there was..."

    Yuan Ming frowned, feeling as though he had seen the scenes described by the demonic vine somewhere before. Seeing the vine getting confused itself, he said, "Alright, I know you remember, no need to continue."

    Hearing this, the demonic vine became overjoyed, its arms iling as it thumped its chest, dering, "Of course, I¡¯m the smartest!"

    Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but smile. After a moment of thought, he said, "Now that you look like a person, you need a proper name. Let me think... How about ¡¯Huazhi¡¯?"

    "Great, I¡¯ll be called Huazhi!" The demonic vine Huazhi immediately raised its arms in excitement, intertwining them.

    "What abilities do you have now? Show me, but remember to keep it down." Yuan Ming instructed.

    At his words, Huazhi nodded excitedly, its arms quivering as the intertwined vines grew wildly, soon forming two purple-ck long swords with a faint glow.

    Then, Huazhi let its sword-arms fall back to their normal form and sped its hands together, performing a gesture. Instantly, green grass sprouted from the ground, weaving together to form a grass cage in the blink of an eye.

    Yuan Ming recognized it at a nce¡ªit was the Wood Prison Technique he had learned in the Bi Luo Cave. He didn¡¯t expect Huazhi, having just taken human form, to be able to perform it.

    "Master, isn¡¯t Huazhi amazing?" Sensing Yuan Ming¡¯s surprise, Huazhi patted its chest again, boasting about its abilities.

    "It seems you¡¯ve mastered all my spells?" Yuan Ming said with a smile.

    Huazhi pondered for a moment, then its mood seemed to drop: "Huazhi only knows wood-based spells."

    Yuan Ming had anticipated this and asked Huazhi to demonstrate its previously mastered abilities. He found that their power had increased a notch. The vine¡¯s mutation had far exceeded his expectations. Given the current environment, he could only study it furtherter.

    He then ordered Huazhi to lie low in the underground of the General¡¯s Mansion, staying vignt, while he returned to his room to continue his cultivation.

    ***

    The next morning.

    Yuan Ming left his room early, tidied himself up, and was about to have Wang Shun prepare the horse for a journey when he was informed by the gatekeeper.

    "Young Master, the Master calls for you."

    Puzzled, Yuan Ming followed the gatekeeper to the front hall. As he entered, he saw a young man dressed in a jujube-red brocade robe with a handsome face, talking with his father.

    The young man had a gentle smile on his face, but Yuan Zuochong sat upright with an expressionless face, seemingly preupied.

    Upon Yuan Ming¡¯s arrival, Yuan Zuochong¡¯s demeanor remained unchanged as he spoke indifferently, "Ming¡¯er, this is the Crown Prince of the Eighth Prince. He hase to visit today, saying he has business with you."

    The young man stood up and saluted Yuan Ming: "I have long admired Young Master Yuan¡¯s reputation. Seeing you today, indeed, your fame is well-deserved."

    "You tter me, Crown Prince." Yuan Ming returned the salute.

    "Haha, Young Master Yuan, don¡¯t be modest. Even my father praised your ¡¯Tales of Young Master Sheng¡¯s Journey South,¡¯ saying you have great talent. If you were to enter the court as an official, you would surely be a pir of the state," the Crown Prince said with augh.

    "It is an honor to receive such praise from the Eighth Prince," Yuan Ming replied nomittally.

    After ttering Yuan Ming a few more times, the Crown Prince said, "Tonight, I am hosting a literary gathering at Dingyang Tower, and we are in need of a talented individual like Young Master Yuan to attend. Would you be willing to grace us with your presence?"

    Yuan Ming nced at his father, who showed no objection, before replying, "How could I refuse such a personal invitation from the Crown Prince?"

    The Crown Princeughed heartily, exchanged a few more pleasantries, and then took his leave.

    After he left, before Yuan Ming could ask, Yuan Zuochong exined, "The Emperor has no heirs, so the sessor after his abdication can only be chosen from among the several royal uncles. Among them, the Eighth Prince is known for his wisdom, and if nothing unexpected happens, he should be the prime candidate."

    "And tonight¡¯s literary gathering..." Yuan Ming hesitated.

    "He invited you to the gathering probably to win over people¡¯s hearts. But since I¡¯m gradually withdrawing from the court, you don¡¯t need to worry about anything tonight. Just treat it as a regr gathering," Yuan Zuochong said bluntly.

    "I understand," Yuan Ming nodded.

    ***

    That night, at Dingyang Tower.

    The tower, located in the center of the capital, stood five stories tall with zed golden tiles on its roof and rednterns hanging below. Though night had fallen, it was brightly lit, resembling a towering torch from afar, dispelling the dark night.

    The area below was bustling with noise, and carriages with intricate carvings stopped in front of the door, from which nobles in luxurious robes emerged, escorted by servants into the tavern. However, before entering, they were stopped by several guards who requested their invitations before allowing them to pass.

    This procedure naturally displeased some proud nobles.

    Whenever this happened, a friendly-faced guard would step forward to exin, casually mentioning the "Eighth Prince" in conversation.

    Most of the visitors would then quiet down.

    Amidst themotion, a luxurious carriage, apanied by several guards, slowly stopped in the open space in front of the tower. Before the guards could report, Yuan Ming had already lifted the curtain and stepped out.

    He instructed Wang Shun and the guards to wait outside and headed straight for Dingyang Tower.

    At the entrance, a guard on the left side, seeing another person approaching, instinctively stepped forward but was suddenly stopped by his colleague.

    Confused, he turned to his colleague, only to see the usually arrogant royal guard now wearing an excessively obsequious smile.

    "It¡¯s Young Master Yuan, please,e right in."

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t look at him, simply nodded, and walked into the building.

    At that moment, a middle-aged man in a steward¡¯s uniform came down from the tower and immediately went forward to greet Yuan Ming.

    This man was the chief steward of the royal household, who bowed deeply to Yuan Ming: "Young Master Yuan, you¡¯ve finally arrived. The Crown Prince has been asking for you."

    With that, he turned and personally led Yuan Ming upstairs.

    This scene left the left-side guard dumbfounded, while his colleague showed no surprise: "Hey, what are you staring at? Someone else ising."

    The left-side guard snapped out of it and quickly stopped the person rushing over, but before he could speak, the visitor impatiently threw over an invitation.

    "Here, the invitation. Don¡¯t hold me up!"

    The left-side guard checked the invitation in confusion, stepped aside to let the person pass, and watched as they hurried after Yuan Ming. Seeing this, the left-side guard turned to his colleague: "Hey, who exactly is that Young Master Yuan..."

    Before he could finish, another eager person arrived.

    "That one who just went in was Young Master Yuan, right? Let me through, I want to meet him."

    "Young Master Yuan is here today too, what a pity."

    Watching this unfold, the left-side guard became even more bewildered.

    Am I the only one who doesn¡¯t know Young Master Yuan?

    ***

    Yuan Ming, of course, was unaware of themotion at the entrance.

    At this moment, he had followed the royal steward directly to the fifth floor of Dingyang Tower, the site of the literary gathering.

    The people here were few, but each one was a well-known figure in the capital, and unlike other guests, they were attended by numerous personal servants.

    Yuan Ming, who came alone, was the odd one out.

    But his arrival immediately drew everyone¡¯s attention.

    The Crown Prince, who was conversing with others, was the first to notice Yuan Ming and excused himself from the conversation to greet him.

    "Haha, Young Master Yuan, you¡¯ve made me wait," said the Crown Prince.

    Yuan Ming saluted: "My apologies for beingte, Crown Prince."

    The Crown Princeughed: "No matter, no matter. Come, Young Master Yuan, you¡¯ve been away from the capital for three years, and some here may not recognize you anymore. Let me introduce you again."

    Yuan Ming politely nodded. Although he recognized most of the people present, he did not want to offend the Crown Prince.

    However, just then, a guard came up from the lower floors and whispered something in the Crown Prince¡¯s ear.

    The Crown Prince¡¯s expression changed slightly: "Young Master Yuan, I apologize, but I have urgent matters to attend to. Please make yourselffortable, and if you need anything, just ask Steward Li."

    With that, he left with the guard, leaving amidst the surprised looks of many around him.

 Chapter 241: Test

    Chapter 241: Test<hr>

    Yuan Ming was utterly indifferent to the departure of the Eighth Prince¡¯s heir, having onlye to make an appearance. Just as he was about to find a seat, he found himself surrounded by a group of people.

    "Hehe, Brother Yuan, it¡¯s been years since west met. I trust you¡¯ve been well?" A slender man in white robes greeted with a bow.

    Recognizing him as Cheng Cheng, the son of the Minister of Rites, Yuan Ming returned the gesture, "Thanks for your concern, Brother Cheng. I¡¯m quite well."

    Beside them, a somewhat portly man spoke up impatiently, "I¡¯m so tired of you schrs, always so prim and proper. Brother Yuan has barely survived a perilous journey from the Southern Border, and you¡¯re asking him such trivial questions?"

    This was Gong Jie, the son of the Commander of the Imperial Guards. Yuan Ming chuckled in response, "Brother Gong, I am a schr too, you know."

    "Brother Yuan, I¡¯ve finished your new book ¡¯The Tales of Young Master Sheng¡¯s Journey South.¡¯ It¡¯s truly fascinating! Those stories of the Southern Border, did you make them up, or did they really happen?" Gong Jie looked at Yuan Ming expectantly.

    "Well, that¡¯s up to your imagination," Yuan Ming replied with a wink and a mysterious smile.

    Dissatisfied with his answer, Gong Jie mored for more tales of Yuan Ming¡¯s adventures in the Southern Border, and Cheng Cheng joined in the encouragement.

    Soon, several children of high-ranking officials gathered around, bombarding him with questions.Unable to evade, Yuan Ming simply omitted his identity as a cultivator and recounted a semi-fictional version of his experiences in Wusang, eliciting gasps of amazement from the crowd.

    "I remember now, there¡¯s a simr story in ¡¯The Tales of Young Master Sheng¡¯s Journey South¡¯!" someone with a good memory eximed.

    Now, everyone was convinced that the stories in the book were Yuan Ming¡¯s real experiences, each offering their interpretations and questions, pestering him for answers.

    After dealing with them for quite some time and speaking until his throat was dry, the crowd finally seemed satisfied.

    Suddenly, someone asked out of the blue, "Why hasn¡¯t Lin Junshenge today?"

    "Now that he¡¯s climbed thedder and joined the Changchun Temple, he looks down on us less talented brothers. Why would he bothering?" Gong Jie sneered.

    "Moreover, I¡¯ve heard that it¡¯s been a month since Brother Yuan returned from the Southern Border, and Lin Junsheng hasn¡¯t visited him once. To think Brother Yuan once considered him a close friend. I say he¡¯s nothing but a scoundrel!" Cheng Cheng chimed in.

    At these words, the crowd became indignant, criticizing Lin Junsheng for hisck of brotherhood.

    Unexpectedly, Yuan Ming coughed twice and said, "You¡¯ve all misunderstood. Actually, I quite understand Brother Lin¡¯s situation. After all, the path of cultivation is as difficult as ascending to the heavens. He, like me, was not born with exceptional talent. Now that he¡¯s found an opportunity, he naturally treasures it and works doubly hard to fulfill his dreams."

    Hearing this, everyone praised Yuan Ming¡¯s magnanimity and became even more enthusiastic in their support.

    Just then, at the top of the stairs, a tall and elegant woman in white, escorted by her maids, approached gracefully. She looked up and locked eyes with Yuan Ming.

    The woman smiled at Yuan Ming and walked to the side without joining the crowd.

    Yuan Ming excused himself from the group and approached the woman with a smile, "Sister Lon, I didn¡¯t expect to see you here. You haven¡¯t visited me at my home either."

    "Your home is now bustling with visitors, and I¡¯m hardly a match for suchpany. You¡¯ve been traveling and enjoying yourself for over three years without a single letter?" the woman in white said coolly.

    Yuan Ming gave a wry smile, "Sister Lon, you¡¯ve misunderstood me. I¡¯ve had my reasons."

    "Never mind that. You¡¯ve be famous again, and my besties have been pestering me to ask you for a few pieces of your calligraphy to ease their longing. One bold girl even wrote you a letter and asked me to deliver it. Do you want to see it?" Lon teased.

    Yuan Mingughed ruefully, "Let¡¯s skip the letter. I¡¯m afraid if I read it, I¡¯ll be attached and lose my freedom."

    Lon chided, "You¡¯ve really changed since returning from the Southern Border."

    Yuan Ming chuckled softly, "Speaking of which, when do you and Tianming n to get married? You should hurry up. The higher you cultivate, the harder it bes to have children."

    Lon¡¯s face flushed, "Psh! Originally, Tianming and I thought of waiting for you to return from the Southern Border before marrying. But who would have thought you¡¯d disappear, and he suddenly started cultivating immortality, neglecting his duties even more. We¡¯ve seen less and less of each other, and I fear he may have changed his heart."

    Yuan Ming fell silent, unsure how tofort Lon.

    At that moment, Lon suddenly burst intoughter, "It¡¯s just cultivation, not bing a eunuch. If the mountain won¡¯te to me, I¡¯ll go to the mountain. I¡¯ve already decided. If he joins the Changchun Temple, I¡¯ll join too. Then I¡¯ll corner him in the sect and see if he dares not to marry me!"

    With her eyes fixed on Yuan Ming, she warned, "Don¡¯t you dare tip him off. I¡¯ve reached the sixth level of Qi refining. If you let anything slip, hmm."

    "I wouldn¡¯t go to Changchun Temple," Yuan Ming quickly shook his head.

    "Stop holding a grudge over the past. Don¡¯t worry, once you join the sect, if anyone dares to mock your talent, I¡¯ll make sure to teach them a lesson!" Lon said fiercely.

    Touched, Yuan Ming could only mumble his thanks, "I appreciate it, Sister Lon."

    Lon snorted proudly and then asked, "You¡¯re a cultivator now too, right? What level of Qi refining have you reached?"

    "I¡¯ve just entered thete stage of Qi refining," Yuan Ming replied.

    "How did you manage that in three years? Impossible! You were just an ordinary person with an ordinary spiritual root when you left the capital!" Lon eximed.

    "I received the Changchun Temple¡¯s cultivation methods three years ago. The Southern Border is full of strange encounters," Yuan Ming exined.

    "You¡¯re lying. How could you have the Changchun Temple¡¯s methods? Tianming wasn¡¯t even cultivating when you left. Nonsense. I¡¯m leaving," Lon said.

    Seeing Lon suddenly stand to leave, her maid asked, "Miss, why are you leaving so soon?"

    Lon turned back, feigning anger, "I don¡¯t want to be around a liar."

    Yuan Ming quickly stepped forward to apologize and exin, diverting Lon¡¯s curiosity about his cultivation with tales of the Southern Border.

    After a long-awaited reunion, they chatted for a while until the Eighth Prince¡¯s heir returned.

    Lon wasn¡¯t particrly interested in the literary gathering. Her main purpose was to see Yuan Ming, as it was the age for marriage, and it wasn¡¯t convenient for her to visit him alone on normal days. Seeing the situation, she took the initiative to leave and departed from Dingyang Tower.

    ***

    The night deepened.

    Yuan Ming walked out of Dingyang Tower, his cheeks slightly flushed from drinking, clearly having had his fill.

    Outside the door, Wang Shun had been waiting for a while and immediately stepped forward. The guards helped Yuan Ming into the carriage and headed towards the General¡¯s Mansion.

    Not far from the tower, Yuan Ming suddenly spoke with a hint of drunkenness, "First, go to Lin Junsheng¡¯s residence."

    "Young Master, it¡¯ste. You should go back and rest," Wang Shun advised.

    "Nonsense, immediately, right now!" Yuan Mingmanded with the authority of the Young Master of the Yuan family.

    With no choice, the guards escorted Yuan Ming to Lin¡¯s residence.

    Yuan Ming got off the carriage, swaying slightly as he approached the door of the Lin residence, where a guard knocked loudly.

    Soon, the door opened, and a doorman peeked out impatiently, "Who¡¯s there at thiste hour? Oh, Young Master Yuan, what brings you here?"

    Without answering, Yuan Ming demanded, "Bring Lin Junsheng out to see me!"

    "This... I will report at once," the doorman said, taken aback, then retreated.

    He soon reappeared, "I¡¯m terribly sorry, Young Master Yuan, but our young master is currently in seclusion and cannot receive visitors."

    "Get him out here to see me! Now!" Yuan Ming said angrily.

    "Young Master Yuan, please don¡¯t make it difficult for me," the doorman pleaded.

    "Fine, then pass a message to Lin Junsheng for me. I¡¯ll wait here for a quarter of an hour. If he doesn¡¯te, he¡¯ll regret itter!" Yuan Ming said.

    The doorman had no choice but to ry the message, but this time, he didn¡¯t return.

    After a quarter of an hour, Yuan Ming left without a word, a cold smile on his face.

    "Back to the mansion."

    Confused by the events, Wang Shun could only drive the carriage back to the General¡¯s Mansion.

    Shortly after Yuan Ming left, another carriage stopped at the Lin residence. A ck-clothed person wearing a bamboo hat alighted and knocked on the door.

    After waiting for a moment with no response, the person continued knocking until the doorman reappeared.

    The ck-clothed person didn¡¯t speak, simply showing a token to the doorman.

    Recognizing it as Lin Junsheng¡¯s personal item, the doorman quickly opened the door and let the mysterious person in.

    Under his guidance, the ck-clothed person soon arrived at the room where Lin Junsheng was in seclusion. Before he could approach, the door suddenly opened.

    The ck-clothed person entered quickly, removed his bamboo hat, and said directly, "I saw Yuan Minge looking for you."

    Under the candlelight, his face was clearly visible¡ªit was none other than the Eighth Prince¡¯s heir.

    "I know, but what does he really want?" Lin Junsheng nodded.

    "Perhaps he still harbors old affections for you. Tonight at the literary gathering, I had someone test him, and he defended you," the Eighth Prince¡¯s heir said.

    Lin Junsheng fell silent, his expression shifting ambiguously in the candlelight.

    "You don¡¯t actually believe he could forgive you, do you?" the Eighth Prince¡¯s heir sneered.

    "Of course, I¡¯m not that naive. But with the Emperor treating him like a brother, now that he¡¯s back, will the Emperor take action against me?" Lin Junsheng shook his head.

    "Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯re now a disciple of Changchun Temple, and he has no evidence. The fact that Yuan Ming is alive is your oversight. The Emperor has already granted your request, and the National Teacher has taken you as a disciple against tradition. You¡¯ve entered Changchun Temple, that will only protect you for so long. Yuan Ming is still your problem to deal with," the Eighth Prince¡¯s heir said.

    "I understand," Lin Junsheng nodded, his hand hidden behind him clenched tightly.

    The Eighth Prince¡¯s heir didn¡¯t care about his thoughts, putting his bamboo hat back on, "Continue your seclusion. Everything is for the Emperor¡¯s session. I¡¯m leaving."

    Lin Junsheng remained silent and did not stand to see the Eighth Prince¡¯s heir out.

    Soon, the Eighth Prince¡¯s heir was back in his carriage, speeding away.

    However, in the dim alley next to the Lin residence, a dark soul crow fluttered down from the sky, delivering a blue gem into Yuan Ming¡¯s hands.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s face showed no signs of drunkenness as he toyed with the gem, his gaze deep and thoughtful.

    "Indeed, a wise Eighth Prince... Heh."

 Chapter 242: Promise

    Chapter 242: Promise<hr>

    Yuan Residence.

    Wang Shun, with the help of a servant, supported the drunken Yuan Ming back to his room andid him on the bed.

    "Everyone... leave now. Tonight, without my or... orders, no one is allowed toe in."

    Hearing Yuan Ming¡¯s tipsymands, Wang Shun and the servant retreated, making sure to close the door behind them.

    They did not see that after they left, Yuan Ming, who had been lying on the bed, suddenly vanished, only to re-enter the room from outside after a long while.

    With Yuan Ming¡¯s current soul cultivation realm, the illusions he cast were not only undetectable by servants but likely even by cultivators of the same rank.

    Yuan Ming sat cross-legged on the bed, repeatedly examining the images within the blue orb, pondering for a moment before summoning an incense burner and lighting a stick of ck incense.

    Amidst the hazy mist, Yuan Ming visualized the appearance of the Eighth Prince¡¯s heir and soonpleted the possession.

    ***At this time, the heir had just returned to the Prince¡¯s mansion and was reporting to his father in an elegantly decorated study about a recent conversation with Lin Junsheng.

    Yuan Ming was already aware of these details and did not listen closely, instead taking the opportunity to observe the Eighth Prince.

    He had seen the Eighth Prince before but had never paid much attention, and even the asional encounters left little impression.

    The Eighth Prince, dressed in a python robe, sat upright, his square face exuding an aura of unspoken authority.

    It had to be said, this man indeed possessed a regal bearing.

    Soon, the heir finished recounting his conversation with Lin Junsheng in detail.

    The Eighth Prince tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest, his entire demeanor contemtive, sinking into deep thought.

    Seeing this, the heir dared not speak and stood quietly waiting.

    "What is your opinion of Yuan Ming?" the Eighth Prince finally asked after a long pause.

    "He was once nothing more than a profligate son. The fact that he could return alive from the Southern Border and be a cultivator shows he¡¯s somewhat capable. But in the imperial city, with the National Preceptor presiding, even he wouldn¡¯t dare to stir up any trouble," the heir replied.

    "You may leave," the Eighth Prince said with a nomittal nod.

    The heir seemed to want to say more to his father but dared not disobey the Eighth Prince¡¯smand and could only bow and take his leave.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s possession continued, but afterward, the heir went straight back to his own courtyard, lying on a rattan chair, ordering two maids in their twenties to massage his legs and shoulders, while engrossed in a book with its cover torn off, enjoying himself immensely.

    Yuan Ming followed the heir¡¯s gaze to the book in his hands, amused to find that it was "The Tales of Young Master Sheng¡¯s Journey to the South."

    Thus, he gained no further useful information.

    ***

    "I had thought that someone from Changchun Temple was behind Lin Junsheng, but it turns out to be the Eighth Prince. I wonder what dealings he has with the National Preceptor, and who was behind the attempt on my life in the Southern Border?" Yuan Ming mused to himself after returning to his own body.

    Although he had some clues, he had yet to obtain key information. He then closed his eyes and continued to cultivate the Nine Elements Form.

    ***

    As time passed, three months flew by.

    The poprity of "The Tales of Young Master Sheng¡¯s Journey to the South" had waned, and Yuan Ming¡¯s life gradually returned to normal. Aside from greeting his parents daily, he spent most of his time cultivating.

    Of course, he couldn¡¯t avoid being summoned to the pce by the young emperor every now and then, or the emperor woulde directly to his residence.

    This had been amon urrence in the past, so neither Yuan Ming¡¯s parents nor the servants in the residence found it strange.

    During this time, Yuan Ming also possessed the Eighth Prince several times, hoping to discover who the real mastermind was. However, the Eighth Prince lived a secluded life and was quite low-key, showing nothing out of the ordinary.

    Even Yuan Ming himself found it hard to believe that the assassinations were orchestrated by the Eighth Prince.

    Nevertheless, Yuan Ming remained vignt. Since he couldn¡¯t get direct information, he left subtle suggestions in the Eighth Prince¡¯s mind, making him believe that his session to the throne might be threatened and prompting him to seek help from Changchun Temple.

    As the saying goes, persistence pays off. Yuan Ming¡¯s efforts first caused the Eighth Prince, who usually kept a regr schedule, to suffer from insomnia and be somewhat irritable.

    ***

    After several attempts, Yuan Ming, while possessing the Eighth Prince, suddenly discovered that he was being led by a young Taoist boy through andscape of lush green mountains and clear waters, ascending a flight of white jade stairs.

    This prince of the Great Jin, who ranked above ten thousand others, did not dare to show any airs in front of the ordinary Taoist boy, even as sweat soaked through his robe from the walk, he dared notin.

    Yuan Ming felt a surge of excitement but quickly calmed his mind.

    After leading the Eighth Prince to an elegantly decorated room, the Taoist boy asked him to wait and left.

    The wait felt excruciatingly long, with the Eighth Prince pacing back and forth in the room, visibly anxious.

    Yuan Ming was not idle either, memorizing theyout of the room from the Eighth Prince¡¯s perspective.

    After an indeterminate amount of time, the sound of footsteps approached from outside.

    The Eighth Prince turned to look, and through the window, he could vaguely see a figure in a Taoist robe approaching. Just as he tried to get a clearer look, the ck incense burned out, and the scene before Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes began to blur.

    Thest thing he saw was a purple-gold Taoist robe and three long whiskers hanging in front of the chest.

    ***

    Time passed, month by month.

    A few days before the session ceremony, the entire Great Jin capital underwent the strictest martialw since the new emperor¡¯s ascension.

    In addition to the 200,000 imperial guards mobilized to secure the imperial city, nearly half of the 300,000 city guards were also called upon to assist in the defense of the capital.

    The city¡¯s security forces were unprecedented.

    At the same time, the capital had started preparations for the session ceremony early on. Led by the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works, the main streets of the city were extensively decorated, and the entire capital was rejuvenated.

    However, since the session ceremony was not a celebration to be shared with the people, there was no festive atmosphere in the city; instead, the military mobilization lent it a somber air.

    Early in the morning, before dawn, the Shangyang Pce was already brightly lit.

    Three eunuchs surrounded the young emperor, helping him into his ceremonial robes and crown. Despite his youthful appearance, he exuded the aura of an emperor.

    The attendants stood by, tense, except for one person holding a tray of pastries, who looked rxed and smiled gently at the young emperor.

    After the young emperor was fully dressed in his ceremonial attire and had dismissed everyone, he rubbed his stiff cheeks and took a piece of pastry from Yuan Ming, taking a bite.

    "I¡¯m tired of these ceremonies, they¡¯re so tedious," the young emperor mumbled, chewing on the snack.

    "I¡¯ll soon be free from this bitter sea, heh," the young emperor said cheerfully.

    "Besides Your Majesty, who else would consider the throne a bitter sea?" Yuan Ming asked with a smile.

    (Proofreader:"bitter sea" Describing endless and boundless suffering that cannot be seen at a nce.)

    "What¡¯s so good about the throne? I only lost interest in cultivation after being rejected by Changchun Temple, and my father intended for me to have an heir before resuming cultivation, to pass on the throne. This time, I¡¯m going to disappoint him," the young emperor sighed.

    "You may lose the throne, but you have embarked on the path to immortality. I believe your father won¡¯t me you. You should marry Lon soon; she has waited for you for many years. Such a woman is rare in this world. Once you enter Changchun Temple, you two will be a pair of immortal lovers," Yuan Ming said, taking a bite of an almond cake.

    "Yes, to cast aside worldly troubles and fulfill our promise with Lon, then to cultivate together and travel to see the world¡¯s wonders¡ªthat¡¯s the life of immortals," the young emperor said, his face alight with anticipation.

    "I¡¯ll take you to the Southern Border someday. The scenery there is endless, with many secret realms. I¡¯ve been to a ce called Snake King Valley, which holds a great secret, but I¡¯m not strong enough yet," Yuan Ming said.

    "Alright, no matter what, I will do you justice today," the young emperor said, his face regaining itsmanding presence.

    Hearing this, Yuan Ming felt a warmth in his heart, even though he already knew the young emperor¡¯s ns for the day.

    ***

    Outside the Shangyang Pce, the imperial carriage awaited, carrying the young emperor to the Altar of Heaven and Earth.

    Yuan Ming, without an official position, should not have attended the ceremony ording to protocol, but the young emperor still defied convention and had him apany him.

    The entourage of over a hundred people made their way to the Altar of Heaven and Earth.

    This ce, used by the royal family to worship heaven and earth and pray for the people, was surrounded by a circr altar with a square tform inside, symbolizing the concept of heaven¡¯s roundness and earth¡¯s squareness.

    Before dawn, the ministers of civil and military affairs had already arrived at the altar, lined up and waiting.

    The princes and grandsons, who were rarely seen together, also dressed in court attire, gathered outside the altar.

    Officials from the Honglu Temple led envoys from neighboring countries such as Yue, Zhao, and Wu, waiting outside.

    When the imperial carriage arrived, grand ceremonial music orchestrated by the Ministry of Rites filled the air, and the atmosphere became even more solemn.

    The Grand Libationer of the Imperial Academy, a white-haired and venerable elder, dressed in ceremonial robes and holding a scroll, sincerely recited the "Ritual to Heaven and Earth" on behalf of the emperor. Only then did the young emperor step onto the altar.

    He offered sacrifices of three animals and five grains, poured fine wine, and holding incense in both hands, loudly proimed his achievements and reasons for abdication. He bowed in all four directions, paying respects to the heavens and earth.

    Outside the Altar of Heaven and Earth, the imperial rtives, officials, foreign envoys, and all guards and eunuchs bowed, clenched fists, or knelt in salute, chanting long live the emperor.

 Chapter 243: The abdication ceremony

    Chapter 243: The abdication ceremony<hr>

    After paying homage to heaven and earth, the young emperor, apanied by hundreds of civil and military officials, proceeded to the Altar of Soil and Grain to worship the spirits of thend and the people.

    Following theplex rituals, the crowd moved majestically to the Ancestral Temple to pay tribute to the Liu imperial ancestors.

    However, this time only the princes and imperial grandsons were allowed to enter the Ancestral Temple, while the rest waited outside.

    Once all the sacrificial ceremonies werepleted, the civil and military officials followed the emperor¡¯s pnquin to Tai¡¯an Hall, where the official abdication ceremony would take ce.

    Tai¡¯an Hall was one of the most majestic pces in the imperial city, reserved for significant state events such as the emperor¡¯s ascension, the appointment of the crown prince, and the coronation of the empress.

    Yuan Ming, as the personal guard, followed the young emperor to Tai¡¯an Hall. Upon entering, he saw several jujube-red armchairs ced below the emperor¡¯s throne, with several figures seated upon them.

    The man sitting closest to the throne, dressed in a purple-gold Taoist robe, was tall and handsome, with a stern face, short beard, and eyes that shone with an inner light, exuding an aura of unspoken authority.

    Next to him sat an elderly man, also in a purple-gold Taoist robe, with a gaunt face and an air of transcendent wisdom ¨C none other than the national advisor, Master Yuhu.

    Beside him was an old woman with white hair, holding a dragon-headed cane, her face full of kindness.Next to the old woman was a dignifieddy in a light blue silk dress, exuding a gentle and graceful demeanor, as if she hailed from the water towns of the south, naturally carrying a soft charm.

    Behind these individuals were several more chairs, each upied by various figures.

    Yuan Ming knew that in addition to the civil and military officials and imperial rtives, there would be cultivators from Changchun Temple and other cultivation sects within the Great Jin Kingdom attending the ceremony.

    However, they did not participate in the rituals for heaven, earth, and ancestors, merely waiting here to observe the official abdication ceremony.

    After the young emperor returned, he entered the hall, and the cultivators seated within all stood up to pay their respects, to which the young emperor promptly returned a Taoist bow.

    Among the civil and military officials, aside from the heads of the six ministries and the three provincial governors, as well as a few influential generals who remained inside, the rest were arranged outside ording to their rank.

    As the young emperor¡¯s personally appointed bodyguard, Yuan Ming was granted the exceptional honor of standing beside the emperor, alongside the eunuchs.

    The officials were well aware of Yuan Ming¡¯s rtionship with the young emperor and found nothing unusual about his presence. However, the cultivators seated at the front couldn¡¯t help but cast curious nces his way.

    Yuan Ming felt no nervousness and calmly surveyed the crowd below, even making eye contact with the cultivators.

    Among them, the middle-aged man in the purple robe with a short beard was the young emperor Liu Tianming¡¯s grandfather, who had established his foundation over fifty years ago and abdicated in favor of Liu Tianming¡¯s father, retreating to Changchun Temple for cultivation.

    Since then, he had never interfered with the politics of the Great Jin Kingdom or returned to the capital.

    Rumors had it that the young emperor¡¯s father was an ordinary man without spiritual roots, who ascended to the throne at a young age and ruled for over thirty years before suddenly passing away, leaving the throne to Liu Tianming.

    The grandfather had not returned even at the time of Liu Tianming¡¯s father death,, but now he hade back to the Great Jin capital for Liu Tianming¡¯s abdication ceremony, showing the importance he ced on his grandson.

    The old woman seated beside him was the matriarch of the Bai Luo Vi, thergest cultivation family in the Great Jin Kingdom besides the royal family. Although not the highest in cultivation within the vi, she was the one who managed the family¡¯s affairs.

    The gentledy next to her was the Elder Luo Shuixian of the Water Crystal Pce, second only to Changchun Temple in power within the Great Jin Kingdom, while those seated behind them were elders from other sects.

    As Yuan Ming observed the others, he felt a probing gaze upon him, carrying the fluctuation of a spiritual sense ¨C <em>it was from the national advisor, Master Yuhu.</em>

    Although the gaze was fleeting, Yuan Ming caught it sharply.

    Once everyone was in their ce, the eunuch in charge of the inner servants stepped forward, flicked his dust whisk, and announced in a loud voice:

    "The abdication ceremony shall nowmence. Present the imperial edict."

    Following his promation, the Grand Libationer of the Imperial Academy, holding a ckwood tray with a yellow silk scroll on it, slowly approached the young emperor.

    As he passed by the princes and grandsons, most bowed their heads, not daring to look, while a few braved nces filled with envy.

    Among them, the Eighth Prince¡¯s gaze was the most fervent.

    It was no wonder, for since the young emperor Liu Tianming was young and had not yet established an empress or sired an heir, the choice of session had to be made from among his uncles and brothers.

    Among them, none could match the Eighth Prince in capability, poprity, or experience.

    Moreover, the Prime Minister of the Secretariat had alreadymunicated with him in advance, proposing his session, with the support of the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Revenue.

    Crucially, he had also received tacit approval and support from Changchun Temple.

    Thus, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the Eighth Prince was set to be the new emperor of the Great Jin Kingdom.

    The aged Grand Libationer, holding the edict, approached the throne, and the young emperor stood up, took the imperial jade seal, and solemnly stamped it on the edict.

    The Grand Libationer then held the edict and read it out loud, his voice steady and resonant:

    "By the mandate of heaven, the emperor decrees: Our dynasty inherits the legacy of our ancestors, aligning with heaven and the will of the people. Since my ascension, I have revered heaven and honored our ancestors, upholding our traditions, always prioritizing the people in all matters, and basing allws on the welfare of the people. I had hoped to pursue grand ambitions, but the call of immortality cannot be ignored. For the long-term stability of the state, I hereby abdicate in favor of my elder brother, Prince Qing, Liu Tianze. Let this be known to all under heaven."

    The Eighth Prince, who had been prepared to step forward and ept the throne, stiffened upon hearing the name "Liu Tianze," as if plunged into an ice pit, and stood frozen in ce.

    It was not Liu Guangxuan, but Liu Tianze; not the Eighth Prince, but Prince Qing.

    Not only was the Eighth Prince stunned, but everyone in the hall, including Prince Qing himself, was taken aback.

    Prince Qing was the young emperor Liu Tianming¡¯s fourth brother, who had only the support of the Prime Minister of the Book of Documents. No one had expected him to be the heir to the throne.

    After a moment of shock, the Eighth Prince¡¯s expression twisted, and he rushed out, disregarding protocol.

    "It¡¯s wrong, it must be a mistake, how could it be Prince Qing? It should be me!" The Eighth Prince, abandoning his previous dignity, waved his arms and shouted loudly.

    The crowd was shocked, and for a moment, no one dared to speak.

    They all cautiously looked to the young emperor for his reaction.

    However, the young emperor simply watched the Eighth Prince¡¯s outburst with a calm expression, showing no response.

    "Your Majesty..." Finally, unable to restrain himself, the Prime Minister stood up.

    His call to "Your Majesty" drew everyone¡¯s attention to him.

    "Do you have something to say?" the young emperor asked with a light chuckle.

    "Your Majesty, the session of the throne is a matter of national importance, not to be taken lightly. Previously, we had discussed this matter with Your Majesty and decided on a suitable candidate. Why the sudden change?" The Prime Minister did not mention who the original candidate was, but simply asked.

    Everyone looked to the young emperor, even the national advisor Master Yuhu and Liu Tianming¡¯s grandfather, who were usually detached from worldly affairs, cast inquiring nces.

    The young emperor, as if waiting for the question, stood up and said, "Eighth Uncle, during your years in government, you have formed factions for personal gain andmitted corruption. These are all known to me, but they are not the worst. However, your instruction to ambush and kill my Great Jin envoy is unforgivable."

    His tone was calm, but his words thundered through the court like a p of thunder.

    Hearing this, the Eighth Prince¡¯s face changed dramatically, and he nced at Yuan Ming.

    Seeing his reaction, it was clear to the discerning that the young emperor was referring to the incident a few years ago when Yuan Ming, on a mission to the Southern Border, was ambushed and went missing.

    "I would like to ask my Eighth Uncle, what has Yuan Ming done to earn your enmity, to the extent that you would instruct the deputy envoy Lin Junsheng to assassinate him on the road while I sent him on a mission?" the young emperor demanded sternly.

    This long-avoided issue was finally brought to light at what seemed like the most inappropriate asion.

    "Was it the Eighth Prince¡¯s doing?" someone among the officials eximed.

    "Why would he do that?" others were utterly perplexed.

    The civil officials looked at each other with changing expressions and whispered amongst themselves, while the military officials, though silent, couldn¡¯t help but turn their gaze to General Yuan, whose face was ashen, yet he remainedposed.

    "Your Majesty, I am wronged," the Eighth Prince looked around and then knelt on the ground, crying out.

    "Wronged? Then tell me, where have I wronged you?" the young emperor asked with a coldugh.

    "Your Majesty, I truly had no knowledge of the matter of instructing Lin Junsheng to kill Yuan Ming. Moreover, I have no reason to harm Yuan Ming. When we were envoys on the road, it was Yuan Ming himself who fell into the water while admiring the beauty of a waterfall. It was an ident, not my doing. Afterwards, I even issued a search notice along the way. Please, Your Majesty, see the truth," the Eighth Prince pleaded with his head bowed.

    The young emperor paid him no heed andmanded, "Bring Lin Junsheng forward."

    As soon as the words were spoken, two armored guards escorted Lin Junsheng into the hall.

    Lin Junsheng appeared disheveled and seemingly panicked, but there was an undetectableposure in his eyes.

    As he knelt down, the young emperor asked again, "Lin Junsheng, tell me, who instructed you to attempt to murder Yuan Ming on the way to the Southern Border?"

    "Your Majesty, I truly cannot answer that. Yuan Ming and I grew up together as childhood friends, how could I possibly harm him? On the mission, it was an ident that Yuan Ming fell into the water while admiring a waterfall, not my doing. Afterwards, I even issued notices along the way to search for him. Please, Your Majesty, discern the truth," Lin Junsheng replied immediately.

    His defense was well-rehearsed, and with no other witnesses at the time, he did not believe the emperor had concrete evidence to prove him the culprit.

    The young emperor raised an eyebrow and said, "Oh? So you¡¯re saying I¡¯ve wronged you?"

 Chapter 244: I have something to say

    Chapter 244: I have something to say<hr>

    "I dare not presume, Your Majesty. It seems Your Majesty has been misled by others. My loyalty to Your Majesty is unwavering, and my sincerity to friends absolute. I have never wronged my friends or the great Jin Dynasty. I implore Your Majesty to investigate the matter and restore my honor," Lin Junsheng hastily replied.

    "A fine disy of eloquence, indeed. It seems you won¡¯t shed a tear until you see the coffin," the young emperor remarked with a tsk.

    At that moment, Yuan Ming, who had been standing to the side, suddenly revealed a smile and stepped forward.

    Upon seeing this, both the Eighth Prince and Lin Junsheng¡¯s eyes flickered, and the national advisor, sitting nearby, picked up his teacup and took a light sip.

    "Lin Junsheng, you im innocence? Eighth Prince, you im injustice? Then take a look at this," Yuan Ming said, pulling a blue orb from his sleeve.

    It was the magical artifact belonging to Ma Xingkong that could record images and scenes.

    Yuan Ming tossed the orb into the air and cast a spell into it.

    A bright blue light shot out from the orb, spinning and transforming into a blue water screen, on which appeared the recorded meeting between the Eighth Prince¡¯s heir and Lin Junsheng.

    Their conversation was clear and audible, falling into the ears of all the court officials present."Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯re now a disciple of Changchun Temple, and he has no evidence. The fact that Yuan Ming is alive is your oversight. The Emperor has already granted your request, and the National Teacher has taken you as a disciple against tradition. You¡¯ve entered Changchun Temple, that will only protect you for so long. Yuan Ming is still your problem to deal with."

    The evidence was clear for all to see.

    Lin Junsheng¡¯s eyes bulged in disbelief. He never imagined that the scene of his meeting with the Eighth Prince¡¯s heir would be revealed here.

    "Lin Junsheng, now that things havee to this, what else do you have to say?" the young emperor asked with a cold smile.

    "I, I¡­"

    No matter how eloquent he was, he was powerless in the face of such evidence.

    "And what about you, Eighth Uncle?" the young emperor then turned to the Eighth Prince.

    Thetter¡¯s pale face showed a look of despair, and he suddenly spoke up, "Your Majesty, this is all the doing of my rebellious son, acting without my knowledge."

    His words caused an uproar in the court.

    Everyone was shocked by the Eighth Prince¡¯s shamelessness. To save himself, he was willing to push all the me onto his own son.

    "Your Majesty, for the sake of the Jin Dynasty¡¯s future, I have fought on battlefields all my life, dedicating myself to the country. I have but one son, and yet, to my bewilderment, he has been targeted by the Eighth Prince. I truly do not understand what wrong I havemitted," General Yuan, who had been silent for a long time, finally spoke.

    His few words moved all the civil and military officials in the court.

    Military men like him, especially those who fought on the front lines, usually had their families in the capital, making them akin to hostages¡ªa means for the court to maintain bnce.

    They had never questioned this, but Yuan Ming¡¯s situation made them realize that their own children could also be targeted for unknown reasons one day, and they were suddenly filled withpassion.

    "Your Majesty, please punish the Eighth Prince severely and give justice to General Yuan¡¯s family," a military official stepped forward and said with a salute.

    Following him, seven or eight others stepped out in session.

    "Your Majesty, please punish the Eighth Prince and execute Lin Junsheng," the civil officials also spoke out.

    For a moment, the entire court was filled with calls for execution.

    The Eighth Prince was now thoroughly panicked and looked pleadingly at the national advisor.

    Lin Junsheng¡¯sposurepletely vanished, and he too looked to the national advisor for help.

    He had agreed to the Eighth Prince¡¯s proposal to deal with Yuan Ming because it meant he could enter Changchun Temple for cultivation and be a disciple of the national advisor, Yu Hu Daoist. This not only meant he could safely embark on the path of cultivation but also implied the national advisor¡¯s support, making the national advisor his greatest backing in the future.

    "Your Majesty," Yu Hu Daoist sighed as he set down his teacup.

    The young emperor looked at him but said nothing, though a hint of displeasure shed in his eyes.

    "Your Majesty, since the matter is clear, please make a decision soon, so as not to dy the session ceremony," Yu Hu Daoist said.

    But before the young emperor could speak, Yu Hu Daoist continued:

    "The Eighth Prince is an important minister and a royal rtive. I implore Your Majesty to consider the ties of blood and his years of service, and spare his life. As for Lin Junsheng, since he has be my disciple, I ask Your Majesty to save face for me and let me deal with him."

    With just a few casual words, he sought to save the two men.

    However, the civil and military officials in the court dared not argue, for although the national advisor never involved himself in worldly affairs, his cultivation was unfathomable, and he was the invisible spokesperson for Changchun Temple in the court. Anyone who spoke had to weigh his words carefully. Everyone turned to look at the young emperor¡¯s grandfather, who remained impassive.

    "Your Majesty¡­" General Yuan began with furrowed brows.

    But before he could finish, the young emperor gestured for him to stop speaking.

    General Yuan¡¯s expression froze, filled with disappointment.

    The others sighed inwardly, feeling that the matter would be settled thus.

    "National advisor, the Eighth Prince and Lin Junsheng conspired to kill an envoy, and the victim is the son of a general of our dynasty, my studypanion. Such a grave crime cannot be forgiven. ording to my will, they must be executed. If we cannot uphold justice, then I am unworthy as an emperor. I need to be more diligent and govern better, not retire to cultivate. How could I qualify to enter Changchun Temple for cultivation?" To everyone¡¯s surprise, the young emperor¡¯s words were like a thunderp.

    All were shocked.

    They had not expected the young emperor to go to such lengths for Yuan Ming.

    He was using his retirement for cultivation as leverage against the national advisor.

    The startled King Qing now only wished to quickly eliminate his Eighth Uncle. As for Lin Junsheng, it didn¡¯t matter if he was cut to pieces.

    The old emperor, who had been watching the drama unfold, frowned upon hearing that the young emperor was willing to give up cultivation.

    "Tianming, the session is a matter of national importance. It is not to be taken lightly."

    "Grandfather, if this matter is not handled properly, it is thew of thend that bes a joke. I can step down, but can thew?" the young emperor retorted.

    The old emperor frowned and turned to the national advisor, "Brother Yu Hu, although you are the national advisor, your duty is to guide the new emperor in his cultivation, not to meddle in worldly affairs. Don¡¯t forget, Lin Junsheng has only just be your disciple and is not yet officially recorded in the Changchun Temple registry."

    His implication was that Lin Junsheng was not yet a formal disciple of Changchun Temple and should be subject to the jurisdiction of the Jin Dynasty, not under his protection.

    The old emperor didn¡¯t care much about these worldly matters¡ª<em>who lived or died</em>. What he cared about was whether his talented grandson could enter Changchun Temple for cultivation as soon as possible.

    The national advisor opened his mouth to speak but ultimately closed it under the old emperor¡¯s stern gaze.

    This meant that no one else would speak up for Lin Junsheng and the Eighth Prince, sealing their fate.

    Thest glimmer of hope in Lin Junsheng¡¯s eyes extinguished, and he slumped to the ground.

    "Seize the Eighth Prince and Lin Junsheng for execution at ater date," the young emperor ordered in a low voice, and immediately, soldiers stepped forward to apprehend the two men.

    The Eighth Prince¡¯s face showed terror, and he began to speak but fell silent after exchanging a nce with the national advisor.

    Lin Junsheng, now soulless, fell into a daze. But as his arms were restrained again, he suddenly became hysterical.

    With a burst of strength, he broke free from the two men holding him and roared with indignation:

    "Your Majesty, I have been wronged. I was misled by the Eighth Prince because someone else was pulling the strings behind the scenes, and that person is the nationa¡ª"

    Just as the word "national advisor" was about to slip out, everyone was shocked.

    The Eighth Prince looked at Lin Junsheng as if he were a madman, while Yuan Ming, the person involved, remained the mostposed.

    At that moment, everyone felt a surge of heat rise in the hall.

    <em>Whoosh!</em>

    A fiery orb whistled out, striking Lin Junsheng¡¯s chest before he could utter his mad words.

    In an instant, the fireball exploded with a bang.

    Lin Junsheng¡¯s body burst into mes and turned to ash.

    The powerful st knocked over the nearby officials, causing chaos in the hall, and the soldiers stationed outside rushed in with drawn swords.

    "Silencing a witness?" was the first thought that crossed everyone¡¯s minds.

    They turned their gaze to the national advisor, only to find him calmly sipping tea, showing no sign of attack.

    It was then that they were surprised to discover that the one who had cast the explosive spell was none other than the young emperor, Liu Tianming.

    "The audacity of this traitor! I have already made a just decision, yet he dared to nder. He deserved death," the young emperor bellowed.

    As he spoke, he couldn¡¯t help but nce at Yuan Ming beside him, and seeing that Yuan Ming remained calm and unaffected, the young emperor was reassured.

    Yuan Ming actually understood the young emperor¡¯s predicament. The handling of Lin Junsheng and the Eighth Prince at today¡¯s session ceremony was something they had agreed upon beforehand, but that was as far as it went. No matter how it was viewed, Yuan Ming¡¯s power was not enough to make the national advisor pay a price. The national advisor¡¯s reputation, cultivation, the backing of Changchun Temple, and even his influence in the court were all far beyond Yuan Ming¡¯s reach.

    "This matter is settled. Continue with the session ceremony," the young emperor dered, effectively putting an end to the drama. Attendants immediately came forward to clean up the mess in the hall.

    Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, as the storm seemed to have finally passed.

    <em>"Your Majesty, I have something to say,"</em> Yuan Ming¡¯s voice suddenly rose at that moment.

    It was then that everyone realized that throughout the entire conflict, Yuan Ming, the victim, had hardly spoken at all, his presence so minimal that they had almost forgotten he was the unfortunate target.

    So when he finally spoke, everyone¡¯s attention immediately focused on him.

    The young emperor¡¯s expression changed slightly, and General Yuan also furrowed his brows with some anxiety.

    The two of them were the ones in the hall who knew Yuan Ming best, so they immediately guessed what Yuan Ming was about to do.

 Chapter 245:

    Chapter 245:

    "Yuan Ming, let¡¯s discuss this matter after the ceremony," the young emperor persuaded.

    But Yuan Ming just smiled, shook his head at him, and then turned to address the civil and military officials of the court, loudly dering, "Gentlemen, regarding the assassination attempt on my envoy mission to the Southern Border, both the captured Noble King and the in Lin Junsheng were mere puppets under someone¡¯s control. The true mastermind behind this is someone else."

    As soon as these words were spoken, an eerie silence fell upon the majestic hall, and many eyes involuntarily shifted towards the national teacher, only to quickly look away.

    The reactions of Lin Junsheng and the Noble King had already given these seasoned officials their answer. What puzzled them was why Yuan Ming would so recklessly tear through this thin veil of decency.

    Could it be that he truly had the confidence to take down the national teacher on his own? Or was he so emboldened by the young emperor¡¯s favor that he forgot the national teacher was a cultivator from Changchun Temple, at the Foundation Establishment stage, and that thews of Great Jin might not apply to him? A genius who rose to fame at a young age, a mere Qi refining stage cultivator, should not be so impulsive.

    <em>"Yuan Ming..."</em> the young emperor suddenly raised his voice, shaking his head silently at him.

    Yuan Ming just nced at him, then smiled and pointed directly at the national teacher, loudly demanding, "Daoist Master Yuhu, I, Yuan Ming, have no grudges against you, why do you seek my death?" His usation pierced through the silence like a stone causing ripples on a calm pond, tearing the veil to shreds.

    <em>"How dare you, a meremoner, nder the national teacher?"</em> A cultivator from Changchun Temple standing in the back couldn¡¯t hold back and cursed loudly. "The national teacher is a paragon of virtue, having prayed for Great Jin¡¯s prosperity for years. How dare you use him?"

    "The national teacher has always been righteous and virtuous, how could he harm a mortal?" Some expressed their doubts.The young emperor watched these chaotic usations with a silent sigh, yet he did not reprimand Yuan Ming. Because, in truth, Yuan Ming had done nothing wrong.

    "National teacher, regardless, shouldn¡¯t you give an exnation to the Yuan family?" At that moment, a deep voice overpowered the mor of the civil officials. General Yuan¡¯s eyes were slightly red as he stared intently at the national teacher. Although he knew he couldn¡¯t do anything to the national teacher with his own strength, as a father, he had to stand firm and support his son.

    "National teacher, this matter ultimately requires an exnation to Yuan Ming," the young emperor also spoke up. Since the matter was out in the open, he would not choose otherwise but to stand with Yuan Ming.

    Daoist Master Yuhu looked at Yuan Ming, his gaze deep and silent for a long time before he finally sighed and stood up.

    "The arrangement to have the Noble King and Lin Junsheng assassinate Yuan Ming on his mission to the Southern Border was indeed my doing," the national teacher admitted outright.

    "What? Why would you do such a thing?"

    "Impossible, national teacher, why would you go to such lengths..."

    "What has Yuan Ming done to warrant such actions from the national teacher?"

    Questions erupted all around.

    Even the old emperor couldn¡¯t help but frown and look towards him.

    "Although I am responsible for this matter, I do not believe I have done anything wrong," the national teacher spoke again, his words striking like thunder in everyone¡¯s hearts.

    "What a statement, to not see it as wrong!" Yuan Ming heard this andughed instead of getting angry, pping his hands in amusement.

    "Yuan Ming, you were not talented enough to cultivate at Changchun Temple and, in a fit of pique, you used your painting and calligraphy to beguile the emperor¡¯s heart, causing His Majesty to give up cultivation, even paving the way for your own official career under the guise of an envoy mission. If you do not die, His Majesty will not embark on the path of cultivation and will ultimately stray, missing the prime opportunity to ascend to immortality," the national teacher said directly to Yuan Ming.

    At these words, the entire court was stunned.

    They had not expected this to be the reason. Even the old emperor¡¯s gaze towards the two became more profound.

    "So that¡¯s how it is, that¡¯s how it is," the Book of Documents official, an old man with white hair, suddenly realized, saying, "I knew the national teacher wouldn¡¯t act out of personal desire, and indeed, it was all for His Majesty."

    His words quickly gained the support of many civil officials, who began to praise him.

    Suddenly, the national teacher¡¯s desire to kill Yuan Ming seemed justified.

    "Yuan Ming, you have deeply misled His Majesty. Had it not been for you, His Majesty might have reached Foundation Establishment two years earlier. In the path of cultivation, one slow step leads to slow progress in every step. You are the guilty official," disciples of Changchun Temple also began to shout.

    Observers from Bailuo Vi and the Shuijing Pce¡¯s Fairy Luo of the Water also nodded in agreement. For a moment, the voices of usation outweighed those of ountability, and the few voices opposing the national teacher were suppressed.

    "Gentlemen, if the person who was targeted, assassinated, and forced to endure hardships in the barbards of the Southern Border were your child, would you still be able to use so righteously?" General Yuan could no longer contain himself and stood up to challenge them.

    "Yuan Ming has never beguiled His Majesty and has always privately urged His Majesty to cultivate at Changchun Temple. On what grounds do you criticize my son, when he is clearly the one being persecuted?" His forceful questioning left everyone speechless.

    The young emperor took a while to recover from his shock, never having imagined that the national teacher¡¯s actions against Yuan Ming were for his sake.

    "Indeed, you have wronged Yuan Ming. My reluctance to cultivate is entirely due to my personal feelings, and my aversion to the idea of seclusion at the temple has nothing to do with Yuan Ming," the young emperor said wearily.

    "Perhaps I was wrong, but does Yuan Ming bear no responsibility for misleading and hindering?" Seeing the young emperorpletely siding with Yuan Ming, the national teacher finally conceded a point.

    <em>[I may have been wrong, but is Yuan Ming not at fault?]</em> Hearing this, General Yuan¡¯s eyes were bloodshot with anger, Yuan Ming, however, tilted his head back, closed his eyes, seemingly struggling to suppress his rage.

    "National teacher, a wrong is a wrong, no need for further words, you mustpensate Yuan Ming," the young emperor also showed his anger.

    "If that¡¯s the case, then let¡¯s make an exception and allow Yuan Ming to be recorded in the Daoist lineage alongside His Majesty, to cultivate at Changchun Temple. Once his Qi refining isplete, he may also be granted a Foundation Establishment pill," Daoist Master Yuhu pondered for a moment, stroking his beard as he spoke.

    Everyone envied upon hearing this.

    Changchun Temple held a transcendent status in the Great Jin, and entering it for cultivation was extremely difficult. Birth and status were secondary; what mattered most was one¡¯s cultivation aptitude.

    Even the direct descendants of ministers and nobles found it hard to enter, yet Yuan Ming not only had this opportunity but was also promised a Foundation Establishment pill, a gift as precious as the heavens.

    "Furthermore, once Yuan Ming enters Changchun Temple, he will cultivate the Nine Elements Form with me, not the Changchun Arts," the young emperor added.

    Although the young emperor possessing the Nine Elements Form meant Yuan Ming had it too, privately cultivating it and openly cultivating it were two different realms. Upon hearing this, a disciple of Changchun Temple was the first to object.

    "Your Majesty, the Nine Elements Form is a technique only core disciples can cultivate. What are Yuan Ming¡¯s qualifications? Why should he be allowed to cultivate the Nine Elements Form? Allowing him to cultivate the Changchun Arts is already an exception, how can he be so presumptuous?"

    "Are you saying I¡¯m overstepping?" the young emperor retorted coldly.

    "I, I..." The disciple from Changchun Temple was at a loss for words.

    "Your Majesty, I cannot decide on the Nine Elements Form, please forgive me," the national teacher bowed slightly.

    The young emperor hesitated upon hearing this.

    "Gentlemen, I think there might be a misunderstanding," Yuan Ming¡¯s voice rang out again.

    Everyone turned to look at him.

    "The reason I stand here using the national teacher is not to seekpensation or justice, but to ask you all to bear witness and give me a chance, a chance to challenge the national teacher." Yuan Ming¡¯s statement was another bolt from the blue.

    "What does he mean, he wants to challenge the national teacher?"

    "Has Yuan Ming gone mad? How can he challenge the national teacher?"

    "A contest in painting and calligraphy, or in writing? What a joke!"

    Whether they supported or opposed the national teacher, everyone thought Yuan Ming was insane.

    "I thought he was a genius, but it turns out he¡¯s so foolish!"

    "His Majesty has already secured a great advantage for you, and you act like this, where do you ce His Majesty?"

    "Simply ungrateful and courting death!"

    ***

    "Yuan Ming, what nonsense are you talking about?" General Yuan was both anxious and angry, disregarding decorum as he rushed to Yuan Ming¡¯s side. He ced his hand on his son¡¯s shoulder, lowered his voice, and urged, "We cannot fight the national teacher, what His Majesty has done is already the greatestpensation, don¡¯t act rashly."

    "Brother Ming, what exactly do you want to do?" The young emperor also approached Yuan Ming, his brow furrowed, asking in a voice only they could hear.

    "Father, Your Majesty, the dangers I encountered on my travels to the Southern Border far exceed those described in my ¡¯Tales of Young Master Sheng¡¯s Southern Journey.¡¯ When leaving Tiehu Town, the national teacher even sent cultivators to assassinate me. I¡¯ve made my way back here step by step, simply to fight for my own life. If I don¡¯t settle this matter openly today, I¡¯ll have to watch my back against him for the rest of my life," Yuan Ming said with a smile.

    If it had only been Lin Junsheng¡¯s targeting, Yuan Ming might have epted the national teacher¡¯s reconciliation, but the second assassination attempt outside Tiehu Town made it impossible for him to forgive.

    "Once is an ident, twice is a pattern, and I, Yuan Ming, will have my revenge." With that, he turned to the crowd and loudly questioned, "For an attempt on my life, why should I ept a mere apology from the national teacher? Why should I be grateful for a cultivation spot from Changchun Temple? Why should I sign a life-and-death contract with someone who wants me dead, and then be scolded for being ungrateful?" "I ask you all, what wrong have I done? Why do you disapprove?" Yuan Ming¡¯s voice swept over the crowd, his question thundering like a bolt from the blue, leaving everyone red-faced and speechless.<hr>

 Chapter 246: Duel

    Chapter 246: Duel

    "I ept." A long silence filled the majestic hall before the national advisor¡¯s voice finally broke through.

    <em>"s,"</em> a sigh echoed from an unknown source.

    "Yuan Ming is courting death! I fear after today, the ¡¯Travels to the South¡¯ will cease to be heard."

    "Why must ite to this, why?"

    "Brother Ming, have you thought this through? It¡¯s not toote to back out. I can..." The young emperor¡¯s words were cut off.

    "Trust me." Yuan Ming said with a smile, winking at the young emperor, who paused briefly before falling silent.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s words also silenced any attempt by General Yuan to dissuade him. Despite his deep concerns, he could only choose to trust, believing that his son must have a reason for his actions.

    ***

    Soon, the national advisor and Yuan Ming signed a life-and-death contract in the Tai¡¯an Hall. The crowd moved to the za outside the hall, where the imperial guards had already cleared the area, leaving ample space for their duel."The life-and-death contract is signed. No one may intervene in your duel until life and death are determined. Afterwards, regardless of the oue, neither party may seek revenge against the other or their respective sects and families for any reason. The families and sects behind both parties are also forbidden from retaliating." The young emperor, rarely disying his imperial majesty, stood at the center of the high tform and announced loudly. After speaking, he looked towards the old emperor, the white-haired olddy, and the fairy of Luo River¡ªthree influential witnesses to the duel.

    The fairy of Luo Rivermented, "What a pity, a mayfly shaking a tree!"

    But the old emperor said, "The sons of our Jin Kingdom should be so bold, living up to the name of a general¡¯s valiant offspring."

    After exchanging nces, the three nodded in agreement. "Begin the duel,"manded the young emperor with a single hand raised.

    Yuan Ming and the national advisor, Master Yuhu, stepped into the center of the za, standing ten paces apart, facing each other.

    "You can still admit defeat now. I won¡¯t kill you today, but don¡¯t even dream of entering Changchun Temple anymore. A rotten wood cannot be carved," Master Yuhu said to Yuan Ming, his voice indifferent.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t speak but simply extended his hand in a ¡¯please¡¯ gesture.

    "Since you¡¯re so eager to die, don¡¯t me me for being merciless!" Master Yuhu¡¯s eyes shed coldly as his robe sleeves billowed. A dark red light flickered, and four thick fire snakes emerged from his sleeves, each several meters long with vivid scales, as lifelike as real pythons, they twisted towards Yuan Ming.

    <em>"Intermediate Fire Snake Technique?"</em> Yuan Ming remained calm, a blue light shed by his hand as he summoned the Water Cloud Banner.

    No longer concealing his cultivation, he poured the vast power of the Foundation Establishment stage into the banner, which expanded several times in the wind, enveloping him within.

    A thickyer of blue mist appeared on its surface, and the surrounding area was instantly filled with moisture. Three fire snakes struck the banner, causing several loud explosions. The mist around the banner was mostly dispersed, and the banner itself shook violently, but it quickly stabilized, and the blue mist swiftly recovered.

    "He¡¯s at the Foundation Establishment stage!"

    "Yuan Ming has reached the Foundation Establishment stage after only three years of cultivation?"

    "What exactly happened to him during his time in the Southern Border?"

    "Changchun Temple has truly missed out on such a promising talent."

    The fairy of Luo River, the olddy of Bailuo Vi, and other cultivators were all astounded, their discussions filled with schadenfreude.

    Yuan Zuochong stood frozen, a sigh of relief in his heart, followed by a low curse, "This kid, even keeping secrets from your own father." Despite his scolding, the excitement and agitation in his voice were unmistakable.

    The young emperor¡¯s eyes shone with admiration, pping his hands in delight. Master Yuhu¡¯s face also showed shock, a tinge of regret shing through his heart, quickly turning into a cold killing intent.

    If before he was holding back due to his status, merely intending to cripple Yuan Ming¡¯s cultivation and give face to Tianming and the royal family, now that Yuan Ming had somehow concealed his cultivation, he had reached the Foundation Establishment stage in three years!

    At this point, he could not allow Yuan Ming to live, or he would be a great threat in the future! As these thoughts raced through his mind, Master Yuhu formed hand seals and cast several spells around him.

    <em>"Whoosh!"</em> A red pir of light suddenly rose from his body, shooting towards the sky and exploding high above, rapidly spreading out.

    In the blink of an eye, a ten-meter-wide cloud of fire formed, looking exceptionally red.

    "The national advisor is using his ultimate Fire Cloud Technique; he doesn¡¯t want Yuan Ming to leave here alive!" The young emperor¡¯s heart sank, his lips parting to use Changchun Temple¡¯s sound transmission technique to warn Yuan Ming.

    "Since they¡¯ve agreed to a fair fight, it¡¯s best you don¡¯t interfere," a voice transmitted to his ear. The young emperor¡¯s expression stiffened, and he reluctantly gave up on the sound transmission.

    General Yuan remained silent, his gaze fixed on the za, fists clenched tightly.

    Although Yuan Ming didn¡¯t know what divine power Master Yuhu was using, he had experienced life-and-death situations in the Southern Border and directly participated in the Bi Luo Cave cmity. Having fought against Foundation Establishment cultivators multiple times even during his Qi refining stage, he was rich inbat experience and would not allow his opponent to act at will.

    He raised his hands in the air, and several magical instruments flew out in session¡ªthe Cold Star Sword, the Nine Rings Saber, the Wu Mountain w, and other mid-grade magical instruments.

    After advancing to the Foundation Establishment stage, his spiritual consciousness had greatly increased, and with the support of the Death Moon method, he was even more adept at simultaneously controlling multiple magical instruments for coordinated attacks.

    These instruments formed a colorful torrent, rushing towards Master Yuhu. Amidst the re of the magical instruments, a ck needle transformed into a thin, silent shadow, circling around and stabbing directly at Master Yuhu¡¯s back.

    Master Yuhu¡¯s expression remained unchanged, his hands wrapped in red light crossed in front of him.

    The fire cloud in the sky rumbled like magma, and a dozenrge, teardrop-shaped fireballs shot down from the sky, exploding around him.

    <em>Boom!</em> All the fireballs burst, creating a massive wave of fire that protected him from all sides, not only deflecting the Cold Star Sword and the Nine Rings Saber but also the ck needle.

    The ground below was also affected, the thick stone tiles shattered, and the ground was deeply gouged, kicking up dust and debris.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s face showed shock, with a hint of inexplicable fervor in the depths of his eyes.

    Master Yuhu¡¯s lips curled into a cold smile as he raised a single finger and slowly pointed towards Yuan Ming¡¯s position. The fire cloud roared, and more than a dozen huge fireballs shot out, faster than before, sealing off all of Yuan Ming¡¯s escape routes.

    Yuan Ming felt a scorching wave apanied by a terrifying spiritual pressure rushing towards him, making him feel suffocated. However, he didn¡¯t dodge; his hand seals changed rapidly, the Water Cloud Banner¡¯s blue light intensified, and he also summoned the golden Eight Trigrams Mirror.

    A golden light screen quickly spread out, adding anotheryer of defense around him. Just as he finished these preparations, the fireballs arrived, striking the golden light screen. A series of earth-shattering explosions erupted! The red mes rolled, turning into a ck and red fire cloud that engulfed everything nearby.

    Master Yuhu¡¯s cheeks were slightly pale, indicating that the spell had drained much of his mana, but his lips still held a trace of a cold smile. His Fire Cloud Technique was immensely powerful, and that strike was made with all his strength. Even ate-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator would not dare to face its edge, let alone Yuan Ming, who had just entered the early stage of Foundation Establishment.

    However, the next moment, Master Yuhu¡¯s smile froze. His spiritual consciousness sensed that within the engulfing red mes, Yuan Ming¡¯s presence was still there, and he didn¡¯t seem to be severely injured.

    <em>"Impossible!"</em> Master Yuhu hurriedly continued casting spells, the fire cloud in the sky surged again, but before he could act, the ground at his feet suddenly cracked open, and a dozen thick purple-ck vines shot out, stabbing towards him like spears.

    Master Yuhu, though surprised, was not disordered; he quickly summoned a yellow umbre, which flew above his head and opened with a<em> "whoosh,"</em> spinning rapidly. A series of slightly hazy yellow lights fell from the umbre, forming a cylindrical light screen around him in the blink of an eye. The purple-ck vines struck the yellow light screen and were all deflected.

    Amidst the red mes, Yuan Ming wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his gaze fixed on the yellow umbre¡ªa low-grade defensive magical instrument. The Eight Trigrams Mirror had already shattered, lying in pieces at his feet, its spirit gone.

    The Water Cloud Banner was still there, but its light had dimmed significantly, obviously suffering considerable damage. When the Eight Trigrams Mirror was destroyed, he decisively summoned the ck inkstone and the Water Cloud Banner to withstand the impact, otherwise, he doubted he could have survived the explosion of the fireballs.

    Yuan Ming pped the ground with both hands, and a green light shone from his palms. The ground around Master Yuhu cracked open, and thick purple vines emerged, wrappingyer uponyer around the yellow light screen surrounding him. In a few breaths, Master Yuhu, along with the light screen, waspletely covered and submerged by countless vines.

    Beneath the ground, a few meters below Master Yuhu,y a vine creature¡ª<em>Hua Zhi.</em>

    Before the session ceremony, Yuan Ming had instructed Hua Zhi to sneak underground. Using the Wood Concealment Technique to hide its presence, it moved deep underground, lurking beneath Master Yuhu.

    "Master, I alone am enough to deal with this old Taoist!" Hua Zhi boasted loudly.

    "Stop your prattle!" Yuan Ming once again controlled the magical instruments, not attacking Master Yuhu but aiming for the fire cloud in the sky.

    Master Yuhu¡¯s face showed a trace of surprise, and he quickly formed hand seals pointing to the sky. The fire cloud surged, and nearly thirty fireballs shot down, half meeting the magical instruments and the other half striking the ground.

    <em>Boom!</em> A loud explosion erupted. A vast expanse of red mes appeared in the sky, the Cold Star Sword and other instruments were sted away again, and the Wu Mountain w was directly shattered,pletely destroyed.<hr>

 Chapter 247: Kill

    Chapter 247: Kill

    Meanwhile, nearly seven or eight fireballs were already hurtling down viciously towards the purple-ck demon vines below.

    Hidden underground, Hua Zhi¡¯s hands flickered with a green light, swiftly transmitting it outward.

    The many purple-ck demon vines, wrapped in a yellow light screen, suddenly split down the middle, sliding rapidly to the sides, revealing the yellow light screen and Elder Yu of Changchun Temple, just in time to face the descending fireballs.

    Elder Yu, taken aback, hurriedly manipted the hand signs to change the direction of the falling fireballs, but it was toote. Four or five of them struck the yellow light screen solidly, while the restnded on the purple-ck vines.

    Amidst the deafening explosions, Elder Yu was engulfed in a ze that soared to the heavens.

    Yuan Ming, who had just endured a simr barrage, watched as Elder Yu withstood an almost identical onught. The yellow light screen trembled violently, but unlike the Eight Trigrams Mirror, it did not shatter.

    Inside the light screen, Elder Yu¡¯splexion grew even paler.

    Although the purple-ck demon vines were only hit by a few fireballs, they too were severely damaged. Nearly half of the vines were destroyed, and the rest were all injured.

    Hua Zhi¡¯s face showed a pained expression as she spat out a stream of green light, which quickly fused the damaged vines. In the blink of an eye, they transformed into two giant purple-ck hands, each about ten meters in size, and pped down fiercely on the yellow light screen.Yuan Ming did not cease his assault, continuing to control the Cold Star Sword and other magical instruments to shoot towards the fiery clouds in the sky, while his palm struck his Corpse Raising Bag, merging a Soul Crow into the head of the Flood Monkey.

    The Flood Monkey¡¯s eyes snapped open, leaping out from the Corpse Raising Bag.

    Yuan Ming pulled out the Corpse Sealing Nail, and a powerful aura surged from the Flood Monkey. It stomped the ground fiercely and dashed towards Elder Yu as a white blur.

    At this moment, under the watchful eyes of all, the Flood Monkey disyed the full extent of its power at thete stage of Foundation Establishment.

    "First, the demon vines sprouted from the ground, and now ate-stage Foundation Establishment Flood Monkey has appeared. It seems this Yuan Ming is no simple character and must have premeditated today¡¯s events," the Luo River Fairy remarked leisurely from the high tform.

    "I thought this young man was overreaching, but who would have guessed that at such a young age, he¡¯s so cunning and calcting? It seems Elder Yu is in a bit of trouble! He¡¯s been enjoying the good life at the Great Jin court for so many years, it¡¯s been a long time since he¡¯s had to lift a finger," the old crone with a cane chuckled.

    The old emperor said nothing, a faint smile spreading across his face.

    The onlookers¡¯ gazes towards Yuan Ming now carried a hint of awe, devoid of their initial contempt.

    Elder Yu, facing Yuan Ming¡¯s relentless attacks, broke out in a sweat, summoning fireballs to continue entangling with the two purple-ck vine hands and the Cold Star Sword, while pping his Storage Bag at his waist.

    A white light shot out, transforming into a tall, cyan puppet that resembled the mechanical puppet of the Fire Refining Master. Its eyes flickered with strands of cyan light, and it charged straight at the Flood Monkey uponnding.

    The cyan puppet wielded a silver-white greatsword, blocking the Flood Monkey¡¯s path with a sweeping sh.

    The Flood Monkey punched out, its fist emanating a thick golden light that collided with the silver greatsword.

    With a <em>"ng"</em> of metal striking metal, the Flood Monkey was forced back two steps, while the cyan puppet staggered back five or six steps.

    At that moment, a slender ck shadow appeared from behind the puppet, no longer concealing its presence. Three runes were fully activated, the needle emitting a foot-long ck sharp light, moving even faster to create afterimages, and in a sh, it stabbed into the back of the cyan puppet¡¯s head.

    With a loud <em>"ng," </em>sparks flew from the back of the cyan puppet¡¯s head, the ck needle prating halfway in, causing a dent in the nearby skull.

    But the cyan puppet, as if nothing had happened, continued to fight fiercely with the Flood Monkey, blocking its path.

    Yuan Ming furrowed his brow, executed the Shadowless Step, and with a fierce push, activated the divine power of his White Jade Belt. His figure vanished from the spot, reappearing behind the puppet like a ghost, hand raised for a strike.

    A silver light aimed at the cyan puppet was the silver token he had obtained from the vortex beast¡¯s stomach.

    His left hand followed with a p, sending a yellow talisman flying towards the cyan puppet.

    The silver token struck the cyan puppet first, emitting a <em>"ng"</em> without causing any damage.

    The Flood Monkey, entangled with the cyan puppet, suddenly retreated, creating some distance.

    As the cyan puppet was about to give chase, the yellow talisman arrived, striking its chest.

    Bright yellow light burst forth, forming a cage-like yellow light screen that enveloped the cyan puppet.

    This talisman, known as the "Earth Prison Talisman," was a mid-grade talisman with considerable restraining power, but it could only restrain Qi refining cultivators and first-level fierce beasts.

    Elder Yu scoffed disdainfully, about tomand the cyan puppet to break through the Earth Prison Talisman with his sword, when a surge of silver light suddenly emerged, rapidly spreading across the ground and the light wall of the Earth Prison Talisman, engulfing everything in an instant to form a sealed silver space.

    The cyan light in the puppet¡¯s eyes dimmed instantly, standing motionless within the Earth Prison Talisman¡¯s light shield.

    Elder Yu was shocked and furious to discover that the silver light within the Earth Prison Talisman seemed to have the effect of isting spiritual consciousness, severing the link between his spiritual consciousness and the cyan puppet in an instant.

    He was about to break the Earth Prison Talisman with a fiery cloud secret technique when the Flood Monkey had already swooped in, within ten meters of him.

    Elder Yu could no longer concern himself with the cyan puppet and pointed at the fiery clouds in the sky.

    The dozen or so fireballs, originally aimed at the purple-ck demon hands and the Cold Star Sword, changed direction, all whistling towards the Flood Monkey.

    Not only that, Elder Yu¡¯s right hand shed red, producing a palm-sized red talisman covered in dense runes, emitting intense fire elemental spiritual power fluctuations, clearly a high-grade talisman.

    He spat out a mouthful of essence blood into the red talisman and crushed it violently.

    A several meters long crimson fire dragon appeared, emitting terrifying heat, and lunged towards the Flood Monkey with bared fangs and ws.

    Elder Yu¡¯s eyes were venomous. Among Yuan Ming¡¯s many tactics, only the Flood Monkey gave him a sense of threat, as if sitting on pins and needles. Only by eliminating this creature could he settle down and slowly deal with Yuan Ming.

    At that moment, Elder Yu¡¯s vision blurred as Yuan Ming¡¯s figure appeared like a specter, his eyes shing white with the newly learned illusion technique.

    Caught off guard, Elder Yu¡¯s expression became dazed for a moment, and the multitude of fireballs struck an empty space.

    The fire dragon also changed direction, hitting another empty spot on the ground.

    The Flood Monkey suddenly elerated, appearing in front of Elder Yu in an instant, punching out.

    The punch tore through the air, emitting a piercing screech.

    Hua Zhi, sensing this scene, became inexplicably enraged. A thick green light surged from her body, rapidly transferring to the two purple-ck demon hands on the ground.

    The fingers of the two purple demon hands suddenly spread apart, transforming into ten vine swords with an exceptionally sharp aura, stabbing fiercely at the yellow light screen.

    However, the Flood Monkey¡¯s punch was lightning-fast, striking the yellow light screen first.

    Yuan Ming exerted all his control over the Soul Crow within the Flood Monkey, maximizing its power in that instant. An overwhelming force erupted, pouring into the yellow light screen.

    The yellow light screen shattered on cue, breaking into countless yellow lights, and the yellow umbre suspended above Elder Yu¡¯s head "crackled" and split into seven or eight pieces, losing all its spirituality.

    The two purple-ck demon hands wed down fiercely, their fingers piercing Elder Yu¡¯s body, creating seven or eight gaping holes.

    Elder Yu suddenly awoke, feeling his lifeblood rapidly draining and his body numbing, unable to even scream.

    A shadow shed, and Yuan Ming swept by from the side, holding a treasured sword in his hand, shing down.

    A streak of sword light shed by.

    Elder Yu¡¯s body remained still, his head flying off tond three meters away on the ground.

    A fountain of blood spurted out, reaching a foot in height, and the thick scent of blood spread.

    ***

    The crowd outside was dumbfounded, deathly silent.

    As the vine swords withdrew from Elder Yu¡¯s body, and his corpse fell to the ground, the crowd finally let out a collective gasp.

    Then, all was quiet.

    The young emperor stared nkly at Yuan Ming for a moment, then at Elder Yu¡¯s headless corpse, still somewhat in shock.

    General Yuan raised his fist to the sky, took a long breath, and then loudly proimed, <em>"My son is mighty!"</em>

    Yuan Ming called back all his magical instruments, leaving no fragments on the ground.

    Hua Zhi burrowed deeper underground and vanished from sight.

    Yuan Ming appeared near the Flood Monkey, silently inserting the Corpse Sealing Nail and storing it in the Corpse Raising Bag. His expression rxed, and the faint bloodlust in his eyes was quickly suppressed.

    He then approached the light shield, casting a spell to dissolve the Earth Prison Talisman¡¯s yellow light screen, and the silver light inside it also dissipated.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s palm emitted a suction force, drawing the silver token into his hand and storing it away.

    A figure shed, appearing out of thin air beside Elder Yu¡¯s corpse. It was Liu Tianming¡¯s grandfather, the old emperor. Now looking at Yuan Ming, he remained silent for a long time before saying, "A fine young man from the Yuan family, it¡¯s a pity that Changchun Temple cannot keep you."

    "You tter me, senior. I was presumptuous, and I apologize for any offense to Changchun Temple," Yuan Ming said apologetically.

    The old emperor did not respond. "This duel is over, the victor is Yuan Ming!" After a while, the old emperor suddenly spoke up, announcing the result.

    A murmur of amazement and cheers erupted from the nearby crowd, this duel far more entertaining than the dull celebration.

    The old emperor gestured, and a disciple of Changchun Temple came forward to collect Elder Yu¡¯s corpse and the nearby cyan puppet.

    "Do not let down Tianming, and take care of yourself from now on," the old emperor advised in a low voice before turning and leaving.

    Watching the old emperor depart, Yuan Ming took a deep breath, looked up at the sky with clear eyes, and felt a weight lift from his heart.

    ***

    In a side hall of the imperial pce, Yuan Ming and the young emperor sat opposite each other.

    "Ming brother, you¡¯ve been too secretive, not even telling me about your advancement to the Foundation Establishment stage. Tell me, how should I punish you?" The young emperor sipped his tea and said with a smile.

    "I ept my punishment. This technique is a secret art I obtained in the Southern Border, likely unique to a certain family. I will pass it on to you now, but don¡¯t use it lightly to avoid attracting their attention."

    After speaking, Yuan Ming exined the "Hidden Yuan Art" to the young emperor.<hr>

 Chapter 248: Send-off

    Chapter 248: Send-off

    "The National Advisor wields tremendous influence in the capital, so I must feign weakness. If I were to reveal my Foundation Establishment stage cultivation, he would surely incite other high-level cultivators to move against me. Lin Junsheng wouldn¡¯t just obediently stay in the capital either," Yuan Ming said as he drained the tea from his cup in one gulp.

    "You¡¯re right. Today, you slew Elder Yu of Changchun Temple, and soon the news will spread across all nations, bringing you fame, but also thoroughly offending the National Advisor¡¯s faction. What are your ns for the future?" The young emperor asked with some concern, though he didn¡¯t truly me Yuan Ming.

    "I¡¯ll be leaving soon. The world is vast; where can¡¯t I find refuge? Wandering as an unaffiliated cultivator can be quite carefree," Yuan Ming replied nonchntly.

    "It seems your trip to the Southern Border has matured you greatly. I too should seize the opportunity to travel with Lon," the young emperor said with a hint of longing.

    "I¡¯m indifferent to my own fate, a lone wanderer, free toe and go. But my parents are in the capital, and if Changchun Temple seeks revenge for today¡¯s events, I fear they won¡¯t be able to withstand it," a trace of worry flickered in Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes.

    "Don¡¯t worry about that. Your duel with Elder Yu was fair, and the oue was left to fate. This matter will soon be known throughout Great Jin and even the neighboring cultivator realms. Changchun Temple has always prided itself on being a righteous sect; they wouldn¡¯t retaliate against you and risk tarnishing their reputation. Besides, I will make proper arrangements to ensure the safety of Yuan Residence," the young emperor paused before adding, "The National Advisor¡¯s faction has controlled court affairs for many years, monopolizing the best disciples. It¡¯s time for a change. His attack on you vited the prohibition, and by publicly challenging and killing him, you¡¯ve done my grandfather a great favor."

    "How will your grandfather thank me?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "Ensuring your safety is probably all I can offer," the young emperor replied. "Even so, you must be careful. It¡¯s easy to dodge an open attack, but a hidden one is much harder to avoid."

    Yuan Ming¡¯s greatest concern was exactly this. Heaving a sigh of relief, he then asked, "Speaking of which, the Fiery Cloud technique Elder Yu used earlier was quite formidable. Do you know its origin?""To my knowledge, the Fiery Cloud secret technique is a unique and powerful art of Changchun Temple. It¡¯s extremely difficult to cultivate, which is why it¡¯s not well-known. Elder Yu likely only mastered the basics," the young emperor exined.

    "Fiery Cloud secret technique? How does it differ from the technique you used to kill Lin Junsheng?" Yuan Ming casually inquired.

    "The technique I used to kill Lin Junsheng is called the Explosive me Art, which is an introductory technique one practices before learning the Fiery Cloud secret technique," the young emperor said.

    "With your talent, you should be able to learn the Fiery Cloud secret technique. It¡¯s truly fearsome. If I hadn¡¯t had a few decent mid-grade defensive artifacts, I would have been defeated long ago," Yuan Ming sighed.

    "Yes, with my affinity for fire-based techniques, I will also cultivate this art after I enter the temple," the young emperor boasted.

    After chatting with the young emperor for a while, Yuan Ming took his leave.

    ***

    Passing through a garden, Hua Zhi emerged from the ground and began to mutter incessantly before even getting back into the spirit beast bag.

    Yuan Ming paused, listening carefully, and realized Hua Zhi wasining about him releasing the white ape during the recent battle.

    "You seem to dislike the white ape? Why?" Yuan Ming asked, puzzled.

    "I don¡¯t know, I just find it annoying," Hua Zhi replied after a moment,municating through spiritual consciousness.

    "Alright, but what¡¯s so annoying about it? It doesn¡¯t even have spiritual intelligence," Yuan Ming said.

    "I just find it annoying. Whenever I see it, I can¡¯t help but want to tie it up and whip it," Hua Zhi rambled on.

    ***

    Outside the pce gates, beneath a certain high wall, a carriage from the General¡¯s Residence waited, with Yuan Zuochong inside.

    Before long, Yuan Ming boarded the carriage. Yuan Zuochong, facing his son who had reached the Foundation Establishment stage, was full of questions but was about to ask.

    "Father, this is not the ce to talk. Let¡¯s discuss it at home," Yuan Ming whispered.

    Yuan Zuochong nodded, nced around, and then lowered the carriage curtain.

    Neither father nor son spoke, returning to the General¡¯s Residence in silence.

    Inside the main hall of the General¡¯s Residence, Yuan Ming¡¯s mother stood with a grim expression, seemingly aware of the events that had transpired during the session ceremony.

    "Mother," Yuan Ming chuckled dryly, sheepishly speaking.

    "Ming, you were too impulsive today. Although the National Advisor deserved death, you shouldn¡¯t have struck him down publicly. This act will likely offend many, especially the cultivators of Changchun Temple, and could lead to serious trouble," Yuan Ming¡¯s mother finally spoke after a long silence.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t argue with his mother. She was astute and correct, but as a non-cultivator unaware of the full context, she couldn¡¯t understand.

    Elder Yu was the National Advisor, revered and ensconced within the inner pce. If Yuan Ming hadn¡¯t acted today, it would have been difficult to even see him again, let alone seek revenge.

    Yuan Ming could have chosen to strike when Elder Yu was outside the pce, but that was uncertain and could take a long time. If discovered, he would be a true assassin, offending the entirety of Changchun Temple, and there would be no ce for him in all of Great Jin.

    By challenging him publicly, although he offended many, the incident was significant enough that those people had no overt justification to attack him, making it somewhat safer.

    "Ming¡¯er is still young, acting on impulse, and since it¡¯s all over, let¡¯s not mention it," Yuan Zuochong yed the peacemaker.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s mother red at Yuan Zuochong but said no more on the matter.

    "Ming¡¯er, when did you break through to the Foundation Establishment stage? You¡¯ve only cultivated for three years, yet your progress is astonishingly fast," Yuan Zuochong changed the subject, trying to lighten the mood.

    "I had some fortuitous encounters in the Southern Border," Yuan Ming naturally went along with his father.

    He recounted some of his experiences in the Southern Border, attributing his rapid advancement in cultivation to elixirs and spiritual incense, without mentioning the Heaven-Defying Cauldron.

    Although Yuan Zuochong had practiced some cultivation techniques, he was still entrenched in the secr court and not truly a part of the immortal path,cking experience in genuine cultivator battles. He was curious about the life Yuan Ming described.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s mother was also captivated by his stories, and her expression softened considerably.

    "Father, there¡¯s no need for me to hide anything now. Here are some Qi refining elixirs and spiritual incense, along with a few artifacts for you to use. If it¡¯s not enough, just let me know," Yuan Ming said as he handed a storage ring to Yuan Zuochong.

    Yuan Zuochong looked at the ring in his hand, feeling the array of items within through his spiritual consciousness. He was heartened but also felt aplex mix of emotions.

    "You¡¯re only giving gifts to your father; what about me?" Yuan Ming¡¯s mother extended her hand.

    "Of course, I wouldn¡¯t forget about Mother. This Clear Mind Pearl can regte the internal organs and rx the muscles when worn close to the body. It also has some benefits for women¡¯s beauty and skincare, making it perfect for you," Yuan Ming said as he handed over a white jade box.

    Inside the box was a pale blue pearl, emitting a soft glow, quite beautiful.

    He had searched several markets on his way back to Great Jin to find this gift suitable for his mother.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s mother happily took the pearl and began to admire it.

    "Father, I killed Elder Yu today, and although it was a fair duel, the people of Changchun Temple might not let it go. I can¡¯t stay at home; leaving is better for you and Mother," Yuan Ming cautioned, despite the young emperor¡¯s assurance of safety.

    "Right, Ming¡¯er, go with peace of mind. Although I practice immortal techniques, I¡¯m still a secr person in the court, with a prominent position. The people of Changchun Temple won¡¯t dare to do anything to us," Yuan Zuochong reassured.

    "That¡¯s good," Yuan Ming nodded.

    "Ming¡¯er, are you nning to leave the capital alone?" his mother sensed something amiss.

    "Changchun Temple won¡¯t let things rest. If I stay in the city, it¡¯s only a matter of time before I¡¯m targeted," Yuan Ming sighed.

    "But you¡¯ve just returned from the Southern Border, and now you have to leave alone, with Changchun Temple after you. If something happens to you, how am I supposed to live?" his mother was on the verge of tears.

    "Ming¡¯er, your mother has a point. Changchun Temple is powerful; isn¡¯t it more dangerous for you to be alone out there?" Yuan Zuochong also advised.

    Yuan Ming felt helpless and was about to exin further to ease his parents¡¯ worries when his mother, as if grasping at a lifeline, clutched his hand.

    "The white jade ring you¡¯ve worn since childhood, your grandmother said it¡¯s a treasure passed down from Shengye Sect. If you run into trouble, you can use it to seek help from the sect in Leizhou City," his mother said, touching the ring on Yuan Ming¡¯s hand.

    Yuan Ming was taken aback, suddenly remembering the one-armed elder he met in Heiyan City of the Southern Border, who belonged to the Zhenling Pavilion, which also seemed to be a sect in Leizhou.

    After pondering for a moment, he nodded, "That¡¯s a good idea. I¡¯ll follow Mother¡¯s suggestion and seek refuge with Shengye Sect in Leizhou."

    His mother was overjoyed, "Good, I¡¯ll help you pack your luggage. You must bring more things to avoid hardship on your own."

    "Let Ming¡¯er rest at home tonight. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll arrange for a team of elite guards to escort you to Leizhou," Yuan Zuochong added.

    Yuan Ming nodded, not refusing his parents¡¯ kindness. However, once he returned to his room, he secretly wrote a confidential letter and handed it to Hua Zhi to deliver underground into the pce.

    ***

    The next day, before dawn, as the rooster crowed, Yuan Ming opened his door and donned a cloak of concealment, using an illusion to hide his figure.

    Thus, he moved unimpeded through the residence, quickly reaching his parents¡¯ bedroom.

    His father, still in a deep sleep with furrowed brows, seemed to be having a nightmare, while his mother also looked worried, murmuring Yuan Ming¡¯s name in her sleep.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming sighed softly, silently kowtowed several times, then left a letter he had written overnight by his father¡¯s pillow.

    The letter also contained amunication talisman he had purchased in the market, so his father could contact him if necessary.

    After onest look at his parents, Yuan Ming turned and silently left the General¡¯s Residence.

    Outside, a simple carriage quietly stood in a corner.

    Beside the carriage, a figure in a bamboo hat and ck clothes anxiously waited.

    Not far away, Yuan Ming, who had just left the residence, released his Soul Raven to quietly observe the surroundings. Confirming there were no others lying in ambush near the carriage, he approached, "I¡¯m here."

    "Get in the carriage first, then we¡¯ll talk," the mysterious figure immediately pulled Yuan Ming onto the carriage, revealing himself to be the young emperor, Liu Tianming.

    "Your Majesty, why have youe?" Yuan Ming asked in a low voice inside the carriage.<hr>

 Chapter 249: Rushing to Leizhou

    Chapter 249: Rushing to Leizhou

    Liu Tianming removed his bamboo hat, "I received your messagest night and immediately started arranging everything. But I couldn¡¯t shake my worries, so I decided toe myself."

    "Aren¡¯t you afraid of being discovered by the people of Changchun Temple?" Yuan Ming inquired.

    "What can they do to me if they find out? Let¡¯s not talk about that. Ming brother, as per your secret letterst night, I¡¯ve arranged ten identical carriages that will leave the city in different directions for various destinations. We¡¯re in one of them right now, and the coachman is an unsuspecting guard. You can proceed with your ns," Liu Tianming exined in a low voice, waving his hand dismissively.

    Yuan Ming smiled, "You¡¯ve really gone through a lot of trouble this time."

    "Our rtionship doesn¡¯t require keeping score! Oh, and take good care of this." Liu Tianming produced amunication talisman and handed it to Yuan Ming.

    He continued to exin, "This is a specially made two-waymunication talisman, imprinted with my magical power. If you encounter any difficult situations outside, just contact me."

    Yuan Ming nodded and epted themunication talisman.

    Seeing this, Liu Tianming smiled, stood up, and said, "I didn¡¯t expect we¡¯d have to part ways so soon after meeting. Take care, Ming brother."

    Yuan Ming gave him a fist salute, and the two parted ways.***

    Soon, the carriage sped away, passing through the city gate under the watchful gaze of the signboard bearing the characters "Qujiang," leaving a trail of dust as it raced towards the rising sun.

    A middle-aged city guard at the gate watched the distant carriage absentmindedly and turned to his colleague, "Did you hear about what happened at the abdication ceremony yesterday?"

    "Of course, I heard. Who in Qujiang City doesn¡¯t know about such a big event?" The younger colleague casually replied while picking his teeth with a bamboo stick.

    "Sigh, it¡¯s incredible how Young Master Yuan cultivates. Three years ago, he was just a mortal rejected by Changchun Temple due to his poor aptitude, and now he¡¯s actually defeated the National Advisor," the middle-aged guard remarked with amazement.

    The young colleague tossed away his bamboo stick, perking up, "It¡¯s truly unbelievable! Speaking of Young Master Yuan, I heard that the ¡¯Travels to the South¡¯ sold by Tianming Bookstore is adapted from his own experiences in the Southern Border. I have to buy a copy after my shift to see if I can glean anything from it."

    "You? Dream on," the middle-aged guard scoffed.

    "A man without dreams is worse than a salted fish, for even a salted fish can turn over!" the young colleague retorted nonchntly.

    The middle-aged guard was taken aback, then after a moment, he coughed twice and said, "Ahem, well, when you do, grab a copy for your older brother too. I want to see what opportunities lie in the Southern Border."

    ***

    A monthter, in Wohe City.

    Named for its proximity to the Wo River, the city was notrge, but due to its docks connecting the north-south waterways and the endless stream of passenger boats and cargo ships, it was exceptionally prosperous.

    As such, there were many who made their living from the waterways, and Wang Laowu was one of these inconspicuous individuals.

    His ancestors had been fishermen for generations, and it was only in his generation that he had managed to save a little money. His father had intended to expand the fishing business, but Wang Laowu, unwilling to spend his days in thepany of fishy smells, resolutely bought a passenger boat and started a ferry business.

    However, in this city, there were no less than a hundred or two hundred ferry businesses, and Wang Laowu¡¯s boat had nothing special to offer. With few customers, he quickly found himself in financial trouble.

    Now, unable to even afford to hire a deckhand, his entire family lived on the boat, helping to steer and sail just to scrape by.

    At over thirty-five, facing his wife¡¯s dailyints, his father¡¯s disappointed looks, and his growing son¡¯s increasing appetite, Wang Laowu was anxious, spending his days wandering the docks in search of passengers.

    Today, just past noon, Wang Laowu squeezed next to the coolies resting at the tea stall and asked for a cup of free cold water, sipping it while surveying the dock.

    Normally, there wouldn¡¯t be any passengers at this time, but perhaps it was Wang Laowu¡¯s lucky day, as he spotted a potential customer looking for a boat.

    The man was dressed in a in long robe. Despite his simple attire, his handsome features and sharp, phoenix-like eyes made him stand out.

    This man was Yuan Ming, who had left the capital alone to avoid retaliation from Changchun Temple.

    Wang Laowu¡¯s eyes lit up, and he quickly gulped down his water, hurrying over.

    "Esteemed guest, do you require a boat?"

    Yuan Ming had just finished talking with another boatman and, seeing Wang Laowu approach, nodded, "Indeed, I need to go to Leizhou City. Can your boat make the journey?"

    Wang Laowu was overjoyed, sensing that the gentleman before him was not stingy. He probed, "The journey to Leizhou City is treacherous, sir. The rapids can damage the boat, and I¡¯ll have to return empty. It¡¯s quite a trip!"

    "I¡¯m well aware, which is why I¡¯m asking if your boat can make it. I¡¯ll charter the entire boat," Yuan Ming stated.

    Wang Laowu¡¯s eyes darted around, and after a moment¡¯s hesitation, he held up four fingers, "We can make the trip, but it¡¯ll cost this much."

    He quoted a price more than double the usual rate.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t haggle and replied, "That¡¯s fine, but I need to leave immediately."

    "No problem, my whole family is on the boat, we can set off right away!" Wang Laowu was ecstatic, nodding repeatedly and leading Yuan Ming to his boat.

    His boat was notrge, but it was tidy. The deck had been partitioned into six rooms, one upied by Wang Laowu¡¯s family, the rest vacant.

    Yuan Ming casually chose a room to settle in, instructed Wang Laowu not to disturb him unless necessary, and that meals should be left at the door. Then he sent him off to set sail.

    Once Wang Laowu was gone, Yuan Ming silently performed the Death Moon method, releasing a soul crow to keep watch in the sky. He also summoned Hua Zhi from the spirit beast bag to hide below deck, finally feeling a bit more at ease.

    Over the past month, he had traveled by carriage and horse, changed disguises, and journeyed day and night, with little rest.

    Now on the boat, following the river downstream, he no longer needed to switch between carriages and horses, affording him some respite.

    With his tense mood slightly rxed, Yuan Ming summoned the Stealing Heaven Cauldron and inserted a stick of newly made ck incense, lighting it.

    As the incense smoke swirled, Yuan Ming recalled his father¡¯s image in his mind and soon projected his consciousness into him.

    ***

    Compared to a month ago, Yuan Zuochong hadn¡¯t changed much. At this moment, he was sitting in his study, penning a memorial.

    "Your servant, Yuan Zuochong, petitions to retire..."

    Soon, he finished the memorial, exhaled a breath of stale air, and after rereading it, he put it away.

    After pondering for a moment, Yuan Zuochong took out themunication talisman left by Yuan Ming, studied it for a long time, but ultimately set it down.

    "I wonder how Ming¡¯er is doing now. With his cultivation, courage, insight, and experience, he¡¯s returned from the Southern Border. Even if he encounters trouble, it shouldn¡¯t be too much for him."

    With a long sigh, Yuan Zuochong¡¯s thoughts lingered.

    ***

    At that moment, Yuan Ming ended the projection and returned to his own body, his heart filled with mncholy.

    Quickly gathering his emotions, since his family should be safe for the short term, he began to n for his own journey ahead.

    His spiritual consciousness entered his storage ring, and after a quick inventory, he found that most of the elixirs and talismans he had prepared were used up, with only a few remaining. The useful ones were the Foundation Establishment stage elixirs he had taken from Elder Meng Shan and Xu Changqing.

    As for the "Copper Skin Elixirs" taken from Liu Su, he would have to wait to find a suitable body refining technique before using them.

    Regarding spirit stones, he had a total of over two thousand, which seemed like a lot, but if he were to buy Foundation Establishment stage cultivation materials, it wouldn¡¯t be enough.

    Aside from these, he still had quite a few magical artifacts.

    He only had one high-grade artifact, an unnamed ck needle, while mid-grade and low-grade artifacts included the Cold Star Sword, Nine Rings Golden Saber, Short Emerald Dagger, and Golden Serpent Sword, among others, totaling about a dozen.

    Yuan Ming selected some artifacts he wouldn¡¯t need and nned to sell them at a market in Leizhou to exchange for spirit stones. He then began to examine the spiritual materials in his storage bag.

    The materials used for making incense had been significantly depleted, and he would need to replenish them in Leizhou. He also found several other materials he had forgotten about and took them out.

    First were a piece of earthy yellow carapace and a clump of gray silk the size of a human head, acquired from a storage bag mishap at the ck Rock City market.

    Next was a fiery red horn, obtained during a mission in Bi Luo Cave. Its origins were unclear, but ording to a fire refining master, its grade could be above mid-grade.

    Lastly was the skin of a Golden Patterned Leopard, a second-level lower-tier fierce beast, which also had considerable value.

    As he sorted through the items, Yuan Ming suddenly found a green sphere, the Heartbreak Thunder he had bought at the ck Rock City ghost market.

    He had originally purchased three, one used on Elder Meng Shan, another against the Vortex Beast, both with impressive results. Now, with only one left, he wouldn¡¯t use it unless absolutely necessary.

    This artifact was a unique creation of the Wulei Sect from Zhao Country. With Leizhou neighboring Zhao, it was possible that Heartbreak Thunder might be circting secretly in the market.

    Yuan Ming made a mental note, carefully put away the Heartbreak Thunder, and organized the remaining talismans and items until he had finished inventorying everything in the ring.

    He shifted his consciousness to the soul crow and saw that Wang Laowu¡¯s boat had already left the dock and was sailing north along the Wo River. His family didn¡¯t try to converse with him, which suited him just fine. He withdrew his consciousness and began to cultivate.

    Half an hourter, Yuan Ming sighed, frowning as he stopped cultivating.

    Ever since obtaining theplete Nine Elements Form from Liu Tianming, he had been practicing for some time. Although his cultivation had improved slightly, it was far less significantpared to the rapid progress he had made during the Qi refining stage.<hr>

 Chapter 250: The Xu family

    Chapter 250: The Xu family

    Yuan Ming was well aware that if it weren¡¯t for his cultivation of the Nine Elements Form, his progress with his four spiritual roots would have been considerably slower.

    The reason was that after entering the Foundation Establishment stage, although the speed of absorbing spiritual energy increased, the amount of spiritual energy needed for cultivation grew even more.

    He estimated that as his cultivation improved, this situation would be increasingly pronounced.

    In light of this, to enhance his cultivation speed as much as possible, it seemed he would have to rely on elixirs and spiritual incense for assistance.

    Yuan Ming winced as he took out a Foundation Establishment stage elixir from his storage ring. After swallowing it and before the medicinal power dissipated, he immersed himself back into cultivation.

    ***

    Half a month passed without incident.

    The noon had gone by, yet the sky remained a dull grey, with countless dark clouds rumbling with thunder.

    The river was turbulent, its muddy waves pping against the boat, causing it to rock.On the deck, Old Wang and his son busied themselves, finally managing to dock and drop anchor.

    "That¡¯s it, Big Dog, go tell the guests we¡¯ve arrived at Leizhou City," Old Wang said, wiping sweat from his brow and turning to his son.

    His son nodded, but as he turned around, he saw Yuan Ming emerging from the cabin.

    "Young Master, we¡¯ve arrived. About the fare..." Old Wang rubbed his hands together.

    Yuan Ming nodded and casually tossed a bag of silver coins, which was significantly more than the agreed amount.

    Old Wang was profusely grateful, quickly instructing his son to set up the nk for Yuan Ming to disembark.

    With the silver in hand, Old Wang counted it twice, then looking up to see Yuan Ming still smiling at him, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Is there anything else you need, honored guest?"

    Yuan Ming replied, "Call your family over. I have an additional reward for your care along the way."

    Old Wang immediately summoned his wife and children, standing happily before Yuan Ming. Yuan Ming lifted the Soul Bell and gave it a gentle shake, a "ding-dong" sound ringing out.

    Old Wang¡¯s family felt dizzy for a moment beforeing to their senses.

    Holding a purse, Old Wang looked around in confusion and eximed, "Oh my, what happened? How did we get to Leizhou?"

    ***

    The structure of Leizhou City was starkly different from the capital.

    The narrow, undting streets were slightly higher in the middle and lower on the sides, with a ditch running along each side. Each household had a stone bridge leading from their door across the ditch to the street, creating a picturesque scene reminiscent of "small bridges over flowing streams."

    The surrounding courtyards were tall andpact, with blue tiles on the white brick walls curving like crescent moons. Rainwater slid down the tiles, dropping precisely into the ditches, causing ripples.

    At the end of the ditch was a wide river with many small wooden boats moored, and an ancient stone bridge spanned the river. asionally, boats passed under the bridge, their oars creaking audibly.

    Yuan Ming weaved through the streets and soon arrived in front of arge, quaintly decorated mansion.

    Rednterns hung high at the entrance, their light shining through the paper, illuminating the "happiness" character on them.

    Under the que bearing the "Xu Family" name, the wide doors were open, with two servant boys dressed as guards smiling at the entrance.

    Behind them, waves ofughter, clinking cups, and yful children¡¯s voices came from behind the screen wall, creating a lively atmosphere.

    Looking at this scene filled with the warmth of everyday life, memories of Yuan Ming¡¯s childhood shed through his mind, evoking an indescribable warmth in his heart. Yet he knew that since he had embarked on the path of immortality, his connection with such worldly affairs would only diminish.

    Regaining hisposure, he used an illusion to alter his appearance and approached the guards to inquire, "Excuse me, is there a celebration at the Xu family today?"

    "Indeed, our second young master is getting married today. The master has ordered that anyone cane in for a celebratory drink. Would you like to join and share the joy, young master?" The guard, seeing Yuan Ming¡¯s distinguished appearance, warmly invited him.

    "I wouldn¡¯t dare decline such kindness," Yuan Ming nodded and followed the guard into the Xu residence.

    His visit was not a whim; the Xu family was his mother¡¯s lineage. By rtion, the second young master getting married today was his cousin.

    Yuan Ming had visited Leizhou with his mother as a child and was familiar with the way. However, he knew little about Leizhou¡¯s cultivation world. If he wanted to join the Shengye Sect, he would need to start by gathering information from his uncle¡¯s family.

    To avoid being tracked by Changchun Temple, he did not reveal his identity immediately.

    Yuan Ming was led by the servant to the side hall to sit. Once the servant left, he quickly cast an illusion to conceal himself and donned a cloak that masked his aura, swiftly leaving the side hall.

    Soon, he found his uncle in the Xu family¡¯s study.

    "Big brother, do you think mother won¡¯te back today?" asked a middle-aged man with a clean-shaven face inside the room.

    A man with a goatee sat in front of him, listening to Xu Rong¡¯sints while leisurely sipping tea.

    "It¡¯s not a big deal that your son is getting married. If mother doesn¡¯te back, she doesn¡¯te back. What¡¯s the rush?"

    The two men were Yuan Ming¡¯s third uncle, Xu Rong, and his eldest uncle, Xu Fan.

    "Ah, it¡¯s rare for the family to have some good news, and mother doesn¡¯te back. Neither does the second brother or the fourth sister. Isn¡¯t that a bit dull?" Xu Rong grumbled.

    "You, always so childish despite your age," the eldest uncle sighed.

    Just then, a third voice sounded from outside the study.

    "Hehe, third uncle, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m back, aren¡¯t I?" A handsome young man entered the room with a smile, looking at Xu Rong.

    "Oh! Tian, you¡¯re back. Eh, why just you? Where¡¯s your grandmother?" The eldest uncle stood up, joyfully looking at the handsome young man, then his expression turned puzzled as he looked behind him.

    Yuan Ming, secretly observing from the side, recognized that this was Xu Fan¡¯s son, his eldest cousin, Xu Tian.

    Unlike his uncles, Xu Tian had a faint aura of spiritual energy about him, clearly a cultivator at the third level of Qi refining.

    "Grandmother just entered seclusion recently and couldn¡¯te back. She sent a gift with Luo Shimei and had mee back with her," Xu Tian exined with a smile.

    A petite and adorable young girl peeked out from behind him. With her ponytail and an innocent smile on her carved jade-like face, she was instantly endearing.

    Like Xu Tian, she was also a cultivator, but only at the second level of Qi refining.

    "Greetings, uncles," the girl bowed.

    "Let me introduce her. This is Luo Xing¡¯er, grandmother¡¯s newly epted disciple, probably herst," Xu Tian introduced.

    Xu Fan and Xu Rong immediately returned the greeting, not daring to neglect her.

    Although they were elders, they were mere mortals without spiritual roots, and thus, they were somewhat reserved in front of a cultivator.

    However, Luo Xing¡¯er didn¡¯t seem to mind at all and eagerly asked, "Uncles, I heard you have a nephew named Yuan Ming, is that right?"

    At her words, not only Xu Fan and Xu Rong but even the secretly watching Yuan Ming were taken aback.

    "Yes, the son of our fourth sister is indeed named that. Do you know him, Miss Luo?" the eldest uncle asked in return.

    "Of course! Who in the Great Jin cultivation world hasn¡¯t heard of him?" Luo Xing¡¯er¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement as she spoke.

    She then recounted the story of how Yuan Ming challenged the National Advisor at the abdication ceremony and ultimately avenged his grievances by ying the Great Jin National Advisor.

    "Yuan Ming killed the National Advisor? This won¡¯t implicate us, will it?" The eldest uncle asked, turning pale after hearing the story.

    "Father, matters of the cultivation world won¡¯t involve the mortal realm," Xu Tian said helplessly.

    "Uncle, were you close to Yuan Ming when he was a child? Can you tell me some stories about him?" Luo Xing¡¯er persisted in her questioning.

    After Yuan Ming¡¯s mother married and left, Xu Fan and Xu Rong could hardly recall any childhood stories about him, only knowing some tales of his early fame as a ywright.

    Luo Xing¡¯er quickly lost interest in inquiring about Yuan Ming, but then she seemed to remember something and pleaded with Xu Tian to take her to the room where Yuan Ming¡¯s mother stayed during her visits.

    Unable to refuse her, Xu Tian called a servant to lead the way, while he stayed behind.

    "I thought Yuan Ming disappeared on a mission to the Southern Border three years ago. How did he suddenlye back and cause such a stir?" Xu Rong watched Luo Xing¡¯er leave, puzzled.

    "I¡¯m not sure about the details either. It¡¯s all news brought back by cultivators who attended the abdication ceremony. They said that Yuan Ming¡¯s disappearance years ago was orchestrated by the National Advisor, but unexpectedly, it turned into a blessing in disguise. After cultivating in the Southern Border for three years, he returned at the Foundation Establishment stage and sought revenge on the National Advisor," Xu Tian shook his head.

    "Foundation Establishment... How does hepare to your grandmother?" The eldest uncle, not well-versed in the cultivation world, was curious.

    "Grandmother is also at the Foundation Establishment stage, probably among the middle rank," Xu Tian said.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s two uncles fell silent, their faces showing concern.

    "At first, our sect didn¡¯t know about the connection between grandmother and Yuan Ming. Once someone found out, the sect¡¯s attitude towards grandmother and me changed immediately. An elder who used to be at odds with grandmother even sent many gifts with a smile," Xu Tian added.

    "I¡¯ve also inquired about our cousin¡¯s feats these past few days. Not just Luo Shimei, even I admire him greatly," Xu Tian¡¯s face showed admiration.

    "Does this mean that Yuan Ming killing the National Advisor is a good thing for our Xu family?" The eldest uncle stroked his goatee.

    "Not entirely. The National Advisor¡¯s sect, Changchun Temple, has vast influence. Our cousin not only offended them but also humiliated them. He¡¯ll likely face many troubles in the future. Grandmother went into seclusion to increase her cultivation and gain more influence in the sect to protect our cousin. Don¡¯t worry too much. Yuan Ming is so young and already at the Foundation Establishment stage, having defeated the Great Jin National Advisor. His future is boundless. He will surely be a great asset to our family," Xu Tian sighed.

    The two uncles continued to discuss the impact Yuan Ming would have on the family.

    After listening for a while, Yuan Ming left quietly.<hr>

 Chapter 251: Xiaohu City

    Chapter 251: Xiaohu City

    Yuan Ming left the Xu residence, found another inn in the city to stay, and secretly released his soul crow to spy on the activities within the Xu household.

    His uncle and the others, being mortals, didn¡¯t know much about the Shengye Sect. His cousin, Xu Tian, as a disciple of the sect, could guide him back when he returned, which would be helpful.

    However, it seemed that his actions at the abdication ceremony had spread throughout the Shengye Sect. Joining with his real identity would attract too much attention.

    In that case, it might be better to join the Shengye Sect as an ordinary disciple to avoid trouble.

    Upon further thought, if he joined the Shengye Sect, his identity would eventually be exposed, potentially bringing disaster to the sect.

    Yuan Ming made up his mind to secretly follow Xu Tian and Luo Xing¡¯er when they returned to the sect, find the location of the Shengye Sect¡¯s gates, and avoid entanglements with others in the meantime. He would decide what to do after locating the sect.

    ***

    Three dayster, Xu Tian bid farewell to his parents, took Luo Xing¡¯er, and left Leizhou City on a flying leaf boat.

    Yuan Ming, watching through his soul crow, immediately released his jade shuttle and followed from a distance.The two headed north and soon entered a vast swamp.

    The sky over Leizhou was often overcast, and the swamp was shrouded in poisonous miasma year-round, with visibility so poor one couldn¡¯t see their own hand. Poisonous insects and fierce beasts lurked, making it a ce mortals dared not approach carelessly, for fear of losing their lives.

    However, Xu Tian and Luo Xing¡¯er seemed to have taken something out before entering the swamp, activating a faint light mist around them that not only kept the miasma at bay but also made the poisonous creatures steer clear.

    Yuan Ming had a miasma-avoiding pearl from his exploration of Snake King Valley, and with his Foundation Establishment stage cultivation, he wasn¡¯t afraid of the insects and beasts. Yet, before entering the swamp, he stopped to release Hua Zhi from his spirit beast bag.

    "Master, where is this ce? The mist here smells so sweet and fragrant!" As soon as Hua Zhinded, it took a deep breath, swallowing the nearby miasma and even appearing intoxicated.

    "Hua Zhi, stay underground and move forward with me," Yuan Ming instructed.

    Hua Zhi nodded happily and burrowed into the swamp.

    Yuan Ming then continued forward. Fortunately, the soul crow he had released earlier was not affected by the miasma and kept following Xu Tian, ensuring he didn¡¯t lose track of them.

    An hourter, a fine drizzle began to fall from the sky, and Yuan Ming followed Xu Tian out of the swamp and into a mountain range.

    Not far away, a huge gate hidden among lush greenery appeared faintly through the drizzle. Xu Tian stopped in front of the gate but didn¡¯t enter; instead, they spoke briefly and then flew northwest on their magical artifact. Yuan Ming, curious, left a soul crow to watch the Shengye Sect¡¯s gate and continued to follow.

    ***

    After about half an hour, Yuan Ming saw a giant protective shield appear amidst the mountains under the gloomy sky.

    Beneath the rain curtain, a blue shield enveloped the city Yuan Ming saw.

    The fine raindrops fell, hitting the shield and dissolving instantly, leaving no trace.

    Under the shield, hundreds of streets and alleys crisscrossed, with countless houses and pavilions standing tall. Atop each dwelling, four white pearls were ced at the corners of the roofs, their light interweaving and illuminating the entire city.

    At the center of the city, a smallke spanning dozens of acres rippled gently, with a white jade-paved square in the middle connected to the main roads by four jade stone arch bridges.

    On the square, a thirty meters-tall pavilion rose, its body pale white and its tiles a brilliant blue, as clear and translucent as crystal.

    At each edge of the shield, there was a giant city gate, slightly shorter than the crystal pavilion but much taller than the houses in the city. Atop each gate was a stone statue of a divine beast, exquisitely carved, with even the scales and feathers appearing lifelike.

    Xu Tian and Luo Xing¡¯er hadn¡¯t approached the shield when they voluntarily descended from their flying boat and walked toward one of the city gates.

    Yuan Ming alsonded his jade shuttle in a valley far away, watched the two enter the city, and then slowly made his way toward it.

    Hanging above the city gate was a que with three characters: "Xiaohu City."

    After paying a spirit stone as a toll, Yuan Ming was about to pass through the gate when he noticed some cultivators entering without paying. Curious, he inquired and learned that cultivators who owned houses in the city didn¡¯t have to pay the toll, a detail Yuan Ming noted.

    Inside the city, the view was even more immersive than from afar.

    The fine rain was blocked by the shield, leaving the city dry andfortable. The wide streets bustled with people, many of whom possessed cultivation.

    However, Yuan Ming noticed that the pedestrians¡¯ attire subtly revealed two distinct styles.

    One style favored long robes and skirts, predominantly red, with jade ornaments often hanging from their necks and waists, their clothes flowing like mes.

    The other style consisted of brocade clothes and trousers, with a mix of red and blue, and fewer essories but often carrying swords or des.

    As Yuan Ming observed the passersby, his expression shifted, and he turned to look to his side.

    "Fellow Daoist seems new to Xiaohu City. Our meeting must be fated," said a man in a crimson robe with a hooked nose, stopping and smiling at Yuan Ming.

    The man¡¯s cultivation was not high, only at the fourth level of Qi refining, but Yuan Ming had used a technique to conceal his cultivation to thete stages of Qi refining, so the other did not detect his true level.

    "You look quite spirited, surely youe from Zhao Country? Do you need a guide?" the hooked-nose man offered familiarly.

    Yuan Ming looked at him, reminded of Gu Yue he had met in ck Rock City, but shook his head: "Thank you, but I don¡¯t need a guide."

    "How about a map of Xiaohu City? It¡¯s not expensive, just one spirit stone," the man persisted, flipping his hand to reveal a jade slip.

    "One spirit stone? That¡¯s pricey," Yuan Ming eximed.

    "Fellow Daoist, this is a fair price. Do you know how many shops there are in Xiaohu City? Which ones are traps, which offer good value, which are run by major sects, and which are established by loose alliances? This map has it all, and for just one spirit stone, it can save you a lot of detours. Time is spirit stones," the man said, shaking the jade slip. Yuan Ming found his argument reasonable and decided not to haggle, buying the map with a spirit stone.

    Upon examining the jade slip, he saw that Xiaohu City was thergest cultivator market in Leizhou, frequented by cultivators from Great Jin and neighboring Zhao Country. The map clearly marked the locations of all the shops in the market and included helpful reviews.

    Satisfied, Yuan Ming pocketed the jade slip and quickly found a shop called "Bai Shu Ge" ording to the map.

    ***

    This shop specialized in selling books. Upon entering, Yuan Ming saw seven or eight tall wooden bookshelves neatly arranged, filled with various books, each enveloped in a pale blue light.

    A dedicated counter was ced next to these bookshelves, containing wooden boxes of the same design, which held some damaged books or jade slips, some with only a single page.

    A clerk in a long robe greeted Yuan Ming as he entered. "Are you here to buy or sell techniques?"

    "Do you sell spell books here?" Yuan Ming inquired.

    "Our store has a wide variety of secret spell books. What specific type do you need? If you¡¯re looking for something basic, I rmend this one. It contains manymon spells. They¡¯re simple, but there are many of them, and they cover a wide range," the clerk suggested, taking a thicker book from the shelf.

    "I¡¯ll take that one. Also, what¡¯s being sold in this counter?" Yuan Ming nodded and pointed to the counter with the wooden boxes.

    "These are unnamed secret books we¡¯ve collected, mostly iplete, with some in scripts notmonly used in the Central ins. They¡¯re cheap, and if you¡¯re interested, you can buy a few to study. However, once you leave the store, we¡¯re not responsible for any mistakes during cultivation," the clerk exined.

    Yuan Ming shook his head and only took the spell book. Since it contained basic spells, it cost him less than thirty spirit stones. The clerk took the spirit stones and used a jade Ruyi to tap the book, shattering the pale blue light that enveloped it, turning it into a dim talisman that fell to the ground.

    "This is a special sealing talisman from our store, which can only be opened with a specific magical instrument. Otherwise, it will burn everything inside to ashes," the clerk exined with a smile, seeing Yuan Ming¡¯s curiosity.

    Just then, another man in brocade clothes with a sword at his waist and a beard entered, and another clerk immediately greeted him.

    Both the bearded man and the clerk spoke in a tone different from what Yuan Ming was used to hearing.

    "I see many people in the market dressed like them. Where are they from?" Yuan Ming gestured towards the bearded man and asked the clerk.

    "Oh, they are from Zhao Country. Our Leizhou is on the border of Great Jin and adjacent to Zhao Country. Xiaohu City is located at the junction of Great Jin and Zhao Country, so many cultivators from Zhao Country frequent here," the clerk exined. Yuan Ming nodded in understanding, thanked the clerk, and left the shop.

    Having acquired the spell book, he then turned his attention to elixirs.

    His cultivation currently required a significant amount of elixir support, and stumbling upon such a sizable market, he naturally wanted to take a good look around.<hr>

 Chapter 252: Iâ€™m here to collect a debt!

    Chapter 252: I¡¯m here to collect a debt!

    ording to the markings on the map, among the shops in Xiaohu City that sold elixirs, there were only a few that offered Foundation Establishment stage cultivation pills, and only two were the most renowned.

    One was a familiar ce to Yuan Ming, the Changxian Tower established by Changchun Temple.

    Not only did they sell elixirs, but Changxian Tower also dealt in talismans and spiritual materials. Yuan Ming happened to have some spiritual materials to sell and possessed a Changxian Order that entitled him to premium services, making it the perfect destination.

    However, Yuan Ming¡¯s attention was drawn to another shop.

    Soon, he arrived at a shop called "Qingmu Tower."

    Before even entering, he noticed neatly arranged rows of jade stone potted nts on either side of the entrance, each containing a Calming Spirit Herb, a type of spiritual herb whose faint fragrance could soothe and focus the mind, making it an auxiliary ingredient in Qi refining stage elixirs like the Primordial Pill.

    While Calming Spirit Herb was not a rare spiritual herb, disying it so prominently at the entrance still showcased a certain boldness.

    Passing through the rows of Calming Spirit Herb, Yuan Ming entered the shop and was immediately greeted by an exotic fragrance. Looking up, he saw shelves filled with various spiritual herbs.

    These herbs seemed to have been specially selected and cultivated, their fragrances mingling without overwhelming the senses, instead creating a rich and unforgettable scent.Among the shelves, attendants in light green robes were either greeting customers or organizing the herbs. Even those who were merely moving items around possessed a degree of cultivation.

    Yuan Ming suddenly noticed Xu Tian and Luo Xing¡¯er inside the shop, speaking with an attendant behind the counter.

    From the entrance, Yuan Ming surveyed the interior, and at that moment, an attendant noticed him and promptly approached with a smile, saying, "Senior, the lower-grade spiritual herbs are on the first floor, which may not catch your esteemed eye. Please follow me upstairs for a more detailed discussion."

    Yuan Ming, who hade to purchase Foundation Establishment stage cultivation pills, did not conceal his cultivation level. He followed the attendant upstairs, where he was ushered into a private room and served a cup of fragrant tea. After asking him to wait for a moment, the attendant left.

    Yuan Ming intentionally held the Changxian Order in his hand.

    The private room was decorated predominantly in green, with carvings of flowers and nts on the screens and furniture, and the air was filled with a subtle medicinal fragrance, exceptionally refreshing.

    Yuan Ming felt that the service of the Central ins¡¯ market shops was indeed more hospitablepared to those in the Southern Border.

    ***

    Before long, an elderly man in a wooden-patterned robe with white hair and beard hurried in, smiling at Yuan Ming:

    "It is our great honor to have a distinguished guest like yourself visit our shop. I am Jiang Yuan, the shopkeeper here. If there is anything you need, please feel free to ask."

    "I¡¯m just looking around," Yuan Ming replied casually, leaning back in his chair and fiddling with a white jade token in his hand.

    "Hehe, Senior, you¡¯vee to the right ce! Not to hide from you, many of our regr customerse from Changxian Tower. Although Shengye Sect may not be as famous as Changchun Temple, we are second to none when ites to elixirs," Jiang Yuan said with an even broader smile after ncing at the "Changxian Order" in Yuan Ming¡¯s hand.

    Seeing Yuan Ming unmoved by his words, Jiang Yuan quickly continued: "For esteemed guests like yourself, Qingmu Tower ces great emphasis on experience. Please ept this Qingmu Order. In addition to the same treatment as Changxian Tower, you will receive a ten percent discount on all elixirs and magical artifacts sold here."

    With that, he produced a green wooden token from his sleeve and handed it to Yuan Ming with both hands.

    "I would be remiss to refuse such generosity. I¡¯ve been in need of some elixirs for my cultivation recently. Do you have any rmendations? You can also introduce some healing ones," Yuan Ming said, finally showing a hint of a smile as he took the Qingmu Order from the old man, while the Changxian Order had already been discreetly put away.

    "For healing, the Return Yang Pill is quite effective for treating most external injuries quickly. The Bone Regeneration Pill is better in terms of effect, but it dissipates slowly and is not suitable for use in battle. As for cultivation pills, given your situation, Senior, our sect¡¯s specially improved Four Spirits Pill is highly rmended. Compared to themon Four Spirits Pill, not only is the efficacy slightly better, but it also has less risk of developing resistance. Even after breaking through to the mid-stage, it can still be used in conjunction with other pills."

    Jiang Yuan said this and then gave a slight instruction to an attendant waiting outside. Soon, the attendant returned with a tray holding three porcin bottles.

    Yuan Ming took the bottles and opened each one in turn.

    The Return Yang Pill was slightly red in color and emitted a mild burning sensation in his palm, with a fragrance that was not too strong. The Bone Regeneration Pill, on the other hand, was the opposite, beingpletely white and having a rich and lingering fragrance, and was only warm to the touch.

    Compared to them, the Four Spirits Pill looked quite ordinary, with no special color or fragrance, and its appearance was as unremarkable as a sugar bean. Having researched the Four Spirits Pill beforeing, as it was a rtivelymon cultivation aid for the Foundation Establishment stage, Yuan Ming directly asked:

    "Let¡¯s talk about the price."

    "The Return Yang Pill and Bone Regeneration Pill are fifty spirit stones per bottle, while the Four Spirits Pill is two hundred and seventy per bottle. The price is the same as in the market, but the effect is better. These are the original prices, and they are all disyed on the second floor," Jiang Yuan exined.

    Yuan Ming, though prepared, was still inwardly taken aback by the price, which was several times higher than that of Qi refining stage cultivation pills.

    This was only for Foundation Establishment stage elixirs.

    No wonder there was a saying in the cultivation world that cultivating immortality, aside from innate talent, was actually about cultivating resources. Not to mention the legendary heavenly treasures or the exceptionally effective special elixirs, even these rtivelymon pills were not something ordinary cultivators could afford to use long-term.

    If a sect or family were to support a cultivator, their cultivation speed would naturally be iparable to that of a solitary cultivator without backing. Although advancing to the Foundation Establishment stage could extend one¡¯s lifespan to over two hundred years, most solitary cultivators would probably spend the majority of their time seeking various opportunities or gathering resources, with very little time left for dedicated cultivation.

    After pondering for a moment, Yuan Ming bought one bottle of each of the three types of pills, including the Four Spirits Pill, using the excuse of wanting to try them out for the first time. Before leaving, he subtly inquired about a reputable spiritual material purchasing shop in the city called "Red Refinement Hall," learning that it was backed by the Zhao Country¡¯s sect, the Heavenly Fire Gate.

    ***

    After leaving Qingmu Tower, Yuan Ming found an inn and tested the Four Spirits Pill, finding its effects to be indeed remarkable. He then visited Changxian Tower before heading straight to Red Refinement Hall. After someparison, he decided to sell his spiritual materials and unused magical artifacts to thetter.

    He also unexpectedly learned that the fiery red horn he had retrieved from the volcano tower was actually the horn of a second-level demonic beast, the Molten Fire Rhinoceros, a main material for crafting high-quality fire attribute magical artifacts, and extremely rare. After some negotiation, he sold it for a total of six hundred and fifty spirit stones. With this, the spirit stones in his storage ring finally amounted to nearly four thousand.

    Thus, Yuan Ming returned to Qingmu Tower, sought out shopkeeper Jiang Yuan, and bought another fifteen bottles of Four Spirits Pill in one go. He also learned that the shopkeeper had a fondness for calligraphy and painting, and soon they chatted like old friends who had met toote in life. Yuan Ming managed to get the shopkeeper to give him an additional ten percent discount on top of the original ten percent off.

    "It seems I need to find a way to earn more spirit stones. With these pills, they won¡¯tst long if I go into seclusion," Yuan Ming muttered to himself as he nced at the less than a thousand spirit stones remaining in his storage ring.

    Just as he was starting to worry, an idea suddenly came to him. He took out a document from his storage ring and looked it over several times, a thought shing through his mind.

    ***

    Half a dayter, in the west of Xiaohu City, at the headquarters of the Guangli Sanmeng.

    As a well-known loose cultivator alliance in the Great Jin, Guangli Sanmeng had branches in every market city, and Xiaohu City was no exception. Yuan Ming looked up at the que above the entrance to confirm he was at the right ce, then, ignoring the differing gazes of the guards, stepped forward and presented the document in his hand.

    <em>"I¡¯m here to collect a debt!"</em>

    The guard at the entrance was furious. In his many years with Guangli Sanmeng, they had always been the ones collecting debts from others; he had never encountered such a situation and was about to teach Yuan Ming a lesson.

    But when his gaze swept over the document and the Changxian Order in Yuan Ming¡¯s hand, his anger instantly subsided.

    Doubting his own eyes, he was about to reach for the document when Yuan Ming withdrew it.

    "Have your alliance leadere see me," Yuan Ming said indifferently.

    The guard looked at Yuan Ming, noting that he was wearing the attire of Changchun Temple, and did not dare to dy. He quickly invited him inside and went to summon the branch leader.

    Yuan Ming waited in a side room of the headquarters for a short while. Soon, a young man dressed as a schr came out with a smile. "Hehe, I wondered why there were magpies chirping early this morning. It turns out that we have a friend from Changchun Templeing to visit. I am Zhang Luhe, the manager here. May I know your esteemed name?"

    "Let¡¯s skip the pleasantries. My master is Xu Changqing. I¡¯m here today to collect a debt from Guangli Sanmeng," Yuan Ming said with a cold face, pping the document on the table.

    At that moment, Yuan Ming had disguised his cultivation as being at the Qi refining stage, while Zhang Luhe, as the branch leader of Guangli Sanmeng, naturally had a cultivation at the Foundation Establishment stage.

    Seeing a Qi refining stage disciple daring to be so brusque with him, Zhang Luhe¡¯s temper red, and the smile on his face vanished instantly.

    But after reading the document Yuan Ming had pped down, he awkwardly forced a smile.

    "What about this document..."

    "What about it? Let¡¯s stick to the facts. Or is Guangli Sanmeng nning to deny this debt?" Yuan Ming snorted coldly.

    "Of course not, it¡¯s just that this is a major issue. I need to contact the alliance leader before I can make a decision. Please have a seat; I¡¯ll be right back," Zhang Luhe said with a forced smile.

    After saying that, he took the document and hurried off, while Yuan Ming satfortably in the room, waiting for his response.<hr>

 Chapter 253: Settle

    Chapter 253: Settle

    Yuan Ming produced a document, the very contract he had confiscated from Xu Changqing, clearly stating that the Guangli Sanmeng had a set deadline to assassinate him. Now that the deadline had passed and he had caused such amotion in the capital of Great Jin, everyone knew not only was he still alive, but he had also be a Cultivator at the Foundation Establishment stage.

    Presently, disguised as a disciple of Changchun Temple demanding a debt, his im was legitimate and unassable.

    Moreover, even if they wished to verify the authenticity of the document with Xu Changqing, unless they could find Yuan Ming¡¯s corpse in his Storage Bag, who could say he wasn¡¯t a disciple of Changchun Temple?

    Soon, Zhang Luhe returned with the document, his smile seemingly more sincere.

    "I¡¯ve confirmed with the Alliance Leader; your document is authentic. However, why didn¡¯t your mastere in person?"

    "The old man said he no longer wishes to deal with you," Yuan Ming replied indifferently.

    Zhang Luhe¡¯s grip on the document tightened momentarily before rxing. He then took out a Storage Bag from his waist.

    "Heh, we indeed made a mistake this time. ording to the contract, here¡¯s thepensation of fifteen hundred spirit stones, and an additional five hundred as a deposit. Please ept it."

    "That¡¯s more like it." Yuan Ming nodded calmly, took the Storage Bag, and without further ado, left the Guangli Sanmeng¡¯s premises.After Yuan Ming¡¯s departure, a figure flickered in the room, and a man in a white robe appeared, looking in the direction Yuan Ming had left. "Brother Zhang, we¡¯ve taken a big loss on this deal."

    "s, mishaps happen. Who would have thought Yuan Ming would escape pursuit and then kill Elder Yuhu during the session ceremony? It¡¯s fortunate we didn¡¯t encounter him. If we had, our colleagues in the Southern Border would be in danger too. I¡¯ve said it countless times¡ªwe must have urate intelligence. They were blinded by spirit stones," Zhang Luhe sighed.

    A street away, Yuan Ming thought of the extra two thousand spirit stones in his Storage Bag and couldn¡¯t suppress a smile. With these spirit stones, he could exchange for numerous cultivation elixirs and materials for making spiritual incense.

    As he was calcting his next steps, he suddenly stopped.

    Turning his head, Yuan Ming saw a uniquely designed building not far away. The lower half was a normal pavilion, but the upper half was shaped like a giant iron sword thrust into the pavilion, creating an imposing sight.

    Above the main entrance hung a que with only three characters¡ªSanxiu Hui (Scattered Cultivators Association).

    Curious, Yuan Ming entered and saw a vertical stone stele directly opposite the door. At the top of the stone was inscribed "List of Evil Cultivators," with dozens of names written in blood-red ink below, each followed by their cultivation level and a number, seemingly the bounty of spirit stones offered.

    At the top of the stele was a cultivator named "Youquan Old Demon," with a peak Foundation Establishment cultivation, and a staggering bounty of five hundred thousand spirit stones.

    At the bottom was a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator named "Pu Zhengqing," a soul cultivator with unclear strength, but a bounty of one hundred thousand spirit stones, with the additional note¡ª<em>alive capture.</em>

    After perusing the list, Yuan Ming marveled at his own worth and realized that in Great Jin¡¯s cultivation world, with its rtively abundant cultivation resources, the number and strength of scattered cultivators were iparable to those in smaller regions like the Southern Border. The existence of such a list was intriguing, though whether those listed were truly evil was another matter.

    Looking at the names, each represented a cultivator of exceptional strength, clearly not someone he could contend with at his current level.

    He had once beencent, thinking his soul cultivation techniques made him invincible among his peers, but now he saw that was overly optimistic.

    There were always higher skies and greater people; his cultivation was just above the lowest tier. He wasn¡¯t like the protagonists in the stories who always turned danger into safety.

    He needed to act with caution; after all, a cautious approach ensures a long journey.

    The recent duel with Elder Yuhu in the imperial city was satisfying for revenge, but now he had to move stealthily.

    This experience ignited a strong desire within Yuan Ming to continuously improve his cultivation and strength to have a say in his fate. If he weren¡¯t just at the early stage of Foundation Establishment, would he need to worry about his family being implicated and having to leave home shortly after returning, leaving his parents behind?

    Ultimately, hecked the power to protect his family and even himself.

    Collecting his thoughts, Yuan Ming nced at the list again, his curiosity piqued. Surely the Scattered Cultivators Association, catering to a broad range of cultivators and alliances, wouldn¡¯t only feature such high-level bounties?

    Upon inquiring at a nearby counter, he learned that the stone only recorded evil cultivators with bounties exceeding one hundred thousand spirit stones. For those with lower bounties, one would need to inquire separately.

    Besides the List of Evil Cultivators, there was also a task list. Anyone could post tasks or bounties by paying a deposit.

    Scattered cultivators wishing to take on tasks had to pay a security deposit and prove their strength, generally unable to ept tasks beyond their capabilities.

    Yuan Ming had no intention of taking on tasks, so he quickly scanned the list to ensure his name wasn¡¯t on it, then left without lingering.

    He had nned to buy some Four Spirits Pills at Qingmu Tower, but now he wasn¡¯t in the mood. With enough spirit stones, he could buy elixirs anytime; there was no rush. What he needed to verify was more pressing.

    Xiying had given him a blood egg, which he had tried various methods to hatch on his way back to Great Jin, even the daily blood-dripping technique Xiying taught. Yet, he couldn¡¯t feel any spiritual energy fluctuations from the egg.

    This raised doubts about whether the egg could hatch or at least if there was a way to confirm if it was still alive.

    After much thought, he decided to seek someone knowledgeable in this area.

    Now in Leizhou, he thought of the one-armed elder Gu Qiuming¡¯s sect, which specialized in such matters.

    Yuan Ming pulled out a map and quickly located the location of Zhenling Pavilion and headed there.

    ***

    Upon entering, a man in a fiery red robe greeted him.

    Without waiting for a question, Yuan Ming asked, "Excuse me, is there a cultivator named Gu Qiuming here?"

    "Apologies, Steward Gu returned to his sect not long ago and is not currently here. However, if you wish, I can send a message to him on your behalf," the man replied courteously.

    "That will do. Tell him an old acquaintance from ck Rock City is visiting; he¡¯ll know who it is," Yuan Ming said.

    The man agreed and then began to promote the various exotic birds and beasts in the store.

    Many weremon in the Southern Border, the good ones unaffordable, the lesser ones not as good as his own, yet priced at more than triple that of the Southern Border. Yuan Ming showed little interest, politely responding before leaving.

    ***

    At night, Yuan Ming stood by the window of his room in the inn, gazing out.

    He was on the second floor, with a broad view.

    Xiaohu City was brightly lit, dazzling against the night sky.

    After a while, Yuan Ming turned back to the bed, took out a white jade ring, examined it for a moment, then stored it in his Storage Bag, his eyes firming with resolve.

    He had made a decision: <em>not to go to Shengye Sect, but to stay and cultivate in Xiaohu City¡¯s market.</em>

    Firstly, he feared causing trouble for his grandmother¡¯s sect; because of him, his mother¡¯s family might be implicated, adding to her worries. Secondly, Yuan Ming was tired of the tedious rules of sects, where every movement required reporting and leaving the sect needed approval. Xiaohu City¡¯s market was the secondrgest in Great Jin, with rich spiritual energy and everything one could need. Thirdly, many scattered cultivators hid in in sight in the market.

    As for the resources needed for cultivation, such as elixirs, he nned to figure it out himself. Even if he went to Shengye Sect, as an outsider and a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, he doubted he would receive preferential treatment.

    With this in mind, Yuan Ming felt more certain about his choice.

    ***

    The next morning, Yuan Ming arrived at a grand pce building near the city¡¯ske, bustling with activity.

    Two Cultivators stood at the entrance, indifferent to theings and goings of the people.

    Yuan Ming entered a side room, where the furnishings were simple, with a long gray stone table and several white-robed Cultivators seated behind it.

    Many Cultivators gathered, sitting at the table, negotiating in low voices with the white-robed Cultivators; some were ted, others distressed.

    This was where one could rent houses in Xiaohu City¡¯s market.

    "Are you here to rent or buy a house, and have you chosen a location?" asked a white-robed Cultivator with a smile, showing no disdain for Yuan Ming¡¯s apparent Qi refining stage cultivation.

    "Renting, in the outer area, but on a street, and cheap," Yuan Ming replied, not bothering to inquire about the price of buying a house, assuming it was beyond his means.

    "There are many vacant houses in the cheap outer areas. Eighty-nine to the east of the city, one hundred and twenty-one to the west. Here is the price list; you can take a look," the white-robed Cultivator said, handing over two jade slips.

    Yuan Ming took the jade slips, infused them with his spiritual consciousness, and frowned slightly, hesitating. The rent for houses in Xiaohu City was indeed not cheap, even in the outer areas, costing one to two hundred spirit stones a year.

    "The city is rich in spiritual energy, with Elemental Infant Cultivators ensuring safety. Xiaohu City is the secondrgest market in Great Jin, and even the corners are convenient for living. Where you choose to live depends on your needs," the white-robed Cultivator continued to extol the virtues of residing in Xiaohu City.<hr>

 Chapter 254:

    Chapter 254:

    "Indeed, let¡¯s settle on this one, number 85 on Ma Ti Alley in the eastern part of the city," Yuan Ming handed back the jade slip and said.

    This house was somewhat secluded, with a yearly rent of one hundred and fifty spirit stones.

    "The fellow Daoist has a good eye. This house not only faces the street but also has a good size andyout. It can be used for both business and as a residence for cultivation. Truly, the best of both worlds," the white-robed cultivator remarked.

    "Here is the first year¡¯s rent. I am Hu Tu, a rogue cultivator from the Yue country," Yuan Ming thought it more economical to rent a house than to spend a spirit stone every day on expenses and lodging, so he took out a small bag of spirit stones and ced them on the table.

    The white-robed cultivator counted the stones efficiently, not bothering to inquire further about "Hu Tu¡¯s" background. He handed over a key and a residence token with Hu Tu¡¯s name on it that proved his residence in Xiaohu City, and said, "You are free to alter the interior of the dwelling as you wish, but do not tamper with the walls. The bricks and stones of the houses in our city are specially made to prevent prying and will requirepensation at market price if damaged."

    Indeed, qualityes at a price.

    "Thank you for your time," Yuan Ming responded, taking the key and standing to leave.

    He first strolled around the market, spending fifty spirit stones on two simple protective arrays for his dwelling, before heading east.

    Upon reaching Ma Ti Alley, he found it more secluded than he had imagined, with few passersby.***

    Yuan Ming quickly located house number 85.

    The house was street-facing, with a garden in the back and two inner rooms. Theyout and environment were indeed quite nice.

    However, the house had been unupied for a long time and was covered in ayer of dust.

    After cleaning up, Yuan Ming sat down in one of the inner rooms, but then thought better of it and headed back to the rental ce.

    He quickly returned to the rental location.

    Using the name Ha Gong, Yuan Ming rented the house across the street, number 86. This time, he used an illusion to swiftlyplete the rental process and left with the token.

    Having offended Changchun Temple, he spared no expense in preparing an additional residence for emergencies, spending another hundred spirit stones on a short-range teleportation array, into which he ced three spirit stones.

    After setting up the teleportation arrays in both houses, Yuan Ming returned to house number 86.

    Theyout was the same as number 85, and he chose an inner room as his cultivation space, setting up aplete protective array there.

    As for the other array, he set it up around the entire backyard, creating a dualyer of defense.

    By the time he finished, it was already dark.

    Yuan Ming looked at his day¡¯s work with satisfaction. Although still somewhat simple, he finally had a decent ce to live and began nning his cultivation.

    For him, the most important thing was to improve his cultivation. Although the Nine Elements Form was impressive, cultivation at the Foundation Establishment stage was still slow. Elixirs and spiritual incense could naturally double the effect.

    Although he had already purchased a batch of Four Spirits Elixirs, such Foundation Establishment stage elixirs were indeed expensive. With his current supply of spirit stones, he would soon run out if he didn¡¯t find a way to earn more.

    He rented these two street-facing shops with this in mind.

    Yuan Ming pondered his current skills and, after much consideration, decided to make and sell spiritual incense.

    He had seen in the market the day before that there were no shops selling spiritual incense.

    Spiritual incense was not valued in the Southern Border, and likely the same in Great Jin, but he believed this wasrgely due to the sales philosophy of Xuanhua Zhenren. Although the effect was inferior to elixirs of the same price, the auxiliary benefits of spiritual incense were actually quite good.

    In a cultivation world like Great Jin, there were always cultivators and sects with plenty of spirit stones, justcking promotion.

    With the few types of spiritual incense he currently mastered, as long as he operated properly, earning spirit stones should not be difficult.

    In the long run, now that his cultivation had reached the Foundation Establishment stage, it would be easier to influence others by burning incense and attaching to Xuanhua Zhenren, learning to make new spiritual incense without worrying about not being able to introduce new products. He would eventually learn all of Xuanhua Zhenren¡¯s skills.

    Yuan Ming returned to house number 85 via the teleportation array, went out to purchase materials for making spiritual incense, and items needed to set up a shop like counters and shelves, and began to recruit a shopkeeper.

    ***

    Ten dayster, a brand-new shop opened at number 85 Ma Ti Alley: <em>"Xuanhua Spiritual Incense Shop."</em>

    The shopkeeper, named Mu Yang, was a third-level Qi refining cultivator Yuan Ming had recruited. After some investigation, Yuan Ming learned that his master was a rogue cultivator who had passed away and he knew a few low-level earth spells. Yuan Ming hired him for ten spirit stones a month to open the shop and sell incense during the day.

    The new shop didn¡¯t attract much attention, with ordinary spiritual incense for blessings, exorcisms, and calming the mind on the shelves. The only item of value was "Qingxuan Incense," priced at one spirit stone each.

    Higher-grade incenses like "Zixuan Incense" would be put on the shelvester.

    Nearby businesses were curious about the obscure item of spiritual incense and came to investigate both openly and covertly.

    Xuanhua Spiritual Incense Shop¡¯s business was very average, with sales only every few days. The onlookers soon lost interest and stopped visiting. As for the poor business of spiritual incense, Yuan Ming was not in a hurry, knowing that business also relies on chance, and mere shouting and selling would not suffice.

    ***

    With everything arranged, Yuan Ming¡¯s life settled into a routine.

    He returned to house number 86, making incense and taking the elixirs he had bought to improve his cultivation, and in his spare time, he studied the spells recorded in the book.

    He also took three days to fly to another small city on the edge of Leizhou to send a letter to his parents and Liu Tianming, reporting his safety but not revealing his current whereabouts.

    Also sent out was "The Eastern Travels of Sheng Gongzi," a new storybook he hadpiled about his journey to the Yue country and hunting beasts at sea, addressed to Tianming Bookstore.

    As days passed, Yuan Ming overcame his initial difort and found his decision to stay in Xiaohu City to be the right one.

    He didn¡¯t have to please anyone, nor worry about his secrets being exposed, and could freely arrange all his time.

    He often visited the market, drank tea at the teahouse, exchanged ideas with other cultivators, and got to know the dynamics of the cultivation world, meeting many cultivators. Although busy, his days were fulfilling, and he grew to love his current life more and more.

    Hua Zhi was restless by nature and had managed to endure during their travels, but now that Yuan Ming had settled down, Hua Zhi could no longer bear it and mored to go out.

    Unable to persuade Hua Zhi otherwise, Yuan Ming released it from the spirit beast bag.

    Hua Zhi didn¡¯t take the main road, intending to leave Xiaohu City directly through the earth and enter the swamps outside the city, but was stopped by the city¡¯s array and could only shrink back into the bag, following Yuan Ming through the city gate.

    The swamp, known as Rain Ruins Swamp, covered a vast area and was a notorious dangerous ce in Leizhou. Due to the humid climate and constant rain, it was filled with poisonous miasma and inhabited by many venomous insects and beasts.

    Hua Zhi was not weak and had even more cunning methods. Now that it had learned to travel through the earth, Yuan Ming was not worried about its safety.

    ***

    Another month passed in the blink of an eye.

    Inside house number 86, Yuan Ming chanted a spell and formed a hand seal.

    An invisible shield appeared around him, covering a radius of four to fifteen meters, and all sounds from outside disappeared,pletely isted.

    A satisfied smile appeared on his face. This was the "Soundproofing Spell," one of the moreplex spells in the book, which ordinary cultivators would likely need a long time to master.

    With his Foundation Establishment stage cultivation and strong spiritual consciousness, Yuan Ming learned it in just two days.

    He tested the other effects of the soundproofing shield and was very satisfied, then waved his hand to dispel the spell.

    Yuan Ming picked up the book of spells next to him and put it away.

    He had learned all the spells in the book, filling the gap in his previousck of spells.

    Unfortunately, the book recorded onlymon spells, which were fine for everyday use but ineffective against strong enemies.

    However, Yuan Ming was not worried. He had seen many Foundation Establishment stage cultivators from Changchun Temple and other sects of Great Jin during the session ceremony. By attaching to these people and influencing them, he should be able to stealthily learn some spells.

    He took out the Heaven-Stealing Cauldron and inserted a ck stick of incense into it.

    This stick was made with the ash from Xuanhua Temple¡¯s incense, mixed with the previously obtained Fire Pine Wood. He was curious about the effect and decided to try it out.

    After lighting the ck incense, Yuan Ming focused and locked onto the old crone with a cane from Bailuo Vi.

    The crone¡¯s cultivation was not very high, and she was quite old and weak, making her easier to control. He decided to start learning from her.

    The ck incense quickly ignited, and as Yuan Ming¡¯s vision darkened, he found himself attached to the old crone with a cane.

    ***

    It seemed to be a spacious cave with no one around, and the old crone was meditating. She exhaled wisps of purple qi from her mouth and nose, which rapidly circled her body before slowly merging into her fingernails.

    Her fingertips gradually turned purple, looking extraordinarily enchanting.

    Yuan Ming was surprised and was about to sense the old woman¡¯s consciousness when he suddenly thought of something.

    "After attaching, shouldn¡¯t I only be able to observe the surroundings through the host¡¯s eyes? Why can I see everything around me even though the old woman is meditating with her eyes closed?"

    He seemed to have had simr experiences before, but he hadn¡¯t paid attention at the time.

    "Could it be due to my improved cultivation or the continuous improvement of the ck incense?" Yuan Ming spected.

    He quickly stopped his pointless pondering and focused on sensing the old crone¡¯s cultivation.

    She seemed to be practicing a poison spell, with each wisp of purple qi containing intense poison. By merging it into her nails, sheyered the poison, ready to release it to harm enemies when necessary.

    This method was not only convenient for poisoning but also strengthened the toxicity. The poison in the old woman¡¯s nails had clearly reached an astonishing level, and she was very cautious.

    Yuan Ming found the technique quite interesting. After carefully sensing it, he quickly learned a good deal of it.<hr>

 Chapter 255: Assassination

    Chapter 255: Assassination

    Having just possessed a body and learned a practical spell, Yuan Ming was quite thrilled. He repeatedly hinted to the old crone to try cultivating other spells.

    After more than ten hints, the old crone with a cane finally stopped her cultivation and rose to the entrance of the cave.

    A massive stone several meters high blocked the entrance. The old crone pressed her palm against it, and a yellow glow emanated from the stone. It shot up from the ground like a bullet and flew out with a<em> "whoosh."</em>

    Yuan Ming¡¯s thoughts stirred, recognizing that the old crone had used an intermediate-level Earth spell, Stone Maniption Technique, capable of controlling soil and rocks, very useful in battle.

    Unfortunately, his spiritual rootcked the Earth element, so he couldn¡¯t grasp Earth spells and didn¡¯t bother toprehend the casting process.

    Outside the cave was a vast stone forest with vines and trees growing densely, and even further were countless tall trees, appearing to be a wilderness. It was unclear why the old crone hade here. Just as the old crone with a cane was about to leave, a ck sword light shot out from the stone forest without warning, aiming for her neck.

    Startled, the old crone swung her cane, and a yellow shadow met the ck sword light.

    Her other hand shone with a thick yellow light, seemingly ready to use another divine ability.

    However, at that moment, the ck sword light suddenly twisted like a serpent, easily avoiding the cane¡¯s shadow and piercing the old crone¡¯s chest with lightning speed, exiting through her back.<em>Boom!</em>

    A spray of blood mist shot backward, staining arge area of the ground red.

    Yuan Ming, possessing the old crone, was also startled by such an immersive and sudden attack, barely recovering his senses.

    Being only a spirit attached to the old crone, his perception of the surroundings was limited, and he couldn¡¯t see everything clearly. The old crone spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, her eyes filled with shock and rage. She took out an elixir and swallowed it, then stretched out her hand, shooting out five dragon-like purple lights from her fingernails, swiftly striking the stone forest ahead.

    The stones and trees in the stone forest, touched by the purple light, "sizzled" and melted away as if they were candles.

    Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but admire the old crone¡¯s deadly poison on her fingernails; not just a cultivator¡¯s body, even magical artifacts might not withstand it. The poison of Hua Zhi was iparable to hers.

    Although the old crone¡¯s poisonous divine ability was formidable, her vital point had been hit, and due to her severe injuries and the loss of mana, she soon copsed to the ground, her eyes fixed on the stone forest, filled with hatred and unwillingness, as if she desperately wanted to know who had killed her.

    This old crone held a high position in Bailuo Vi, yet someone had assassinated her so easily. Yuan Ming was also curious about the identity of the killer, looking towards the passage.

    Time passed, but no one appeared from the stone forest.

    The old crone¡¯s breath grew weaker and, after a few breaths, ceased, her eyes slowly closing.

    Yuan Ming sighed inwardly. Now that he was possessing the old crone and she had died, his possession would likely end, and he wouldn¡¯t see the killer.

    Unexpectedly, as the old crone¡¯s breathpletely dissipated and her soul¡¯s power began to overflow, he could still see his surroundings.

    "Why is this happening?"

    Yuan Ming was astonished and quickly sensed his possession status, soon making a discovery.

    His spiritual consciousness could actually overflow, simr to when he used his spiritual consciousness to probe, but much more subtle. If he didn¡¯t pay close attention, he would hardly notice it.

    Yuan Ming realized why he could see his surroundings even when the old crone¡¯s eyes were closed.

    The reason for this, he guessed, might be rted to the ash of the spiritual incense. Could it be that the ash, once worshipped by cultivators, could cause so many changes after possession? Just then, a ck-cloaked figure emerged from the passage, wearing a wide ck cloak, their face unseen.

    Yuan Ming extended his soul power, trying to discern the person¡¯s appearance, but as soon as his soul power touched the ck cloak, it was blocked by an invisible force, unable to probe anything.

    The figure in ck approached the old crone¡¯s corpse, extended a pale hand, and took her storage artifact and the cane artifact.

    Yuan Ming felt darkness before his eyes, his consciousnesspletely plunging into the dark, returning to his body.

    ***

    He slowly opened his eyes, silent, his thoughts churning.

    Who was this ck-cloaked person who had suddenly killed the old crone?

    However, how would he react if he encountered such an attack? After a brief consideration without a conclusion, he set the thought aside for the time being.

    This possession had been full of unexpected events, and he hadn¡¯t been able to test the duration of possession with the addition of the pine wood to the ck incense. He would have to wait for the next possession to find out.

    Yuan Ming lit a stick of Zixuan Incense, inserted it into the Heaven-Stealing Cauldron, and the smoke rose, forming a snake-like shape, coiling around him. Yuan Ming inhaled, and the spiritual smoke split into two streams, entering his nostrils. He swallowed a Four Spirits Pill and began to circte the Nine Elements Form.

    His spiritual consciousness in his mind suddenly fluctuated.

    This was due to the vibration of the Beast Taming Rune within Hua Zhi¡¯s body. The demonic vine was likely battling a formidable enemy again, its demonic power operating too intensely, affecting the rune within.

    Yuan Ming wasn¡¯t surprised; simr situations had urred many times this month. Hua Zhi seemed to enjoy hunting, and he had grown ustomed to it.

    After steadying his mind, Yuan Ming closed his eyes again and immersed himself in cultivation.

    ***

    Inside the Rain Ruins Swamp.

    Hua Zhi was battling a ck mantis-like demonic beast.

    The mantis was about two zhang long, with sharp eyes, and its two forelimbs were like ck cleavers, drawing ck lines as they swung, cutting through trees and stones upon contact.

    Hua Zhi was cautious against the ck mantis, driving numerous demonic vines to attack from all directions, trying to avoid the forelimbs.

    Around Hua Zhi, many small demonic beasts followed, including vine demons like Hua Zhi and various poisonous insects and small beasts, numbering twenty or thirty, all seemingly under Hua Zhi¡¯smand.

    These small demons attacked the ck mantis from all sides along with Hua Zhi.

    The ck mantis gradually became overwhelmed, attempting to fly away several times but was blocked by Hua Zhi.

    After a while, the ck mantis¡¯s movements slowed down, and in a moment of carelessness, Hua Zhi¡¯s vine pierced its hard shell and entered its flesh.

    Enraged, the mantis swung its forelimbs, cutting off the vine.

    Just as it was about to counterattack, it suddenly felt intense pain in its chest. The vine that had entered its body could still move, burrowing deeper into its chest and quickly piercing its heart.

    The ck mantis let out a mournful cry and fell to the ground, struggling for a moment before dying.

    Hua Zhi extended a vine into the mantis¡¯s chest, quickly wrapping around the severed vine, which twisted like a snake.

    A sh of purple light, and the severed vine slowly merged into the vine that had captured it.

    Hua Zhi¡¯s other vines pierced into the mantis, quickly draining its blood until only a dry husk remained.

    It then manipted the vines into de shapes, cutting off the two ck forelimbs and bringing them in front of itself, then waved its hand.

    The surrounding small demons swarmed, eagerly devouring the ck mantis¡¯s remains, leaving nothing behind.

    Hua Zhi spat out a storage ring and collected the mantis¡¯s sharp forelimbs.

    The storage ring was given to it by Yuan Ming beforeing to the Rain Ruins Swamp, and with Hua Zhi¡¯s demonic power, it could be used.

    Yuan Ming had let it roam freely, not without conditions; he wanted Hua Zhi to help collect various spiritual materials from the swamp and bring them back periodically.

    "Really knows how to use others." Hua Zhi put away the ring, muttering slightly discontentedly before leading the group of small demons forward.

    ***

    Seven days passed quickly, and the Taiji pattern on the Heaven-Stealing Cauldron was restored. Yuan Ming took out an hourss, lit a ck incense stick with added pine wood, and possessed another body.

    This time, his target was Liu Tianming.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s vision darkened, and when he awoke, he was in the body of the young emperor, Liu Tianming.

    ***

    Liu Tianming was walking on a white jade mountain path, a long road leading to a towering peak that seemed to reach the heavens.

    Under the sunlight, the white jade path shimmered, and the peak was resplendent with golden light. Nearby, magnificent buildings stood tall.

    In the sky, auspicious clouds drifted, and cranes soared, creating an atmosphere of a celestial pce.

    "Wow, this is Changchun Temple, truly the number one cultivation sect in Great Jin, iparable to Bi Luo Cave," Yuan Ming marveled at the scene before him.

    "Who thought of building the library at the peak? I have to run all the way up every time." The young emperor Liu Tianming suddenly stopped, sitting down on a nearby boulder, grumbling discontentedly.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t bother being polite with the young emperor, subtly influencing him, continuously instilling the words "Fire Cloud Secret Technique."

    Since entering the world of cultivation, the most powerful fire spell he had seen was the Fire Cloud Secret Technique. When he had fought Elder Yuhu, he had thought of learning it by stealth. He had encouraged the young emperor to learn the Fire Cloud Secret Technique during their casual conversations in the Great Jin pce, to facilitate his own covert learning.

    It had been a long time; had the young emperor learned it yet?

    The young emperor¡¯s cultivation was slightly lower than Yuan Ming¡¯s, and his spiritual consciousness was not as strong. After a few attempts, he was quickly influenced by Yuan Ming¡¯s hints, his thoughts shifting from the books to the Fire Cloud Secret Technique.

    Suddenly, he took out a red jade slip from his storage ring, but then his movements paused slightly, and he muttered to himself in confusion, "Huh, why did I suddenly take out this jade slip of the Fire Cloud Technique?"

    He intended to put the jade slip away, but after a moment¡¯s thought, he pressed it to his forehead and released his spiritual consciousness into it.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming also unfolded his spiritual consciousness, entering the jade slip, finally seeing the long-desired Fire Cloud Secret Technique.

    However, the content in the jade slip was quiteplex, giving him a headache at first nce.

    The Fire Cloud Secret Technique was not a simple spell; it integrated several fire spells, along with sealing techniques, rune systems, and more, far moreplex than any spell he had encountered before.

    Although Yuan Ming considered himself somewhat talented in spells, such aplex secret technique, he admitted, would take him a year or more to learn, even if he explored it.<hr>

 Chapter 256:

    Chapter 256:

    "This Fiery Cloud Technique is indeed abstruse and difficult toprehend. I¡¯ll have to ask His Majesty for guidance when I have the time."

    The young emperor Liu Tianming came back to his senses with a start and looked at the jade slip in his hand, sighing deeply.

    He shook his head, put away the jade slip, and quickened his pace. Soon, he arrived at a majestic white jade hall at the peak, with the words "Sea of Books" inscribed on the golden que above.

    There were no guards at the entrance of the hall, but on each side stood a towering bronze beast statue, each seven to thirty metres tall¡ªone a cyan giant lion, the other a beast resembling a horse with an extremely long neck.

    Just as Liu Tianming was about to step inside, a voice came from the side: "The Sea of Books is a sacred ce of Changchun Temple. Which disciple are you from, and don¡¯t you know that you need to show a permit token before entering?"

    Liu Tianming was startled, then realized that the speaker was the long-necked beast statue on his right. The statue suddenly came to life, stretching its neck in front of him, its eyes as big as copper bells staring intently at him, exuding an imposing aura.

    "Are you the esteemed Hakutaku of the Sea of Books? I, Liu Tianming, have only recently joined Changchun Temple and have not yet taken a master, so I¡¯m unfamiliar with the rules here. Please forgive me. Here is my permit token."

    Liu Tianming bowed deeply, respectfully taking out a white jade token.

    "Seeing that you are respectful, I¡¯ll let this transgression slide. Go on in," the long-necked beast said, retracting its neck slowly.Liu Tianming thanked the creature and then walked into the hall.

    The Sea of Books Hall looked magnificent from the outside, but upon entering, one could only see rows upon rows of towering bookshelves, each seven to thirty metres tall, with some even floating in mid-air, requiring one to look up to see them.

    There were also two side doors on the left and right sides of the hall, which seemed to lead to two side halls, also filled with tall bookshelves stacked with countless books and jade slips, giving one the impression of a mountain of books, vast as the sea of smoke, truly living up to the name "Sea of Books."

    Yuan Ming admired the scene before him, filled with nothing but praise.

    The collection of books in Bi Luo Cave¡¯s Repository was also considerable, butpared to this ce, it was likeparing clouds to mud, not even worthy of mention in the same breath.

    Liu Tianming was also stunned by the sight before him, and it took him a moment to recover before he began to search among the bookshelves.

    Yuan Ming took the opportunity to observe. The arrangement of the books in the Sea of Books was very systematic, divided into multiple areas ording to categories such as techniques, spells, geography, history, sect anecdotes, spiritual materials, elixirs, and formations. Despite the vast number of books, it wasn¡¯t overwhelming or confusing to search.

    Yuan Ming looked towards the spell area, where the bookshelves were enveloped in ayer of white light, with jade slips ced inside and the names of the spells recorded on the ques beside them, including spells for the Qi refining stage, Foundation Establishment stage, and even the Nascent Soul stage.

    Yuan Ming was quite envious, but Liu Tianming headed straight for the area with books on spiritual materials.

    He hesitated for a moment, not wanting to overtly hint to Liu Tianming to go there.

    Liu Tianming hade to the Sea of Books to consult the books for something important, and Yuan Ming had already dyed him quite a bit. There would be plenty of time in the future to manipte Liu Tianming to borrow those spell jade slips.

    Liu Tianming stopped in front of a bookshelf, which was also enveloped in a white prohibition. Just as he was about to search, a white fog surged on the light screen in front of the bookshelf, condensing into a figure about a foot tall, which astonishingly spoke humannguage: "What kind of books do you seek?"

    "Who are you?" Liu Tianming was taken aback.

    "I am the Array Spirit formed by the prohibition of the Sea of Books. With so many books, it is too time-consuming to search alone. Tell me the name or category of the book you wish to read, and I will guide you to its location," the white fog figure said.

    "So, you are the esteemed Array Spirit of the Sea of Books. I wish to consult information rted to the Silver Chalice Flower," Liu Tianming said.

    "The Silver Chalice Flower is a herbaceous spiritual nt of the Asteraceae family. The relevant books are on the second shelf of the third row in the spiritual materials area," the white fog Array Spirit said, raising its hand to point to a bookshelf not far away.

    "Thank you for your guidance, esteemed Array Spirit," Liu Tianming thanked, quickly walking over and soon found the relevant books.

    He took out a cyan token, which was the identity que of a disciple of Changchun Temple, with the number five hundred appearing on it.

    Liu Tianming activated the token, pointing it towards a book within the light screen.

    The number on the cyan token decreased slightly, and the book within the light screen flew out automatically,nding in his hands.

    Liu Tianming flipped through the book, scanning it quickly.

    Changchun Temple was the leading cultivation sect of Great Jin, and the information it collected had its unique insights. Yuan Ming followed Liu Tianming and read a few pages, feeling that it was quite rewarding. He was about to take the opportunity to study it further when his possession ended, and his consciousness returned to his own body.

    ***

    Yuan Ming immediately checked the nearby hourss, his eyes lighting up with joy.

    The fire pine wood was indeed a high-grade spiritual material. After recing the previous spirit pine, the duration of possession had increased significantly, almost reaching a quarter of an hour.

    Moreover, from the information obtained from Liu Tianming, it seemed that he had only a superficial understanding of the Fiery Cloud Technique, while the old emperor appeared to have a deep understanding of it.

    It looked like Yuan Ming needed to change his approach.

    Yuan Ming closed his eyes to recuperate, took out a nk jade slip, and copied down the Fiery Cloud Technique he had learned by stealth, lest he forget it.

    He didn¡¯t overestimate his abilities toprehend the secret technique on his own. After putting away the jade slip and the hourss, he continued with the cultivation of the Nine Elements Form.

    ***

    Seven dayster.

    Yuan Ming sat cross-legged, burning incense and closing his eyes.

    His target this time was to possess the old emperor and explore his insights into the Fiery Cloud Technique.

    At that moment, the old emperor was sitting cross-legged in a dark room, meditating with his eyes closed, his aura circting at an extremely slow pace, seemingly cultivating some technique.

    After confirming the surrounding environment and situation, Yuan Ming immediately tried to influence his cultivation of the Fiery Cloud Technique through suggestion.

    Perhaps because the old emperor¡¯s cultivation had reached thete stage of Foundation Establishment, far surpassing Yuan Ming, his will was extremely firm. Despite Yuan Ming¡¯s great effort, he was unsessful until the end of the possession time, not even causing a ripple in the old emperor¡¯s state of mind.

    He was not discouraged and continued to attempt to influence through possession after seven days, still ending in failure.

    It wasn¡¯t until the third attempt, whether by the effect of the suggestion or not, that the old emperor performed the Fiery Cloud Technique once, and Yuan Ming hurriedly took the opportunity toprehend it.

    However, the technique was inherentlyplex, and a singleprehension was naturally not enough to master it.

    But with this beginning, the old emperor seemed to have less resistance to performing the Fiery Cloud Technique in the future. However, since the technique was quite conspicuous when performed, the old emperor, probably out of caution, always controlled its power to the minimum.

    This did not affect Yuan Ming¡¯sprehension of the technique¡¯s execution process. After several more insights, his hard work paid off, and he finally mastered this high-level spell.

    Of course, this was only a preliminary mastery. To truly unleash its power, he would need to practice it himself repeatedly.

    ***

    More than a monthter, one day.

    Deep in the Ruins Swamp, a thick red light suddenly rose beside a ck pool, forming a dense fiery cloud seven to thirty metres in size in mid-air, with mes rolling within.

    Although it was raining in the sky, it had no effect on the fiery cloud.

    Yuan Ming stood on a white jade flying shuttle, hovering in mid-air, and pointed towards the ck pool.

    <em>"Go!"</em>

    Seven or eightrge fireballs shot out from the fiery cloud, plunging into the pool.

    These explosive fireballs, formed by the Fiery Cloud Technique, could not be extinguished by ordinary water.

    After a few breaths, violent explosions roared from within the pool, lifting huge waves several meters high, turning the originally clear water murky.

    Hua Zhi was also nearby, and seeing this scene, her face showed delight.

    <em>"Roar!" </em>A deep roar came from the pool, carrying a soul-piercing intimidation.

    "Master, be careful, it¡¯sing out!" Hua Zhi¡¯s voice echoed in Yuan Ming¡¯s mind.

    Before the voice fell, the murky water churned, and a thick shadow shot out, darting towards Yuan Ming in mid-air like lightning.

    Yuan Ming was prepared, controlling the jade shuttle to shoot backward rapidly, retreating more than thirty metres in an instant.

    The shadow missed its target and revealed its true form¡ªa giant beast with a head resembling a snake or lizard, over fifteen metres long, covered in thick ck scales that seemed impervious.

    A dense ck cloud hovered beneath it, supporting the beast¡¯s body.

    "So, it¡¯s a Mo Lizard." Yuan Ming uttered softly.

    ording to the records, the Mo Lizard was the offspring of a union between an ink dragon and a swamp giant lizard, possessing both the sturdy scales and water attribute spell abilities of the ink dragon, as well as the tough body and brute strength of the swamp giant lizard.

    His appearance in the swamp today was partly to test the power of the newly learned Fiery Cloud Technique and also at Hua Zhi¡¯s request to help her repel this Mo Lizard.

    Yuan Ming gestured, and the fiery cloud in mid-air shot out seven or eight fireballs again, targeting the Mo Lizard.

    The Mo Lizard, enraged and desperate, had just soared into mid-air when it sensed the power of the explosive fireballs. It quickly spat out a ck water column to block them and then shot downwards.

    The ck water column was clearly not ordinary liquid. With a few "sizzling" muffled sounds, most of the fireballs were extinguished, but two fireballs still hit the Mo Lizard.

    With two loud "booms," the Mo Lizard was sted away but remained unharmed, righting itself with a flip.

    Yuan Ming secretly praised the toughness of the Mo Lizard¡¯s scales and gestured with both hands.

    Fireballs plummeted from mid-air, hitting the Mo Lizard in session, causing a series of explosions. The space above the pool became a raging sea of fire, surging violently.

    Although the Mo Lizard¡¯s scales were tough, they could not withstand such continuous bombardment. Soon, its defenses were breached, and its body was engulfed in the ferocious mes, emitting a piercing scream.

    Yuan Ming nodded slightly, quite satisfied with the power of the Fiery Cloud Technique.

    Hua Zhi also let out a triumphant cry, spreading her hands wide as more than a dozen demon vines shot out, piercing into the rolling mes like lightning.

    The Mo Lizard¡¯srge body fell from mid-air, crashing into the mud near the pool.

    Its scales were shattered, its flesh a bloody mess, severely injured by the Fiery Cloud Technique. Hua Zhi¡¯s demon vines also prated its body, rapidly absorbing blood and demonic power.

    The Mo Lizard¡¯s body quickly shrank, turning into a withered corpse within a few breaths.

    Hua Zhi¡¯s aura fluctuated slightly, and purple-ck vines grew within her body, more and more, denser and denser, soon forming arge purple-ck cocoon that enveloped her body. The cocoon sprouted purple-ck flowers, emitting a strange fragrance.

    Yuan Ming saw this and smiled with joy.

    Hua Zhi¡¯s strength was already close to the mid-tier of the second level, and after killing and absorbing countless demonic beasts in the Ruins Swamp, she was finally about to break through.<hr>

 Chapter 257: New buddy

    Chapter 257: New buddy

    Upon this thought, Yuan Ming dispersed the fiery clouds in the sky and descended near Hua Zhi to protect her.

    But as soon as Yuan Mingnded, his legs suddenly gave way, and his body was racked with unbearable stabbing pain, as if mes were burning inside him. He wished he could tear open his flesh with his fingers to let this scorching power dissipate somewhat.

    "Poisoned? Could there be hidden enemies nearby?" He was both shocked and furious, enduring the intense pain as he gathered his mana and swept his spiritual consciousness around.

    However, the surroundings were quiet, with no enemies in sight.

    Yuan Ming was momentarily stunned, then suddenly thought of something and turned his gaze to the dark purple cocoon and the spiritual flowers on it. The faint fragrance in his nostrils finally made him realize where the deadly poison hade from.

    He struggled to mobilize the remaining strength in his body and moved outward.

    After an indeterminate amount of time, Yuan Ming finally could no longer smell the fragrance of the dark purple spiritual flowers. He circted the Nine Elements Form, and his weakened body slowly recovered, the burning pain inside him gradually subsiding.

    It was a long while before Yuan Ming returned to normal.

    "The spiritual flowers that Hua Zhi produced are actually poisonous, and so potent that even I was nearly affected," he thought to himself, feeling lucky.Yuan Ming looked at the dark purple spiritual flowers, his eyes sparkling, pondering something.

    ***

    Three days quickly passed.

    The dark purple cocoon suddenly began to shake, and the dark purple demonic vines as if awakening from a deep slumber, began to move slowly.

    A few breathster, all the vines fully awoke, and the dark purple cocoon slowly unfolded, revealing Hua Zhi¡¯s body, which seemed to have grownrger than before, her features more delicate, and her aura had clearly reached the middle tier of the second level.

    Yuan Ming, recalling the incident in the underground pce of Snake King Valley where Hua Zhi had tried to attack him after her strength had improved, subconsciously became wary.

    Contrary to his expectations, Hua Zhi immediately darted over, rubbing and nuzzling against him in a ttering manner: "Master, your fiery cloud secret technique is truly amazing. It even shattered the scales of the Mo Lizard, allowing me to break through to the middle tier of the second level!"

    Yuan Ming sensed the beast-controlling runes within Hua Zhi¡¯s body and, realizing her ttery was genuine, felt relieved.

    "Have you been subduing a lot of little demonic beaststely? Are you nning to be a local tyrant here in Ruins Swamp?" he asked casually, then looked into the distance.

    The little demonic beasts gazed over from afar but did not approach.

    "Life in Ruins Swamp is just too delightful, I have to find some amusement! Besides, I¡¯m doing this for you, Master," Hua Zhi replied.

    "How does capturing these little demonic beasts benefit me?" Yuan Ming asked, looking at Hua Zhi.

    "Of course, by expanding my territory and gathering underlings here, if you, Master, encounter a formidable enemy in the future, you can lure them here. At mymand, these beasts will attack in unison. Combined with our power, even a Nascent Soul stage cultivator might not be impossible to defeat," Hua Zhi boasted, her arms crossing over each other.

    "If your little demons can really deal with Nascent Soul stage cultivators, then those cultivators are too easy to handle," Yuan Ming thought to himself, but he didn¡¯t say it out loud.

    After a moment¡¯s thought, he spoke: "Have your underlings pay attention to collecting various spiritual materials from the swamp, especially nts and herbs. Bring them to meter."

    "Sure, no problem. Leave this little task to me," Hua Zhi said, patting her chest with one arm and readily agreeing.

    "Does that dark purple spiritual flower on you contain potent poison?" Yuan Ming asked again.

    "I absorbed the life essence of that ck toad, which allows me to devour various poisons. Combined with my own characteristics, I can produce spiritual flowers that contain deadly poison," Hua Zhi answered.

    "I want to use this flower to craft poisonous incense," Yuan Ming dered.

    "No problem, these flowers are easy toe by. Master, you just need to nt these seeds in the soil, water them daily, and soon they will take root, sprout, and produce these poisonous flowers," Hua Zhi said, extending her arm, which shed with green light, quickly producing many purple seeds.

    Yuan Ming was pleasantly surprised at how easily obtainable the poisonous spiritual flowers were. He collected the seeds, nning to nt them in the garden of his courtyard once he returned.

    However, since the flowers were poisonous, he would need to purchase a set of restrictions to iste the toxic fragrance.

    ***

    In the following days, Yuan Ming devoted himself to cultivation in his room in Xiaohu City, lighting ck Incense every seven days to possess other Foundation Establishment stage cultivators he had seen at the session ceremony, attempting to stealthily learn their secret techniques.

    Of course, for various reasons, the learning process was not very smooth, but having had the experience of possessing the old emperor, Yuan Ming was psychologically prepared and did not insist on sess.

    Another three months quickly passed.

    Yuan Ming had gradually learned several spells from other sects of the Great Jin, including some high-grade ones with considerable power.

    During this time, the reputation of Xuanhua Spiritual Incense Shop had gradually spread, attracting more customers. Muyang found it difficult to cope, so Yuan Ming had to temporarily stop his cultivation to personally attend to the customers.

    One day, a dark-faced man entered the shop¡ªit was Hu Tu.

    "May I ask, which one of you is the boss?" Hu Tu hesitated as he asked.

    Muyang stepped forward to greet him.

    "Muyang, this is an old acquaintance of mine. Hu Tu,e inside," Yuan Ming, who was in the back room, called out.

    Hu Tu, hearing the voice, entered the back room.

    "Hu Tu, long time no see," Yuan Ming turned around, revealing his face.

    "Master Immortal, it¡¯s really you! This ce must be the city of immortals," Hu Tu said in surprise.

    "From now on, just call me boss. Here, everyone is an immortal master," Yuan Ming said.

    "So it is. The shop mentioned in the letter, is it this one?" Hu Tu suddenly realized and looked around.

    "That¡¯s right. If you¡¯re willing, you can help me look after the shop here. If you have any questions, ask Muyang, the shopkeeper," Yuan Ming winked as he spoke.

    After deciding to open this spiritual incense shop, he had no intention of personally managing it, as it would be a waste of time. Hiring Muyang alone was only a temporary solution; it was necessary to have someone he was familiar with to help manage and supervise. It was not appropriate to send someone from his family, so after some thought, Yuan Ming remembered Hu Tu, hence the shop was rented in his name.

    He then used ck Incense to possess someone and find out Hu Tu¡¯s whereabouts, andter hired a small alliance in the market to bring Hu Tu from the Southern Border¡¯s Zuo State to Xiaohu City.

    "Of course, I can. I was just getting by in Zuo State, and I thoughting to Great Jin would lead to a better life. But although the people of Jin don¡¯t say it, their eyes are full of disdain. Here in Xiaohu City, no one looks at me with prejudice, so I¡¯m naturally willing. As for the sry, there¡¯s no need. I only have one request, and I hope the boss will agree," Hu Tu said.

    "Speak freely, Hu Tu," Yuan Ming said with a smile, guessing Hu Tu¡¯s thoughts.

    "Having seen the methods of the immortals these past days, I am very envious and extremely eager to cultivate the way of immortality. I ask the boss to take me as a disciple. I will be utterly devoted and repay this great kindness!" Hu Tu took a deep breath, bowed deeply, and performed a grand gesture ording to the customs of the Southern Border.

    "Please rise. It ismon to admire the way of immortality, but cultivation requires certain qualifications, and not everyone can do it," Yuan Ming helped Hu Tu up and said slowly.

    "I have some understanding of this. Please, boss, check if I have the qualifications. If not, I will ept my fate, and I will still take on the task of looking after the shop," Hu Tu said.

    Yuan Ming nodded, took Hu Tu¡¯s wrist, and sent a thread of mana into his body. After advancing to the Foundation Establishment stage, he could test for spiritual roots with just his mana, without the need for a magical instrument.

    Hu Tu was somewhat nervous at this moment, holding his breath, not even daring to breathe heavily, as if afraid that he would lose his spiritual roots if he wasn¡¯t careful.

    "Huh, you actually have spiritual roots, and your luck isn¡¯t bad. You have the water, fire, wood, and earth spiritual roots," Yuan Ming said with a hint of surprise after a while.

    "Really?" Hu Tu was overjoyed, kneeling on the ground and weeping with joy.

    "Of course, since you have spiritual roots, you can cultivate immortal techniques. Here is a technique for you to study. If you have any questions,e and ask me," Yuan Ming took out a piece of white paper, quickly wrote down the mantra for the "Biluo Technique," and handed it over.

    <em>"Thank you, Master, for bestowing the immortal technique!"</em> Hu Tu took the white paper with trembling hands and knelt down in gratitude.

    "Stop! I have no intention of taking disciples. You still call me boss, and I¡¯ll call you Hu Tu," Yuan Ming stopped Hu Tu and said seriously.

    Seeing Yuan Ming¡¯s serious expression, Hu Tu did not dare to disobey and agreed obediently, feeling even more grateful to Yuan Ming in his heart.

    "Hu Tu, take good care of my shop in the future. If you do well, I have some Qi refining stage elixirs and magical instruments here that I can reward you with," Yuan Ming encouraged.

    Hu Tu, who had followed Fu Qing and others to Great Jin and then came to Xiaohu City with the members of the alliance, had some understanding of the cultivation world and knew the significance of elixirs and magical instruments. He happily agreed.

    "Boss, rest assured. I¡¯ve done business in the Southern Border and Zuo State. I will not let you down and will manage the shop well," he promised, patting his chest.

    Yuan Ming knew Hu Tu¡¯s character and personality. This man was somewhat slick and opportunistic, indeed suitable for business, otherwise, he would not have invited him over.

    Yuan Ming then took Hu Tu around the shop, introduced him to Muyang, and told them to discuss matters together. He also informed Hu Tu of somemon knowledge of the cultivation world and the key points of selling spiritual incense, then became a hands-off shopkeeper.

    He did not return to the neighboring residence but sat quietly in the backyard to cultivate while monitoring how Hu Tu managed the shop.

    Hu Tu was quite clever in doing business. In just half a day, hepletely understood the ins and outs of selling spiritual incense. He was also adept at attracting customers, patiently exining to them no matter how many questions they had, keeping the shop orderly and uncluttered. Whenever he had questions, he would ask Muyang. The two coordinated well, so Yuan Ming simply let Muyang live in the shop.

    ***

    After watching for three days and feeling there were no problems, Yuan Ming exined the Biluo Technique to Hu Tu twice and gave him a few pointers before returning to his residence at number eighty-six to focus on cultivation.

    Of course, he would asionally summon a soul crow to perch on a nearby tree to watch over the situation of the two in the shop.<hr>

 Chapter 258: The way of business

    Chapter 258: The way of business

    After Hu Tu arrived at the Xuanhua Spiritual Incense Shop, despite his efforts, the shop was in a remote location with few pedestrians on the street, leading to less than ideal sales.

    Yuan Ming had no choice but to adjust his sales tactics.

    He first drew a portrait of Xuanhua Zhenren, a figure of immortal bearing, and hung it prominently in the main hall of the shop, cing an ordinary incense burner in front of it and lighting a stick of Qingxuan Incense.

    Then he instructed the two men as follows: <em>when encountering cultivators representing sects for purchases, offer them a rebate. If a customer refers another customer, give a rebate to the referring customer.</em> Both Muyang and Hu Tu were quick-witted and grasped the concept immediately.

    After giving his instructions, Yuan Ming went to the back room, took out the Stealing Heaven Cauldron, inserted the Qingxuan Incense, and lit the spiritual smoke. Under his guidance, the fragrance spread out into the street.

    Two cultivators walking by the street smelled the incense and felt their spirits lifted. They talked to each other and found their way to the shop.

    In a restaurant, several cultivators put down their wine cups and hurried downstairs.

    ***

    Before long, dozens of cultivators gathered in the shop inquiring about Qingxuan Incense, and Muyang and Hu Tu suddenly became very busy.Hu Tu was even whispering to a cultivator on the side.

    All the stock was sold out that day.

    Subsequently, the first month¡¯s profit reached more than a thousand spirit stones, and the second month even reached twelve hundred. Then, it stabilized at around fifteen hundred spirit stones per month.

    Seeing the business of spiritual incense so prosperous, Yuan Ming was greatly relieved. He rewarded Hu Tu and Muyang with a bottle of Qi refining stage elixirs each and took an evening to answer their questions and resolve their doubts.

    He also purchased some elixir recipes and improved the manufacture of several new spiritual incenses with different effects. Based on one of the beauty elixir recipes, he created a beauty incense that could help beautify theplexion and whiten the skin. After cing it on the shelves, and with Hu Tu¡¯s eloquent sales pitch, it was also popr among female cultivators, leading to another increase in profits.

    Everything was going well with Hua Zhi as well, with the territory expanding considerably, and the supply of spiritual materials sent back each month continued to increase.

    Despite the huge monthly expenses for purchasing spiritual materials, making incense, and buying elixirs, the number of spirit stones in his storage ring was also increasing.

    The only thing that troubled Yuan Ming was that the best ash from the incense burned at Xuanhua Guan was almost used up, and he only had the ash from Jiuli Temple left.

    Having gotten used to the high-quality ash from the sect, he had be somewhat disdainful of mundane substances.

    ***

    Two monthster.

    Inside the Xuanhua Incense Shop, Yuan Ming sat in a chair, flipping through the shop¡¯s ledger, his face beaming with joy as he read.

    "Hu Tu, Muyang, this month has been good," Yuan Ming said with a smile, putting down the ledger.

    "It¡¯s mainly because the boss has good strategies. The spiritual incense has selling points, and here in Xiaohu City¡¯s market, it¡¯s unique. The sect purchases make up the bulk," Hu Tu genuinely admired Yuan Ming and was full of ttery.

    Yuan Ming pointed to the newly written signs outside and said, "Hang these two signs up."

    The two conspicuous wooden signs hanging outside the shop read:

    "Qingxuan Incense is limited to 100 sticks per day, purchase while stocksst."

    "Beauty Incense is scarce, avable by reservation only."

    "The boss¡¯s tactics are really clever. The scarcer it is, the more they want to buy. This way, we won¡¯t worry about next month¡¯s orders," Hu Tu rubbed his hands together and chuckled.

    Yuan Ming nced at Hu Tu, thinking that with his pig-like face, he was indeed suited to be a shopkeeper.

    Hu Tu, with his thick eyebrows, big eyes, and dark skin, looked like a simple and honest man from the Southern Border, but he had the temperament of a shrewd merchant.

    "It¡¯s only Qingxuan Incense and Beauty Incense that can be sold like this, one for aiding cultivation and the other targeting the desires of female cultivators. The demand is high, so we can operate this way. Other products haven¡¯t reached the point where everyone is scrambling to buy," Yuan Ming said. "So in the future, we¡¯ll bundle sales. We¡¯ll make a loyalty book for regr customers. Buying incense can earn points, and those with high points have priority to purchase Qingxuan Incense and Beauty Incense."

    "Boss, is that really okay?" Muyang asked.

    "Muyang, what¡¯s wrong with that? Those with high points also get discounts. Business is all about giving a little here and taking a little there, and everyone understands that," Hu Tu said.

    "Where did the boss learn these tricks?" Hu Tu asked.

    "I figured them out myself. I used to have a bookstore, and when business was bad, I came up with these methods. Later, when the bookstore took on partners and became famous, I gradually stopped using these tactics," Yuan Ming recalled with a smile. "Doing business is all about the small ways, you just focus on cultivating your great path."

    "Sure, boss. To be honest, I¡¯m already very content with the life I have now," Hu Tu said sincerely.

    "How is your Biluo Techniqueing along?" Yuan Ming asked.

    Hearing this, Hu Tu showed an embarrassed expression and said, "I can barely sense the presence of mana, which should be the first level of Qi refining as described in the technique."

    "If you have any cultivation problems in the future, you can also ask Muyang. I¡¯ve taught him the Biluo Technique as well," Yuan Ming said.

    "Boss, after I switched to the Biluo Technique, I really feel it¡¯s better than the technique my master passed on to me," Muyang chimed in.

    The origin of the Biluo Technique was unknown, but as the main technique of Bi Luo Cave, it was indeed much better than the techniques of rogue cultivators, which is why Muyang said so.

    Hearing this, Hu Tu said, "I feel like using these Qingxuan Incense is a waste."

    "Reaching the first level of Qi refining in about half a year ispletely normal. There are many who take years to cultivate mana. Since you have a spiritual root, you already have a connection to the immortal path. A small Qi refining cultivator can live for so long, and if you¡¯re lucky enough to reach Foundation Establishment, living over two hundred years is no problem," Yuan Ming rolled his eyes and said.

    "Two hundred years? I¡¯ll cultivate diligently!" Hu Tu quickly changed his tune after doing the math.

    After chatting for a while and resolving some of their cultivation doubts, Yuan Ming left his spiritual incense shop and headed straight for the Shengye Sect¡¯s store.

    After reaching Foundation Establishment, his cultivation speed with the Nine Elements Form had greatly decreased. Over the past half year, the elixirs he had saved up were all used up, and his cultivation progress was minimal, still far from the middle stage. He had to go and buy some more.

    He went straight to Qingmu Tower and bought ten bottles of Four Spirits Elixir, then left.

    On his way back, Yuan Ming took a detour and visited Zhenling Pavilion again.

    After observing and visiting both openly and secretly for some time, Yuan Ming had a grasp of Zhenling Pavilion¡¯s reputation and felt that their conduct was fairly trustworthy and upright. He decided to entrust his spirit beast egg to Zhenling Pavilion for incubation.

    As soon as Yuan Ming stepped into Zhenling Pavilion, the manager who had served himst time immediately came to greet him.

    "Esteemed guest, we¡¯ve been waiting for you. Please,e with me to the private room on the second floor," the manager said, leading Yuan Ming upstairs without further ado.

    Just as Yuan Ming was puzzled, he heard hurried footsteps and a familiar voice approaching.

    "Brother Ha-Gong..."

    With the familiar voice, a dark-skinned, weathered-faced, one-armed old man, resembling a farmer from the fields, entered.

    The moment the two saw each other, they couldn¡¯t help but size each other up.

    The one-armed old man asked uncertainly, "Could it be Brother Ha-Gong?"

    "Brother Gu," Yuan Ming smiled and nodded.

    When they had met in the ghost market, one was wearing a cloak that concealed his aura, and the other was wearing a mask that hid his face, so neither knew what the other truly looked like.

    "It¡¯s been years since west met. Brother Ha-Gong¡¯s demeanor and aura arepletely different from before, making it hard to recognize you," Gu Qiuming eximed.

    "Brother Gu still has the same charm as always," Yuan Ming exchanged pleasantries with a smile.

    "When I came back, I heard from the manager that someone was looking for me. I couldn¡¯t guess who it would be, so I asked him to keep an eye out for your return. I didn¡¯t expect to actually run into you. How did you end up in Leizhou?" Gu Qiuming sat down opposite Yuan Ming and poured tea for both of them.

    "It¡¯s all fate," Yuan Ming said with a smile.

    "Ha ha, Brother Ha-Gong, what brings you here? Do you have some good items to sell, or are you looking to buy something?" Gu Qiuming didn¡¯t beat around the bush and asked directly.

    "Now that Brother Gu is back, things will be easier. I¡¯vee to Zhenling Pavilion because I have a spiritual beast egg that I¡¯d like you to take a look at," Yuan Ming said.

    "Sure, sure, let¡¯s have a look," Gu Qiuming said eagerly, his eyes lighting up.

    Yuan Ming waved his hand, and a blood-red egg the size of a bowl appeared in his hand.

    He handed the blood egg to Gu Qiuming, who didn¡¯t take it but instead pointed at the table, indicating that Yuan Ming could ce it there.

    After Yuan Ming did so, Gu Qiuming moved his chair closer and began to examine it carefully.

    After a moment, he didn¡¯t say a word, but his brows furrowed more and more.

    "Brother Gu, what¡¯s wrong? Is there something amiss with this egg?" Yuan Ming asked with a frown.

    Gu Qiuming didn¡¯t answer but took out an oval-shaped transparent crystal from his sleeve and looked through it at the egg, examining it once more.

    "How strange..." Gu Qiuming muttered, shaking his head.

    "Brother Gu, don¡¯t keep me in suspense. What¡¯s the matter?" Yuan Ming grew even more curious.

    "This blood egg, judging by its size, shape, surface patterns, and texture when touched, should be an egg of the winged bird. But the problem is that winged bird eggs are usually sky blue or deep blue. I¡¯ve never heard of a blood-red one," Gu Qiuming said.

    "It was like this when I got it. Could the red be dyed?" Yuan Ming, knowing the origin of the blood egg, subconsciously thought that the spiritual beast egg had been soaked in blood for a long time and had absorbed the color.

    "What are you joking about? Winged bird eggs have faint, twisted patterns on the shell with a soft luster. It¡¯s impossible for them to be dyed. Moreover, this red color clearly prates deep into the shell, the same as the beast inside," Gu Qiuming said.

    "Brother Gu, what could have caused this?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "It¡¯s hard to say. It could be a mutation or some other reason," Gu Qiuming nodded.<hr>

 Chapter 259: Winged Bird Egg

    Chapter 259: Winged Bird Egg

    "Is this a good or bad thing?" Yuan Ming asked with some uncertainty.

    "It¡¯s fifty-fifty. We¡¯ll only know the oue after it hatches. It might not even be able to hatch. If my sect¡¯s Sixth Uncle were here, I could have him appraise it," Gu Qiuming pondered aloud.

    Hearing this, Yuan Ming still felt that the likelihood of it bing stronger was higher.

    After all, Xiying had hidden this egg in Bi Luo Cave, taking years and having beast ves collect countless demon beast blood to soak it in! It couldn¡¯t possibly be just an ordinary winged bird!

    "Brother Ha-Gong, name your price," Gu Qiuming spoke up, then added emphatically, "Whatever you say!"

    "I¡¯m not selling this item. I just want to entrust it to Zhenling Pavilion for help with hatching," Yuan Ming stated. Even though he was prepared for this, Gu Qiuming couldn¡¯t hide the sh of disappointment in his eyes upon hearing Yuan Ming¡¯s refusal to sell.

    "You trust me, the chance of an aberrant species hatching a dud is definitely lower than producing a stronger spiritual beast. Instead of gambling on this yourself, it¡¯s better to sell it for a good price, that way you¡¯ll profit more," Gu Qiuming advised.

    "This egg was a gift from a friend, it holds a different meaning for me. Even if it hatches a weakling, I¡¯ll ept it," Yuan Ming said with a smile. How could he possibly sell the blood egg that Xiying gave him?

    "Alright, since that¡¯s the case, I won¡¯t try to persuade you any further. However, let me be clear, this winged bird egg is no ordinary one. It can¡¯t be hatched in Zhenling Pavilion. I¡¯ll have to take it back to our Cultivation Sect, Precious Spirit Sect, to use a formation for hatching," Gu Qiuming exined."That¡¯s fine, but I must apany you," Yuan Ming said after a moment¡¯s thought.

    "After the spiritual beast hatches, you¡¯ll need to tame it quickly while it¡¯s still young. If you wait until it¡¯s grown, its wild nature will emerge, and taming it will be much harder," Gu Qiuming said.

    "What¡¯s the price for hatching it?" Yuan Ming inquired.

    "ording to the sect¡¯s rules, hatching a spiritual beast egg using a formation will cost at least a hundred spirit stones. Since we¡¯re friends, I¡¯ll hatch it for you personally and take ten stones less. Ny spirit stones, and the consumption of spirit stones by the formation is calcted separately. The price is the same even if it fails," Gu Qiuming stated.

    "The price is eptable," Yuan Ming nodded upon hearing this.

    "Great! I still have some matters to attend to here, so let¡¯s set off early tomorrow," Gu Qiuming said with a smile.

    "If I may ask, where is Precious Spirit Sect located?" Yuan Ming inquired.

    "On the other side of Ruins Swamp, not too far from here," Gu Qiuming replied.

    "Good, then let¡¯s set off early tomorrow." After agreeing, Yuan Ming left Zhenling Pavilion.

    ***

    The next day, bright and early, Yuan Ming and Gu Qiuming set off on cranes towards Precious Spirit Sect.

    Meanwhile, in Ruins Swamp, Hua Zhi was using vines to weave something resembling a rake plow, sitting on it while two three-foot-long ck fish tied with vine ropes pulled it swiftly along.

    On the way to Precious Spirit Sect, Gu Qiuming shared some basic information about the sect with Yuan Ming.

    He learned that Precious Spirit Sect was located on the eastern side of Ruins Swamp, a small sect built along the swamp¡¯skeshore, mainly specializing in the hatching and taming of spiritual beasts, with a history spanning hundreds of years.

    In some ways, Precious Spirit Sect was simr to Bi Luo Cave, except itcked the business of capturing spiritual beasts. Uniquely, although Precious Spirit Sect was a Cultivation Sect, it was primarily a ¡¯Gu¡¯ surname family n that also absorbed many cultivators of other surnames.

    ***

    Upon reaching the territory of Precious Spirit Sect, Yuan Ming first saw a series of exquisitely carved stone archways, neatly arranged and stretching for hundreds of yards.

    Most of the archways were engraved with phrases like "Eternal Enterprise," "Glorious Moonlight," and "Heavenly Scenic Spot." Only thest andrgest archway bore the words "Precious Spirit Sect" in bold and majestic characters, indicating the sect¡¯s illustrious past and bolstering Yuan Ming¡¯s confidence.

    Standing under the archway and looking back, he saw buildings with white walls and ck tiles nestled in dense forests along thekeshore, their hazy beauty enhanced by the mist. From afar, he could hear the calls of rare birds and beasts emanating from the cluster of buildings.

    After entering Precious Spirit Sect, Yuan Ming discovered that the sect, which resembled a town, was divided into many areas, each breeding different spiritual beasts. Although the numbers seemed small, the variety was vast, including both birds and beasts, each area shielded by a formation barrier. Along thekeside of the swamp, there were also enclosures for aquatic spiritual beasts.

    Gu Qiuming led Yuan Ming towards the inner parts of the sect, and many people they encountered along the way greeted Gu Qiuming, using familial titles like uncle and brother rather than senior or junior brother.

    "Your winged bird egg is a bit special; I need to ask my uncle to take a look to avoid any mishaps," Gu Qiuming said as he led the way inside the sect.

    "Sure," Yuan Ming had no objections. They passed through multiple arches and corridors to a secluded courtyard.

    "My uncle is thew enforcement elder of Precious Spirit Sect, known for his strictness. When we meet him, I¡¯ll do the talking, and you just listen. If you have any questions, you can ask me afterward," Gu Qiuming seemed somewhat intimidated by his uncle. Yuan Ming nodded.

    "Nephew Qiuming seeks an audience with Sixth Uncle," Gu Qiuming called out upon reaching the courtyard gate.

    "Come in and talk," a calm, slightly hoarse voice responded after a moment from inside.

    Gu Qiuming gestured to Yuan Ming and led him into the courtyard.

    ***

    Under an old pine tree with a strong presence, an imposing elderly man with white hair sat on a stone bench, his chin adorned with a short white beard, his eyes gleaming with wisdom as he read a scroll. Seeing the two enter, the elder¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. Gu Qiuming knew he was displeased with bringing an outsider in, but as it concerned spirit stones, he quickly spoke up: "Sixth Uncle, my friend here has obtained a peculiar spiritual beast egg. My vision is limited, and I can only vaguely guess it¡¯s a winged bird, but it¡¯s red. I¡¯d like you to take a look."

    The elder¡¯s interest piqued upon hearing this. "Among the younger generation, you¡¯ve traveled far and wide for many years, and your judgment is not bad. If you say it¡¯s a winged bird egg, it¡¯s likely correct. Bring it here for me to see," the elder requested.

    Gu Qiuming quickly signaled Yuan Ming, who understood and promptly took out the blood egg, cing it on the table. The elder¡¯s gaze fell on the egg, and after a brief nce, he asked, "You got this egg from the Southern Border, didn¡¯t you?"

    "How did you know?" Yuan Ming asked in surprise. "This is amon winged bird egg, but it has been nurtured with the blood nourishment method,monly used by beast tamers in the Southern Border," the elder exined.

    "What is the blood nourishment method?" Yuan Ming inquired.

    "Southern Border beast tamers, upon obtaining bird eggs, soak them in the blood of several demon beasts to imbue them with vitality after hatching. This red eggshell has merely absorbed the color of the blood. It needs to be hatched soon, or the embryo will starve if it¡¯s away from the blood nourishment for too long," the elder nced at him and said.

    "Uncle, I want to use a formation to hatch this egg. What do you think?" Gu Qiuming tentatively asked. "It¡¯s possible," the elder said indifferently, then fell silent. Gu Qiuming, along with Yuan Ming, thanked the elder and took their leave.

    "Using a sledgehammer to crack a nut," the elder murmured.

    As the two walked out of the courtyard gate, a young man in a brocade robe with handsome features, fair skin, and a lock of hair hanging over his forehead, giving him a somewhat unruly appearance, approached.

    "Oh, isn¡¯t this our one-armed third brother? You¡¯re always out making a fortune; what brings you back today?" the young man said upon seeing Gu Qiuming.

    Gu Qiuming merely nced at him coldly, not bothering to respond, and left with Yuan Ming.

    The young man seemed unconcerned, chuckling before entering the courtyard and respectfully greeting the elder: "Sixth Uncle."

    "Qiulong! Why are you disrespectful to your cousin?" the elder looked at him disapprovingly.

    "He¡¯s just a one-armed cripple," Gu Qiulong said nonchntly, sitting opposite the elder.

    "Shut your mouth! He lost his arm fighting for the family," the elder¡¯s expression darkened.

    Clearly, Gu Qiuming wasn¡¯t bothered by the earlier incident and cheerfully led Yuan Ming to a more remote courtyard.

    ***

    The courtyard was deserted, with worn decorations, and the paint on the doorposts was peeling, suggesting Gu Qiuming hadn¡¯t lived there for a long time.

    "Brother Yuan, this is my residence. You can stay here for a few days. I need to go to the n¡¯s hatching chamber to hatch this bird egg for you," Gu Qiuming found Yuan Ming a room to settle in.

    "How long will it take?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "About ten days or so. Rest assured, when the winged bird is about to hatch, I¡¯ll bring you there in advance. But for the next few days, we probably won¡¯t see each other," Gu Qiuming said.

    "No problem, I¡¯ll settle in and wait for the good news," Yuan Ming smiled.

    Gu Qiuming¡¯s expression changed, seeming hesitant to speak.

    "What¡¯s wrong? Is there something amiss?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "Nothing much, just that while I¡¯m away, it¡¯s best if you stay in the courtyard and please don¡¯t wander elsewhere," Gu Qiuming said with some difficulty.

    "I thought it was something serious, don¡¯t worry," Yuan Mingughed.

    Afterward, Gu Qiuming left with the blood egg, and Yuan Ming walked around the courtyard for a while before bringing his fingers together and touching his forehead. Immediately, four soul crows flew out from his brow, spreading their wings and soaring into the sky, heading out of the courtyard.<hr>

 Chapter 260: Stealing ash

    Chapter 260: Stealing ash

    Yuan Ming released the soul crows and returned to his room, where he closed the door and sat down to meditate. Through the eyes of the soul crows, he soared high above, surveying the entirety of the Precious Spirit Sect.

    This was not a spur-of-the-moment action for Yuan Ming; it was a premeditated n.

    When Gu Qiuming invited him to his sect, Yuan Ming had already set his sights on their ancestral hall¡¯s incense offerings, which he was sorely in need of.

    Unlike the talent-depleted Xuanhua Guan, the Precious Spirit Sect, while not a powerfulrge sect, had an orderly inheritance and was n-based, suggesting that their incense offerings would be purer.

    The only trouble was the sect¡¯s highest cultivator, who was at thete stage of Core Formation, a fact Yuan Ming had already ascertained. With the cloak given to him by Xiying, and as long as he was careful, the risk was still within a controble range.

    After all, to most cultivators, incense ash was just trash, probably requiring manpower to clean up every so often.

    Although Yuan Ming didn¡¯t talk much with Gu Qiuming on the way to the sect, he had subtly inquired and roughly determined the location of the ancestral hall. So, it didn¡¯t take much effort for Yuan Ming to find it.

    Like most sects, the Precious Spirit Sect ced their ancestral hall at the highest point of their territory, which was just a small hill to the southeast of the sect.

    The hall¡¯s design was simr to many n ancestral halls in the south of Great Jin, with white walls, ck tiles, and high wind-fire walls adorned with exquisitely carved statues symbolizing good omens.Yuan Ming controlled a soul crow to get closer to the ancestral hall for observation, but before it couldnd, a white light shot out like a flying de, nearly slicing the crow in two.

    Startled, Yuan Ming quickly made the crow p its wings and awkwardly ascend. It was then that he saw a middle-aged man in a green robe sweeping the ground in the courtyard, cursing "bad luck" in the direction of the crow.

    "There¡¯s actually a cultivator at thete stage of Foundation Establishment guarding the ce; thisplicates things," Yuan Ming deduced from the attack, finding himself in a difficult position.

    With his current cultivation, using soul crows to steal incense ash under the nose of ate-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator was no easy task.

    "Anyway, I have to stay here for a while without rming anyone; better to y the long game," Yuan Ming thought to himself.

    He decided not to let the soul crows get too close and instead took out an elixir to consume, then closed his eyes to cultivate the Nine Elements Form.

    ***

    As the night deepened and the sounds of insects filled the air, the crescent moon outside Yuan Ming¡¯s window tilted westward, signaling thete hours.

    Yuan Ming sat by the window, cultivating the Death Moon method, when suddenly a rustling noise came from outside. He frowned slightly, opened his eyes, and looked in the direction of the sound.

    Out of nowhere, a small tree had grown outside his window, with a fresh branch poking through, topped with a dark purple, enchanting vine flower.

    "Hua Zhi..." Yuan Ming whispered to the dark purple vine flower, and the branch with the flower trembled up and down as if nodding in agreement.

    Momentster, the small branch slowly withdrew from the window, along with the entire sapling, retracting into the ground.

    Yuan Ming waited a moment, judging that the time was about right, then donned the gray cloak given to him by Xiying and climbed out the window. He released four soul crows to patrol the skies and alert him to any guards, easily avoiding everyone and smoothly reaching the hill near the ancestral hall of the Precious Spirit Sect.

    There, he did not let the soul crows approach the hall but instead carefully concealed his presence, finding a hidden spot to hide.

    Yuan Ming then took out the Stealing Heaven Cauldron, inserted a stick of Enchanting Incense, and lit it with a pinch of his fingers. He then controlled the censer with a spell, making it fly slowly towards the ancestral hall. The Stealing Heaven Cauldron spun out, hovering half a foot off the ground like a spark of light, and quickly arrived near the entrance of the hall.

    Yuan Ming, using the vision of a soul crow high in the sky, was surprised to find thatpared to the daytime, there was now a beast resembling a hunting dog with unusuallyrge ears sitting between the two stone lions at the entrance of the hall. Therge-eared beast¡¯s ears twitched, and it immediately noticed the stealthy, drifting censer. Its eyes glowed red, ready to sound the rm.

    However, Yuan Ming had already controlled the incense smoke with his spiritual consciousness, quickly entering the beast¡¯s nostrils. Therge-eared beast¡¯s cry was cut off before it began, its eyes rolled back, and it fainted.

    Inside the ancestral hall, the green-robed middle-aged man sitting in meditation suddenly opened his eyes, feeling something amiss and preparing to check outside. But as he stood up, he was ovee with an intense drowsiness and, like therge-eared hound, fell asleep.

    Momentster, under an old pine tree in the courtyard, the soil bulged outward, and a branch slowly emerged, then expanded and branched out, forming a tree person with dense branches. It was Hua Zhi, who, if not looked at closely, seemed like an ordinary tree that belonged there.

    Hua Zhi held a y pot in its arms and nced towards the great hall of the ancestral hall. Seeing that the cultivator had fallen asleep, it shook off the mud on its feet and tiptoed slowly inside.

    Inside the hall, the floor tiles and walls were made of the same material as Yuan Ming¡¯s rented room. Hua Zhi bypassed the middle-aged man and immediately saw an oversized incense table withyers of ancestral tablets piled up like a small mountain behind it. On both sides of the hall, rows of ever-burningmps of varying heights were lit, burning some kind of fat that gave off a stable me and a faint fragrance.

    Hua Zhi nced around and then focused on the incense table, where three exquisitely crafted gold-iid incense burners were filled with incense ash umted over many years. Hua Zhi, not forgetting its mission, stepped forward and ced the y pot on the table. It then extended its branch-like hands, which transformed into shovel shapes, and scooped the incense ash from the burners into a storage bag hanging at its waist.

    Afterward, Hua Zhi opened the y pot and poured the ordinary incense ash it had collected from elsewhere into the three incense burners on the table. Havingpleted its task, Hua Zhi retreated from the ancestral hall. When it reached the courtyard, it formed a broom from a thin branch and swept the mud it had brought back under the old pine tree. Then, it retracted into the ground and disappeared.

    ***

    It was a long time before the green-robed middle-aged man woke up, and when he realized he had inexplicably fallen asleep, he was shocked awake, and all his drowsiness vanished.

    He stood up immediately, extended his spiritual consciousness to scan the surroundings, and looked around, but found nothing unusual. He knew theyout of the ancestral hall by heart, and whether something was missing or moved, he could easily detect it. But incense ash, which he considered useless, was not worth his attention.

    Finding nothing unusual, the middle-aged man went outside the hall. When he opened the door, he discovered that the alert beast had also fallen to the ground, sound asleep. His brow furrowed, he bent down and pped the beast¡¯srge ear. The alert beast woke up with a start, still looking confused.

    Seeing its state, the middle-aged man sighed, checked again carefully, and naturally found nothing, so he had to give up.

    ***

    Meanwhile, Yuan Ming, who had returned to his room, looked at the newly acquired incense ash on the table and was in high spirits. "Good, this shouldst me a while," he thought.

    The incense ash he had obtained from Xuanhua Guan had already been used up, including the ck Incense made from it, leaving him with only a few sticks made from Jiuli Temple¡¯s incense ash. These sticks had a shorter possession time andcked the psychological inducement effect, so the incense ash he had just acquired was a timely solution.

    Once he returned to the market in Xiaohu City, he could buy some Spiritual Wood materials and make a new batch of ck Incense. With the foundation of the Precious Spirit Sect, he expected the effects to be stronger than those from Xuanhua Guan, and perhaps even better than those from the Liuxin Sect. Yuan Ming was full of anticipation.

    ***

    Two dayster, around noon, Yuan Ming intended to continue cultivating the Nine Elements Form when, on a whim, he lit a stick of ck Incense and attached his soul to Guoguo, once again seeing Xiying. At that moment, Xiying was sitting beside an elegantly arranged boudoir desk, resting her chin on one hand and holding a writing brush in the other, deep in thought, asionally wrinkling her nose in a charming and cute manner. Guoguo sat obediently beside her on a stool, squinting and dozing off, only asionally ncing at her.

    After Yuan Ming¡¯s soul possessed Guoguo, he tried to urge the cat to open its eyes and tease Xiying, but the limited effect of the Jiuli Temple¡¯s incense made it impossible for Guoguo to sense his hints, and the cat remained half-asleep. Yuan Ming was both anxious and annoyed, but helpless.

    <em>"Knock, knock, knock,"</em> a knocking sound came from outside the door, and Xiying turned to look. "Didn¡¯t I say not to disturb me if it¡¯s not important?" Xiying frowned and asked, clearly annoyed at having her thoughts interrupted.<hr>

 Chapter 261: The Disappearance of Gu Qiuming

    Chapter 261: The Disappearance of Gu Qiuming

    "Miss, Young Master¡¯s friend, Lord Luo Tang, hase again," came the voice of a maid from outside the room.

    "Tell him to get lost," Xiying¡¯s voice rose with disgust, without a hint of politeness.

    "Miss, he¡¯s the Young Master¡¯s friend. It¡¯s not very nice to say that. The Young Master would like you to meet him when you¡¯re free," the maid hesitated before adding softly.

    After a moment of thought, Xiying said, "Then you go and meet him on my behalf. Isn¡¯t that how they do it in the ys? In the end, the clever maid gets married off."

    Yuan Ming couldn¡¯t help but chuckle silently within Guoguo, causing the fluffy cat to tremble slightly.

    "But I¡¯m so ugly, I look nothing like you," the maid murmured.

    "Can¡¯t you just cover your face? Hurry up and go, don¡¯t bother me. If you seed, I¡¯ll reward you with a magical artifact," Xiying said.

    "Really, Miss? Then I¡¯ll go," the maid smiled and turned to leave.

    After sending the maid away, Xiying put down her pen, lifted Guoguo by the armpits, and cradled the cat in her arms.It was a familiar action, a familiar perspective.

    Yuan Ming felt a bit embarrassed and turned his head, only to see the table covered with densely packed manuscripts.

    The papers were all filled withplex and intricate lines, resembling the design of some sort of magical array. Xiying continued to study the array with full concentration.

    Time passed slowly, and Guoguo seemed about to fall asleep when suddenly two plump lips pressed against the cat¡¯s head, followed by Xiying¡¯s voice, "The grand teleportation array is tooplex, let¡¯s take a break. Guoguo, do you think I should use amunication talisman?"

    Before Yuan Ming could fully savor the moment, his vision blurred, and the possession ended.

    ***

    He woke up on his bed with a sense of longing, thinking, "Is the grand teleportation array for long-distance transport? Or can it transport multiple people at once?"

    He didn¡¯t know much about teleportation arrays, so he didn¡¯t dwell on it. He took out an elixir, swallowed it, and continued his cultivation. Use amunication talisman? To contact whom? Me? Or Xiying¡¯s family? Six days passed in the blink of an eye.

    Yuan Ming paced in the courtyard, his brow slightly furrowed.

    ording to Gu Qiuming¡¯s previous timeline, the Winged Bird Egg should be close to hatching. Gu Qiuming had neithere over nor sent any messages, which seemed a bit off.

    It was a pity that he had to wait another day for the next possession; otherwise, he would have lit the ck Incense and possessed Gu Qiuming to check the situation.

    "Senior Ha Gong, here is your meal for today," a fair-skinned young man walked in, holding a tray with delicate pastries, a te of spiritual fruits, and a cup of spiritual tea.

    Foundation Establishment cultivators had little need for food, and this was enough to sustain them for a day.

    Yuan Ming looked at the neer. This fair-skinned young man was named Xu Chuan, an external Qi refining disciple of the Precious Spirit Sect, who had been responsible for delivering his meals these past few days.

    "Brother Xu, have you heard any news from Brother Gu these past two days?" Yuan Ming asked, secretly casting an illusion.

    "No," Xu Chuan shook his head.

    "Where is the hatching room?" Yuan Ming continued.

    "Ten miles southwest, in the Valley of Forgetfulness..." Xu Chuan went on. Yuan Ming asked for more details about the ce and, without hesitation, waved his hand, causing Xu Chuan¡¯s eyes to roll back as he fell into a dazed sleep.

    Yuan Ming quickly took off the man¡¯s coat, swapped it with his own, thenid him on the bed to appear asleep. He then used a Four Corners Spirit Sealing Talisman to create a barrier before stopping.

    Yuan Ming then put on a semi-transparent white mask, the Thousand Mechanism Mask. Recalling Xu Chuan¡¯s face, the mask slowly writhed and transformed into an exact replica of Xu Chuan¡¯s appearance, without any ws.

    Satisfied with his disguise, Yuan Ming used his spiritual consciousness to check and found no traces of himself.

    "The Thousand Mechanism Mask is truly extraordinary, but it¡¯s a pity it can only be used three times," he thought with some regret.

    However, to avoid detection by cultivators below the Core Formation stage, he had to use this treasure. As for those above Core Formation, he didn¡¯t believe they would bother to scan a Qi refining disciple with their spiritual consciousness.

    After stepping out, Yuan Ming paused. During this time, besides cultivating the Nine Elements Form, he had also been diligently practicing the Death Moon method, strengthening his soul and sharpening his senses. Just as he stepped out, he felt a gaze on him, which quickly shifted away to continue watching the courtyard.

    "It seems someone is watching me," Yuan Ming thought, but he didn¡¯t stop and continued forward.

    ***

    Soon, following Xu Chuan¡¯s directions, Yuan Ming arrived at a valley. The ce was rich in spiritual energy, with lush trees and grass, and birds and flowers everywhere, like a paradise.

    Yuan Ming paid no attention to the scenery and quickly made his way deeper into the valley, where a series of buildings appeared. He proceeded with extreme caution, as the area around the buildings wasced with many dangerous prohibitions, and touching any of them could have unpredictable consequences.

    "This is a restricted area of the Valley of Forgetfulness. No trespassers allowed. State your name," a voice called out from behind the flowers ahead.

    "I am Xu Chuan from the External Affairs Hall. I was handling an important matter for Brother Gu Qiuming a few days ago. I¡¯vee to report back today. I heard he¡¯s in the hatching room, so I came looking. Please, brother, pass on my message," Yuan Ming said, offering a spirit stone behind the flowers in Xu Chuan¡¯s voice.

    The Thousand Mechanism Mask could not only change one¡¯s appearance but also manipte the muscles in the throat to alter the voice.

    "Gu Qiuming? He seems to have left already and is not in the valley," the man said, his attitude softened by the gift.

    "I heard he¡¯s hatching a bird egg in the hatching room. Please, brother, could you check for me?" Yuan Ming was secretly shocked and handed over another spirit stone.

    "Alright, wait here," the man hesitated and then agreed.

    A gray figure swept out from behind the flowers and disappeared into the buildings ahead.

    Momentster, the gray figure returned.

    "Gu Qiuming is indeed not in the valley. He left three days ago, and he took the bird egg with him. It¡¯s said he¡¯s looking for another ce to hatch it," the somber voice reported.

    Yuan Ming was startled and angered by this news. Was Gu Qiuming nning to embezzle his Winged Bird Egg? From their previous interactions, Gu Qiuming didn¡¯t seem like the type to break his word. Or was it about using the so-called "array" for hatching?

    He didn¡¯t ask any further, bid farewell, and returned to his previous residence. He took off the Thousand Mechanism Mask, switched back their clothes, and then dispelled the illusion on Xu Chuan.

    Xu Chuan had no idea what had just happened, feeling only that his stay had been a bit too long. He quickly excused himself and left. Yuan Ming didn¡¯t go out or use any other methods but went to the inner room to rest and meditate.

    ***

    The next day, Yuan Ming set up a soundproof barrier around the room and sealed everything with a silver token before lighting a stick of ck Incense and possessing Gu Qiuming.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s vision went dark, and when he came to, he was startled. He had sessfully possessed Gu Qiuming, but he found himself in a dark and damp ce.

    Gu Qiuming¡¯s hair was disheveled, and his hands and feet were locked by a magical artifact; he had been imprisoned.

    In front of him was a spacious area with a hexagonal stone tform covered in array patterns, forming an array.

    A tall, straight purple wooden pir stood in the center of the array, seemingly not ordinary wood, with patterns on its surface.

    Right in the center of the array was the Winged Bird Egg, its surface flickering with purple lightning.

    The purple wooden pir stretched upward, piercing through the stone ceiling of the dungeon, its destination unknown. Spiritual energy seemed to be drawn by some invisible force, all entering the egg, and patterns began to emerge faintly on the egg¡¯s surface.

    A young man in a brocade robe stood beside the stone tform, taking out spirit stones from his Storage Bag and inserting them into the array.

    Yuan Ming had seen this man before; he was the one Gu Qiuming had taken him to visit, that Sixth Uncle, with whom he had a brief encounter.

    "Gu Qiulong, it¡¯s not toote to stop! Since the founding of the Precious Spirit Sect, when have we ever embezzled a guest¡¯s belongings? If word of this gets out, the reputation of the Precious Spirit Sect built over hundreds of years will be ruined in an instant!" Gu Qiuming shouted sternly.

    His magical power seemed to be sealed, rendering him unable to break free.

    "Don¡¯t worry, I never drag my feet in my affairs. That kid has been watched by my men. Once the Winged Bird Egg hatches sessfully, he will disappear from this world without a trace, leaving not a single clue," Gu Qiulong said indifferently, without turning his head.

    "What! You¡¯re nning to silence him? Ha Gong may not be powerful, but his origins are mysterious. Don¡¯t bring disaster upon our sect!" Gu Qiuming¡¯s expression changed as he shouted.

    "That¡¯s none of your concern," Gu Qiulong sneered dismissively.

    He kept inserting spirit stones into the array, and therge array on the stone tform was activated, humming as it operated, and the purple wooden pir began to glow with white light.

    "Hehe, Third Brother has good insight. Using this Returning to Origin Thunder Summoning Array to hatch the Winged Bird Egg is indeed brilliant. It¡¯s hard to believe you did all this analysis and proof," Gu Qiulong looked at the changes happening to the egg and smiled at Gu Qiuming.

    "Pah! You took the hatching array without permission. Elder Lin of the hatching room will find out sooner orter. Let¡¯s see how you¡¯ll handle it then," Gu Qiuming spat fiercely.

    "Naive! Winged Birds have the ability to summon thunder and lightning. With this spiritual beast, our sect will surely enter the ranks of the top ten sects in the Great Jin in a few decades, and I will be the greatest contributor!" Gu Qiulong was not angry but rather triumphant.

    <em>"Shameless!"</em> Gu Qiuming couldn¡¯t help but curse.

    "Shameless? The world of cultivation is all about the survival of the fittest. As long as tangible benefits are obtained, the means are irrelevant. It¡¯s because you don¡¯t understand this that you¡¯re still stuck in the Qi refining stage. Who else can you me?" Gu Qiulong said disdainfully.

    Gu Qiuming closed his eyes, seemingly unwilling to even nce at the other.

    Gu Qiulong ignored him and focused on controlling the array on the stone tform. However, it wasn¡¯t long before his expression changed. The array, which had been running smoothly, suddenly slowed down, while the patterns on the egg¡¯s surface continued to flicker.

    Gu Qiulong looked at the many spirit stones around him, almost depleted of spiritual energy, gritted his teeth, took out a handful of spirit stones from his Storage Bag, reced the ones in the array, and cast several spells.

    The array resumed operation after the spirit stones were replenished, and as spiritual energy continued to enter the egg, the patterns on the shell became more pronounced. Yet this situation onlysted for a few breaths before it took a sudden downturn, and the array once again showed signs of stalling.<hr>

 Chapter 262: Trace (seeking monthly ticket)

    Chapter 262: Trace (seeking monthly ticket)

    Gu Qiulong¡¯s face underwent a series of changes between gloom and brightness as he once again pulled out a handful of spirit stones from his storage bag to rece the spent ones.

    This scene had unfolded several times already, and Gu Qiulong had nearly spent over two thousand spirit stones. His usually calm andposed face now bore furrowed brows and was drenched in sweat.

    On his ninth recement of the array¡¯s spirit stones, nearly depleting his storage bag, an unexpected change urred. Apanied by a thunderous boom from above, dazzling lightning bolts suddenly erupted from the purple wooden column, cascading down swiftly as if drawing in the natural lightning from outside, causing the entire dungeon space to shake violently.

    The purple array on the stone tform also brightened abruptly, its operation speeding up manifold. Streams of white spiritual power surged out from the spirit stones, infusing into the Winged Bird Egg.

    The blinding arcs of electricity on the purple column were absorbed by the array on the tform, transforming them into a gentler thunderous energy, which was then poured entirely into the Winged Bird Egg.

    The Winged Bird Egg emitted streaks of purple electricity, its surface patterns flickering in and out of visibility, and the blood color faded significantly.

    Witnessing this, Gu Qiulong¡¯s eyes were fixed on the blood egg, his face expressing extreme tension.

    Yuan Ming, having seen this unfold, had a basic understanding of the situation. It turned out that Gu Qiulong, coveting the Winged Bird Egg, had kidnapped Gu Qiuming to this ce.

    When he first arrived in Xiaohu City, he didn¡¯t immediately go to the Zhenling Pavilion to incubate the egg, fearing this very scenario. It was only after encountering his old acquaintance, Gu Qiuming, that he felt at ease to visit. Unexpectedly, things still progressed in the direction he had worried about.The Winged Bird Egg was not only exceedingly precious but also a gift from Xiying. Naturally, he couldn¡¯t just abandon it. His mind raced with thoughts as he began to consider his options.

    However, after much contemtion, he still had no clear lead, especially since finding the other party¡¯s location was the first challenge, which proved to be quite a headache.

    Even though the Precious Spirit Sect wasn¡¯t as formidable as Changchun Temple, it still housed Nascent Soul stage cultivators, and he, an outsider, couldn¡¯t just search around freely.

    "Gu Qiulong, if you¡¯re willing to return the egg, I can pretend this never happened. Moreover, as a reward, I can tell you the whereabouts of another thunder-attribute spiritual beast," Gu Qiuming suddenly opened his eyes and said.

    "What spiritual beast?" Gu Qiulong turned and asked in surprise.

    "The Thunderp Beast!" Gu Qiuming said slowly.

    "Really? A Thunderp Beast? Where?" Gu Qiulong was overjoyed, his attention momentarily diverted from the blood egg.

    The Thunderp Beast was a rare thunder-attribute demon beast, whose strength could reach impressive levels when mature, making it no less valuable than the Winged Bird as a spiritual beast.

    "It¡¯s in the Ruins Swamp, less than a hundred miles from here. The Thunderp Beast is still a juvenile, just entering the second level. I stumbled upon its tracks by chance. As long as you return the Winged Bird Egg to Brother Ha-Gong, I will take you to capture that Thunderp Beast," Gu Qiuming said.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes lit up. The Precious Spirit Sect¡¯s headquarters was quite far from Xiaohu City and the Ruins Swamp, about two hundred miles away, which meant that Gu Qiuming and the other were not at the Precious Spirit Sect!

    He had previously assumed they were somewhere within the Precious Spirit Sect, which left him at a loss. If the two were outside, the situation would be much easier to handle.

    Yuan Ming continued to listen to their conversation while focusing on the dungeon environment, trying to glean some clues.

    The dungeon was extremely damp, with water droplets continuously forming on the walls and trickling down. Such a moist environment suggested they were indeed near the Ruins Swamp. But beyond that, there were no other useful indicators.

    Yuan Ming exerted his spiritual consciousness, attempting to spread it out, but to no avail. It was as if there was an invisible barrier around his consciousness, preventing it from breaking through.

    <em>"It seems that the spread of my consciousness before was indeed due to the improved quality of the ck Incense."</em> Yuan Ming thought to himself.

    At that moment, he suddenly looked upwards.

    The long tolling of the bell came from above, followed by four more tolls, then seven, eight, and twelve tolls respectively.

    "Rise, fall four, urgent seven, slow eight, even twelve... Is there a Taoist temple nearby?" Yuan Ming recognized the source of the bell sounds. Just as he was about to continue his investigation, his vision suddenly plunged into darkness as the possession time ended.

    ***

    Yuan Ming¡¯s consciousness returned to his body, and after a moment of silence, he got up and left the Zhenling Pavilion. He did not summon the Qingyun Crane or summon any magical instruments but instead used the Wind Agility Technique to rush towards Xiaohu City.

    At the same time, a Taoist figure also left the Precious Spirit Sect quietly, following Yuan Ming from a distance, revealed to be a disciple of the sect.

    The leader was a bald man, with the other two being a skinny young man and a heavily made-up young woman. The bald man had reached the Foundation Establishment stage, while the skinny young man and the young woman were both at the peak of Qi refining.

    The group was clearly using some concealment talismans or magical instruments, making their presence barely noticeable and their figures blending seamlessly with the surrounding environment.

    Yuan Ming quickly advanced forty or fifty miles, and a dense forest of ck pines appeared nearby. He suddenly changed direction and entered the forest. The followers were taken aback and hurriedly quickened their pace, also entering the ck pine forest, but Yuan Ming¡¯s trace was already gone.

    "Could he have discovered us? Trying to escape?" The skinny young man¡¯s face turned sour.

    "Did your Verdant Bird notice anything?" The bald man turned to the young woman.

    The woman put a finger to her lips and whistled. A green sparrow flew down from a nearby tree and perched on the young woman¡¯s shoulder, chirping a few times.

    "The Verdant Bird says he walked under this big tree and then suddenly disappeared," the woman said.

    "Suddenly disappeared? Could he have used a concealment spell..." The bald man¡¯s sparse eyebrows furrowed as he muttered to himself.

    Before he could finish, his legs suddenly weakened, and his body began to sway.

    "Not good, we¡¯ve been poisoned..." The bald man¡¯s face changed drastically. The skinny young man and the young woman were in the same predicament, both copsing one after the other, falling unconscious. The green sparrow also suffered the same fate.

    The bald man felt a heavy dizziness and a hazy consciousness, struggling to reach for his storage bag at his waist, seemingly trying to retrieve something. However, his hand only extended halfway before his consciousnesspletely blurred, and he copsed to the ground.

    Yuan Ming, cloaked in a gray mantle, emerged from behind therge tree, holding the Stealing Heaven Cauldron with a burnt-out incense stick inside.

    This was a Seven-Step Down Enchanting Incense, into which he had mixed the poisonous flowers obtained from Hua Zhi, significantly enhancing the incense¡¯s toxicity. The effects were indeed impressive, even the Foundation Establishment stage cultivator, the bald man, was easily subdued.

    Yuan Ming put away the Stealing Heaven Cauldron and approached the bald man, cing a hand on top of his head and employing the Soul Search skill, quickly making a discovery. The bald man, named Zheng Da, was originally a rogue cultivator near Xiaohu City, whoter ingratiated himself with Gu Qiulong and joined the Precious Spirit Sect, often doing Gu Qiulong¡¯s dirty work.

    This time, he and the other two were ordered by Gu Qiulong to monitor Yuan Ming and then, upon receiving further instructions from Gu Qiulong, to kill Yuan Ming and silence him.

    Yuan Ming wasn¡¯t angry; instead, a look of joy appeared on his face. Zheng Da had received Gu Qiulong¡¯s order a few days ago, meeting in a forest outside the Precious Spirit Sect. After Gu Qiulong gave his instructions, he flew towards the southwest, in the direction of the Ruins Swamp. Gu Qiulong might not have actually gone southwest, but it was an important clue to consider.

    Afterward, Yuan Ming applied the Soul Search to the other two, learning information far less detailed than Zheng Da¡¯s, but the gist was simr. He then took their storage magical instruments, flicked a water arrow, piercing through their foreheads. Since they intended to kill him, Yuan Ming naturally wouldn¡¯t show mercy.

    He then cast a fireball to turn the bodies to ashes and scattered them. After carefully erasing all traces in the forest, he stopped.

    Having finished, Yuan Ming took out a map of the area around Xiaohu City and began searching southwest from the Precious Spirit Sect. His gaze paused on a Taoist temple near the Ruins Swamp to the southwest of the sect, named Shuiyun Temple.

    "It must be there!" Without dy, he headed in that direction.

    ***

    Shuiyun Temple was a mundane Taoist temple, nestled between two small mountains, with a grand mountain gate and majestic halls, covering an area of twenty acres, bustling with worshippers. Now that the sky hadpletely darkened, many rooms within the temple were still lit.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t rashly enter but stopped outside Shuiyun Temple, sending out a soul crow to scout inside while summoning Hua Zhi to search underground.

    As time ticked by, neither the soul crow nor Hua Zhi had any sess.

    Just as Yuan Ming was growing impatient, dark clouds gathered low in the sky, and a torrential downpour began. A thick bolt of lightning shot out from the clouds, tearing through the pitch-ck night.

    The tail end of the lightning swept past the back of Shuiyun Temple and then made a sudden turn as if attracted by something.

    Recalling the scene he had witnessed during possession, Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes lit up. He immediately summoned a white jade flying shuttle and darted towards that location, simultaneously spreading his spiritual consciousness and soon making a discovery.

    "It¡¯s indeed here!" He stopped and looked towards a high ground not far away.

    There, a purple-ck wooden column protruded from the ground, the very same one he had seen during possession, its top now charred. Yuan Ming took out a yellow talisman, an Earth Escape Talisman he had purchased at a high price from a talisman shop in Xiaohu City, with effects simr to an Earth Travel Talisman, allowing one to move underground.

    He called back the two soul crows, leaving only one outside for vignce, and activated the Earth Escape Talisman to burrow underground. Hua Zhi also arrived at the back mountain and began to infiltrate from another side.

    Yuan Ming followed the lightning-attracting purple wood downward, easily finding the underground chamber. He concealed himself in a corner and stealthily peered into the dungeon.

    Inside the dungeon, Gu Qiulong was still fervently operating the array to incubate the Winged Bird Egg, oblivious to themotion outside.

    Gu Qiuming was still locked in the dungeon, his clothes disheveled and his face bruised, indicating that their negotiation had failed, and he had been beaten.

    The Winged Bird Egg, now at the center of the array, had undergone a significant transformation. The blood color on the shell hadpletely vanished, reced by a bright silver color with streaks of lightning moving across it.

    Moreover, two fine cracks had appeared on the shell, indicating that it was about to hatch.<hr>

 Chapter 263: You donâ€™t need to help

    Chapter 263: You don¡¯t need to help

    Yuan Ming watched the scene unfold, not rushing to act but instead donning a grey cloak and stepping back from the wooden pir to avoid the imminent lightning strike.

    As the rain outside intensified, a thick bolt of lightning soon burst from the dark clouds, illuminating the night sky.

    The purple wooden pir emitted faint lightning, attracting the storm¡¯s fury, which struck the pir and conducted into the dungeon¡¯s array.

    The Winged Bird Egg greedily absorbed the pure lightning power, and with its shell already cracked, it shatteredpletely, and a wet, ck chick emerged, falling onto the stone tform with a <em>"plop."</em>

    The chick was only half a foot long, but its wings were unusually wide, stretching over a foot when unfurled, with lightning patterns faintly visible on its skin.

    Despite just hatching, the ck chick pped its wings twice and took flight.

    Gu Qiulong was overjoyed and waved his hand, releasing a white artifact towards the ck chick.

    He was so focused on capturing the Winged Bird that he didn¡¯t notice two purple-ck vines silently emerging from a corner above the dungeon, blooming with several purple spirit flowers and rapidly spreading a faint fragrance throughout the dungeon.

    Gu Qiuming, lying on the ground, inhaled the scent and felt his already weak body gopletely limp, his face showing a look of intoxication.Just as Gu Qiulong grabbed the ck chick, preparing to tame it with beast-controlling techniques, he too smelled the toxic flowers, feeling his limbs weaken.

    The newly hatched ck chick was also affected by the fragrance, growing drowsy and lying down.

    "Who¡¯s there!" Gu Qiulong suddenly realized something was amiss, his face changing dramatically as he summoned a purple crystal bead.

    A purple light shone down, forming a protective circle around him, keeping the intoxicating fragrance at bay.

    Gu Qiulong felt weak.

    But before he could react further, the dungeon walls exploded, and thick purple-ck vines shot out from all directions, entwining towards Gu Qiulong, weaving a dense vine sea within the space.

    Gu Qiulong¡¯s face changed drastically as he quickly intensified the power of the purple light circle.

    The approaching purple vines shed with green light at their tips, transforming into green swords.

    Dozens of green swords pierced the purple light circle from all sides, leaving it riddled with holes and causing it to copse with a loud crash.

    The purple bead also shattered into pieces, falling to the ground.

    Gu Qiulong quickly chanted a spell, his body glowing blue as he transformed into a blue rainbow and shot out, passing through the dense vines to a corner of the dungeon.

    "Water Form Technique!" Yuan Ming, hiding nearby, let out a soft exmation. The Water Form Technique was a spell that allowed one to change their physical form into an intangible stream of water, evading enemy attacks.

    Simr transformation techniques existed in the Five Elements spells, which could be incredibly effective inbat when used correctly.

    Yuan Ming had always wanted to learn such techniques, but they were advanced spells, difficult to obtain and master. He was surprised that Gu Qiulong knew it.

    Curiosity aside, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t hesitate to act, activating an Earth Escape Talisman to approach the dungeon wall, cing the Stealing Heaven Cauldron inside, with a lit Enchanting Incense and a Seven-Step Down poison inside. With a thought, he directed his spiritual consciousness to guide the toxic fumes towards Gu Qiulong.

    Gu Qiulong had just steadied his mind and taken an antidote elixir when he sensed Yuan Ming¡¯s move and summoned a yellow short halberd and a blue feather fan.

    The yellow short halberd transformed into a long yellow rainbow, shing towards the Stealing Heaven Cauldron, while the blue feather fan sent out a dozen wind des the size of doors, spinning as they cut towards the cauldron.

    Yuan Ming felt the powerful magical fluctuations from the two high-grade artifacts and quickly retracted the Stealing Heaven Cauldron, activating the Earth Escape Talisman to flee into the distance.

    With several loud booms, the dungeon wall was battered into ruins, especially by the yellow short halberd, which easily pierced through the wall and soil.

    Gu Qiulong, filled with rage, was about to strike again when his body softened once more, his consciousness quickly fading.

    Hua Zhi and Yuan Ming had fought together many times, their coordination seamless. Purple-ck vines shot out again, and dozens of green wooden swords shed down.

    Gu Qiulong bit his tongue to stimte his senses with pain and pped his waist.

    A golden figure shot out,nding in front of him¡ªa golden tiger about a zhang long, with the aura of an early second-level beast.

    The tiger had arge mouth, a t nose, drooping ears, and crooked fangs. Its body was shriveled and skinny, looking extremely ugly andcking the majesty of the king of beasts.

    The golden ugly tiger roared, its shriveled body bursting with dazzling golden light, bing strong and majestic. Its ws extended a zhang long with golden light, tearing apart all the green swords with ease.

    The tiger then let out a roar that could pierce gold and stone, shooting out sword qi-like golden light towards the distant purple-ck vines.

    The sharp golden light, with continuous "puff" sounds, nearly cleared the dungeon of the demonic vines, leaving only a pile of broken branches and debris.

    Gu Qiulong breathed a sigh of relief at the sight.

    He had been affected by more than one Enchanting Incense, his will on the verge of copse. Rxing slightly, he sat cross-legged, taking another elixir and applying a rune talisman to his body, instructing the golden ugly tiger to protect him.

    Just then, the scattered branches and vines in the dungeon rose up, glowing with a faint green light, encircling Gu Qiulong and the golden ugly tiger.

    The next moment, the broken vines shot out like arrows from a bow, striking at Gu Qiulong and the golden ugly tiger with a formidable force!

    This was the high-level Wood Element spell, Thousand Wood Arrow Technique, which could control thousands of woods and turn them into arrows. Yuan Ming had secretly learned it from the Shuijing Pce elder, Luo River Fairy, andter taught it to Hua Zhi.

    Gu Qiulong faced the iing vines without dodging, focusing on resisting the Enchanting Incense in his body. With the golden ugly tiger by his side, he believed the broken vines posed no threat.

    Unexpectedly, the golden ugly tiger ignored the vines attacking from all directions, its eyes bing hazy before suddenly turning towards Gu Qiulong.

    With a sh of golden light around its mouth, the alreadyrge maw doubled in size and lunged at Gu Qiulong.

    Gu Qiulong stood up in shock, realizing through his spiritual consciousness that his spirit beast had fallen under an illusion, mistaking him for an enemy!

    However, he had not yet expelled the Enchanting Incense from his system and felt weak. Before he could act, the golden ugly tiger pounced, biting off one of his legs and swallowing it whole, then pping his body away with a paw, sending him crashing into the wall and knocking him unconscious.

    But right after the golden ugly tiger did this, the confusion in its eyes dissipated, puzzled as to why it had bitten off its master¡¯s leg instead of an enemy¡¯s.

    At that moment, thousands of vine arrows whistled through the air, engulfing the tiger¡¯s form.

    With continuous<em> "rumbling" </em>sounds, the solid ground copsed like rotten wood, creating a deep pit several zhang wide, kicking up a cloud of dust.

    The air in the dungeon was damp, and the dust quickly dispersed, revealing the ugly tiger crouched at the bottom of the pit, its body riddled with holes from the Thousand Wood Arrow Technique, many vines still embedded in it, its body soaked in blood.

    <em>"Crack"</em>

    The ground beneath the golden ugly tiger split open, and several bowl-thick vines shot out, rapidly entwining the tiger¡¯s body. These vines had dense wood patterns and were covered in blood-red lines, distinctly different from the previous ones.

    The ugly tiger roared in shock and anger, its fur standing on end like quills, shooting out fine golden light as sharp as the previous golden sword qi, hitting the surrounding vines.

    But these vines were different from before; the golden light only prated halfway before dissipating.

    The blood-patterned vines quickly wrapped around, casting Wood Prison Technique, and in the blink of an eye, the ugly tiger was bound like a rice dumpling.

    Not only that, but the vines also shot out thin blood-colored tendrils, piercing the ugly tiger¡¯s body.

    The majestic body of the golden ugly tiger rapidly shrank, its flesh withering and its aura weakening.

    The tiger roared in rage, spewing out a thick ck mist that wrapped around its body and quickly merged into it.

    Not far away, Yuan Ming let out a light exmation upon seeing this. The aura of the ck mist was something he had experienced in the underground pce of Snake King Valley, very simr to the ck mist emitted by the ck stone pir.

    The golden ugly tiger¡¯s body absorbed the ck mist, and spiral ck patterns appeared on its surface. Its body rapidly swelled, doubling in size in the blink of an eye, and its aura surged several times, reaching the peak of the mid-second level, nearly approaching thete second level.

    Hua Zhi was shocked by the ugly tiger¡¯s transformation, then filled with joy.

    Its emotions fluctuated wildly, affecting its magical power.

    The golden ugly tiger sensed this and immediately struggled fiercely. A terrifying force erupted, causing the air to tremble, and the blood-patterned vines binding the tiger cracked.

    Yuan Ming, seeing this, quickly summoned the white ape and threw it into the dungeon space.

    The white ape was also excited, its wide mouth splitting into a cackle as itnded and shot out like a white shadow, heading straight for the golden ugly tiger.

    "!" Hua Zhi, seeing the white ape appear, reached up with its right hand, which grew exponentially.

    The ground beneath the golden ugly tiger burst open, and a wooden vine hand the size of a house emerged, grabbing the tiger¡¯s body as if it were a small cat or dog, rendering its struggles futile.

    The white ape arrived, reaching for the golden ugly tiger.

    <em>"Get lost!"</em> Hua Zhi roared in anger, and the ground split again as a second vine hand emerged, mming towards the white ape with a gust of wind.

    The white ape showed no sign of backing down, punching out with a fist that produced a tangible wind, its terrifying power causing the ground to tremble. The giant hand and fist collided!<hr>

 Chapter 264: The east brings disaster

    Chapter 264: The east brings disaster

    <em>Boom!</em>

    A violent impact spread out, creating huge cracks on the ground as fierce winds howled, shaking the entire dungeon.

    In terms of strength, the white ape ultimately had the upper hand. With a loud <em>"bang,"</em> the wooden vine¡¯s giant palm exploded into a hole about three meters in diameter, centered around the white ape¡¯s fist.

    The white ape darted through the shattered wooden palm and in a sh, was upon the golden ugly tiger, seizing its neck and biting down hard on its throat with a gaping maw.

    With a <em>"crack,"</em> the golden ugly tiger¡¯s neck bone was brutally snapped, its body shuddered, and its life forcepletely dissipated.

    Such a pity for the golden ugly tiger, a formidable being among spiritual beasts, to be humiliated and bitten to death by the likes of Hua Zhi and the white ape, two anomalies.

    Hua Zhi, infuriated by the white ape¡¯s intervention, immediately burst from the ground, lunging at the white ape as its vines shot out like crossbow bolts.

    The white ape, not one to show weakness, charged towards Hua Zhi. Just as the battle between Hua Zhi and the white ape was about to erupt, a yellow light shed between them, and Yuan Ming¡¯s figure appeared out of nowhere, arms extended to both sides.

    <em>"Stop!"</em>Hua Zhi¡¯s vision blurred, and suddenly it found itself above an endless sea, waves rolling and sea breeze blowing.

    "The master¡¯s illusion?" Hua Zhi was taken aback.

    A force pushed it back involuntarily, and as its vision returned to normal, it found itself back in the dungeon, retreating several meters.

    Hua Zhi¡¯s grip on the golden ugly tiger¡¯s giant palm loosened, and the white ape held the tiger¡¯s corpse in its arms, greedily feasting.

    "Master, you¡¯re ying favorites, I want some too!" Hua Zhi cried out in grievance.

    "The ck aura carried by that ugly tiger seems to benefit the white ape greatly. Let it have the corpse. You¡¯ve already absorbed a lot of ck aura in the Snake King Valley¡¯s underground pce. I¡¯ll make it up to youter, okay?" Yuan Ming said.

    The white ape, now seemingly mad, clutched the golden ugly tiger¡¯s corpse, refusing to let go, prompting Yuan Ming to make this decision.

    "Hmph, I¡¯ll let it slide this time for the master¡¯s sake," Hua Zhi said with a disdainful nce at the white ape, reluctantly agreeing.

    "Why do both you and the white ape fancy this ck aura so much?" Yuan Ming asked curiously.

    "I don¡¯t know, I just really want to absorb it when I see it," Hua Zhi replied.

    Yuan Ming fell silent, then shook his head, choosing not to dwell on it any longer, and looked at his right hand. He was holding someone¡ªit was Gu Qiulong, who had just had his leg bitten off and was knocked unconscious by the golden ugly tiger. Yuan Ming had grabbed him while using the illusion to stop Hua Zhi and the white ape from fighting.

    Yuan Ming plunged a needle into Gu Qiulong¡¯s abdomen, shattering his dantian and crippling his magic power.

    Gu Qiulong¡¯s face twisted in pain, but still overwhelmed by the Enchanting Incense, he did not wake up. Yuan Ming ced his hand on Gu Qiulong¡¯s head and used a soul-searching technique, his expression quickly turning grave.

    Gu Qiulong was no ordinary figure; he was a direct descendant of the Precious Spirit Sect¡¯s Gu family, far more important than a coteral member like Gu Qiuming.

    Gu Qiulong¡¯s lineage boasted a Nascent Soul stage cultivator, who held sway in the entire Precious Spirit Sect. This Nascent Soul stage being was none other than Gu Qiulong¡¯s grandfather, who doted on Gu Qiulong for his decent talent and sweet words.

    As for the reason Gu Qiulong and hispanion came here, Yuan Ming found out through soul-searching. After being scolded by his sixth uncle, Gu Qiulong harbored thoughts of revenge against Gu Qiuming.

    When he discovered that the Winged Bird Egg Gu Qiuming was incubating was a mutation, greed took hold of him. He first attempted to buy it from Gu Qiuming, who tly refused, so he took advantage of Gu Qiuming¡¯s unpreparedness to subdue him and brought both him and the egg to Shuiyun Temple.

    Shuiyun Temple, a branch of the Precious Spirit Sect, had been in decline for generations and was barely maintaining itself. The temple master, only a Qi refining cultivator, lent the temple¡¯s array to Gu Qiulong out of respect for his status.

    To keep things secret, Gu Qiulong also sent away everyone in the temple. Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes narrowed; this Gu Qiulong was greedy and shameless, daring to covet his Winged Bird Egg. He deserved death, but killing him outright could cause trouble, given his Nascent Soul stage ancestor.

    However, letting him go could also lead to significant trouble. Yuan Ming had already dealt with the three bald men Gu Qiulong had sent to watch him. What to do with Gu Qiulong?

    ***

    After pondering for a moment, Yuan Ming came up with a n.

    He first thoroughly cleaned up the traces of battle in the dungeon, then took out Xu Changqing¡¯s corpse. Using several corpse-controlling talismans, he revived fresh blood and vitality in Xu Changqing¡¯s body, making his hair and skin appear almost normal, as if he were merely a person deep in slumber.

    "These corpse-controlling talismans are quite effective," Yuan Ming thought with satisfaction, then took out Xu Changqing¡¯s golden snake sword and Gu Qiulong¡¯s yellow short halberd and green feather fan.

    He activated all three magical instruments at once, causing them to sh violently within the dungeon, quickly leaving sh marks on the ground and walls.

    The golden snake sword shot out, piercing through Gu Qiulong¡¯s heart. With his heart impaled, Gu Qiulong¡¯s body shuddered violently and soon was lifeless.

    The yellow short halberd also came crashing down, cleaving Xu Changqing¡¯s head into several pieces, creating the illusion that the two had perished together.

    This arrangement wasn¡¯t particrly clever, but it might confuse any investigators. Given Xu Changqing¡¯s status, his death alongside Gu Qiulong might cause the Precious Spirit Sect to hesitate in their pursuit of the murderer.

    As for Gu Qiulong¡¯s two magical instruments and the storage bag at his waist, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t leave them behind, taking them for himself, regardless of what the Precious Spirit Sect might specte.

    After a fierce battle in the dungeon, he had to leave quickly before the people of Shuiyun Temple noticed.

    Yuan Ming put Hua Zhi and the still-feasting white ape into the spiritual beast bag and approached the stone tform. The array on the tform had already stopped, and the ck fledgling was restrained by Gu Qiulong¡¯s white magical instrument, lying on the tform.

    The entire dungeon was filled with toxic incense. The young winged bird, newly hatched, couldn¡¯t resist like the golden ugly tiger and was still unconscious.

    Yuan Ming quickly checked with his spiritual consciousness and was relieved to find that the bird was only unconscious and otherwise unharmed.

    He had risked being pursued by a Nascent Soul stage powerhouse and had done all this for the young winged bird. If it had been harmed, it would have been all for naught.

    Yuan Ming took out a new spiritual beast bag and carefully ced the fledgling inside, then headed to the front of the dungeon.

    Gu Qiuming had not been injured in the recent struggle. Yuan Ming scanned with his spiritual consciousness and quickly raised an eyebrow, shooting out a blue light that formed into the shape of a hand, tearing off a yellow rune talisman from Gu Qiuming¡¯s back.

    Gu Qiuming¡¯s magic power began to recover.

    Yuan Ming picked up Gu Qiuming and left Shuiyun Temple far behind, setting him down in a secluded ce. Once awake, Gu Qiuming could easily break free from his chains.

    Yuan Ming left a note: "Gu Qiulong is dead, leave Leizhou quickly." He left five hundred spirit stones in Gu Qiuming¡¯s storage bag. As for what Gu Qiuming would choose to do, it was up to him.

    Then, summoning a white jade flying shuttle, Yuan Ming flew towards Xiaohu City, quietly entering the city.

    ***

    Carefully avoiding everyone, Yuan Ming returned to his residence at number 86, activated all the arrays, and ced a silver token on the ground.

    Rich silver light emerged from the token, quickly spreading throughout the room, soon engulfing itpletely.

    Yuan Ming finally rxed a bit, reclining on the bed and meticulously reviewing the day¡¯s events from beginning to end.

    From meeting Gu Qiuming to finding the Zhenling Pavilion, then to his sect, meeting his sixth uncle, and killing Gu Qiulong, there was nothing that could reveal his true identity.

    He usually kept a low profile, and selling incense was mostly handled by Hu Tu and Muyang. There were few in Xiaohu City who knew him, and even if Gu Qiuming went back and confessed everything, he wouldn¡¯t know Yuan Ming¡¯s residence. It wouldn¡¯t be easy for the Precious Spirit Sect to find him.

    Considering Gu Qiulong¡¯s attitude towards Gu Qiuming, and the extra spirit stones in the storage bag, Gu Qiuming would likely be long gone by now.

    As for the temple master of Shuiyun Temple, discovering Gu Qiulong¡¯s death in his temple, he probably had no choice but to flee. After much deliberation, Yuan Ming decided not to leave Xiaohu City but to wait and see how things unfolded.

    He took out Gu Qiulong¡¯s storage bag and delved into it with his spiritual consciousness, his eyes lighting up.

    Gu Qiulong, indeed a Foundation Establishment disciple of the Precious Spirit Sect and favored by a Nascent Soul stage grandfather, had quite the wealth, with over two thousand spirit stones alone.

    Other items included a green jade slip, a purple invitation, a two-foot-tall jade chest, several magical instruments, and over ten bottles of Four Spirits Elixir and other elixirs.

    Yuan Ming first picked up the green jade slip, immersed his spiritual consciousness in it, and his eyes revealed a hint of surprise.

    The green jade slip contained the Precious Spirit Sect¡¯s secret beast-controlling technique called "True Beast Mirror," simr to the beast-controlling arts of the Southern Border, involving the imntation of beast-controlling runes within the bodies of demonic beasts.

    However, the True Beast Mirror had many ingenious ideas for subduing demonic beasts, far superior to the beast-controlling arts taught by the Three Cave Masters, though it didn¡¯t mention much about beast-controlling itself.

    Yuan Ming quickly saw that most of the jade slip¡¯s content was about introducing the demonic beasts that could be turned into spiritual pets in the cultivation world, detailing their magical abilities, habits, and so on, greatly broadening his horizons.

    He searched carefully but, unfortunately, didn¡¯t find the origin of Hua Zhi. He did, however,e across the record of Gu Qiulong¡¯s golden ugly tiger.

    The beast was called "Scale-Tooth Tiger," a metal-attribute spiritual beast capable of unleashing various metal-attribute attacks and fond of consuming metallic spiritual materials.

    Yuan Ming quickly finished reading about the beast, frowning slightly. The jade slip made no mention of the ck aura emitted by the Scale-Tooth Tiger. Could it be that the tiger was a mutated spiritual beast?

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t dwell on this and hastily skimmed the rest of the content, putting down the jade slip to study in detailter.

    He picked up the purple invitation, which read "Tianxiang Auction" inrge characters, with the date marked as two and a half yearster.

    Upon seeing this, Yuan Ming¡¯s thoughts stirred.

    Having lived in Xiaohu City for some time, he was quite familiar with the local situation and had heard of the renowned Tianxiang Auction. It was a triennial auction event agreed upon by the major cultivation forces of Leizhou, where any cultivator with the means would seek their desired items.<hr>

 Chapter 265: Demonic energy

    Chapter 265: Demonic energy

    The Tianxiang Auction was renowned far and wide, drawing cultivators from Leizhou¡¯s sects and solitary practitioners, as well as those from other provinces and even from the Zhao Kingdom to the small city of Xiaohu.

    However, not just anyone could attend this grand auction; an invitation was required, and the methods of obtaining one were shrouded in mystery. Those who sought an invite might not always find one.

    Surprisingly, Gu Qiulong had one in his possession.

    Yuan Ming, already intrigued by the Tianxiang Auction, now nned to see it for himself with the invitation in hand. He tucked away the invitation and took out a jade box to inspect its contents, which held three glittering crystals.

    "These are top-grade thunder-attributed spirit stones," Yuan Ming thought with delight.

    Spirit stones in the world were categorized by the five elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. However, there were also special types beyond these elements, with thunder spirit stones being one such rarity.

    Formed from ley lines absorbing the power of thunder, they were much scarcer and more valuable than themon elemental spirit stones.

    From Gu Qiulong¡¯s memories, Yuan Ming learned that these thunder spirit stones, along with two thousand others, were the collective property of the Zhenling Sect. Gu Qiulong had recently acquired them through a trade with the Bai Luo Vi and had yet to hand them over.

    Now, to Yuan Ming¡¯s benefit, the spirit stones had fallen into his hands, a wedding dress made for another. Yuan Ming stored the jade box and briefly examined the remaining items.The magical instruments were ordinary, while the pills included a bottle of detoxification pills, a bottle of healing pills, and several Four Spirits Pills. He collected these items and turned his divine consciousness towards the corpse-raising bag at his waist.

    Inside the bag, the White Ape had finished devouring the Scaled-Tooth Tiger, its demonic aura surging unpredictably as if nurturing some significant transformation.

    The Flower Branch had previously absorbed a great deal of dark energy in the underground pce of Snake King Valley and had made considerable progress in strength. Yuan Ming wondered if the White Ape could do the same.

    After observing for a moment and seeing that the White Ape¡¯s transformation wouldn¡¯t cease anytime soon, Yuan Ming waved his hand and took out the Winged Hatchling. The ck-feathered birdy within a white, still unconscious.

    Yuan Ming ced his palm on the hatchling¡¯s head and performed the Beast Taming Secret Art, channeling rolling dark energy into the young bird¡¯s brain. The Winged Hatchling suddenly woke with a start, but its body was bound by the and it couldn¡¯t move, only managing to let out a few low chirps as Yuan Ming¡¯s beast taming technique infiltrated it.

    Perhaps because Yuan Ming had previously fed the Winged Hatchling with his own blood, it quickly showed affection towards him, and he sessfully imnted the beast taming rune.

    Communicating with it through his thoughts, Yuan Ming learned of the bird¡¯s innate divine abilities.

    The Winged Hatchling had three main abilities: the first was swift flight, as it was a thunder-attributed demon beast with lightning-fast speed, making it an excellent mount when grown. The second was the ability to cast thunder spells. The third was to fly into the clouds and control them with its own thunder energy, summoning thunderstorms. However, the young bird was still too small to utilize the full power of these abilities.

    Yuan Ming nodded to himself; the Winged Hatchling¡¯s three divine abilities were indeed extraordinary, no wonder Gu Qiulong would go to such lengths, risking his sect¡¯s reputation and evenmitting murder, to seize it.

    Yuan Ming took out a spirit stone and held it near the hatchling¡¯s mouth. The bird immediately snuggled against his arm, chirping for food like a youngling begging its parents. Yuan Ming smiled and withdrew the spirit stone, causing the hatchling to express its displeasure. He tossed the spirit stone, and the bird caught it in its beak, swallowing it whole.

    Its eyes closed slightly, showing a satisfied expression. Watching the adorable Winged Hatchling, Yuan Ming felt his childlike joy surge as he yed with it before storing it in the spirit beast bag.

    At that moment, Yuan Ming¡¯s expression shifted as he turned his attention to the corpse-raising bag. A low growl echoed from within, indicating that the White Ape was undergoing some kind of mutation. The ape¡¯s body now flickered with gold, gray, and ck lights, creating an eerie sight.

    The gold light represented the energy of the metal attribute, the gray light was the corpse refining power of the Heavenly Serpent, and the ck light naturally came from the dark energy contained within the Scaled-Tooth Tiger it had just devoured.

    The three colors of light shed in turn, growing brighter and brighter, causing the corpse-raising bag to bulge and strain. Yuan Ming¡¯s expression changed as he quickly released the White Ape.

    The three-colored lights on its body became even more brilliant, and a surge of purple soul energy suddenly emerged in its sea of consciousness. This purple soul energy was incredibly powerful, rivaling Yuan Ming¡¯s own and brimming with vitality, starkly different from the residual soul previously within the ape¡¯s skin.

    Yuan Ming looked on in astonishment. How had the White Ape developed a new soul? He suddenly remembered something and, with a flicker, appeared in front of the ape, pressing a hand to its forehead to perform the Beast Taming Secret Art.

    The Beast Taming Secret Art taught to him by the Three Cave Lords allowed him to subdue only one spirit beast during the Qi Refining stage. Now that he had broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage, he could control up to three spirit beasts. Dark energy rolled out from Yuan Ming¡¯s palm, embedding the beast taming rune within the purple soul energy in the White Ape¡¯s brain.

    The ape, unaware of the changes, had spontaneously developed a new soul, and the simple Hair-Drapping Technique was no longer sufficient to control it; the beast taming rune was necessary. Perhaps because it had just been born and didn¡¯t know to resist, the rune was easily imnted.

    Yuan Ming then stepped back, relieved.

    The White Ape, now subdued, grew in power rather than diminishing. Its form was enveloped in dazzling golden light, and a powerful demonic force spread out, causing the entire silvery space to tremble but not copse. A ck iron nail was dislodged and struck the nearby wall with a soft ng¡ªit was the Corpse-Sealing Nail that had been embedded in the White Ape¡¯s head.

    Yuan Ming collected the item, deep in thought.

    After a few breaths, the golden light receded, revealing the White Ape¡¯s form. Yuan Ming was prepared, but he was still taken aback by the ape¡¯s appearance.

    The White Ape had grown significantly taller, its white fur now a mix of white and gold, and its muscles were more pronounced, exuding a sense of oppression. However, the most significant change was not these; the third arm that the White Ape had previously grown had shifted from its abdomen to the left side of its back, and on the right side of its back, a thick golden arm had emerged, perfectly symmetrical to the left.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes brightened; the White Ape¡¯s transformation through the Hair-Drapping Technique had not progressed for a long time, but now it had finally broken through, growing a fourth arm. The White Ape slowly lifted its head, its eyes no longer filled with the usual ferocity and dullness, but clear and lucid.

    "Master," the White Ape greeted Yuan Ming with a fist salute.

    "You¡¯ve developed spiritual intelligence?" Yuan Ming raised an eyebrow.

    "Thanks to the master¡¯s careful nurturing, I¡¯ve been reborn," the White Ape said, moving its four arms and grinning. "Since you¡¯ve awakened your intelligence, you should have a name. Let¡¯s call you King Kong," Yuan Ming suggested. The White Ape didn¡¯t care about the name and nodded in agreement.

    Flower Branch poked its head out of the spirit beast bag, its wooden patterns parting to reveal two purple orbs that resembled eyes, sizing up King Kong with a cold snort.

    "Bean sprout," King Kong said to Flower Branch, grinning.

    "Monkey, who are you calling?" Flower Branch¡¯s soul vibrated angrily, transmitting its fury.

    "I¡¯m talking about you," King Kong replied, able to hear Flower Branch¡¯s transmission andughing.

    Flower Branch was about to retort when Yuan Ming raised his hand to stop them: "Enough, both of you." Flower Branch and King Kong ceased their bickering, but their gazes towards each other still held hostility.

    Yuan Ming felt a headacheing on; even before King Kong had awakened its intelligence, Flower Branch had been unfriendly towards it, and now that both had developed intelligence, they would likely fight even more fiercely in the future.

    He calmed Flower Branch down and used his divine consciousness to examine King Kong¡¯s body. King Kong¡¯s demonic power hadn¡¯t increased significantly, but its physical strength had soared, especially the newly grown arms, which contained astonishing power.

    "Good, it wasn¡¯t in vain that I let you devour the Scaled-Tooth Tiger¡¯s corpse. Do you know the origin of that dark energy?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "That dark energy is demonic energy," King Kong hesitated before answering.

    <em>"Demonic energy!"</em> Yuan Ming was startled.

    "Master, do you know what demonic energy is? I don¡¯t understand the meaning of these two words, but they suddenly shed through my mind," King Kong inquired.

    "I¡¯ve read about it in ancient texts. There are countless cultivators in the world, not all of whom practice the path of immortality; some tread the path of demons, and these demonic cultivators use demonic energy," Yuan Ming exined after some thought.

    "I see," King Kong nodded in realization.

    "Demonic energy, demonic energy..." Flower Branch held its head with both hands, its soul vibrating intensely as if trying hard to remember something. When Flower Branch first awakened its self-awareness, it had developed several quite useful abilities.

    After a conversation with King Kong, Yuan Ming learned that King Kong¡¯s physical strength was formidable, especially the newly grown arms, which contained several times the strength of ordinary arms. King Kong, eager to show off, shook its new arms.

    A surge of tremendous power erupted, causing a rumbling in the nearby void and stirring up a gust of wind, shaking the silvery light curtain once again.

    "Not bad," Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes lit up.

    "It¡¯s just a bit of brute strength," Flower Branch transmitted jealously.

    "Besides strength, the spiritual root power of this Heavenly Serpent¡¯s corpse has also been stimted. King Kong can control the metal attribute spiritual power," King Kong shot out five golden w beams from its fingertips, which looked exceptionally sharp.

    "Do you have any other abilities?" Yuan Ming continued to inquire.

    "There¡¯s nothing else... wait, it seems like there¡¯s something new in my mind. Is this a cultivation technique?" King Kong suddenly furrowed its brow and sat down cross-legged. The nearby spiritual energy of heaven and earth was drawn in and merged into King Kong¡¯s body, not transforming into demonic power but instead strengthening its flesh.

    "Using spiritual power to enhance the body, this must be a physical cultivation technique!" Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes shone with excitement.

    "It should be," King Kong opened its eyes.

    "Does this technique have a mantra?" Yuan Ming asked eagerly. In the world of cultivation, physical cultivators were not as rare as soul cultivators but were still quite umon, and physical cultivation techniques were even rarer. Yuan Ming had been mixed up in the cultivation world for some time, having acquired many magical cultivation techniques, but he had note across a single physical cultivation technique.

    He still kept the Copper Skin Pill he obtained from Liu Su in his storage ring because hecked a suitable physical cultivation technique. If he could obtain a physical cultivation technique from King Kong, his own body could be strengthened, increasing his self-preservation ability when facing enemies in battle.<hr>

 Chapter 266: Soul imprint

    Chapter 266: Soul imprint

    "There¡¯s no technique." Vajra hesitated for a moment, seemingly deep in thought, before answering.

    "Can you tell me how to practice it?" Yuan Ming asked with a hint of excitement.

    "Thises naturally. I can¡¯t exin how to practice it," Vajra thought for a while and then shook his head.

    Yuan Ming felt a bit disappointed.

    "Alright, I¡¯ll teach you how to read another day," Yuan Ming said reluctantly. "Take this; it should be beneficial for you."

    Yuan Ming took out a Copper Skin Pill and handed it to Vajra, who epted it without hesitation and swallowed one.

    "My body feels hot," Vajra remarked after a moment of sensing the effects.

    "The medicinal power must be kicking in. It should be useful for you. Go ahead and cultivate." With a wave of his hand, Yuan Ming took out a spirit beast bag and stored the white ape Vajra inside.

    He still hadn¡¯t fully understood the reasons behind the mutations and awakening of Vajra and Hua Zhi.Recalling how he acquired the two creatures, he vaguely felt that their appearances were linked to the two demons he saw in his mind when he first obtained the Stealing Heaven Cauldron after falling into the water in the Southern Border.

    ***

    In the following days, Yuan Ming stayed indoors, and seven days passed in the blink of an eye. The Great Ultimate pattern on the Stealing Heaven Cauldron had regained its brightness.

    Seven days had passed, and Yuan Ming wondered if the Precious Spirit Sect would suspect him.

    He took out the Stealing Heaven Cauldron and a stick of ck Incense. This new ck Incense was made from materials Hu Tu had purchased on his behalf, using the incense ashes from the Precious Spirit Sect. He wasn¡¯t sure how effective it would be.

    After a brief contemtion, Yuan Ming lit the ck Incense and recalled the face of his Sixth Uncle. His vision quickly went ck.

    ***

    When his consciousness returned, he found himself in the body of his Sixth Uncle, standing in a ce resembling a spirit beast garden, observing a group of fiery red fox cubs. He held a notebook, asionally jotting down observations, seemingly studying their habits.

    After a quick survey of his surroundings, Yuan Ming began to subtly influence his Sixth Uncle, urging him to find someone knowledgeable about Gu Qiulong¡¯s murder.

    The effect of the ck Incense made from the Precious Spirit Sect¡¯s ashes was evidently good. After just three or four suggestions, his Sixth Uncle stopped what he was doing and walked to the other side of the spirit beast garden. He soon found a ck-bearded elder in a pavilion, who was writing something at a desk.

    "Lin Hai, do you need something from me?" the ck-bearded elder asked, standing up.

    "Gu Zhen, how is the investigation into Qiulong¡¯s death going? Why is there no news at all?" Sixth Uncle asked in a deep voice.

    Yuan Ming was delighted. His suggestion had been quite vague, yet his Sixth Uncle not only followed through but also found the right person. The effect of the incense made from the Precious Spirit Sect¡¯s ashes was indeed better than before.

    "The sect has its own reasons. It¡¯s best not to inquire too much," Gu Zhen said, ncing at Sixth Uncle.

    "It seems the sect has discovered quite a bit. This matter concerns my nephew¡¯s death. Please, Brother Gu Zhen, tell me what you know," Sixth Uncle said, bowing respectfully.

    Gu Zhen looked troubled but remained silent.

    "Gu Zhen, be straightforward," Sixth Uncle urged.

    "Alright, the Sect Master visited the scene. In the Shuiyun Temple dungeon, besides your nephew Gu Qiulong, there was another corpse dressed in the attire of Changchun Temple. Based on the scene, it appears the two fought to the death," Gu Zhen said in a low voice.

    "A Changchun Temple cultivator! Do we know who it was?" Sixth Uncle gasped.

    "It was an external affairs elder from Changchun Temple, Xu Changqing," Gu Zhen replied.

    "Xu Changqing? I¡¯ve never heard of him. Why would they fight to the death? What were they fighting over?" Sixth Uncle frowned deeply.

    "All their storage artifacts were missing. Besides the two of them, there was likely a third person, possibly the Shuiyun Temple Master," Gu Zhen said.

    "The Shuiyun Temple Master? Gu Qiulong wouldn¡¯t go to Shuiyun Temple for no reason. Where is the Temple Master?" Sixth Uncle asked.

    "The Temple Master has disappeared. The other Taoists at Shuiyun Temple haven¡¯t seen Gu Qiulong," Gu Zhen said.

    "Additionally, the sect discovered another situation. Your other nephew, Gu Qiuming, also disappeared ten days ago, and his daughter, Gu Hui, went missing seven days ago," Gu Zhen continued.

    "Gu Qiuming? I saw him a few days ago. Could he be involved in this?" Sixth Uncle¡¯s body trembled.

    "I don¡¯t know. The sect has already sent people to secretly search for the three of them," Gu Zhen said.

    The two continued discussing until the ck Incense burned out.

    Yuan Ming deduced that Gu Qiuming must have seen his message and fled with his daughter. The Shuiyun Temple Master, fearing retribution from the Precious Spirit Sect, also left after discovering Gu Qiulong¡¯s death.

    ***

    The next morning, Yuan Ming went to the Zhenling Pavilion.

    Yuan Ming requested the winged bird he had entrusted Gu Qiuming to hatch for him. The shop assistant said Gu Qiuming had been missing for days. Yuan Ming flew into a rage, demandingpensation. The assistant deferred, saying the manager was not present and asked Yuan Ming toe back another time.

    Yuan Ming, having a n in mind, returned home. Seven dayster, he once again possessed the Qi refining disciple Xu Chuan, who had been assigned by Gu Qiuming to receive him.

    The ck Incense was lit.

    ***

    At that moment, Xu Chuan was busy in a spirit beast garden. Yuan Ming began to subtly influence Xu Chuan.

    Soon, Xu Chuan stopped what he was doing and walked to the other side of the spirit beast garden, finding a young man.

    "Xu Chuan, do you need something from me?" the young man asked, standing up.<hr>

 Chapter 267: Excuse the intrusion

    Chapter 267: Excuse the intrusion

    Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, two years had passed.

    Business at the Xuanhua Fragrance Shop was booming, and everything else remained as tranquil as ever.

    The troubles Yuan Ming had anticipated never arose; the people from Zhenling Sect had not found their way here.

    In the secret chamber of residence number eighty-six, Yuan Ming sat cross-legged, his body faintly radiating a green glow.

    Thanks to the ie from the fragrance shop, he had ess to a nearly endless supply of cultivation pills. He had started with just the Four Spirits Pill, butter added the more effective and nearly four hundred spirit stones per bottle He Liquid Pill to his regimen.

    It was said to be the best cultivation pill for those at the initial stage of Foundation Establishment, a treatment akin to what direct disciples of a sect like Changchun View would receive.

    With the aid of the Zixuan Fragrance, his cultivation had progressed rapidly, and he had now reached the peak of the initial stage of Foundation Establishment.

    Yuan Ming opened his eyes, which flickered with a divine light, and slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air. Afterposing himself, he took out a white pill and swallowed it, causing the green light around his body to brighten significantly.

    This white pill, known as the Ninghua Pill, was designed to help break through the bottlenecks of Foundation Establishment.Yuan Ming closed his eyes again, inhaled the spiritual qi of heaven and earth, and circted the Nine Elements Form to refine the Ninghua Pill, attempting to break through the bottleneck of the initial stage of Foundation Establishment.

    ***

    Before long, powerful surges of magical power erupted within him, spreading out like a tide. The secret chamber was enveloped in a silver light screen formed by silver tokens, blocking all the magical fluctuations. This statested for a quarter of an hour before the green light around Yuan Ming dimmed, and the tumultuous magical power returned to calm.

    "Cultivating at the Foundation Establishment stage is indeed much more difficult than at the Qi Refining stage," he muttered to himself with a hint of resignation.

    This was his third attempt to break through the bottleneck in just over a month.

    Yuan Ming decided not to continue his seclusion. He checked the time, got up, left the fragrance shop, rode his magical instrument out of the city, and returned to Leizhou City. He found a teahouse to sit down, having already discreetly released a Soul Crow to monitor his surroundings.

    ***

    Soon, a short figure draped in a gray robe entered the teahouse, casually scanning the patrons before taking a seat by the window and ordering a pot of tea.

    Yuan Ming approached the figure and tentatively asked, "Grandma, it¡¯s been a long time. You look just as I remember from my childhood."

    The person in the gray robe looked up to see Yuan Ming, her face lighting up with joy and a touch of affection, "You¡¯ve grown so much, and you look just like your mother."

    She lifted her hood to reveal the face of a middle-aged woman in her forties, with fine lines around her eyes and hair that was ck with strands of white. Her eyes were bright and sharp as she carefully examined Yuan Ming¡¯s features. However, she quickly feigned annoyance, "You¡¯ve been in Leizhou and didn¡¯te to see me, making me worry for so long."

    "I didn¡¯t want to cause trouble for you, Grandma," Yuan Ming replied. "What trouble could I possibly have at my age?" Grandma scoffed.

    "I heard you wereing to Leizhou, so I immediately left my seclusion. I waited and waited but couldn¡¯t find you; you nearly drove me to my wits¡¯ end. Besides, if Changchun View were to seek revenge on you, wouldn¡¯t they be ashamed?" Grandma said.

    "Still, it¡¯s best to be cautious; hidden dangers are hard to predict," Yuan Ming replied.

    Over the past few years, he felt his life in Xiaohu City had been rtively stable. asionally, he would send letters to reassure his parents, without revealing his exact location. Recently, he had made contact with Grandma, who had arranged to meet him at this teahouse in Leizhou City, iming she had a matter to entrust to him.

    "Ah, Ming, you¡¯re so mature for your age. If only your cousin had half your sense, I could die in peace. I didn¡¯t want to trouble you, but in a few days, your cousin Xu Tian will be going out for training. Recently, a vicious criminal has been hunting Qi Refining cultivators near Leizhou, and many have fallen victim. I can¡¯t help but worry, but the sect leader has assigned me tasks I can¡¯t refuse. After much thought, I had no choice but to ask for your help." Grandma sighed with a look of apology.

    Before Yuan Ming could respond, Grandma continued, "I understand your predicament. If you¡¯re too busy, could you rmend a reliable friend instead? I trust your judgment."

    "You worry too much, Grandma. I happen to be free during this period, though I can¡¯t approach openly; I can provide covert protection," Yuan Ming replied after a moment¡¯s thought.

    "You needn¡¯t worry about that. Every year, the sect issues tasks at the Loose Cultivators¡¯ Meeting, and any qualified loose cultivator can participate. When the timees, you can join under an alias," Grandma said, delighted.

    Yuan Ming then inquired about the details of the task, politely declined the pills and spirit stones Grandma had brought for him, and instead gifted her with numerous cultivation pills and fragrances as a token of filial piety. After all, before he had set foot on the path of immortality, Grandma had been very fond of his mother and had taken good care of his family.

    Even when he had offended Changchun View and was in need of refuge, she had been willing to take him in, although he had not gone to her for shelter.

    While Grandma was pleased, she also reminded Yuan Ming to be careful at all times.

    After bidding her farewell, Yuan Ming returned to Xiaohu City.

    ***

    A few dayster, the task hall of the Loose Cultivators¡¯ Meeting was bustling with activity. Cultivators in various attire gathered in groups, their conversations creating a cacophony of noise. The attendants behind the counter were swamped with work, and there seemed to be more people than usual.

    Seeing how busy the attendants were, Yuan Ming asked for a jade slip with the task list and began to examine it closely. The list contained hundreds of tasks, each with different requirements and rewards.

    Simple tasks like escorting cultivators or transporting goods offered low rewards but were low-risk and didn¡¯t take much time, though they did require a certain level of credibility and cultivation from the taker. Adventure tasks were the opposite, with almost no entry barrier and considerable rewards.

    However, each task had two notes attached: <em>one detailing the potential dangers to make takers think twice, and the other recording the number of cultivators who had taken the task but had not returned within the specified time.</em>

    For example, a task to explore a secret realm within the borders of Zhao Country offered a reward of a thousand spirit stones, but the dangers were unknown, and thirteen cultivators had already failed to return. Because of the high difficulty and lowpletion rate of adventure tasks, they often made up arge portion of past task lists. Simple escort tasks, on the other hand, were usually taken shortly after they appeared and rarely stayed on the list for long.

    However, Yuan Ming noticed that today¡¯s list had an unusually high number of escort tasks, mostly for Qi Refining cultivators.

    He thought of the criminal Grandma mentioned who targeted Qi Refining cultivators and discreetly asked an attendant about it.

    "There have been some disturbancestely, but nothing significant for a senior like yourself. It¡¯s just that a nameless cultivator has emerged in Leizhou, targeting lone Qi Refining cultivators. So far, over a dozen have been killed," the attendant replied.

    Yuan Ming feigned surprise, "Really? Has anyone figured out who he is?"

    "This person is very skilled at evading detection. Xiaohu City has organized several search parties to no avail. Now, the affected sects have taken the lead, offering rewards for information on him. If you¡¯re interested, Senior, you can join the investigation. If you can capture him, the association will offer a substantial reward," the attendant said respectfully.

    Yuan Ming nodded nomittally, and seeing hisck of interest, the attendant tactfully excused himself, leaving Yuan Ming to continue perusing the task list.

    Not long after the attendant left, two cultivators approached Yuan Ming and greeted him with a bow. "Excuse the intrusion, fellow Daoist," said one, a burly man with a full beard, who despite his rough appearance, spoke with great politeness.

    The other cultivator wore a green robe and held a whisk, his eyes squinted into slits and a faint smile on his lips, giving off a friendly vibe.

    "What can I do for you gentlemen?" Yuan Ming asked, turning to them. He had noticed someone observing him during his conversation with the attendant, and his tone was slightly brusque. Judging by their aura, they were both Foundation Establishment cultivators like himself.

    "Hehe, we¡¯re not here to instruct you, but we noticed your distinguished air and assume you possess remarkable abilities. We happen to have a task that requires more hands. Would you be interested?" the bearded man ttered.

    "Sorry, I prefer to work alone and am not interested in joining others," Yuan Ming declined without hesitation, ready to walk away.

    "Wait, fellow Daoist, hear us out before you decide," the bearded man said with a smile.

    Yuan Ming stopped and turned back, his face showing a touch of aloofness, but the bearded man continued, undeterred. "You must have heard from the Loose Cultivators¡¯ Association about the reward for capturing the culprit who attacks Qi Refining cultivators. To be honest, mypanion Liao here has a unique technique that can pinpoint the culprit¡¯s location. We would have been enough, but considering the cunning of the criminal, we wanted to prevent his escape, so we invited you to join us. Of course, you¡¯ll get a share of the reward if we seed. What do you say?"

    Yuan Ming frowned, skeptical. "If the criminal only targets lone Qi Refining cultivators, it means his strength is limited. You two are at Foundation Establishment; are you still afraid he¡¯ll escape?"

    "That¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong. Not to mention that Foundation Establishment cultivators have joined the association¡¯s previous capture teams and still failed to find him, there¡¯s another matter that might change your mind about his strength." the bearded man said, looking around and lowering his voice.

    "Two years ago, an elder from Zhenling Sect was killed in the wilderness near Xiaohu City. Zhenling Sect was enraged and spent a lot of effort searching for the murderer, even posting a high-reward task, which remains unimed to this day. The killer¡¯s whereabouts are still unknown." the bearded man exined.

    Yuan Ming was inwardly shocked but maintained aposed expression and nodded, asking, "Oh, I¡¯ve heard about that. But what does it have to do with the criminal targeting Qi Refining cultivators?"<hr>

 Chapter 268: Escort mission

    Chapter 268: Escort mission

    "Based on the information I have, as early as a year and a half ago, Qi Cultivators near Xiaohu City began disappearing without cause.

    The number and frequency of disappearances weren¡¯t significant, so no one paid attention until the recent surge."Ha Gong analyzed with confidence.

    "Simrly, a year and a half ago, Zhenling Sect investigated the murderer to no avail and temporarily ceased theirrge-scale search, opting instead to issue a high-reward bounty for clues on the killer. Comparing the timelines, the conclusion narrows significantly." Ha Gong spoke with extra assurance.

    "You mean to say, the one who killed the Zhenling Sect elder and the one ambushing Qi Cultivators are the same person?" Yuan Ming¡¯s face was a picture of shock, as if he had stumbled upon some incredible secret.

    "Based on my spection, the culprit initially wanted to target Foundation Establishment cultivators but mistakenly killed a Zhenling Sect elder. After lying low for a while, they switched to preying on Qi Cultivators, starting very cautiously. As no one could find them, they grew more and more brazen, drawing attention once again," Ha Gong stated with conviction.

    "Your analysis is so clear and convincing, but without solid evidence, wouldn¡¯t it be an overreaction if we¡¯re wrong?" Yuan Ming responded upon hearing this.

    "Ha, if my deduction is incorrect and the culprit is not powerful, wouldn¡¯t that be even better? I¡¯ve inquired in advance; the bounty set by the Loose Cultivators Association for the culprit is three thousand spirit stones. If we catch them, it¡¯s a thousand each to split¡ªnot a small sum," Ha Gong said nonchntly.

    Yuan Ming chuckled, "What you say makes sense, but I must apologize, as I¡¯m not adept atpeting with others. You¡¯ll have to find someone more capable for this task."

    Ha Gong¡¯s face fell with disappointment. After a few more attempts to persuade him, seeing Yuan Ming¡¯s resolve, Ha Gong no longer insisted and, with a cupped fist salute, left with hispanion.Yuan Ming watched them depart, pondered for a moment, then pulled out the task list and flipped through it, indeed finding the bounty posted by Zhenling Sect.

    "Find Gu Qiuming¡¯s whereabouts, a reward of one thousand spirit stones for reliable information, three thousand for capture." Yuan Ming shook his head, surprised that Gu Qiuming was now suspected by Zhenling Sect, his value considerably high.

    He sighed inwardly and then began to search for the task mentioned by his grandmother from the Shengye Sect. With such a high bounty from Zhenling Sect and no trace of Gu Qiuming for two years, he felt somewhat relieved.

    Soon, he found the task mentioned by his grandmother among the many listed.

    "Escort mission: escort Shengye Sect¡¯s Qi Cultivator disciples to Zhao Country¡¯s mountains to collect spiritual herbs, departing in five days. Applicants must have resided in Xiaohu City for over a year and possess at least Foundation Establishment cultivation. The reward is two bottles of Four Spirits Pills or an equivalent amount of spirit stones." After pondering for a moment, Yuan Ming called over a clerk: "I¡¯d like to take on the task of escorting Shengye Sect disciples."

    "Very well, please leave your name and cultivation level for our records," the clerk said, taking out a jade slip.

    "Ha Gong, early Foundation Establishment," Yuan Ming reported his alias.

    "Alright, I¡¯ve recorded it for you. Please keep this token safe and present it at the association¡¯s second floor in two days at Chen hour, where Shengye Sect will assess you," the clerk handed over a ck token.

    "An assessment is required?" Yuan Ming was slightly taken aback.

    "Yes, as it¡¯s a customary task for Shengye Sect, many cultivators apply each year, and since they are escorting their elite disciples, for safety, Shengye Sect has high standards for the character and strength of applicants, hence the assessment," the clerk exined.

    "How many have applied so far? Who are they?" Yuan Ming inquired curiously.

    "Including you, there are thirteen. However, ording to the rules, I cannot disclose their names to you, please understand," the clerk replied. Yuan Ming didn¡¯t mind and, nodding, took the token and left.

    ***

    Two dayster, Yuan Ming arrived at the Loose Cultivators Association just before Mao hour and was immediately taken to the second floor upon showing his token.

    The rooms on the second floor were meticulously designed, not adjacent to each other, and each was equipped with a soundproofing array to prevent eavesdropping.

    The room designated by Shengye Sect was deep on the second floor, and when Yuan Ming entered, he saw eight cultivators already waiting inside.

    There were both men and women of varying ages. Yuan Ming didn¡¯t know any of them and had no intention of exchanging pleasantries, so he found a chair, sat down, and closed his eyes to meditate.

    Then, three more cultivators entered after Yuan Ming, some of whom knew the earlier arrivals and sat together, whispering in conversation.

    Not long after, at nonn, the door was pushed open again, and a waft of medicinal fragrance followed.

    Yuan Ming opened his eyes and saw twote Foundation Establishment cultivators enter one after the other. The leading cultivator wore a dark green robe, of medium build, with thick eyebrows over round eyes that exuded a tiger-like authority.

    The cultivator following him was Yuan Ming¡¯s old acquaintance from the Southern Border, Bai Ye, who also seemed surprised to see Yuan Ming but quickly showed a pleased expression, exchanging a smile.

    "I am Lu Shen, the Shengye Sect¡¯s Elder of External Affairs. As per tradition, the tasks issued by our sect only require a one-year residency in Xiaohu City. However, given recent events in the city, which I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard of, for the safety of our disciples, this task will only be open to cultivators who have resided here for over two years," the cultivator in the dark green robe surveyed the room and announced.

    His words immediately sparked dissatisfaction among some cultivators.

    "Why didn¡¯t you make that clear when posting the task? What a waste of time!" A short, plump Taoist stood up and stormed out.

    Lu Shen remained unmoved: "I regret that some of you havee in vain. To make amends, I¡¯ve prepared some spiritual tea, please take some when you leave."

    The plump Taoist was just at the door; he stiffened at these words, seemingly too proud to turn back for the tea, hesitated for a moment, then huffed and pushed the door open to leave.

    The other cultivators, though dissatisfied, were cated by the offer of spiritual tea and left without furtherint.

    ***

    Soon, only Lu Shen, Bai Ye, and four other cultivators, including Yuan Ming, remained. "Four of you meet the requirements. For this mission, our sect only needs two. Therefore, I ask each of you to demonstrate your abilities, and I will select the two strongest to participate," Lu Shen gestured for them to follow him to the training ground to showcase their skills.

    Just then, Bai Ye suddenly spoke up: "There¡¯s no need for Ha Gong to go. I¡¯ve witnessed his strength myself, and it¡¯s not inferior to mine."

    "Elder Bai, the safety of our disciples is at stake. How can we disregard the rules for personal favor? Ha Gong is only at early Foundation Establishment; how can his strength surpass yours?" Lu Shen frowned, displeased.

    "Brother Lu, my words are the absolute truth. If it weren¡¯t for Ha Gong¡¯s rescue, I would have perished in the Southern Border. Not only is he exceptionally strong, but his character is also impable. Remember, for this mission, reliability is paramount," Bai Ye said, and seeing Lu Shen¡¯s disbelief, he quietly transmitted a message, sharing something with him.

    Hearing Bai Ye¡¯s transmission, Lu Shen¡¯s face showed surprise, and after a moment¡¯s thought, he nodded: "Elder Bai makes a good point. With such a strong vouch, let¡¯s go with this cultivator." Upon hearing this, the other three cultivators¡¯ expressions changed¡ªsome disdainful, some surprised, and one with a probing look.

    However, with one spot still open, they didn¡¯tpete with Yuan Ming, and seeing Lu Shen say no more, they left the room and followed him out.

    Once the others had left, Yuan Ming gave Bai Ye a cupped fist salute: "Elder Bai, it¡¯s been a while since our parting in the Southern Border. I didn¡¯t expect to meet you here. Do you also reside in Xiaohu City now?"

    Bai Ye smiled. "Yes, after the Bi Luo Cave affair, I traveled here and found it peaceful, suitable for my cultivation. Are you a member of Shengye Sect, Elder Bai? Why do they call you an elder?"

    Yuan Ming asked, puzzled. "Heh, my sect has always had good rtions with Shengye Sect. Our disciples¡¯ annual training is often a joint effort. Now, I¡¯m barely managing an elder¡¯s duties in my sect, dealing with these minor matters," Bai Ye replied modestly.

    "I see. This is my first time undertaking such a task. Is there anything in particr I should be aware of?" Yuan Ming nodded and inquired further.

    "There¡¯s no need to worry too much. Despite Elder Lu¡¯s serious tone, the locations chosen for annual disciple training are never truly dangerous. With us Foundation Establishment cultivators apanying them in secret, it¡¯s just a precaution. Rarely do situations arise where we need to intervene," Bai Ye waved his hand dismissively.

    Yuan Ming nodded in understanding, and the two chatted casually for a while, exchanging updates on their experiences and observations from different ces over the years.

    ***

    Time passed quickly, and soon Lu Shen returned to the room with the selected cultivator. "This cultivator is He Wendao, particrly skilled in earth magic, his Earth Escape Technique is masterful, perfect for protecting the disciples," Lu Shen introduced.

    He Wendao was young, clean-shaven, and looked rather refined, with a cultivation level around mid-Foundation Establishment. Upon hearing Lu Shen¡¯s introduction, he quickly saluted Yuan Ming and Bai Ye, acknowledging the introduction. With the situation settled, Lu Shen turned to Yuan Ming: "May I ask which spells you specialize in, Ha Gong?" "I have some expertise in beast taming," Yuan Ming replied, half-truthfully.<hr>

 Chapter 269: Parade

    Chapter 269: Parade

    Lu Shen nodded in agreement, not requiring Yuan Ming to demonstrate further. "There are three days left before the disciples of our sect embark on their training journey. If you two have no other ns, why note back with me to the Shengye Sect and stay for a few days? We can set off together. What do you think?"

    Yuan Ming had no other engagements, so he did not refuse, and neither did He Wendao.

    The four of them left the room and descended the stairs. As Yuan Ming looked up at the entrance of the Loose Cultivator Association, he suddenly paused.

    Three Foundation Establishment cultivators had arrived, d in the robes of Changchun Temple, their faces full of arrogance, looking down on the other cultivators with a hint of disdain.

    <em>People from Changchun Temple? What are they doing here?</em>

    Lu Shen also noticed the trio and frowned. The three from Changchun Temple, however, didn¡¯t notice Yuan Ming and the others descending from upstairs.

    They walked straight into the mission hall, looked around, and then the one in the middle channeled his spiritual power and announced loudly, "I am Xu Changqing, a Foundation Establishment cultivator from Changchun Temple. I was attacked near Xiaohu City. Anyone who can provide clues or information about the murderer will be rewarded with a thousand spirit stones!"

    The mission hall erupted into chaos as soon as he finished speaking.

    Some people, confused, turned to theirpanions, "Who is Xu Changqing? Have you heard of him?"Others were shocked, "Someone dared to kill a member of Changchun Temple? Are they tired of living?"

    Some muttered resentfully, "A reward? Hah, Changchun Temple sure knows how to throw its weight around, asking us for information as if they¡¯re doing us a favor!"

    Amidst the crowd, Yuan Ming¡¯s face remained expressionless as he took a good look at the three from Changchun Temple, memorizing their features before shifting his gaze away.

    "These people from Changchun Temple couldn¡¯t have picked a worse ce to die. Is it just an excuse? We mustn¡¯t let this fire burn us... We need to report back to the sect immediately." Lu Shen¡¯s brow was furrowed as he called out and quickly headed outside the Loose Cultivator Association.

    Yuan Ming and the others silently followed, and soon they left the association, leaving the noise behind.

    ***

    Three dayster, at the Shengye Sect. Today marked the annual Qi Refining stage disciples¡¯ training day.

    Early in the morning, all the registered disciples gathered in the sect square. The usual cultivation was dull and tedious, and the rare opportunity to go out in the open had many young disciples excited early on, their faces eager. The older ones, however, were focused on the rankings of the training. Although not as rewarding as the triennial sectpetition, performing well in the training could not only earn a lot of cultivation resources but might also catch the eye of the sect elders, potentially skyrocketing one¡¯s status.

    Of course, for those disciples directly taught by the elders, rankings were not important. What really mattered were the potential rivals in future sectpetitions.

    However, for Xu Tian, what truly troubled him was his junior sister, Luo Xing¡¯er.

    "Xing¡¯er, listen carefully. Once we¡¯re out there, stay close to me and don¡¯t wander off. If anything happens, consult with me first, understand?" Xu Tian held Luo Xing¡¯er¡¯s hand, repeatedly admonishing her. His cultivation had reached the sixthyer of Qi Refining, while Luo Xing¡¯er was somewhat behind, only at the fourthyer.

    "Alright, alright, senior brother, you really do nag a lot." Luo Xing¡¯er pouted, her little face puffing up in dissatisfaction.

    Seeing this, Xu Tian sighed deeply, wanting to say more, but Luo Xing¡¯er suddenly grabbed his hand excitedly and shook it. "Senior brother, look, look, it¡¯s Elder Lu! He¡¯s a great cultivator in thete stages of Foundation Establishment. I wonder when I¡¯ll be able to reach that level." Luo Xing¡¯er spoke with admiration.

    "As long as we diligently cultivate and put in the hard work, that day will surelye," Xu Tian replied.

    "Oh, so Young Master Yuan is so powerful because he cultivated like that?" Luo Xing¡¯er turned to look at him.

    Xu Tian was somewhat speechless but still managed to say, "Of course."

    ***

    Meanwhile, Lu Shen stood on a temporary tform, his stern gaze sweeping over the disciples below. The once noisy square quickly fell silent.

    "To stand out from themon folk and join our Shengye Sect is no small feat. After long and arduous cultivation within the sect, today..." Facing the multitude of disciples, he began a lengthy speech, discussing the difficulties of cultivation and the breadth of life, speaking eloquently and without end.

    Some of the older disciples were prepared, having sealed their hearing with spiritual power in advance, while the younger ones who were experiencing this for the first time listened with rapt attention at first, but their thoughts soon became muddled, internallymenting their fate.

    After more than half an hour, Lu Shen finally concluded his speech, his eyes filled with expectations as he looked at the Qi Refining stage disciples.

    He scanned the crowd and then summoned the sect¡¯s giant Qingmu flying ship, instructing the disciples below to board.

    Relieved, the disciples exhaled deeply and hurried onto the Qingmu flying ship, fearing that Lu Shen might suddenly decide to add a few more points to his speech.

    Soon, all the disciples had boarded the flying ship, and Lu Shen also leaped to the bow, inserting several mid-grade spirit stones into the deck¡¯s array, activating it.

    The Qingmu flying ship then soared into the sky, slowly flying beyond the sect.

    ***

    In a storage room on the upper part of the Qingmu flying ship, Yuan Ming, who was meditating, also opened his eyes and secretly released his Soul Raven, guarding the flying ship as it moved through the sky.

    In the Zhao Kingdom, within the Yunluo Mountain Range, the undting mountains stood tall on the earth, their peaks piercing the clouds as if to break through the sky. The misty clouds, like river water, clung to the ridges and slowly drifted down, eventually dissipating among the dense forests. Even in the mountainous Zhao Kingdom, this ce was considered majestic. Unfortunately, the scattered spiritual veins here, while capable of nurturing various beasts and spiritual herbs, were not suitable for sect settlement.

    In the sky, the Qingmu flying ship cut through the clouds and slowly descended onto a clearing in the forest. The disciples streamed out from the ship, assembling on the ground, while Lu Shen, who was responsible for piloting the ship, now stood at the edge, looking at the disciples. "This ce will be the site of your trial.

    Over the next five days, you may seek spiritual herbs here, but do not venture beyond fifty miles from the flying ship, or your trial results will be invalidated.

    Additionally, the trial ends at noon five days from now. Those who do not return on time will also have their results voided." Lu Shen surveyed the disciples, announcing the rules of the trial.

    He then waved his hand, and disciples responsible for tallying scores and other misceneous tasks came forward, distributing a jade slip to each disciple.

    "If you encounter danger during the trial, you can crush the jade slip at any time. My fellow daoists and I wille to your rescue immediately. Although this will disqualify you from the trial, I would rather you prioritize your lives. The saying ¡¯where there¡¯s life, there¡¯s hope¡¯ needs no further exnation from me." Lu Shen solemnly admonished.

    The disciples responded in unison, then dispersed. Lu Shen turned and returned to the top of the flying ship. Yuan Ming and the others had already gathered together.

    Seeing Lu Shen return, Bai Ye spoke, "Elder Lu, I have already given the devices that can detect the location of the jade slips to the two daoists."

    "Good. The next five days will be hard on you all. Although the sect elders have already surveyed this area in advance, to avoid any idents, please stay alert. Additionally, if you encounter any special situations that require support, you can also activate the device, and everyone else will receive the message," Lu Shen nodded.

    Afterward, the four of them left the flying ship, each piloting their own flying devices ording to the previously divided areas.

    After leaving the flying ship, Yuan Ming found a secluded ce and released the flower branch from his spirit beast bag, ordering it to burrow underground and follow him.

    He then resumed patrolling his assigned area on his flying shuttle.

    ***

    Three dayster, in the dense forest, arge, wrinkled python coiled around an ancient tree, its brownish skin blending perfectly with the branches, making it indistinguishable.

    The tree¡¯s top bore fist-sized fruits swaying in the wind, many of which were green with a hint of orange, looking nearly ripe. Next to the python, two fruits had already shed their green skins, and the sunlight filtering through the leaves shone on the bright orange fruits, making them gleam.

    Suddenly, a young man in a light green robe emerged nearby, looking up at the tree full of fruits, and was momentarily stunned before showing an expression of delight.

    However, he did not rush but carefully circled the ancient tree twice, then took out a small bell-shaped magical instrument and shook it after channeling his spiritual power into it.

    The sound waves spread out, sweeping over the ancient tree. The python on the branch, disturbed by the noise, shifted its body in displeasure. However, the cultivator below mistook the python¡¯s movement for the swaying of the branches and paid it no mind.

    Seeing no beasts lurking nearby, the cultivator¡¯s joy intensified. He then took out a sword-shaped magical instrument and controlled it to fly up to the treetop, intending to cut down the fruits.

    This action thoroughly angered the python, which had beennguid just moments before. Its tail rose swiftly and swept across the sword like a de, sending it flying away with a single strike.

    Seeing this, the disciple from the Shengye Sect below turned pale and immediately attempted to flee, but the python was not about to let him go. It loosened its coiled body around the branches, and its head shot across a great distance tond in front of the disciple.

    The python eyed the panicked Shengye Sect disciple, its golden pupils gleaming as it opened its massive jaws to bite.

    In the nick of time, the disciple fumbled for the jade slip and snapped it in half. The python¡¯s foul breath hit his face as it loomed inches away, and his mind went nk.

    But just then, a small hole suddenly appeared in the python¡¯s head, and it died mid-air.<hr>

 Chapter 270: Set up

    Chapter 270: Set up

    Surviving the cmity, a disciple of the Shengye Sect copsed onto the ground, gasping for air and trembling with fear, when suddenly a clear voice rang out.

    "The danger has passed. Since you¡¯ve crushed the jade slip, return to the flying boat quickly and do not linger in the forest."

    "Ah, yes, disciple understands. Thank you, senior, for saving my life." The Shengye Sect disciple regained his senses and hastily bowed in the direction of the voice, though no one was there.

    Although he received no reply, he dared not stay any longer and hurriedly left the area. Behind him, a purple-ck vine slowly writhed, soon draining a giant python into a mummified corpse.

    Midair, Yuan Ming piloted a jade shuttle, sending a soul crow to follow the disciple, shaking his head with a mix of emotions.

    In the past three days, he had rescued seven Shengye Sect disciples, many of whom, like the one just now, had been lured by rare spiritual herbs and neglected the dangers around them.

    These disciples had been formally epted into the sect after passing tests and spirit root assessments. Since embarking on the path of cultivation, they had been under the care of masters and elders, only hearing of the dangers of the cultivation world, never experiencing them firsthand.

    As their sect excelled in alchemy, resources were plentiful. The disciplescked for nothing, whether it was cultivation techniques, magical tools, or medicinal pills, except for actualbat experience. Their fighting skills and awareness of danger were sorelycking, which exined why rumors said the Shengye Sect was not adept at conflict.

    For these disciples, trials were like pics: gathering herbs by day, calling for elders when danger struck, camping and socializing at night, allughter and affection.Watching these Qi Refining stage disciples, Yuan Ming felt a mix of admiration and envy. His own entry into the path of cultivation had begun as a beast ve, fighting for his life daily in the treacherous mountains of the Southern Frontier, never knowing if he¡¯d see the next day, let alone enjoy such leisure.

    Lost in thought, Yuan Ming quickly retrieved a jade slip used for positioning.

    The slip emitted a blinding red light. He cast a spell to activate it, pinpointed the distress signal¡¯s location, and once again set off on his jade shuttle.

    In a valley.

    Amidst the howling of wolves, dozens of blue-ck demonic wolves surrounded a group of Shengye Sect disciples, ceaselessly seeking an opportunity to attack.

    Most of the disciples participating in the trial had gathered here. Their strengths were not weak, with cultivation levels generally above the fifth level of Qi Refining. They cooperated against the wolves¡¯ siege and managed to hold their own.

    The demonic wolves, although only mid-tier level one, coordinated with uncanny understanding. Whenever one was severely injured and repelled by the Shengye Sect disciples, another would immediately take its ce.

    As the disciples¡¯ magical power gradually depleted, the number of wolves showed no sign of decreasing. But this was not their most pressing concern.

    Not far away, a two-meter-tall, second-level demonic wolf with a gleam in its eyes swung its tail, and two green wind des suddenly flew out towards He Wendao.

    He Wendao reacted quickly, forming a hand seal that caused the ground to shake and a wall of earth to rise, blocking the attack.

    The hastily-formed earth wall was fragile, blocking the wind des momentarily before crumbling into pieces.

    As dust flew, a shadowy wolf figure darted out from the debris, lunging at He Wendao.

    Pale-faced, He Wendao, surrounded by the corpses of several level one demonic wolves, seemed to have expended much of his magical power. Despite the dire situation, he did not dare to rx. With a flip of his hand, he mmed a talisman onto the ground.

    Sharp earthen spikes burst forth, forcing the charging wolf to dodge. Still, it was grazed by the spikes, blood flowing freely.

    The injury only enraged the wolf further. It halted its charge, dug its front paws into the ground, arched its back, lowered its head, then suddenly raised it, opening its maw wide as a piercing howl echoed through the valley.

    The sound waves shattered the earthen spikes, and He Wendao staggered, his vision darkening.

    Seeing its chance, the wolf leaped high, aiming straight for He Wendao.

    At that moment, a vine humanoid descended from the sky. Dozens of intertwining purple-ck vines formed a, catching the wolf mid-leap.

    Yuan Ming arrived just in time on his flying shuttle. As the vines intercepted the wolf, he too leaped down.

    "Are you alright?" Yuan Ming asked with concern.

    "Thank you, Brother Ha Gong, for your help," He Wendao said, steadying himself and bowing to Yuan Ming.

    "It¡¯s nothing. Elder Lu and the others have arrived; this ce should be safe now," Yuan Ming reassured him. As he spoke with He Wendao, two streaks of light approached from the sky.

    Yuan Ming looked up to see Bai Ye and Lu Shen arriving. He instructed the vines to exert effort but did not summon any magical tools or fight with full force.

    The wolf was no match for the vines, and with two Foundation Establishment cultivators joining the fray, it was quickly defeated, its head severed by the vines.

    "How did you end up in such a state, Brother He?" Lu Shen asked, frowning as he stepped off his flying tool.

    "I arrived to find your sect¡¯s disciples under attack by the wolf pack. I had just taken out a few when a second-level demonic wolf ambushed us. I was careless and got injured," He Wendao admitted with a wry smile.

    By then, Bai Ye had helped the other Shengye Sect disciples deal with the remaining level one demonic wolves and brought them over.

    "How did you all end up here?" Lu Shen asked. "Reporting to Elder Lu, yesterday I stumbled upon an injured demonic wolf. While pursuing it, I identally entered this area and found several stalks of Fengxuan flowers deep in the valley. Since many wolves were guarding outside, I retreated andter gathered my fellow disciples to deal with the wolves. But for some reason, there were twice as many wolves today," Xu Tian exined with a bitter face.

    "Fengxuan flowers? These are high-grade spiritual herbs that rarely appear even in hundreds of years, and there¡¯s more than one? Are you sure you¡¯re not mistaken?" Lu Shen asked, surprised.

    "I swear I am not," Xu Tian assured.

    After pondering for a moment, Lu Shen asked Xu Tian to lead the way to the Fengxuan flowers, with the other disciples following behind.

    The group ventured deeper into the valley, and soon, in a depression at the heart of the valley, they saw seven or eight flowers emitting a faint silver glow.

    Lu Shen¡¯s face lit up with joy as he quickly approached the spiritual medicine. He Wendao and Bai Ye followed closely, the former¡¯s eyes widening in amazement at the sight.

    Xu Tian and the other disciples stayed outside the depression, not daring to approach without Lu Shen¡¯smand.

    "Brother Ha Gong, won¡¯t youe take a look? These are the rare Fengxuan flowers," He Wendao called out to Yuan Ming, who stood not far away.

    "Ha Gong,e see the Fengxuan flowers. We¡¯re lucky this time; they¡¯re a main ingredient for Foundation Establishment pills. I didn¡¯t expect to find them here," Bai Ye added.

    Curious, Yuan Ming approached. When he was still two to ten meters away from the Fengxuan flowers, he sensed something off with the spiritual energy emanating from beneath the nts, not from the nts themselves. The energy pulsed with a clear and steady rhythm. Could it be that the roots of these flowers were unusual, with particrly strong spiritual energy?

    "Who first discovered the Fengxuan flowers? We must reward them handsomely upon our return to the sect. The main ingredients for Foundation Establishment pills are bing increasingly scarce," Lu Shen said as he reached for one of the herbs.

    Suddenly, Yuan Ming heard a faint rustling beside him. He caught a glimpse of He Wendao¡¯s figure, which had turned into a blur, retreating rapidly.

    "It¡¯s a trap!" Yuan Ming shouted a warning.

    As he called out, he quickly retreated, summoning the vines for support.

    But it was already toote.

    As Elder Lu Shen looked at the Fengxuan flower in bewilderment, it turned to ash and vanished, along with the other herbs on the ground.

    Simultaneously, the earth trembled slightly, and streaks of blue lightning emerged from beneath, forming a thunderous array spanning over thirty metres, trapping the three of them.

    Despite Yuan Ming¡¯s swift reaction, he couldn¡¯t escape the array¡¯s range. As he tried to cross, he was intercepted by a rising of electricity and struck by a whip of shing blue lightning.

    With a crack, Yuan Ming could only activate his snake scale armor in haste.

    After a burst of electric sparks, Yuan Ming was thrown back, his clothing scorched and torn, revealing the snake scale armor beneath.

    The Shengye Sect disciples outside the depression, terrified, fled towards the valley exit, tumbling and scrambling. Only a few, like Xu Tian and Luo Xing¡¯er, remained, some in panic, others unable to rise.

    Xu Tian looked nervously at the array in the depression, gripping Luo Xing¡¯er¡¯s hand, equally at a loss.

    "What¡¯s going on?" Bai Ye scanned the surroundings, noticing He Wendao¡¯s absence, and eximed in surprise.

    "We¡¯ve been set up. The Fengxuan flowers were an illusion, bait created by sorcery. The beast earlier was deliberately used to draw us together. He Wendao ispromised; we¡¯ve walked into an ambush," Yuan Ming quickly exined as he got up.

    "A mere array thinks to trap me?" Elder Lu Shen dered, forming a seal with one hand and mming the other onto the ground. A ring of earthy light expanded from his palm, rippling outward.

    As the light spread, the ground shook violently, as if a massive force was emanating from beneath, intent on destroying the array¡¯s foundation buried deep below. As the earthy light reached the array¡¯s boundary, the ground shook once more.

 Chapter 271: Trapped

    Chapter 271: Trapped

    After the great tremor, the thunderous formation showed no signs of copse.

    Instead, the formation, like a giant inverted bowl of azure light, roared like an enraged beast, unleashing a barrage of thunderous bellows.

    "Zzzt zzzt"

    Streaks of lightning burst from the formation, transforming into several azure whips of thunder,shing towards Yuan Ming and his twopanions in the hollow.

    Yuan Ming hastily drew his Cold Star Sword, waving it defensively.

    Elder Lu Shen pressed his hands against the ground, and upon rising, three earthen walls sprouted, encircling him and blocking the electricshes.

    Bai Ye also summoned a golden longsword, weaving it around him for protection.

    After a round of thunderousshings, the lightning finally stabilized.

    "Elder Lu Shen, are you all okay? Are you well?" He Wendao¡¯s voice, filled with urgency, called out from beyond the obscured vision due to the intense lightning."It¡¯s just a mere trapping array, easily broken with a flick of the wrist," Lu Shen exchanged a nce with Yuan Ming and Bai Ye, snorting coldly.

    "Fellow Bai Ye, can you discern the foundation of this formation?" Yuan Ming leaned in to ask.

    "I don¡¯t recognize it; it seems difficult to break through. Did you say earlier that there was something off about He Wendao?" Bai Ye shook his head, replying in a low voice.

    "His performance against the second-level beast and his timely retreat from the range of this trapping array were both abnormal," Yuan Ming stated.

    Upon hearing this, Bai Ye¡¯s expression grew even moreplex.

    While the two conversed in hushed tones, Lu Shen had already taken out a Vajra Staff as thick as a child¡¯s arm, its surface enveloped in a hazy yellow halo. sping the staff with both hands, he channeled surging mana into it, causing the once dim Vajra Staff to ze with light, and a powerful surge of earth-attribute mana erupted from it.

    "Break!"

    With a thunderous shout, Elder Lu Shen gripped the Vajra Staff and mmed it into the ground.

    The staff struck the earth, unleashing an even grander burst of earthy yellow light, invoking the force of copsing mountains in an attempt to destroy the formation beneath.

    Centered around Lu Shen, the ground shattered under the impact, dust and debris filling the air.

    Yuan Ming and Bai Ye were also affected, each conjuring their magical weapons for defense.

    The dust cloud left no inch of ground within the formation¡¯s range untouched, as if plowed by a giant de.

    Yet, outside the formation, there was no sign of disturbance. Before the dust could fully settle, roars of thunder sounded again, and columns of lightning, thick as bowls, shot in from all directions, dispersing the dust and striking towards Yuan Ming and hispanions.

    "Be careful," Yuan Ming warned.

    As he spoke, he waved his hand, and a ck inkstone flew out, rapidly expanding to shield him from the descending lightning.

    After blocking the first lightning column, Bai Ye was hit by a second, thrown back with half his body charred and smoking, clearly injured.

    Elder Lu Shen summoned a bright round mirror, which, although it blocked the lightning strike, was severely damaged and nearly destroyed.

    The attacked formation, rather than showing any signs of damage, became even more densely packed with lightning.

    "Elder Lu Shen, how are you?" He Wendao¡¯s anxious voice came from outside. "Strange, even using a top-grade magical weapon like the Vajra Staff, I couldn¡¯t break it," Elder Lu Shen pondered aloud.

    "Perhaps the Vajra Staff is not as powerful as its name suggests. Why don¡¯t the three of you join forces? Maybe you can break through in one fell swoop," He Wendao suggested from outside.

    Hearing this, Elder Lu Shen looked towards Yuan Ming and the fallen Bai Ye.

    After a long struggle, Bai Ye finally stood up, coughed, and looked at Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming suddenly spoke, "Fellow He, state your terms. We can negotiate."

    "No, no, you misunderstand. How about this: if you all act together and attack the formation, maybe you¡¯ll seed," He Wendao said with a slight smile, then added.

    Seeing that He Wendao made no demands, Yuan Ming understood and shouted to the gathered disciples of the Shengye Sect in the distance, "Disciples of the Shengye Sect, listen! He Wendao is a spy. Scatter and flee immediately, and do not return."

    The distant disciples looked at each other in confusion, none moving.

    Xu Tian shouted, "We won¡¯t leave; we must rescue our master."

    Luo Xing¡¯er also said, "Right, Brother Xu, we won¡¯t go."

    The other disciples, even more perplexed, were at a loss.

    Yuan Ming rebuked Xu Tian, "Xu Tian, I was sent by your grandmother to protect you. Trust me. If you survive, tell your Aunt Qu Jiang that Ming¡¯er can no longer fulfill his filial duties. Leave now."

    Xu Tian, realizing who the trapped Ha Gong was, was shaken, and Luo Xing¡¯er looked at Yuan Ming incredulously.

    Hearing this, Elder Lu Shen¡¯s eyes shed with surprise, but he quickly recovered. "Shengye Sect disciples, heed mymand: scatter and flee immediately. Those who disobey will be considered traitors," Elder Lu Shen ordered.

    At hismand, the Shengye Sect disciples scattered in all directions.

    Xu Tian gritted his teeth, grabbed Luo Xing¡¯er, pped a talisman, and with a sh of yellow light, they disappeared underground.

    Seeing this, He Wendao waved his hand, and a flying sword shot out from his sleeve, striking at the fleeing disciples. Several were injured and fell, but fortunately, most escaped the valley.

    "Stop!" Lu Shen was furious.

    "He Wendao, umte some virtue," Yuan Ming said with a coldugh.

    "If only you had cooperated more, letting so many little fish slip through the. What a pity," He Wendao said, no longer pursuing the fleeing disciples, walking to the edge of the formation with a gentle smile.

    "You¡¯re not alone, are you?" Yuan Ming asked. "It¡¯s useless to stall; ept your fate. You¡¯re all doomed here today," He Wendao said with a smile, looking at Yuan Ming.

    "Are those mysteriously perished cultivators near Xiao Lake City all lured and killed by you in this manner?" Yuan Ming inquired.

    "You think too highly of them. They¡¯re not worth the trouble. You should feel honored," He Wendao replied.

    "He Wendao, why do you do this?" Lu Shen roared in anger.

    "Elder Lu Shen, your question is naive. On the path of cultivation, killing for treasure ismon. The virtuous im their ce. Why the surprise?" He Wendao sneered in response.

    "You..." Elder Lu Shen was at a loss for words.

    "Where¡¯s your aplice? It¡¯s time for them to show up, right?" Yuan Ming¡¯s lips curled into a mocking smile.

    Before his words faded, two figures approached from the direction of the valley entrance. One was a pale-faced young man in white, with a cold demeanor and a white hawk perched on his shoulder.

    The other was a towering, bald man with a physique like an iron tower, his muscles sharply defined, carrying a bronze greatsword one foot wide and five feet long, exuding an oppressive aura.

    "Brother He, you¡¯ve worked hard. This haul is not bad, eh? Three Foundation Establishment cultivators, plus a bunch of Qi Refining ones. This should let us rest for a while," the young man in whiteughed heartily.

    "It¡¯s all thanks to Brother Sha Hao¡¯s exquisite illusions," He Wendao said. "Did you stop the flying boat?"

    "We were a step toote. As soon as the formation was activated, the flying boat probably received Lu Shen¡¯s message and fled," Sha Hao said.

    "Let them run. It won¡¯t affect Pu Zhengqing¡¯s renowned reputation. The bounty on you is going up," He Wendaoughed.

    Hearing the names "Sha Hao" and "Pu Zhengqing," Yuan Ming was slightly taken aback.

    Although he had never met this person, he recognized the name. Connecting it with the previous illusions, it wasn¡¯t hard to identify him.

    When the Biluo Cave was destroyed, the treasures found in the storage ring of the great elder Xi Cangqiong were not befitting of his status as a sect leader.

    Sha Hao, as Xi Cangqiong¡¯s direct disciple who disappeared, was naturally the most likely to inherit his legacy.

    That meant the soul cultivator with a bounty of 100,000 spirit stones in the Xiao Lake City Cultivator¡¯s Guild was also his alias, and the previous illusions were his handiwork.

    "I¡¯ve yet to receive a bounty on me, somewhat dull," the iron tower giant, Shi Dian, spoke in a deep voice.

    "You can¡¯tpare to Brother Sha Hao. That Ha Gong had some smarts, trying to negotiate terms with me. Quite amusing," He Wendao pointed at Yuan Ming through the electric light of the formation.

    "Ha Gong? Sounds like someone from the Southern Border?" Sha Hao frowned slightly, wary.

    "Who cares where he¡¯s from? Why bother? Kill him first," the iron tower giant said.

    "Alright! Let¡¯s not drag this out," Sha Hao nodded in agreement and said, "Shi Dian, do it."

    "Okay." Shi Dian, the giant, responded, pulling the bronze greatsword from his back and approaching an inconspicuous pile of rocks, inserting the sword into a crevice.

    With a "sizzling" friction sound, half the greatsword sank into the ground, leaving only half exposed. A purple spirit stone set in the hilt glowed, continuously channeling mana into it.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze sharpened, knowing the formation¡¯s core must be nearby.

    A sharp bird cry pierced the sky.

    A ck bird, about a zhang in length, circled high above. It resembled a falcon, with a hooked beak and slender talons, its glossy ck feathers adorned with purple patterns. It was the winged creature Yuan Ming had named "Lei Yu."

    Lei Yu had just arrived from afar, and although it flew as fast as lightning, it was still a step toote. If it had been quicker, it might have been able to break the thunderous trapping formation.

    Now, Lei Yu dived towards the formation, its slender talons sparking with purple electricity.

    "Eh?" Sha Hao eximed in surprise, "Go, catch it alive."

    The white hawk on Sha Hao¡¯s shoulder spread its wings, transforming into a streak of white light that swiftly intercepted Lei Yu. In an instant, they shed in the air. Although Lei Yu was as fast as lightning, it was no match for the second-level peak white hawk and was soon chased away into the distance.

    Lei Yu was still in its juvenile phase. Although Yuan Ming had taken good care of it and ced it in a thunderstorm-prone area for cultivation, it was only at the strength of a first-level beast. With the white hawk and the three cultivators present, it was like a moth to a me.

    Yuan Ming pondered his next move when he suddenly looked up to see a human-sized azure thunderball forming in the center of the thunderous formation above their heads. Inside, lightning flickered and thunder roared, containing an immensely powerful spiritual pressure.

 Chapter 272: Thank you

    Chapter 272: Thank you

    "Be careful."

    As Yuan Ming¡¯s voice rang out in warning, he had already maneuvered the ck inkstone to block the attack from above once more.

    In the next instant, a bolt of lightning exploded with a bang.

    The green thunderball burst open, emitting a dazzling green light, and three green thunder spears shot out, targeting Yuan Ming and his twopanions.

    With a loud "boom," the green thunder spears struck the ck inkstone, causing arge web of green electric light to crackle and burst forth.

    The ck inkstone spun back and fell to the ground, its surface now marred with fine cracks.

    On the other side, three earthen walls on the ground shattered, and behind them, Elder Lu Shen¡¯s shoulder was charred ck, his face showing fear that for the first time surpassed his anger.

    Bai Ye had a talisman stuck to his chest, propping up a white protective shield around him, his face pale.

    At first nce, the white shield seemed unremarkable, but upon closer inspection, its light flickered slightly, as if it too was on the verge of copse."We can¡¯t go on like this; the array¡¯s offensive power is too strong," Bai Ye said, clutching a mid-grade spirit stone and infusing mana into the shield while speaking.

    "Let¡¯s just hold on for now," Lu Shen said with a somber expression.

    Yuan Ming crouched on the ground, one hand on the earth, as a slender vine emerged from the ground and touched his palm.

    He closed his eyes slightly, as if sensing something.

    But as he sensed, his frown deepened, and his expression grew increasingly grim.

    He had previously sent out flower tendrils underground to probe the array¡¯syout, hoping to use their power to disrupt the array from below and help them escape.

    However, the tendrils brought back the news that there was also a thunder barrier underground, untouchable.

    ...

    Meanwhile, outside the array.

    "Shi Dian, make it quick. How is it that the Xiao family¡¯s array has such little power?" Sha Haoined.

    Hearing this, Shi Dian¡¯s chest heaved slightly, his hands on his sword, and he let out a fierce shout.

    The next moment, a green light shone around him, flowing like a tide into the bronze giant sword he was leaning on.

    The patterns on the giant sword lit up as well, and the ground within dozens of feet around the pit began to tremble. The entire thunder array surged with green light, electricity spilling out in all directions, and it was clear to anyone that the next strike would be no small feat.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s heart sank, and he desperately absorbed the mid-grade spirit stone in his hand.

    "Ha Gong, I¡¯ve doomed you!" Bai Ye said, pressing a round protective mirror over his heart.

    As the mirror shielded his chest, a torrent of golden light emerged, spreading out to form a set of translucent golden armor, protecting his vital areas.

    Lu Shen also took out a fist-sized bronze bell and tossed it above his head.

    The bell spun, casting the shadow of a yellow bronze bell that enveloped Elder Lu Shen entirely.

    Outside the shadow of the bell, threeyers of yellow earthen walls enveloped himpletely.

    At this point, they could only fend for themselves.

    "Boom, boom, boom," three consecutive thunderous explosions rang out as three thick beams of green light fell straight from above the array, striking Lu Shen, Bai Ye, and Yuan Ming in session.

    Lu Shen, hiding behindyers of earthen shields, couldn¡¯t escape the fate of being pierced by the green thunder light. The protective bronze bell rang only once before shattering.

    Bai Ye¡¯s golden armor fared no better, also being shattered as the protective mirror at his chest broke, and the golden armor dissipated like sparks.

    Yuan Ming propped up the ck inkstone to defend himself, while dense vines surged from the ground in front of him, forming severalyers of vine armor to meet the descending column of light.

    With a loud "boom," the moment the green column of light hit the ck inkstone, the already overburdened inkstone exploded into countless ck crystal fragments.

    The green column of light diminished slightly but still pierced straight down,nding on the purple-ck vine shield.

    The firstyer of vine shield offered only brief resistance before turning to ash, and the column of light shrank a bit more.

    The secondyersted a little longer but was also torn apart by the green light, and the column shrank again.

    The thirdyer held out even longer, but it too could not withstand...

    "Thank you!" For the first time, Yuan Ming used themunication talisman Xiying had given him!

    Layer byyer, the vine shields were prated, but the green column of light was rapidly depleted.

    In the end, however, the green column of light still struck Yuan Ming, and a crackling sound ensued as his entire body was enveloped in the green light.

    The three within the thunder array, despite deploying their ultimate defensive measures, were struck down by this wave of lightning, falling to the ground as charred figures.

    Thunder attacks in the world of cultivation are known to surpass fire magic, rightfully earning the title of the most powerful offensive force, and the enhancement of the array made it even more formidable. After this attack, the entire thunder array seemed to have expended most of its power, bing dim and maintaining only its most basic form.

    The iron tower-like brute Shi Dian, now with sunken cheeks and a haggard expression, looked as if half his life had been drained,pletelycking his previous oppressive aura.

    He let go of the bronze giant sword, barely managing to sit on the ground, not speaking, just taking out a medicinal pill to swallow and beginning to recover his breath.

    "Are they all dead?" After a while, He Wendao tentatively asked.

    "Shut up, who could survive that?" Shi Dian suddenly opened his eyes and snapped angrily.

    "I trust in Brother Shi¡¯s abilities, of course. This time, Brother Shi¡¯s contribution is immense. You can choose a treasure first. Let¡¯s collect the array and you rest for a while," He Wendao immediately said with a smile.

    "That¡¯s more like it!" Shi Dian snorted and stood up, walking towards the pile of rubble, pulling the bronze giant sword from the ground, the thunder-attribute spirit stone at the hilt already gone, and Shi Dian shook his head in regret.

    He then walked to a corner, bent down, and reached into the ground, pulling out a three-foot-long green engraved bronze pir from beneath the earth, storing it in his storage ring. Following a certain order, he pulled out seven identical pirs, dismantling the entire array and sitting down to recuperate.

    Sha Hao released his divine sense to probe and nodded, "There¡¯s no sign of any spiritual energy fluctuations from those three anymore."

    He Wendao circled the charred bodies of Yuan Ming and hispanions.

    "Shi Dian, the bronze thunder pattern array you brought from the Xiao family is powerful, but it¡¯s too troublesome to set up and consumes too many spirit stones. This time, the consumption is so great. If it weren¡¯t for killing three Foundation Establishment cultivators at once, we wouldn¡¯t just fail to profit, we¡¯d be at a loss..." He Wendao said, shaking his head.

    As he spoke, he stepped forward and took off Bai Ye¡¯s storage ring, then fished a storage bag from his chest. Naturally, he couldn¡¯t just pocket it in front of Sha Hao and Shi Dian, so he also took Elder Lu Shen¡¯s storage ring.

    "Old man, you put on airs in front of me; you must have quite a few pills," He Wendao spat and couldn¡¯t help but kick Elder Lu Shen.

    After that, he walked towards Yuan Ming.

    The weakest of the three was this "Ha Gong," who had been rmended by Bai Ye to skip the strength test, which had irked him. Now, as thest to be dealt with, he naturally nned to take his possessions and destroy his body as well.

    "Spit, pretending to be from the Southern Border," He Wendao muttered as he approached Yuan Ming.

    Then, he bent down and took the storage ring from Yuan Ming¡¯s charred finger.

    Just as he was about to inspect the contents of the ring, a chill ran through his heart.

    At the same time, Sha Hao also noticed a sudden surge of powerful mana from Yuan Ming¡¯s body. Just as he was about to warn, he felt a cold sensation at the back of his neck and swiftly dodged, turning to look.

    A slender ck shadow shed in the void and then disappeared.

    When he looked back at He Wendao, he saw Yuan Ming holding a short dagger with the sheen of peacock tail feathers, plunged into his chest.

    He Wendao didn¡¯t even have time to activate his protective light before his heart was pierced.

    Blood gushed from He Wendao¡¯s chest, and before he could utter a word, the blood turned ck, and his life force rapidly dissipated.

    Sha Hao frowned and muttered, "Feigning death!"

    He could tell that He Wendao was beyond saving, but he didn¡¯t understand how Yuan Ming had managed to perfectly conceal his mana and even the breath of a living person.

    Before he could figure it out, Yuan Ming tossed aside He Wendao¡¯s body, took back the storage artifacts he had collected along with his own storage ring, and a lot of the charred material on his body fell away, revealing something resembling wood shavings.

    In the next moment, Yuan Ming used the Shadowless Step, wielding the Cold Star Sword, and charged at Sha Hao.

    In the final moments of the thunder strike, the flower tendrils had abandoned most of their body to form a vine armor covering Yuan Ming¡¯s entire body, isting the electricity and bearing the final attack, allowing him to escape death.

    At thest moment, he also pushed his Zang Yuan Technique to the limit,pletely concealing his mana and creating a false appearance of death.

    Seeing this, Sha Hao¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, and with a light wave in front of him, the void seemed to ripple slightly.

    But as he made his move, his brow furrowed suddenly, his expression changed drastically, and he immediately warned the iron tower-like giant Shi Dian, "Be careful, he¡¯s targeting you."

    As he shouted, he tapped the ground with the tip of his foot, lunging directly at Yuan Ming. Yuan Ming, as if "cooperating" with his words, actually turned halfway through his charge and headed towards Shi Dian.

    Shi Dian stopped his breathing exercises, grabbed the bronze giant sword, took arge step, and leaped towards the oing Yuan Ming.

    As he swung his sword, three ancient runes on the de lit up, and immediately a crackling of electricity covered the entire sword.

    The giant sword, now enveloped in green thunder, turned into a six-foot-long column of thunder and lightning, shing down at Yuan Ming.

    With this change in the situation, Yuan Ming went from being the attacker to being caught in a pincer attack.

    With Shi Dian¡¯s giant sword in front and Sha Hao¡¯s sneak attack from behind, Yuan Ming¡¯s situation suddenly turned dire.

    Just as he was about to engage Shi Dian, Yuan Ming stopped in his tracks, twisted his body, and flung his arm back at Sha Hao, throwing the short emerald dagger.

    The dagger turned into a streak of ghostly light, shooting out as Yuan Ming¡¯s back was wide open, seemingly intending to take Shi Dian¡¯s giant sword sh with his flesh and blood.

 Chapter 273: Escape

    Chapter 273: Escape

    "Die."

    Shi Dian hovered in mid-air, overjoyed at the sight before him. He mustered all his strength in his arms and ferociously swung the thunderous greatsword towards Yuan Ming¡¯s back, intent on cleaving him in two.

    However, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t even turn his head in response to the attack. With a flick and snap of his fingers, the Cold Star Sword transformed into a streak of white light and shot out towards Sha Hao.

    Just as the column of lightning was about to strike, a massive shadow suddenly appeared behind Yuan Ming.

    It was the White Ape Vajra!

    The Vajra opened its mouth in a roar, its thick arms reaching out towards the cyan lightning, palms turning to gold in an instant, and firmly grasped the de of the descending greatsword.

    In the next instant, a loud crackling sound erupted.

    Countless cyan sparks danced within the White Ape¡¯s palms, sending dense arcs of electricity flying, easily tearing through the golden light on the Vajra¡¯s hands and charring them ck.

    The White Ape¡¯s towering body trembled, but it refused to let go, no matter how hard Shi Dian tried, he couldn¡¯t break free from its grip.Shi Dian¡¯s face showed shock. His thunder-patterned greatsword was an extremely rare thunder attribute superior magical instrument. All his past enemies, no matter how strong their cultivation, would lose their ability to move if struck by its cyan lightning. Yet, this White Ape was able to withstand it!

    As he was about to increase the power of the cyan lightning in his sword, two robust golden ape arms burst out from the Vajra¡¯s back, and their de-like ws reached for Shi Dian¡¯s chest and abdomen.

    Shi Dian quickly let go of the greatsword and retreated, but not before two deep, bone-exposing wounds were carved into his torso.

    Shi Dian narrowly escaped death and tried to flee to cast healing spells, but after only a few steps, the ground beneath him suddenly split open. Several vine-like tendrils shot out like venomous snakes, swiftly entangling his legs¡ªit was the work of Hua Zhi.

    It had been half-destroyed by the bronze thunder-patterned formation¡¯s electric power, its vitality halved, but it was more than enough to handle the severely injured Shi Dian.

    Shi Dian felt a numbness spread throughout his body, unable to move. The vines that bound him exerted a tremendous force, yanking him down.

    His burly body was mmed heavily onto the ground, and more tendrils surged from the cracked earth, binding him and dragging him beneath the sands, vanishing in an instant.

    "Monkey, thanks." Hua Zhi¡¯s spiritual sense transmitted from underground.

    From deep within the earth, a muffled and mournful howl sounded, quickly fading into silence.

    Elsewhere, Sha Hao faced the green-glowing dagger thrown by Yuan Ming without any attempt to dodge.

    As the dagger made contact, it passed directly through his body. Sha Hao¡¯s figure shattered instantly, not in a spray of blood and flesh, but dissipating slowly like evaporating steam.

    Sha Hao¡¯s figure reappeared behind Yuan Ming, clutching a slender longsword, and shed down at the Vajra.

    The Vajra rolled away and, getting up, hurled a punch at Sha Hao.

    However, the punch passed right through Sha Hao¡¯s body, his form copsing like a bubble once again¡ªit was another illusion.

    After swinging at empty air, the Vajra stood bewildered, looking around helplessly, caught in Sha Hao¡¯s illusion.

    Although the White Ape¡¯s physical strength was formidable, it had no means to resist illusions.

    Yuan Ming called out to the Vajra telepathically, to no avail, and with a sense of rm, he immediately recalled the Cold Star Sword, which hovered in front of him in a glow of white light. He extended his divine consciousness, searching for Sha Hao¡¯s whereabouts.

    Yuan Ming suddenly turned to look to one side, where ripples of water appeared in the void, followed by the emergence of a figure¡ªit was Sha Hao.

    Yuan Ming instinctively released a surge of soul power, enveloping Sha Hao.

    Sha Hao¡¯s eyes flickered with confusion, but he quickly recovered.

    "Illusions? Could it be you¡¯re also a soul cultivator? Perhaps we share some connection." He lightly shook the ck folding fan in his hand and, while speaking, swung it fiercely towards Yuan Ming.

    "Whoosh!"

    A howling gust of wind arose, and a ck tornado, ten meters high like a twisting demonic dragon, bore down on Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming hastily waved through the void, and the Nine Rings Golden Saber nged as it cleaved towards the silver light.

    A sh of light on the Nine Rings Golden Saber sent forth a sharp edge, colliding with the silver light.

    The golden saber light was no match for the silver light, bursting apart upon contact, while the silver light continued its descent, striking the Nine Rings Golden Saber with a loud boom.

    The Nine Rings Golden Saber trembled violently, its nine golden rings shattering and scattering in all directions.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s hands shook violently, and upon inspecting the saber in his arms, he found it riddled with cracks, severely damaged.

    Meanwhile, on the other side of the battlefield, the ground suddenly shook, and earth and stones flew.

    After killing Shi Dian, Hua Zhi burst from the ground, waving its arms forward, and dozens of vine-like tendrils, shrouded in cyan light, transformed into wooden flying swords, shooting straight towards Sha Hao.

    Following the flying swords, Hua Zhi dragged the bronze greatsword, also chasing after Sha Hao.

    However, before it could get close, a silver light pierced through, shredding all the wooden swords and aiming for its chest.

    In a rush, Hua Zhi blocked with the greatsword in front and formed a shield of vines.

    With a loud explosion, countless tendrils burst apart.

    The bronze greatsword broke in two, and Hua Zhi itself was sent flying.

    Hua Zhi, holding the broken sword, had just stood up, ready to attack again, but suddenly a sh of red light appeared, and it found itself surrounded by intense mes, with scorching fire on all sides, leaving no room to move.

    It tried to contact Yuan Ming but found their connection severed, leaving it clueless as to Yuan Ming¡¯s whereabouts.

    Yuan Ming saw Hua Zhi standing still and realized it too had fallen into an illusion. He frowned deeply.

    Hua Zhi and the White Ape were his two main supports, always prevailing in other situations, but now they were utterly restrained by Sha Hao¡¯s illusions.

    Although Yuan Ming was barely unaffected by the illusions, he had to be wary of the metallic silver sphere, which might be a top-grade magical instrument.

    Yuan Ming nced at the severely damaged Nine Rings Golden Saber in his hand and couldn¡¯t help but consider retreating.

    He took out a green feather fan and waved it forcefully.

    A massive green storm erupted, carrying dust, leaves, and debris towards Sha Hao, shrouding the area within a dozen meters in chaos, obscuring all sight.

    At the same time, he flicked his sleeve, and three slender ck lights mixed with the stormy dust shot towards Sha Hao¡ªthree ck daggers shaped like willow leaves.

    This set of magical instruments, known as the Willow Leaf Chain Daggers, was obtained from the storage instruments of Zheng Da and others from the Zhen Ling Sect. Zheng Da and hispanions were merely Gu Qiulong¡¯s underlings, of modest means, and the only valuable item among the three¡¯s storage instruments was this set of mid-grade magical instruments.

    Sha Hao smiled, his ck folding fan tracing a gentle arc, and a ck light shield appeared before him, easily blocking the Willow Leaf Chain Daggers.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming had disappeared.

    Sha Hao hurriedly searched, but Yuan Ming, like a ghostly apparition, shed and appeared at the heart of themotion, retrieving the spirit beasts into his spirit beast bag.

    Without a moment¡¯s dy, he darted out again, heading straight for Hua Zhi.

    Sha Hao then realized that Yuan Ming¡¯s seemingly futile actions were to distract him, allowing him to rescue the two spirit beasts.

    The White Ape and Hua Zhi were powerful; if Yuan Ming managed to rescue them, it would be a significant setback.

    Sha Hao uttered a low shout, once again urging the silver sphere, sending a dazzling silver light speeding towards Hua Zhi.

    Yuan Ming, having witnessed the power of the silver light, quickly summoned the Water Cloud Banner to block the blinding light.

    With a sizzling sound, the mid-grade magical instrument that had apanied Yuan Ming for years exploded into fragments. However, the silver light was deflected, grazing past Hua Zhi¡¯s head.

    Yuan Ming felt a pang of regret, grabbed Hua Zhi, and ced it into the spirit beast bag, then made a swift escape.

    "Don¡¯t you run!" Sha Hao, having been tricked, looked displeased and immediately gave chase.

    At the same time, a vague blood shadow emerged from his brow, swirling with blood light¡ªa blood-colored bat.

    "Blood Bat! Is this his soul transformed? Just like the Great Elder¡¯s." Yuan Ming¡¯s heart chilled.

    The blood-colored bat was incredibly fast, far surpassing the Soul Crow, and quickly closed in on Yuan Ming, about to catch up.

    Suddenly, a thunderous roar echoed in the sky, and a purple lightning bolt the thickness of an arm struck down at the blood-colored bat. It was Lei Yu, who had returned at some unknown time. Now, Lei Yu had lost some feathers on its back, leaving a wound, and the white eagle that had been pursuing it was also flying in the distance.

    The blood-colored bat, being a manifestation of the soul, was wary of lightning attacks. Sha Hao hurriedly maneuvered the bat to dodge.

    Yuan Ming took the opportunity to recall the Willow Leaf Chain Daggers, summoned the White Jade Shuttle, and leaped onto it, channeling his magical power into the shuttle through his feet.

    The White Jade Shuttle turned into a white rainbow, shooting up into the sky. Lei Yu circled and followed behind.

    At this moment, within the spirit beast bag, Hua Zhi and the Vajra trembled and broke free from the illusion, regaining consciousness.

    Yuan Ming sensed this and breathed a sigh of relief. He had been about to try breaking the illusion affecting the two beasts, but they had woken up on their own.

    At this time, Sha Hao was not in as good a mood as Yuan Ming. He looked in the direction Yuan Ming had fled and flicked his finger into the sky.

    A ck light shot out from his sleeve, aiming for Lei Yu¡ªa snake-shaped short spike, incredibly fast.

    However, Lei Yu pped its wings, making a sharp turn in the air, its body transforming into a ck phantom, easily avoiding the spike¡¯s attack, and continued to chase after Yuan Ming, effortlessly keeping pace with the White Jade Shuttle.

 Chapter 274: Relentless pursuit

    Chapter 274: Relentless pursuit

    Sha Hao waited for the white eagle tond on his shoulder, its one w charred and feathers on its tail sparse, clearly having suffered losses in the chase with Yuan Ming¡¯s winged bird.

    Sha Hao had no time tofort the white eagle; with a wave of his hand, a fiery red flying boat materialized before him. The boat, shaped like a swimming fish and about twenty feet long, had two cyan wheels at its tail, positioned on either side.

    Leaping onto the oddly-shaped flying boat, Sha Hao watched as it burst into dazzling red light, the cyan wheels at the stern whirring rapidly and shooting out two thick cyan beams. The red and cyan lights intertwined, as if fire and wind were aiding each other, causing the spiritual power to surge dramatically.

    The fiery red flying boat shot into the sky like a bolt of lightning, its speed far surpassing the white jade flying shuttle, quickly closing the gap between them.

    "Leiyu!" Yuan Ming looked to the winged bird flying beside him, tossing it a purple spiritual fruit, which Leiyu caught mid-air and swallowed, chirping joyfully.

    He then threw a storage ring into Leiyu¡¯s mouth, from which a soul crow flew out, surrounded by a swirl of mana, and merged into Leiyu¡¯s body.

    "Go," Yuan Mingmanded.

    Leiyu soared into the sky, circled back, and spat a bolt of purple lightning at Sha Hao and his fiery red flying boat.

    Unperturbed, Sha Hao cast a spell with a wave of his hand, and a crystal-clear red light shield instantly appeared around the flying boat.The purple lightning struck it, creating a thunderous boom, but the red light shield merely trembled before stabilizing.

    Seeing its attack fail, Leiyu screeched and dove at Sha Hao with ws crackling with lightning, as if seeking to reim its earlier dominance.

    As Leiyu closed in, a hint of joy shed in Sha Hao¡¯s eyes.

    He had long recognized the extraordinary nature of this winged bird and had even sent the white eagle to capture it.

    If Leiyu continued to attack from a distance with its lightning-fast speed, Sha Hao might not be able to catch it. But now, with the bird approaching, he had plenty of ways to subdue it.

    In thought, Sha Hao tapped his forehead with his fingers, releasing a powerful soul fluctuation that enveloped Leiyu.

    However, at that moment, Yuan Ming¡¯s soul crow manipted the mana, activating the talismans stored in the storage ring.

    A series of talismans appeared in front of Leiyu, each bursting with considerable mana, all of them mid-grade talismans.

    Sha Hao¡¯s expression changed drastically as he quickly maneuvered the red flying boat to dodge, with the boat immediately projecting a red light shield.

    But it was toote. A sh of green light passed before Leiyu, and all the talismans were activated.

    Boom!

    Lightning, fireballs, wind dragons, and rain swords descended from the sky, striking the red flying boat with their powerful spells, engulfing it.

    Although the red light shield was sturdy, it couldn¡¯t withstand thebined attack of the mid-grade talismans and shattered after several violent shes.

    The sound of snapping and breaking was incessant as therge flying boat, engulfed in mes, disintegrated into pieces and plummeted downward.

    Taking advantage of Sha Hao¡¯s falling boat, Yuan Ming continued forward with the white jade flying shuttle.

    Soon, Leiyu returned, still clutching the storage ring in its talons and spitting out the soul crow.

    Thanks to an abundance of spirit stones, Yuan Ming had purchased many talismans. This tactic of using the soul crow in conjunction with a spiritual beast for long-range casting was extremely covert; Yuan Ming had used it several times before with unfailing sess.

    As a soul cultivator, Sha Hao naturally relied on his transformed soul to control mana from a distance, but he had not anticipated such a tactic and was caught off guard.

    The fiery red flying boat exploded in a burst of mes, the scorching tongues of fire consuming everything within a dozen feet. With nothing to rely on, Sha Hao fell from the sky.

    The white eagle swooped down to catch the falling Sha Hao, both creature and man heavily wounded. The eagle¡¯s wings were burnt, many feathers destroyed, and its ws charred. Sha Hao¡¯s clothes were tattered, and he looked extremely disheveled.

    "Chase!" Sha Hao pped the white eagle beneath him and fed it a medicinal pill.

    The eagle¡¯s spirits lifted, and it pped its wings to pursue Yuan Ming.

    However, the injured white eagle was much slower than the red flying boat and even slower than the white jade flying shuttle, quickly falling far behind.

    But Sha Hao did not give up and continued the relentless pursuit.

    Seeing Sha Hao¡¯s unyielding chase, Yuan Ming¡¯s heart sank.

    After the previous fierce battle, his mana was nearly depleted. Even with spirit stones to replenish it, he couldn¡¯t sustain the white jade flying shuttle for long.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s gaze flickered as he reached for the spirit beast bag containing the Qingyun Crane.

    The crane was not fast, but it could buy him some time to recover his mana.

    "Gaa gaa..." Leiyu¡¯s call came from beside him, conveying its willingness to carry Yuan Ming.

    Although only a first-grade upper-level beast, Leiyu¡¯s intelligence was on par with a second-grade spiritual beast, allowing it tomunicate simply with Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming hesitated; Leiyu was only two years old and about ten feet in size. He had never considered riding the bird, nning to wait until it advanced to the second grade before considering it as his mount. It was too early now.

    But with Sha Hao closing in, it wouldn¡¯t be long before he caught up.

    "Then I¡¯ll trouble you," Yuan Ming said as he leaped onto Leiyu¡¯s back and put away the flying shuttle.

    Leiyu¡¯s body sank slightly under the weight but quickly stabilized, emitting a piercing screech that cut through the clouds. Its wings flickered with lightning as it shot forward with a whoosh.

    This speed was much faster than the white jade flying shuttle, with everything around rapidly receding.

    Yuan Ming was both shocked and delighted; he knew Leiyu was fast but hadn¡¯t expected it to maintain such speed while carrying him.

    Eager to show off, Leiyu intensified the lightning on its wings, further increasing its speed, and soon vanished from sight, leaving Sha Hao far behind.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming finally rxed, sat cross-legged on Leiyu¡¯s back, took a recovery pill, and also took out two mid-grade wood attribute spirit stones to absorb their spiritual power.

    His mana quickly replenished as he nned his next move.

    There was no reply to his message to Xiying, who was obviously thousands of miles away.

    Having lured Sha Hao here, Yuan Ming hoped that Xu Tian¡¯s luck was good enough to escape the trial grounds safely.

    With so many disciples lost and Lu Shen fallen, the Shengye Sect would not let things rest. Sha Hao¡¯s appearance had been exposed, making it impossible for him to move about openly anymore.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s only concern was whether Sha Hao would reveal his identity as a soul cultivator. The Central ins¡¯ cultivation world was even more hostile towards soul cultivators, almost universally despised. If Sha Hao were captured and his identity as a soul cultivator spread, Yuan Ming would also be in danger.

    Leiyu, although fast, was still young and had exhausted a great deal in the battle with the white eagle. It couldn¡¯t sustain its speed for long and soon began to falter.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t push Leiyu, letting it rest in the spirit beast bag and summoning the Qingyun Crane to continue on his way.

    Not long after, Yuan Ming¡¯s expression changed abruptly as he looked back to see Sha Hao approaching.

    "So soon?" Yuan Ming was startled.

    The winged bird was extremely fast, and he had left Sha Hao dozens of miles behind. During that time, he had changed direction several times, far exceeding Sha Hao¡¯s spiritual sense range. How had Sha Hao managed to catch up?

    But there was no time for such thoughts now. Yuan Ming immediately put away the Qingyun Crane, switched to the white jade flying shuttle, and sped off.

    His mana had recovered by a third, and with full force, he propelled the white jade flying shuttle, quickly leaving Sha Hao behind again.

    However, after this ordeal, Yuan Ming¡¯s mana was once again nearly depleted, and he had to summon the Qingyun Crane to take over while he sat on its back to recover his mana.

    Having learned from experience, Yuan Ming summoned water to wash himself thoroughly, then donned a grey cloak and applied a spell to hide the crane¡¯s aura, eliminating any chance of being tracked.

    But half an hourter, Sha Hao caught up again.

    Yuan Ming cursed inwardly, once more taking out the white jade flying shuttle to flee, while using his spiritual sense to meticulously inspect every part of his body.

    Sha Hao had managed to locate him precisely twice, indicating he must have a method to lock onto his position.

    In the world of cultivation, there were secret methods to mark an enemy with mana or spiritual sense. Had Sha Hao unknowingly used such a technique during their encounter?

    Yet after three thorough searches, Yuan Ming found nothing.

    He also checked his clothes, the white jade flying shuttle, and even the spirit beasts like Leiyu, Huazhi, and Jingang in the spirit beast bag, but still found no clues.

    Left with no other choice, Yuan Ming fled for his life.

    Thus, the two yed a game of cat and mouse in the Yunluo Mountains, with Sha Hao persistently chasing Yuan Ming, who tried every means to hide his tracks to no avail.

    As long as Yuan Ming didn¡¯t use the white jade flying shuttle, Sha Hao would quickly catch up.

    Half a dayter.

    Yuan Ming once again shook off Sha Hao, his expression darkening.

    Somehow, Sha Hao had managed to increase the white eagle¡¯s speed significantly. Although still slower than the white jade flying shuttle, the time it took to catch up was getting shorter and shorter.

    Yuan Ming had no choice but to keep taking medicinal pills, pushing his mana to the limit until his dantian began to ache.

    Leiyu was too exhausted to carry him again, and such prolonged overexertion was too much for its young body to bear.

    "I can¡¯t keep this up, or I¡¯ll be caught by Sha Hao before I even escape the Yunluo Mountains!" Yuan Ming thought of a strategy and looked down.

    His eyes lit up as he descended towards a valley below.

    The valley was shaped like the mouth of a cbash, narrowing further inside. Dense trees covered the area, creating a perfect hiding ce.

    Yuan Ming entered, and his figure soon vanished from sight.

    Not long after, Sha Hao arrived on the white eagle andnded at the entrance of the valley.

    "Hmph, you think you can outwit me? Let¡¯s see where you can run to now!" He put away the white eagle, pointed to his forehead, and blood light surged forth.

 Chapter 275: Illusion Showdown

    Chapter 275: Illusion Showdown

    "Whoosh"

    Three blood-red bats flew out from the blood light between Sha Hao¡¯s brows.

    Without hesitation, Sha Hao stepped into the valley, moving briskly. The three blood bats danced within a dozen yards of him, constantly scanning the surroundings.

    He didn¡¯t notice anything unusual along the way, but suspicion grew in his heart, and his pace began to slow.

    After another dozen yards, he suddenly turned back with a shiver.

    The path he hade from was now drifting with strands of white mist, creating an unreal, dreamlike sensation. Unbeknownst to him, the air had also acquired a faint, sweet smell.

    Sha Hao snapped to alertness, held his breath, and tried to retreat, but his movements were already sluggish.

    "Boom," the ground at his feet suddenly burst open, and a cloud of dust rose, engulfing everything in the valley.

    "Crack"Four or five cyan wooden dragons burst from the ground, each one four or five yards long and as thick as a water barrel, wing and snapping at Sha Hao.

    Under the cover of the wooden dragons and dust, the Cold Star Sword and Willow Leaf Chain des shot out from the nearby jungle, aiming for Sha Hao¡¯s body.

    Sha Hao, startled but not panicked, pped his waist and a yellow light suddenly soared, forming an oval shield around him.

    The wooden dragons, Cold Star Sword, and Willow Leaf Chain des struck the shield, which trembled violently but did not copse.

    From the nearby jungle, there was a "boom" as it exploded, and a white phantom shot out, reaching Sha Hao in an instant¡ªit was the White Ape King Kong.

    The King Kong¡¯s arms flew up and down, its fists pounding down fiercely on the yellow shield.

    Waves of tremendous force erupted from the fists, and the yellow light screen shattered in response.

    Without any pause, the King Kong¡¯s arms, like iron hoops, tightly grasped Sha Hao¡¯s body and violently tore it apart.

    Sha Hao¡¯s body "plop" was torn into two bloody halves, with red viscera scattering everywhere.

    Hidden in the nearby jungle, Yuan Ming, d in a grey cloak, had concealed all his aura, blending his body with the surrounding grass.

    Witnessing this scene, his expression changed drastically, and he rolled to the side to dodge.

    A streak of silver light shot towards him, grazing his ear and leaving several bloody marks on his ear and cheek.

    Sha Hao¡¯s torn body on the ground turned into a cluster of white light bubbles that rapidly dispersed and vanished. "Illusion!" Yuan Ming¡¯s face darkened, disbelief creeping in.

    Since Sha Hao had entered the valley, Yuan Ming had been on guard. When had he fallen for Sha Hao¡¯s illusion?

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t panic. He recalled several magical instruments and frantically ran the Death Moon method, trying to break the illusion as before.

    But no matter how he channeled his soul power, he couldn¡¯t find any breakthrough.

    Silver light flickered nearby, and four or five streaks of silver light, just like before, shot towards him.

    Just as Yuan Ming was about to defend himself, the King Kong appeared beside him, its body shining brightly, and two more ape arms emerged from its back, meeting the silver light.

    The expected collision didn¡¯t ur as the King Kong¡¯s fists easily passed through the silver light, which turned out to be another false illusion.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s eyes darkened. The silver light, in both aura and appearance, was identical to the previous ones. His divine sense detected nothing amiss, yet they were illusions. It seemed Sha Hao¡¯s illusions were more terrifying than he had anticipated.

    At that moment, the environment changed again, and a vast expanse of grey-white mist appeared out of nowhere,pletely altering the visual scene.

    The White Ape King Kong became restless, attacking the surroundings with its four fists.

    Waves of tremendous fist strength hit the grey-white mist, but like a y ox entering the sea, they had no effect other than stirring the mist.

    "King Kong, there¡¯s no need to waste your strength. I have a question for you. How did you break free from Sha Hao¡¯s illusion before?" Yuan Ming called to the White Ape, asking.

    "I don¡¯t know how, but I suddenly came to. Wasn¡¯t it you, Master, who helped me break the illusion?" The King Kong said, somewhat confused.

    Yuan Ming fell silent. He had intended to break the illusion affecting the King Kong and the others, but before he could act, they had returned to normal.

    He carefully recalled the situation at that time. The King Kong and the others had suddenly awakened when he was soaring into the sky on the White Jade Flying Shuttle.

    "Could it be that Sha Hao¡¯s illusion can only be cast at close range, and once out of range, the illusion automatically fails?" Yuan Ming suddenly thought of a possibility, decisively summoned the White Jade Flying Shuttle, and with the King Kong, leaped onto it.

    The flying shuttle¡¯s spiritual light intensified and soared into the sky.

    However, not far into the flight, there was a "bang" as he and the shuttle crashed into something thick and hard, seemingly a mountain wall.

    "I was flying upwards; how could I hit a mountain wall? Has my sense of direction also been disrupted?" Yuan Ming flipped to stabilize his form, his expression growing even darker.

    At that moment, a strange expression shed across his face, then returned to normal. He turned and flew back to the ground, quickly casting the Fire Cloud Secret Technique with both hands.

    A column of red light shot up dozens of yards into the sky, instantly forming a dense cloud of fire.

    As soon as the fire cloud formed, silver light flickered in the void again, with more than a dozen streaks of silver light whistling towards Yuan Ming from all directions.

    Although the King Kong was brave, it couldn¡¯t stop all the silver light.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s expression was unusually calm as he made a hand gesture.

    Dozens of huge red fireballs fell from the sky, colliding with the silver light.

    Boom!

    All the fireballs exploded, creating a surging sea of fire that engulfed all the silver light.

    Almost all the silver light was illusory, with only one real streak of silver light prating the fire sea and heading straight for Yuan Ming¡¯s head at an extremely fast speed.

    A white shadow shed, and the King Kong stood behind Yuan Ming, a newly grown ape arm emitting dazzling golden light, blocking the silver light.

    The King Kong¡¯s fist was pierced by the silver light, forming a bloody hole with blood sttering, but it didn¡¯t even flinch as if it wasn¡¯t its own injury.

    Yuan Ming nced at the wound on the King Kong¡¯s fist, a pained expression on his face, and elerated the maniption of the fire cloud in the sky.

    Huge fireballs rained down like droplets.

    Boom!

    Everything nearby was engulfed in mes, the grey-white mist waspletely torn apart, and the quiet valley was revealed once again.

    The cliffs on both sides had copsed significantly, the vegetation in the valley was devastated, dust shot up into the sky, and the ground was sted with huge cracks.

    However, Sha Hao was nowhere to be seen, nor was there any fluctuation of his aura.

    Yuan Ming didn¡¯t stop the Fire Cloud Secret Technique. While holding a medium-grade spirit stone to replenish his mana, he continued to cast the fire cloud technique, sending fireballs towards various parts of the valley, seemingly intent on leveling the entire valley.

    In the rolling dust, Sha Hao¡¯s body turned into an invisible figure, dodging the falling fireballs and slowly approaching Yuan Ming.

    The three blood bats hovered above his head, their mouths open as if spitting something at Yuan Ming.

    Sha Hao quickly closed within ten yards of Yuan Ming, grabbed the silver orb, and infused it with mana!

    The silver orb spun, activating all four runes, and a streak of silver light shot out.

    This silver light was different from before, extremely fine and twice as fast.

    Yuan Ming had no time to react and was pierced through the chest, tumbling to the ground.

    The fire cloud in the sky became chaotic and quickly disintegrated.

    Sha Hao nodded in satisfaction. The fine silver light was a special attack he had activated from the orb at great mana cost. Not only was it powerful and fast, but even a Foundation Establishment cultivator at their peak might not be able to dodge it.

    The only drawback of this move was its narrow range of attack; the master had to hold the magical instrument and activate it at close range.

    Sha Hao put away the silver orb and approached Yuan Ming¡¯s corpse.

    The Central ins were even more oppressive to soul cultivators than the Southern Borders. Encountering a soul cultivator here waspletely unexpected.

    Now that Yuan Ming was dead, it was pointless to pursue this matter. However, soul cultivators were rare, and Sha Hao was curious about Yuan Ming¡¯s lineage and the soul cultivation techniques he practiced. He reached for the storage ring on Yuan Ming¡¯s hand but grasped at nothing.

    Yuan Ming¡¯s body suddenly turned into an illusion and vanished into thin air.

    "Illusion!" Sha Hao¡¯s face changed drastically, and his hands quickly formed a strange seal.

    His soul radiated strands of crystal light, then violently shook, causing a huge disturbance in the sea of consciousness, rapidly spreading throughout.

    Sha Hao¡¯s vision shattered like a mirror, freeing him from the illusion.

    The next moment, he felt a scorching wave of heat from above, as seven or eight huge fireballs flew towards him, already within three feet.

    Sha Hao hurriedly retreated, but his speed couldn¡¯t match the exploding fireballs, and in the blink of an eye, he was caught up, and the fireballs exploded simultaneously.

    A thunderous explosion resounded, and deep red mes engulfed Sha Hao¡¯s body, then turned into a mushroom-shaped pir of fire, shooting dozens of yards into the sky.

    The scorching st swept out, the ground shook, and the entire valley trembled.

    However, the next moment, Sha Hao¡¯s figure swept out of the fire pir, fleeing into the distance.

    His clothes were torn, revealing a golden inner armor on his upper body that was unscathed even under the fierce attack of the Fire Cloud Secret Technique, not even a scratch.

    The golden inner armor protected Sha Hao¡¯s upper body, but his lower body was bloodied and in some ces, bones were exposed, making his escape stagger.

    A figure chased after him from behind¡ªit was Yuan Ming, pointing at the fire cloud in the sky.

    Whoosh!

    Four or five more huge fireballs shot down, their mana even stronger than before, howling as they chased after Sha Hao.

    Sha Hao¡¯s legs were injured, and in the blink of an eye, the fireballs caught up. Gritting his teeth, he took out a yellow talisman and crushed it, immediately creating a yellow formation beneath his feet.

    Blinding yellow light burst forth, and his figure flickered before diving into the ground, rapidly escaping into the distance.

    The fireballs hit empty space, striking the mountain wall behind and exploding with a bang.

    The mountain wall copsed, and a flood ofrge and small rocks poured down.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming didn¡¯t pursue but stood still, spreading his divine sense to sense Sha Hao¡¯s aura.

 Chapter 276: Return to the ancestral religion

    Chapter 276: Return to the ancestral religion

    After confirming that Sha Hao hadpletely left, Yuan Ming''splexion suddenly turned as pale as paper. With a "thud," he copsed to the ground, gasping for breath.

    The fire clouds in the sky churned a few times before quickly dissipating.

    Ha Gong flew over and saw Yuan Ming''s weakened state. He wanted to help but didn''t know how, so he could only fret anxiously.

    "Get me out of here, quick..." Yuan Ming rasped.

    Ha Gong nodded repeatedly, scooping up Yuan Ming with two arms while using the other two to sprint towards the valley. After a few leaps, they vanished into the vast forest.

    Yuan Ming didn''t let Ha Gong run too far before instructing him to put him down. Hastily summoning a flower branch, he sat cross-legged and took out two mid-grade wood-attribute spirit stones to absorb their spiritual energy for recovery.

    Although the flower branch and Ha Gong didn''t get along, they both stood guard, one on each side, protecting Yuan Ming while he was injured.

    Ha Gong sat down cross-legged on the ground, his bell-like giant eyes scanning the surroundings.

    The flower branch extended its tendrils far and wide, covering a hundred-zhang radius. Any small creatures that passed by were captured by the tendrils, their blood consumed to heal its injuries.A quarter of an hourter, Yuan Ming opened his eyes, his pale face regaining some color.

    Sha Hao, as a disciple of the Twilight Firmament, indeed had profound achievements in soul cultivation, and his strength was beyond Yuan Ming''s expectations.

    When Yuan Ming had fled to the valley, his mana was nearly depleted. After the continuous activation of the fire cloud technique, his mana was exhausted. Fortunately, he managed to scare Sha Hao away at thest moment.

    Caw, caw...

    Apanied by sharp cries, Lei Yu descended from the sky andnded next to Yuan Ming.

    "Lucky I released you before entering that valley, or I would have truly died at Sha Hao''s hands today," Yuan Ming said, stroking Lei Yu''s smooth feathers.

    "Master, how did you break through those illusions?" Ha Gong turned around and asked curiously.

    The flower branch also returned and sat on Yuan Ming''s other side, clearly wanting to know the answer as well.

    "I didn''t break through Sha Hao''s illusions at all," Yuan Ming shook his head.

    "You didn''t break through the illusions? How is that possible? Sha Hao was clearly caught in your illusion and nearly got blown up by you," Ha Gong didn''t understand.

    "Who says you can''t cast illusions on others while you''re in an illusionary realm?" Yuan Ming chuckled.

    Ha Gong scratched his head in confusion, not understanding Yuan Ming''s words.

    "When I was caught in Sha Hao''s illusion, I couldn''t see clearly around me. But with your reminder, I realized that Sha Hao''s illusions had a distance limit. So, I had Lei Yu scout the valley from above. Sure enough, Lei Yu wasn''t affected and could see everything clearly from the sky. Although Lei Yu''s spiritual intelligence isn''t as high as yours or the flower branch''s, it could still convey some simple information to me, like Sha Hao''s location. This way, although I was still under Sha Hao''s illusion, it was almost as if I wasn''t affected at all," Yuan Ming exined.

    "Oh, I see, it sounds a bitplicated," Ha Gong still seemed somewhat confused.

    "Strong limbs but a simple mind," the flower branch understood and teased Ha Gong through mentalmunication.

    "You sprout, asking for a beating!" Ha Gong roared in anger, his fan-sized palm reaching out to grab the flower branch''s head.

    The flower branch was prepared and quickly burrowed into the ground.

    "If you dare, don''t escape underground!" Ha Gong bellowed.

    "If you dare,e down and fight!" the flower branch retorted.

    "Come up here!"

    "Come down here!"

    Yuan Ming sighed and ignored the two, continuing to hold the spirit stones and recover his mana.

    After a while, Ha Gong and the flower branch finally calmed down.

    "Master, what happened next? How did Sha Hao fall for your illusion?" Ha Gong ran back to Yuan Ming''s side and asked.

    "I cast the fire cloud technique, making Sha Hao think I was getting desperate to draw him closer. Then I took him by surprise with an illusion. My illusion might not be as powerful as his, but it''s effective as long as I know his location. Sha Hao was caught off guard and fell for it. However, he seemed to have a way to break free and managed to escape in time," Yuan Ming nced at Ha Gong and exined.

    "So that''s how it was," Ha Gong finally understoodpletely, looking at Yuan Ming with admiration.

    "Master, what do you think Sha Hao used to break your illusion?" the flower branch also emerged from the ground and asked.

    "I can''t be sure, perhaps some method specifically designed to break illusions," Yuan Ming said.

    After the previous battle, he had also vaguely figured out a method to break illusions.

    When he bombarded the valley with the fire cloud technique, due to theck of mana, he didn''t use any protective measures, and his body was inevitably affected by the explosions, causing him great pain.

    Each time the pain struck, the illusion in front of him would waver slightly.

    Yuan Ming licked his lips, which had a small cut on the tip of his tongue, still oozing blood.

    What he had told Ha Gong about not breaking Sha Hao''s illusion wasn''t entirely urate.

    He had bitten his tongue when Sha Hao fled, using the piercing pain, along with the Death Moon method and the incense burner''s enhancement, to drift between consciousness and unconsciousness.

    Once Yuan Ming confirmed that about a third of his mana had recovered, he summoned the white jade flying shuttle and hurried back, quickly returning to the previous valley.

    He descended far from the valley and released a soul crow to scout inside.

    The situation in the valley hadn''t changed; He Wendao, Bai Ye, Lu Shen, and the corpses of the five Shengye Sect disciples were still there, along with a few scattered magical instruments.

    Yuan Ming had the soul crow scout around to ensure there were no issues before entering.

    Looking at the corpses scattered on the ground, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of destion.

    But he quickly cast aside these emotions, collecting the corpses and the scattered magical instruments.

    The flower branch shot two tendrils from the spirit beast bag into the ground and soon dragged out the dried-up corpse of Shi Dian.

    Yuan Ming collected it as well and then stood still with his eyes closed.

    On the way here, he had quietly left a mana mark inside Xu Tian''s body to keep watch, which he could sense as long as it was within a hundred li.

    Yuan Ming soon opened his eyes, summoned the white jade flying shuttle, and flew off into the distance. After searching for a while, he arrived above a hidden depression in the mountains.

    He descended and swept the area with his divine sense, finding many cultivators hurrying along their way. Almost all the scattered Shengye Sect disciples were here, including Xu Tian and Luo Xing''er.

    "That''s good, saves me the trouble of looking for them one by one," Yuan Ming nodded to himself and descended.

    The Shengye Sect disciples walking in the depression were initially nervous when they saw someone approaching, but when they recognized Yuan Ming, they all breathed a sigh of relief.

    "Ha Gong senior, it''s great that you''re alright," Xu Tian said joyfully.

    Luo Xing''er also showed great joy upon seeing Yuan Ming unharmed.

    "How did you all manage to gather together after scattering earlier?" Yuan Ming nodded to the two and asked.

    "Reporting to Ha Gong senior, after Elder Lu Shen sent a message to me, I immediately flew the disciples away on the flying boat. Then I notified the remaining disciples to gather. The flying boat isrge, and I was afraid it would be spotted by the enemy''s spirit beasts, so I didn''t dare to fly everyone back on it. We decided to travel back on foot," a tall young man from the Shengye Sect stepped forward, bowed to Yuan Ming, and said.

    Yuan Ming recognized him as Luo Shan, the pilot of the flying boat and a peak Qi Refining cultivator. He was impressed by Luo Shan''s handling of the situation. If the flying boat had left a momentter, all the disciples on it would have been captured by Sha Hao. Walking through the mountains also provided a good cover.

    "Ha Gong senior, do you know what happened to Elders Lu Shen and Bai Ye?" Luo Shan asked again.

    "Lu Shen and Bai Ye have both fallen. Fortunately, the enemy was injured and has left. You are all safe now," Yuan Ming said.

    Hearing this, everyone''s hearts finally settled, and some of the more timid and cowardly disciples even cried with joy.

    "What should we do now? Can you escort us back to the sect alone?" Luo Shan asked.

    "Where is the flying boat?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "It''s currently stopped in another valley," Luo Shan replied.

    "Go bring the Qingmu flying boat here. I''ll protect these disciples. We can leave on the flying boat now. Don''t worry, I''m here," Yuan Ming said after a moment''s thought.

    He then lent the flying shuttle to Luo Shan, who quickly took off with it.

    Yuan Ming rode the Qingyun Crane and patrolled the sky.

    Seeing Yuan Ming in the sky, many Shengye Sect disciples showed admiration.

    "This Ha Gong senior doesn''t seem old, yet his strength is so formidable. Even Elder Lu Shen fell to the enemy, but he managed to escape unscathed," a round-faced female disciple from the Shengye Sect said, her eyes shining as she held her cheeks.

    "Of course, Ha Gong senior is..." Luo Xing''er started to speak proudly of Yuan Ming''s feat of killing the Great Jin national teacher but was stopped by Xu Tian''s look.

    "Xu junior brother, Luo junior sister, it seems you know this Ha Gong senior?" another disciple turned to them.

    "We''ve never met before, but Ha Gong senior is acquainted with my family elders. Xing''er and I have heard some of his exploits," Xu Tian exined.

    "What exploits does Ha Gong senior have? Tell us!" the round-faced female disciple pressed.

    "Ha Gong senior is modest by nature and doesn''t like to be discussed behind his back. It''s not appropriate for us to say more. Please forgive us," Xu Tian said, shaking his head.

    Yuan Ming had offended the Evesting Spring Temple, and since he was using the alias Ha Gong, it was clear he didn''t want to reveal his identity. Xu Tian, having learned some details from his grandmother, naturally wouldn''t expose him.

    The others were disappointed but did not press further.

    After a while, Luo Shan returned with the Qingmu flying boat, shining with bright green light. He picked up all the Shengye Sect disciples, and the flying boat slowly took off, heading towards the Shengye Sect''s mountain gate.

    "Does anyone have a way to contact the sect?" Yuan Ming asked the others.

    The Qingmu flying boat wasrge and conspicuous. It would be best to contact the Shengye Sect and have them send someone quickly to avoid any incidents along the way.

    However, everyone shook their heads.

    "Themunication tools with the sect were all with Elder Lu Shen," Luo Shan said.

    Yuan Ming frowned but did not take out Lu Shen''s storage tool.

    For the sake of this mission for the Shengye Sect, he had nearly lost his life. He wasn''t about to return Lu Shen''s storage tool; he considered it his hard-earnedpensation.

 Chapter 277: Counting the harvest

    Chapter 277: Counting the harvest

    "Senior Ha Gong, we have a favor to ask. Earlier in the valley, three of our fellow disciples were poisoned by He Wendao''s potent toxin. Our antidotes have been ineffective, and we thought returning to our sect would bring them treatment. However, with such dy, their lives now hang by a thread. May I inquire if you could lend your aid in their healing?" Luo Shan hesitated before bowing respectfully with sped hands, pleading earnestly.

    "I''m not skilled in detoxification, but I can try. Where are they?" Yuan Ming inquired.

    Three unconscious disciples from the Shengye Sect were carried over, their cheeks marred with patches of dark, bluish-ck poison spots, simr to those who had been poisoned to death. Their breathing was faint, indicating they wouldn''tst much longer.

    After a brief examination, Yuan Ming sighed internally. The detoxifying pills he carried were toomon to counteract such a bizarre toxin.

    He was about to refuse when he suddenly thought of Huazhi. He sent a message telepathically, "Huazhi, after absorbing the ck Toad, do you still possess the ability to draw out potent toxins?"

    "Do you wish for me to save these Shengye Sect disciples, Master? It''s a trivial matter," Huazhi responded telepathically.

    "Very well, take them to the room inside," Yuan Ming said, rising to address Luo Shan.

    Overjoyed, Luo Shan quickly took action with several other disciples to move the three poisoned ones into a room.

    Yuan Ming ushered everyone out, closed the door, and erected a concealed barrier.He then pped his spirit beast pouch, and Huazhi extended three vines from within, each piercing into one of the poisoned disciples.

    The three merely twitched slightly, then the poison spots on their skin began to fade at a visible rate, quickly dissipating until they were nearly indistinguishable from the surrounding skin.

    But at that moment, an unexpected change urred!

    The poison spots, which had almost vanished, darkened once again and returned to their original state in an instant.

    "Eh! How very strange indeed," Huazhi murmured, emerging fully from the spirit beast pouch. She extended dozens of tendrils into the bodies of the three, chanting under her breath and activating her demonic power, which caused a faint green glow to emanate from the vines.

    This time, the poison spots disappeared rapidly without pause, and after they had faded to match the healthy skin tone, Huazhi continued her spell for a quarter of an hour.

    By then, the poison spots on the three Shengye Sect disciples had vanishedpletely, their cheeks regained a healthy flush, and their breathing stabilized.

    "This poison within them is quite peculiar, isn''t it? Tell me more," Yuan Ming approached Huazhi after she finished her task.

    "The toxicity of the poison affecting the three is not overly strong, but it behaves like a living entity, taking root in their flesh and feeding on their vital energy. If one cannot extract the toxin in one go, it will regenerate continuously, significantly depleting the already weak life force of the poisoned," Huazhi exined telepathically.

    "A living entity-like toxin?" Yuan Ming stroked his chin, murmuring in surprise.

    He had studied various poisons over the years due to his work on toxic incense but had never encountered such a bizarre toxin that could consume vital energy to strengthen itself.

    "If you''re interested, Master, you might find clues in He Wendao''s storage device," Huazhi suggested telepathically.

    Yuan Ming had the same thought and immediately instructed Luo Shan and the others waiting outside toe in and take the three disciples who were now out of danger.

    Once Yuan Ming sat down cross-legged in the room again, he used a silver token to open a silver light screen and took out the storage devices of Bai Ye, Lu Shen, He Wendao, and Shi Dian.

    He emptied the contents and began to carefully inventory them.

    This task, initially thought to be a minor mission to rx during his arduous cultivation at his grandmother''s request, almost cost him his life. Fortunately, the oue was more thrilling than dangerous, not only saving his cousin but also yielding an unexpected bounty.

    All four were Foundation Establishment cultivators with considerable wealth. Just the spirit stones alone amounted to over four thousand, not to mention the various spiritual materials, magical instruments, and pills.

    Yuan Ming selected the items useful to him: five bottles of Consolidation Pills to advance Foundation Establishment cultivation, arge piece of spiritual material, three high-grade magical instruments, and a set of formation arrays.

    The Consolidation Pills were self-exnatory; he would have continued to purchase them for his cultivation, so this windfall saved him a significant expense.

    The spiritual material was a golden scale, asrge as a millstone, adorned with wave-like golden spiritual patterns, seemingly from some giant beast. Upon probing with his divine sense, he could feel the powerful spiritual energy fluctuations, far exceeding that of a second-level demonic beast.

    "Could this be a scale from a third-level demonic beast? How massive, and from which beast might ite?" Yuan Ming examined the item closely.

    The golden scale was quite heavy, weighing about fifty pounds.

    Familiar with various demonic beasts, Yuan Ming deduced from the patterns that the scale likely belonged to a Flood Dragon, a naturally powerful creature that typically reached third-level upon maturity.

    After some contemtion, Yuan Ming summoned a ck needle magical instrument and channeled thirty percent of his power to strike the edge of the golden scale.

    With a light sound, the scale trembled but remained unmarked.

    Nodding slightly, Yuan Ming increased his power to fifty percent and even seventy percent, but the golden scale remained unscathed under the ck needle''s assault.

    Determined, Yuan Ming channeled his full power, turning the ck needle into a slender afterimage that fiercely struck the golden scale.

    With a loud "ng," the scale was sent flying, showing only a shallow white spot where it was hit, far from being pierced through.

    "Excellent stuff!"

    Yuan Ming was inwardly delighted. The golden scale was incredibly hard and durable, possibly the toughest spiritual material he had encountered since entering the world of cultivation. It could be used to craft a superior defensive magical instrument.

    He stored the scale and turned his attention to the three high-grade magical instruments: Lu Shen''s Earth Subduing Mace, a blue ring, and a green flying sword.

    Examining the Earth Subduing Mace, he found it to be a heavy, earth-attribute high-grade magical instrument with formidable attack power.

    Yuan Ming could only swing the mace a few times with his strength; it was not suitable for him, and its attributes did not match his own.

    Considering selling it, Yuan Ming suddenly thought of the Diamond Ape.

    The mutated white ape had plenty of strength, making the mace an ideal weapon for it. He tossed it into the spirit beast pouch for the ape, giving it instructions.

    Next, he picked up the blue ring. After probing it with his divine sense, he quickly understood its properties.

    The blue ring, named "True Water Ring," was a water-attribute support magical instrument obtained from Shi Dian''s storage device. It had no offensive capabilities but could moisten the body, repel fire, and provide warmth when worn, making it a rather fine high-grade magical instrument.

    Yuan Ming initially nned to wear it himself, but considering Huazhi''s recent injuries and having just given the Diamond Ape a magical instrument, he decided to bestow the ring upon Huazhi.

    High-grade magical instruments were quite precious, and both the Diamond Ape and Huazhi were pleased with their new acquisitions.

    Finally, Yuan Ming carefully picked up the green flying sword, a poisonous sword obtained from He Wendao.

    He Wendao had used this sword to attack the Shengye Sect disciples, killing several. The three who were poisoned and unconscious were also injured by this sword.

    Yuan Ming carefully examined the green flying sword, which was entirely emerald green and seemed to be made from a type of green jade. The three symbols inscribed on the sword were all poison-incubating runes.

    Yuan Ming''s eyes lit up. The annotations in Master Heimu''s forging notes mentioned these poison-incubating runes, which, as the name suggests, could preserve and nurture the potent toxins within materials, preventing them from dissipating.

    Ordinary poisonous magical instruments would suffice with one poison-incubating rune, but this flying sword had three, indicating that the materials used to forge it were exceptionally toxic, beyond the control of a single rune.

    Yuan Ming carefully probed every part of the flying sword, which contained intense and active poison, like countless tiny insects eager to break free and harm others.

    "What is the material of this flying sword, and what exactly is the toxin within?"

    Unable to figure it out, he carefully stored it away and turned his attention to thest item, the Bronze Thunder Pattern Array.

    This array was different frommon array tools like Yuan Ming''s Thousand Knot Water Rope Array; the patterns were engraved on seven bronze pirs, making it easier to set up and less prone to damage.

    However, crafting such specialized array tools required high expertise from the array master, indicating that the creator of this Bronze Thunder Pattern Array was quite formidable.

    Yuan Ming carefully inspected the seven bronze pirs and found the array master''s signature on the bottom of one: Xiao Jiu.

    "Xiao Jiu? It seems this Bronze Thunder Pattern Arrayes from the Xiao family of Red Lotus Ind," Yuan Ming thought to himself.

    The power of the Bronze Thunder Pattern Array was astonishing; even he had nearly perished within it. Perhaps the greatest gain from this adventure was this array.

    To unleash the full power of this array, thunder-attribute spirit stones were needed. Fortunately, he had three high-grade thunder-attribute spirit stones that might prove useful in the future.

    He pondered silently and stored the array away.

    Yuan Ming organized the other items as well, storing them ordingly. The floor was soon cleared, leaving only a giant sword broken in two, which was Shi Dian''s bronze giant sword.

    The sword, forged from thunder-attribute spiritual material, was broken but still contained remnants of thunderous power.

    Yuan Ming was somewhat at a loss on how to deal with the sword. To repair it required not only high forging skills but also simr types of spiritual materials, which were extremely rare and unlikely to be found in the markets of Xiaohu City.

    But it seemed a waste to simply discard or sell it.

    "Leiyu, being a thunder-attribute spirit beast, might be able to absorb the thunderous power within this giant sword?" Yuan Ming suddenly had an idea.

    He threw the two pieces of the sword into Leiyu''s spirit beast pouch. Sensing the thunderous power within, Leiyu immediately pounced on it, absorbing the green thunder from the sword.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming nodded and closed his eyes to immerse himself in cultivation.

    As he had anticipated, the return journey was smooth sailing. A few dayster, the group arrived at the gates of the Shengye Sect.

 Chapter 278: Return to the city

    Chapter 278: Return to the city

    Shengye Sect.

    Amidst towering mountains and sshed ink-like scenery, countless medicinal fields thrived, enriched with dense spiritual energy. The fields were nted with various vibrant nts, brimming with life and vitality.

    Near the summit, a majestic hall nestled against a bamboo forest, perched atop a cliff. Exiting the main door led to a long, steep staircase. Standing at the top of the stairs and looking down, one could take in the panoramic view of the surrounding mountains.

    This ce was the Shengye Sect''s council hall, where on ordinary days only the sect leader and the heads of various halls could enter. However, today was an exception, as an outsider was weed in.

    It was said that the Shengye Sect had over ten thousand disciples, with over ny percent at the Qi refining stage, about a hundred at the Foundation Establishment stage¡ªmainly the sect leader, the heads of various halls, and some direct disciples. As for the few Nascent Soul stage elders, they were mostly in seclusion year-round, uninvolved in sect affairs.

    The rumored Ancestral Master at the Elemental Infant stage was a pir of strength for the sect, only showing himself in public for significant matters.

    The heavy tolling of the bell lingered in the valley. Inside the hall, the heads of the halls were lined up on both sides, all with grim expressions. In front of the statue of the ancestral master, the sect leader of Shengye Sect also wore a face of sorrow.

    "...That''s the situation. I failed to capture Pu Zhengqing and avenge Lu Daoyou and Bai Daoyou. I am truly ashamed."

    Under their watchful eyes, Yuan Ming recounted the events that had transpired in the Yunluo mountain range, ending with a face full of guilt."This Pu Zhengqing is cunning and elusive. Ha Gong Daoyou managed to drive him away and save our sect''s disciples, which was no easy feat. Please, do not me yourself," said Wang Xinghe, the sect leader of Shengye Sect, shaking his head.

    He continued, "Ha Gong Daoyou has made great contributions to our Shengye Sect this time. We will surely reward you handsomely. If there''s anything you need, just say the word, and I will arrange for someone to prepare it immediately."

    Yuan Ming did not decline, "In that case, I wonder if your esteemed sect possesses any elixirs that can aid in breaking through the initial bottleneck of Foundation Establishment."

    Seeing that Yuan Ming did not make any outrageous demands, Wang Xinghe looked at him with newfound respect and immediately nodded.

    "Please wait outside for a moment, Ha Gong Daoyou. Once our council concludes, Hall Master Yu will personally refine a batch for you."

    A beautiful woman in pce attire immediately stood up and bowed to Wang Xinghe, "Rest assured, Sect Leader Brother, I will select the finest spiritual herbs. The elixirs I refine will be at least thirty percent better than those avable on the market."

    "Additionally, if Ha Gong Daoyou has no pressing matters, you are wee to stay in our sect for a few days longer, allowing us to extend our hospitality," Wang Xinghe added.

    Yuan Ming nodded, then followed a disciple of Wang Xinghe out of the council hall to another elegant pavilion to rest, where servants presented him with spiritual tea and fragrant brews.

    The council of Shengye Sect''s heads did notst long, and soon, Hall Master Yu hurried over to take Yuan Ming to the Elixir Hall for alchemy.

    On the way, Hall Master Yu appraised Yuan Ming with undisguised admiration.

    "Ha Gong Daoyou is truly a young talent."

    "You tter me," Yuan Ming nodded, then suddenly noticed someone approaching on a flying artifact, stopping in front of them.

    It was Yuan Ming''s grandmother. Yuan Ming smiled, knowing that with outsiders present, she would not acknowledge their rtionship.

    "Hehe, Wang Shimei, what brings you here in such a hurry?"

    "Of course, I''vee to thank Ha Gong Daoyou," Yuan Ming''s grandmother said with a smile.

    "Sect Leader Brother has asked me to personally refine a batch of elixirs for Ha Gong Daoyou. Wang Shimei, you manage the medicinal fields, and it''s perfect timing. The sect wants to thank Ha Gong Daoyou with a Huayuan Pill, and I''m about to start the process. Does the medicine storehouse have the appropriate aged materials?" Hall Master Yu asked.

    Although Yuan Ming''s grandmother was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, she was not a head of any hall, so she did not attend the council in the hall.

    The pce-dressed beauty had thought Yuan Ming''s grandmother would, as usual, make some excuse, but she saw her nod.

    "It''s necessary. I have a four-hundred-year-old Huanyue Flower here; you can take it and use it directly."

    Hall Master Yu looked at Yuan Ming''s grandmother in surprise, not expecting such generosity.

    "My two disciples were also in the trial this time. Thankfully, Ha Gong Daoyou took action. Otherwise, the loss of so many disciples would have been too much for the sect to bear," Yuan Ming''s grandmother said.

    "Yes, this time I also had several disciples who nearly perished. Mo Shixiong''s nephew was also harmed. The sect leader wants to unite all the sects in Leizhou to hunt down this Pu Zhengqing," Hall Master Yu said.

    "No wonder Mo Shixiong looked so upset today," the grandmothermented.

    "Ha Gong Daoyou, is Pu Zhengqing''s illusion technique really so unfathomable?" Hall Master Yu asked.

    Yuan Ming recounted Sha Hao''s illusion techniques.

    "Soul cultivators have indeed not appeared for many years. Their methods are unpredictable and hard to defend against. Cultivators of the same level, whether they are spell cultivators or body cultivators, have no absolute countermeasures against soul cultivators. Whenever they appear, it leads to bloodshed and turmoil. The sect also has records of soul cultivators causing chaos a hundred years ago. Battles often require several times the number of cultivators of the same level to suppress," the grandmother said.

    "Can I borrow these records to read?" Yuan Ming asked.

    After receiving a negative response, Yuan Ming was not surprised, and then the three of them discussed how to break the illusion techniques.

    Hall Master Yu watched his junior sister leave and said, "It''s lucky you saved her disciples, otherwise she wouldn''t have been willing to part with the four-hundred-year-old Huanyue Flower."

    Several dayster.

    Yuan Ming received several bottles of Huayuan Pills, which were more effective than He Ye Dan, along with other elixirs gifted by the Shengye Sect.

    The Huayuan Pills refined by Hall Master Yu, using four-hundred-year-old spiritual materials, were even more potent than expected.

    Yuan Ming was not in a hurry to consume them. He stayed in the Shengye Sect for a few more days, met with his grandmother in private, and got to know many Foundation Establishment cultivators within the sect before returning to Xiaohu City.

    Passing by the Yuixu Marsh, he ced the flower branch into the marsh, instructing it to hunt demonic beasts on its own, absorb their qi and blood, and recover from its injuries.

    Upon entering his own shop, a faint fragrance greeted him, refreshing the heart and mind. Hu Tu and Muyang were chatting with customers, but upon seeing Yuan Ming arrive, both showed a hint of joy.

    Yuan Ming walked straight into the back room of the shop, and soon after, Hu Tu followed him in.

    "Has anything important happened in the shop during my absence?" Yuan Ming asked.

    Before leaving Xiaohu City, Yuan Ming had given Hu Tu and Muyang amunication talisman, telling them to contact him only if they encountered something they truly couldn''t handle.

    However, just a few days ago, he suddenly received a message from Hu Tu, saying there was an urgent matter that required his return to make a decision.

    "It turns out to be good news. A few days ago, a big customer came to the shop and wanted to buy out all our incense. Muyang and I didn''t dare to decide on our own, so we immediately sent a message to you."

    "Didn''t I set a rule before? There''s a purchase limit for the incense in the shop. If someone wants to buy it all, you can just refuse them. Why do you need me to make a decision?" Yuan Ming frowned, displeased.

    "Of course, I told the customer ording to the boss''s wishes, but the customer imed to be from the City Lord''s Mansion. After hearing our refusal, they still insisted. I didn''t dare to offend them, and after much persuasion, I managed to reduce their requested quantity by half and slightly raised the price. Even so, we didn''t dare to sell it privately, so we told them that we didn''t have enough stock and asked them to returnter, waiting for you to make a decision," Hu Tu said somewhat aggrieved.

    The City Lord''s Mansion of Xiaohu City deserved respect. In the years he had been in the city, Yuan Ming had never heard of the City Lord engaging in bullying or unfair practices. The City Lord was upright and widely recognized by independent cultivators. The fact that the City Lord''s Mansion wanted to purchase arge quantity of incense indicated that his incense had been recognized by the City Lord''s Mansion.

    Yuan Ming pondered for a moment and said, "It''s not your fault, but we can''t just change the rules arbitrarily. Do this: set aside the incense requested by the City Lord''s Mansion and tell them we will supply it on the first day of each month. Reduce the purchase limits for Qingxuan Incense and Zixuan Incense a little, but keep the prices the same."

    "Yes, I will reply to the City Lord''s Mansion right away," Hu Tu quickly said.

    "Make a list of the estimated sales for the next half year. I might not be able to take care of the business for a while. If something simr happens again, we''ll discuss it. We can supply extra to powerful sects. Which incenses does the City Lord''s Mansion want?" Yuan Ming instructed further.

    The list for the City Lord''s Mansion was divided into two parts: one for cultivation purposes, needed by the City Lord''s Mansion, and the other mainly for calming and focusing the mind, supplied to a shop called "Four Symbols Tea House."

    "What''s the situation with this shop?" Yuan Ming pointed at Four Symbols Tea House and asked.

    "Replying to the boss, this is also one of the City Lord''s properties. It has a good reputation in the city and is said to be a ce frequented by high-level cultivators," Hu Tu exined.

    Yuan Ming nodded, no longer inquiring, silently calcted the amount of spiritual materials needed, and then left the shop.

    A few dayster, after purchasing the necessary spiritual materials for incense making from several shops he frequented in the city, he was about to return when he happened to pass by Chilian Hall. After a moment of thought, he walked in.

    "Do you have any top-grade magical artifacts for sale?" As soon as he entered, he asked the approaching shop assistant.

    In the battle at Yunluo Mountain Range, Sha Hao had destroyed most of his magical artifacts with a top-grade silver orb, rendering his ordinary artifacts fragile in the face of top-grade ones. The spirit stones he had earned from selling incense had been used to buy elixirs to improve his cultivation, and now he needed to find a suitable top-grade magical artifact.

    Upon hearing Yuan Ming''s question, the assistant immediately respectfully invited him upstairs. Soon after, the manager of Chilian Hall hurried over.

    "Elder, our shop currently has only two top-grade magical artifacts for sale. If you are truly interested, I will fetch them right away. However, both of these artifacts are priced above five thousand spirit stones," the manager said with a bow.

    "May I know how these top-grade magical artifacts differ from high-grade ones, aside from the runes? What makes their power different?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "Respectfully, Elder, the number of runes on top-grade magical artifacts is secondary. What makes them special is that almost every top-grade magical artifact is made from rare materials, each unique. There is only one of each top-grade magical artifact, and each has the potential to ascend to a treasure. Naturally, the price is several times higher than that of high-grade artifacts," the manager exined while gauging Yuan Ming''s financial capacity.

    Yuan Ming nodded, and seeing that the manager was still standing there without moving, he understood the manager''s implication and took out a Qingmu Order, showing it off.

    Seeing this, the manager immediately understood, turned around, and left the room. He quickly returned with two jade boxes.

 Chapter 279: Four Symbols Tea House

    Chapter 279: Four Symbols Tea House

    "Senior, thank you for waiting. Here are two top-grade magical artifacts from our collection, one named ''Melting Fire Refiner'' and the other ''Bewildering Heart Bell''. Please have a look."

    The shopkeeper spoke as he opened the first jade box, revealing a copper kettle of deep red hue, from which mes asionally burst forth, exploding into small fireworks in the air.

    "This Melting Fire Refiner was crafted by an ancestor of our sect from millennium fire essence, engraved with the runes ''Scorch'', ''Endless'', ''Bone Cling'', and ''Eternal ze''. It spews mes that cannot be extinguished; once they adhere, they cannot be removed."

    After finishing the introduction, the shopkeeper opened the second jade box, which contained a small bell tied with pink silk ribbons.

    "This Bewildering Heart Bell is a top-grade magical artifact acquired by our shop years ago at a high price, engraved with the runes ''Illusionary Sound'', ''Dizziness'', ''Delusion'', and ''Blindness''. When used, it emits an extremely piercing bell sound that temporarily blinds the opponent and causes disorientation."

    Yuan Ming listened to the shopkeeper''s presentation, his brow slightly furrowed.

    Although the two magical artifacts were powerful, the former did not discriminate between friend and foe, risking coteral damage, while thetter''s effects could bepletely reced by his own illusions, making it rather superfluous.

    Seeing Yuan Ming''s frown, the shopkeeper gave a wry smile and said, "It seems neither of these artifacts catches Senior''s eye. Unfortunately, our shop has no other top-grade magical artifacts. If Senior wishes to find a suitable one, you may have to try your luck at an auction."

    Yuan Ming sighed. Auctions were known for their inted prices, and even if he found a magical artifact to his liking, it was unlikely he could secure it for five thousand spirit stones.Just then, Yuan Ming suddenly remembered something and asked, "What would be the price if I were tomission the crafting of a top-grade magical artifact here?"

    "Crafting top-grade magical artifacts is quite difficult, and ordinary spiritual materials simply cannot withstand the engraving of four runes. If forced, the material might be destroyed and be unusable. If such a situation urs, our shop cannot be held responsible. Please consider this carefully, Senior," the shopkeeper cautioned.

    "What would be the sess rate if I provided suitable spiritual materials?" Yuan Ming inquired.

    "Only about ten to twenty percent," the shopkeeper replied.

    Yuan Ming immediately shook his head. With such a low sess rate, it was almost no different from throwing the spiritual materials into ake.

    In that case, rather than letting others gamble, he might as well refine it himself.

    Yuan Ming no longer discussed the matter of crafting artifacts and instead purchased several books rted to artifact refining and runes before leaving the Red Refinement Hall.

    Back at his residence, he spent some time producing the listed spiritual incense.

    After resting for a moment to regain some energy, he suddenly took out the Heaven-Stealing Cauldron, lit a stick of ck incense, and ced it on top.

    As the incense smoke curled up, Yuan Ming silently envisioned Sha Hao''s appearance. Soon, the environment and objects before him blurred, and when they cleared, he found himself inside a stone room.

    Sha Hao seemed to be healing his injuries, surrounded by ordinary stone furniture, with nothing particrly noteworthy.

    The stone room had no windows, and even the door was tightly closed. Eager to ascertain Sha Hao''s location, Yuan Ming immediately cast a soul imprint,pelling Sha Hao to leave the stone room.

    However, no matter how he used the soul imprint, until the ck incense burned out and the possession ended, Sha Hao showed no reaction.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming''s brow furrowed.

    He had specially made a high-quality ck incense, using incense ash obtained from the Precious Spirit Sect, and the soul imprint he cast should have affected Sha Hao, a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Was it ineffective?

    Or was it that the soul imprint had no effect on soul cultivators?

    Yuan Ming pondered for a moment and decided to try again in seven days. If the soul imprint still had no effect, he would have to rely on patience, hoping to encounter Sha Hao leaving on his own during a possession.

    Regardless, Sha Hao knew of his identity as a soul cultivator, and the longer he lived, the more likely Yuan Ming''s cover would be blown.

    Apart from possessing every seven days, he needed to think of other ways to locate Sha Hao.

    The Four Symbols Tea House was situated on the eastern side of the city''ske.

    The five-story building, painted in light blue with water wave patterns, faced theke. Its main entrance was nked by eight windows on each side, rising from the bottom to the top, constructed with intricately carved spiritual wood, iid with colored ze and bright pearls that reflected theke''s image. From afar, the building''s water patterns seemed to ripple, making it appear not as a structure onnd but rather like a fairy pavilion in the middle of theke.

    Yuan Ming passed through the main entrance and immediately saw several coral rockeries and jade columns with seashells, the blue light and shadows filling every corner of the building. There were even phantom fish swimming among the corals, as if he had truly arrived at the Dragon Pce beneath the sea.

    Surprised by the sight, Yuan Ming was admiring the scenery when a beautiful woman with dragon horns on her head approached.

    "Greetings, Immortal." The woman bowed slightly, her white and blue dress fluttering like she was underwater.

    "Your decorations are quite exquisite," Yuan Ming remarked, instantly recognizing that the horns on the woman''s head were mere adornments. He was intrigued that even the maids were so immersed in their roles.

    "Thank you for thepliment, Immortal. This month''s illusion array theme is the Dragon Pce of the Sea. If you like it, you can cast a vote at the counter for one spirit stone," the maid said with a smile, offering thetest update.

    "Oh? And what exactly is this vote for?" Yuan Ming asked curiously.

    "Our establishment changes the theme monthly, and the specific arrangement is decided by the number of votes from the immortals," the maid exined calmly.

    After hearing this, Yuan Ming smiled slightly. Casting a vote seemed to cost only one spirit stone, but in reality, the expenses would escte withpetition. Moreover, if one''s favored scene became the theme, they would only have one month to enjoy it, so why wouldn''t voterse more often?

    "Immortal, please follow me. I will take you upstairs for some tea and rest," the maid said, gesturing for him to follow.

    She led Yuan Ming to a small room, four feet square, with a wooden structure and only three walls. The left and right walls each featured a painting of fish ying in water, while the wall opposite the entrance depicted an unknown magical array with five indentations, seemingly for cing spirit stones.

    The maid brought Yuan Ming into the room, then closed the woodenttice door hidden at the entrance.

    "Immortal, this is a spiritdder specially crafted by a master for our establishment. You only need to ce the corresponding number of spirit stones in the array to travel to different floors on your own."

    Curious, Yuan Ming casually ced two spirit stones into the indentations.

    Suddenly, he heard a "click" as the entire array lit up, and the spiritdder began to ascend, reaching the second floor in no time.

    However, during the operation of the spiritdder, Yuan Ming noticed that the wall''s array seemed to serve only a symbolic purpose. The spirit stones ced within were not consumed, and something else must be powering thedder''s movement.

    Yuan Ming looked outside and surveyed the second floor, seeing that the upants were all Qi refining cultivators, and the furnishings and decorations were not particrly luxurious. He immediately understood.

    The so-called ability to reach corresponding floors by cing spirit stones was just a way to collect an entrance fee. The treatment for two spirit stones was clearly different from that for five.

    Realizing this, Yuan Ming took out three more spirit stones and ced them in the array.

    The spiritdder slowly ascended, and the view at the entrance changed ordingly. Soon, Yuan Ming reached the fifth floor. Before even stepping out, he was greeted by the sound of drums, zithers, and flutes, apanied by the fragrance of calming spiritual incense wafting into the spiritdder.

    The maid opened the door for Yuan Ming, who stepped out and nced to the left, seeing a stage in the southeast corner with several girls in pearl-white dresses dancing to the music. Nearby, more men and women in simr attire yed drums, zithers, or flutes, presenting an elegant sight and sound that was hard to interrupt.

    Additionally, many maids carrying jade pitchers moved between the tables, serving tea and water, each with a gentle smile and graceful demeanor.

    Whether they were maids, musicians, or dancers, all possessed cultivation, with the lowest being at the second level of Qi refining.

    The room was filled with calming spiritual incense bought from Yuan Ming''s store. Whenever the incense burned down to a quarter, a maid would immediately rece it to ensure the fragrance remained.

    Some maids also carried trays filled with various fruits. Although Yuan Ming could not identify all of them, the spiritual energy emanating from them revealed that these fruits were no ordinary items.

    Yuan Ming looked around and saw that the upants here were all Foundation Establishment cultivators, some alone, some in groups of two or three, with diverse attire representing cultivators from the Great Jin, Zhao Country, sect disciples, and unaffiliated cultivators.

    After observing for a moment, he approached a round table near the stage and greeted the five cultivators seated there with a smile.

    "Would you gentlemen mind if I joined you for a cup of tea?"

    "Not at all, not at all. Please, feel free," one of the male cultivators said with a weing gesture.

    Yuan Ming nodded, seeing no objections from the others, and took a seat.

    As soon as he sat down, a maid approached and ced a cup of tea before him.

    Lifting the lid, Yuan Ming was greeted by a refreshing aroma. He took a sip and felt a warm sensation spread throughout his body, invigorating him.

    The maid who served the tea was about to leave when a flirtatious male cultivator suddenly called out to her.

    "Xiao Yun, did you like the painting I gave youst time?"

    "Senior''s gift is certainly cherished by Xiao Yun. However, Ick the artistic insight to grasp the profound meaning of Senior''s masterpiece. I''ve ced it high up to prevent any damage. Please forgive me," the maid Xiao Yun replied with a graceful bow before speaking softly.

    "It''s just a painting; there''s no deep meaning. As long as you like it, any treatment is fine. But what about my proposal to be daopanions? Have you thought it over?" the male cultivator asked with a smile, not minding her response.

    "Senior is a Foundation Establishment cultivator; how could I possibly aspire to such heights? Please, do not jest any further," Xiao Yun said, shaking her head and bowing slightly to the flirtatious man before turning to leave.

    Seeing this, the man''s face showed a hint of disappointment, and a middle-aged male cultivator beside himughed, "I didn''t expect you, Yu Qingli, with your long-standing reputation in the romantic field, to also face rejection."

 Chapter 280: Anecdotes and Idle Talk

    Chapter 280: Anecdotes and Idle Talk

    "Zhang Zhi, what nonsense are you spouting? I''ve never been a yboy, and I am truly sincere towards Xiao Yun," Yu Qingli retorted angrily, ncing at the middle-aged male cultivator before turning to look at the maid Xiao Yun, who hadn¡¯t walked far, and quickly added in defense.

    Seeing his reaction, Zhang Zhi couldn''t help butugh, and the other two male cultivators at the table also showed amused smiles, while the only female cultivator''s face disyed displeasure.

    "You call that sincerity? Pah."

    A schr-dressed cultivator chimed in, "Fairy Hua is right. Yu Qingli, how many female cultivators have you been truly sincere with? Can you even count?"

    Yu Qingli, both angry and anxious, could only fling his sleeve and say dryly, "If you don''t believe me, so be it."

    After a round of teasing and seeing Yu Qingli deted and no longer retorting, everyone lost interest.

    At that moment, one of the five, an elderly man with white hair, turned to Yuan Ming and asked, "This fellow Daoist seems unfamiliar. Have you just arrived in Xiaohu City?"

    "I''ve been in the city for a while, but I''ve been in seclusion for cultivation and seldom go out," Yuan Ming shook his head.

    "Oh? It seems you are a diligent cultivator. But if you ask me, it''s good to get out more. Staying in seclusion too much can lead to mental stagnation, which isn''t beneficial for cultivation," Yu Qingli perked up again."Yu Daoist''s words are indeed wise. We cultivators must not iste ourselvespletely; otherwise, even if our cultivation improves, it''s like building a castle in the air, easily shattered upon contact," the white-haired elder nodded.

    "Lu Daoist speaks the truth. Take Shengye Sect for example; their disciples rarely venture out for experience, spending their days either concocting pills or in seclusion. Their cultivation might seem strong, but they''re far from battle-ready. If it weren''t for the Elemental Infant stage ancestor anchoring them, they would have been devoured long ago," Zhang Zhi agreed.

    "Zhang Zhi, look at what you''re saying. Isn''t that contradictory? In the end, isn''t Shengye Sect''s stability in Leizhou thanks to the ancestor''s seclusion and cultivation, culminating in the Elemental Infant? Doesn''t that show cultivation is more important than anything else?" Yu Qingli chuckled.

    "That''s the Elemental Infant stage; can it be the same? Besides, if you rank the sects with Elemental Infant stage cultivators in the Central ins, Shengye Sect is at the bottom, isn''t it because their ancestor is not as strong as other Elemental Infant cultivators?" Zhang Zhi retorted.

    "Indeed, Elemental Infant cultivators are on a different level from ordinary cultivators; they can''t bepared generally," the Lu-surnamed cultivator nodded.

    "Speaking of Shengye Sect, have you heard about their disciples being attacked during an outing recently?" the schr-dressed cultivator suddenly interjected.

    "Of course, the attacker was the soul cultivator Pu Zhengqing, who appeared in Xiaohu City a few years ago. It''s all over the streets now. Shengye Sect has even offered a hefty reward for his capture, and many are eager to find him for the bounty," Yu Qingli said.

    "Let me tell you, don''t be blinded by spirit stones. A friend told me that the murder of a Foundation Establishment cultivator from Precious Spirit Sect was also his doing. Including the Shengye Sect incident, there have been three Foundation Establishment cultivators killed by him recently," the schr-dressed cultivator said.

    "Not just three, actually four. There was also a cultivator from Changchun Temple, named Xu Changqing, who died at his hands," Fairy Hua suddenly said.

    This revtion surprised everyone.

    "Is what Fairy Hua says true?" Zhang Zhi asked.

    "Some time ago, Changchun Temple offered a reward at the loose cultivator gathering, which you all know. I have a friend from Precious Spirit Sect who mentioned this to me. It''s said that Xu Changqing''s body was found alongside their sect''s deceased Gu Qiulong, with evidence of them joining forces against the same foe at the scene. It''s unlikely to be false," Fairy Hua exined.

    Hearing this, Yuan Ming was puzzled. He had disguised the scene to look like Xu Changqing and Gu Qiulong had perished in a mutual congration. When heter possessed a Precious Spirit Sect cultivator, they had confirmed this. How had it turned into them joining forces against an enemy?

    Could it be that Precious Spirit Sect fabricated the scene to avoid Changchun Temple''s me?

    "Tsk, if that''s true, soul cultivators are indeed terrifying. Two Foundation Establishment cultivators from sects couldn''t beat him alone," Yu Qingli shook his head.

    "What did you expect? Why are soul cultivators taboo if not for their overwhelming strength against peers and their bizarre methods?" Zhang Zhi said.

    "That may be, but soul cultivators aren''t invincible. Look at the recent Shengye Sect incident. That Ha Gong not only single-handedly killed two of the soul cultivator''s subordinates but also forced him to retreat, saving the Shengye Sect group. It''s said he''s just an early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. I wonder how he cultivated," the Lu-surnamed cultivator remarked.

    "Indeed, I''ve inquired too. He seems to be a loose cultivator, outstanding both in strength and character. His future is immeasurable," Fairy Hua said, admiration in her eyes.

    The schr-dressed cultivator, seeing this, couldn''t help but say sourly, "He''s just lucky to have made a name with one battle. Other loose cultivators might not be inferior to him."

    "Heh, if Cui Daoist thinks so, why don''t you name someone as formidable as him?" Fairy Hua red at him.

    Cui, the cultivator, blushed with provocation, his gaze darting around, but he couldn''t think of another famous loose cultivator.

    "Ah, I do recall someone who could give Ha Gong a run for his money. Have you heard of him?" Yu Qingli suddenly said with a smile.

    Everyone looked at him curiously, but he leisurely took a sip of tea before speaking.

    "This person was abandoned by Changchun Temple, then alone fell into the Southern Border, enduring hardships and near-death experiences. It took him three years to return to the Capital City of the Great Jin, by which time he had reached the Foundation Establishment stage and even publicly challenged the national teacher during the abdication ceremony, ying him."

    Fairy Hua realized, "You''re talking about Yuan Ming, the author of ''Travels to the South,'' Young Master Yuan? Indeed, he''s on par with Ha Gong, but it seems he hasn''t been heard from much in recent years."

    "s, he offended Changchun Temple, and even with his talent, his days must not be easy now," the Lu-surnamed cultivator sighed.

    Just then, Zhang Zhi looked at everyone with a strange expression and said, "Actually, I happened to meet Yuan Ming not long ago."

    "Really?" Everyone was surprised.

    Yuan Ming was startled and looked up at Zhang Zhi, but couldn''t recall ever meeting him.

    "I remember it was near the Capital City. I was being harassed by several cultivators when suddenly one appeared and helped me defeat them. He told me his name was Yuan Ming and not only refused the gifts I offered but also gave me a signed copy of ''Travels of the Noble Son.'' Let me show you." Zhang Zhi said, taking out a book and cing it on the table.

    Everyone crowded around, taking turns to examine the book, marveling at it.

    After making its rounds, the book reached Yuan Ming, who upon opening it, immediately recognized that although the handwriting was somewhat simr to his, it was not his own.

    Why would someone impersonate me?

    Yuan Ming pondered as he handed the book back.

    "Our Great Jin has indeed seen a surge of talents in recent years. Among the younger generation of cultivators, Yuan Ming and Ha Gong need no mention, but even the young emperor who abdicated a few years ago is said to have ascended from Qi refining to Foundation Establishment in just three years, his progress unimpeded. Such talent is truly enviable," the Lu-surnamed Daoist remarked.

    "Indeed, and there are others like Changchun Temple''s Gao Qian, Water Essence Pce''s Fairy Haixiang, and White Deer Vi''s Bai Chengnan. Isn''t each of them invincible among their peers and renowned far and wide?" Zhang Zhi nodded.

    "s, among these individuals, who do you think is the most formidable?" Yu Qingli asked.

    "Obviously Gao Qian. He''s a prodigy of Changchun Temple. There''s a rumor that he''s begun seclusion to prepare for Core Formation, and it won''t be long before he''s on a different level from the others," Zhang Zhi said.

    "I''m not so sure. Fairy Haixiang once sparred with Gao Qian, and they were evenly matched. Plus, she''s been out of sight in recent years, perhaps also preparing for Core Formation," the Lu-surnamed cultivator stroked his beard.

    "Does that mean Bai Chengnan is the weakest among them? I wonder how Yuan Ming and Ha Gongpare to him," Yu Qingliughed.

    "Yuan Ming and Ha Gong may be strong, but they''re just loose cultivators. Bai Chengnan has the entire White Deer Vi backing him; they can''t possibly outmatch him," Zhang Zhi shook his head.

    "Speaking of White Deer Vi, I heard their foreign affairs elder was assassinated recently. I wonder if they''ve found any clues," the Lu-surnamed cultivator mentioned.

    "Who knows? White Deer Vi keeps tight-lipped. Even if they have clues, they won''t disclose them. We''ll probably only hear about it once they''ve caught the culprit and avenged the death," Zhang Zhi shrugged.

    As they were talking, a male cultivator from the next table stood up and approached.

    "Fellow Daoists, I am Jiang Xiong. Forgive my intrusion, but I have some questions and seek your guidance. May I trouble you for answers?" the male cultivator asked with a bow.

    "Please speak freely, Daoist," the Lu-surnamed cultivator nodded.

    "It''s like this: Ie from the Northern Wastes and have a son who has been cultivating with me for some time. He''s now at the third level of Qi refining. As you know, the path of a loose cultivator is difficult, and I don''t want my son to follow in my footsteps. I''ve long heard that the Central ins is a holynd for cultivation, so I brought him here to join a sect. However, being new to the Central ins, I''m unfamiliar with the various sects. I overheard you fellow Daoists seem to have extensive knowledge of the sects here, so I sought your advice," Jiang Xiong exined.

    "If Daoist has the means, it''s best to send your child to Changchun Temple, the foremost sect in the Central ins. It''s a choice you won''t regret," Zhang Zhi suggested.

    "I''ve also heard of Changchun Temple''s reputation, but my son only has a three-spirit root talent. I fear Changchun Temple might not consider him," Jiang Xiong sighed with a wry smile.

 Chapter 281: Gossip

    Chapter 281: Gossip

    "No need to worry about that. A triple spirit root has already met the standards for discipleship at Changchun Temple. However, they don''t just consider aptitude; personality and temperament are also part of the assessment. Anyway, next May, the young master can attend the Fuding Conference in Yuhua City. As long as he passes the preliminary selection, bing an outer sect disciple shouldn''t be a problem," Zhang Zhi said.

    Beside him, the cultivator surnamed Lu shook his head: "That''s not advisable. As the saying goes, it''s better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix. Too many people want to join Changchun Temple, and with a triple spirit root, one might end up stuck at the Qi refining stage for life. It''s safer to choose a slightly lesser sect where it''s easier to stand out and where resources are more readily invested, as cultivation isn''t just about aptitude."

    "The slightly lesser ones would be the Shuijing Pce and Bailuo Vi, both sects with mid-stage Elemental Infant ancestors," Yu Qingli said.

    "Bailuo Vi is a family of cultivators and generally doesn''t recruit disciples from outside the family, so it''s not considered a proper sect. Shuijing Pce used to only recruit female disciples, but in recent years they''ve started epting male disciples too. However, their disciples all practice water-based spells. Does the young master have a water spirit root?" Zhang Zhi pondered and asked.

    "No," Jiang Xiong regretfully shook his head.

    "Then neither of those will work. You''ll have to look at even lesser sects, those with only early-stage Elemental Infant ancestors," Zhang Zhi said with a hint of regret.

    "In terms of sects at this level, the closest to Xiaohu City is Shengye Sect. Their disciples are adept at alchemy and cultivating medicinal herbs, and these are the main focuses of their entrance examination," the cultivator surnamed Lu said.

    "Besides Shengye Sect, there''s Huoque Gate in the eastern part of the Great Jin, which is also a good choice. Their sect''s strength is not weak, and they have a good rtionship with Shuijing Pce. It''s said that the annualpetitions between the two sects are held together, with plenty of exchanges and learning opportunities. However, their entrance exam mainly tests the disciple''s precision in controlling magical power. If the young master wants to join, he''ll need to work hard in this area," Zhang Zhi borated.

    "There''s also Qianjian Pavilion in the western part of the Great Jin, where all disciples are sword cultivators, skilled in metal-based spells and the art of attack. It''s said that the pavilion has a Sword Cliff where all the past ancestors have left their legacies. Any disciple can go there toprehend them. If one is lucky enough to obtain a powerful legacy, it''s like ascending to the heavens in one step. However, the entrance exam at Qianjian Pavilion has high requirements forprehension and requires participants to have a solid foundation in swordsmanship, so you''ll need to consider this carefully," the cultivator surnamed Lu added.The cultivator surnamed Jiang nodded repeatedly, and just then, Fairy Hua frowned.

    "All you talk about are the sects of Great Jin, but what about the sects of our Zhao Kingdom?"

    The cultivator surnamed Cui also spoke up: "Indeed, in Zhao Kingdom, we have the Wulei Sect, known for its unparalleled thunder spells, and the Lingfu Sect, which prides itself on its rune-making techniques. Although they are not asrge as Changchun Temple, they are among the top in the Central ins."

    Jiang Xiong quickly asked, "What are the conditions for joining these two sects?"

    "To join Wulei Sect, one must pass through their Three Thunder Formation, which requires goodprehension, eyesight, and courage. Lingfu Sect is simpler; as long as the disciple has a good memory, can memorize runes within a set time, and replicate them from memory, that''s sufficient," Fairy Hua exined.

    "I see, thank you for the enlightenment," Jiang Xiong bowed and then sat back down, seemingly pondering which sect to have his son try to join.

    Seeing him leave, Zhang Zhi looked towards Fairy Hua: "Jiang Daoist is currently in Great Jin, so what''s wrong with us rmending Great Jin sects to him? Fairy Hua seems impatient, but in the end, you''re just promoting your Zhao Kingdom''s sects. Otherwise, why not rmend a few from Kingdom Wu and Kingdom Chu?"

    Fairy Hua snorted coldly and did not reply. Yu Qingli, seeing the situation, stepped in to mediate.

    "Alright, alright, it''s just a small matter. Why make a fuss? By the way, I heard that some disciples from Wulei Sect recently defected. Is that true?"

    "Yu Daoist is quite well-informed. That matter indeed caused quite a stir in the Zhao Kingdom''s cultivation world. It''s said they even took a few Split Heart Thunders with them, which have been bid up to two thousand spirit stones each on the ck market. I wonder if they still have them," Fairy Hua nodded and said.

    "Two thousand spirit stones? That''s enough to buy two cheap high-grade magical instruments. Isn''t the Split Heart Thunder just a one-time use magical weapon? Is it really worth that much?" Yu Qingli was surprised.

    "That''s actually considered cheap. The Split Heart Thunder is a unique weapon of Wulei Sect, rarely seen on the market, and its power isparable to the full-force strike of a cultivator at the peak of Foundation Establishment. In a critical moment, wouldn''t you trade two thousand spirit stones for your life?" Fairy Hua retorted.

    "Of course, I would. Maybe I''lle across one at the ck market someday," Yu Qingli chuckled.

    "Keep dreaming. So far, no one has reported actually buying one. It''s likely that the defectors from Wulei Sect used them while escaping," Fairy Hua shook her head.

    Yuan Ming, who had been listening quietly, sipped his tea without showing any reaction, appearing indifferent. Yet, inside, he was quite pleased with himself. It seemed his purchase of those Split Heart Thunders had been quite insightful.

    With his silver tongue, he had bought three for only a thousand spirit stones, a significant bargainpared to the current price.

    "s, Zhang Daoist, you just mentioned that Shuijing Pce is now recruiting male disciples. What''s that about?" the cultivator surnamed Cui suddenly asked.

    "What else could it be? The number of disciples they can recruit has been decreasing year by year. If they don''t lower their standards a bit and remove some irrelevant restrictions, how could they attract so many outstanding disciples?" Zhang Zhi picked up his tea and took a sip.

    "How could that be? Among the four great countries of the Central ins, Great Jin has the widest territory, with countless mortals. How could there be a shortage of outstanding disciples?" the cultivator surnamed Cui was surprised.

    "Hehe, let me ask you, why do you think the cultivation world of Great Jin is the strongest in the Central ins?" Zhang Zhi smiled.

    "Of course, it''s because of Changchun Temple. They are the only ones in the entire Central ins with ate-stage Elemental Infant cultivator. How could they not be strong?" the cultivator surnamed Cui replied without hesitation.

    "Exactly. If Changchun Temple is so strong, where do you think those outstanding disciples will choose to go when selecting a sect?" Zhang Zhi shrugged.

    "In fact, it''s not just what Zhang Daoist mentioned. Changchun Temple has controlled the imperial court for hundreds of years. Every emperor who steps onto the path of immortality joins Changchun Temple. As a result, the whole of Great Jin is almost their territory. Whenever a prodigy appears, local sects are still in the dark, while Changchun Temple has already received the news and sent people to recruit them. How can other sectspete with Changchun Temple in recruiting disciples?" the cultivator surnamed Lu sighed.

    "It''s said that recently, a cultivator from Changchun Temple proposed to integrate the selection ceremonies of other Great Jin sects into the Fuding Conference of Changchun Temple, iming it would be convenient for those wishing to join a sect, so they wouldn''t have to travel far and wide. But in the end, it''s really for their own benefit, so they can gather all of Great Jin''s talents. After all, given the choice, who wouldn''t want to join Changchun Temple?" Zhang Zhi also shook his head helplessly.

    "Changchun Temple acts so domineeringly, won''t the other sects haveints?" the cultivator surnamed Cui frowned.

    "Comints? Of course, there are. But what can they do about it? Changchun Temple has been so arrogant for so many years, who dares to bare their teeth at them? Individual cultivators fear their power, and sects fear their strength. Only someone like Yuan Ming, who isn''t afraid of death, dares to publicly challenge them," Zhang Zhi said somewhat helplessly.

    "The national teacher, under the guise of guiding the emperor to cultivate early, secretly harmed Yuan Ming. How is that different from Changchun Temple, under the banner of considering the cultivation world of Great Jin, oppressing other sects for their own benefit? Yuan Ming''s words during the abdication ceremony, ''Why should I?'' resonated with the hearts of many cultivators in Great Jin. Truly exhrating," the cultivator surnamed Lu sighed and apuded.

    "Yes, Yuan Ming''s actions delighted many, and I don''t know how many young disciples secretly regard him as an idol!" Zhang Zhiughed heartily and drained his cup of tea.

    Yuan Ming remained seated quietly, his gaze as calm as the water in his teacup, undisturbed. Yet, he reviewed all he knew about Changchun Temple again, reminding himself that while it''s right to seek justice, one should not be so impulsive without absolute strength.

    These matters didn''t concern him; they were just stories to satisfy vanity. But if Changchun Temple came knocking on his door one day, or sent a high-level cultivator to kill him, the gossip over meals might turn into sayings like, "Offending Changchun Temple is asking for trouble."

    "Alright, let''s not talk about this anymore. It''s irrelevant to us. Speaking of which, the Tianxiang Auction will be held soon. Has anyone managed to get an invitation?" Yu Qingli looked around and quickly changed the subject.

    "It''s not that easy. We individual cultivators can''t even find a way to buy an invitation to the Tianxiang Auction," Zhang Zhiined.

    Yu Qingli chuckled and pulled out a purple invitation from his chest: "Look, what''s this?"

    "An auction invitation? Where did you get it?" Zhang Zhi was surprised.

    "Hehe, not long ago, a friend of mine got an invitation by chance, but due to unforeseen circumstances, he couldn''t attend the auction, so he transferred the invitation to me. I spent over a hundred spirit stones to get it," Yu Qingli said, somewhat pained by the expense.

    "Over a hundred spirit stones just for an invitation? I''ve heard of the Tianxiang Auction''s reputation, but is it really worth that much?" the cultivator surnamed Cui questioned.

    "Of course, you should know that the Tianxiang Auction is not just a high-end auction. When it officially takes ce, many sects from Great Jin and Zhao Kingdom will set up booths in the Tianyu Tower at the center of theke. There will often be some novel items on disy. Even if you can''t afford to buy anything, just going in to look around and broaden your horizons is worth the price," Zhang Zhi said with a smile.

 Chapter 282: Strategize

    Chapter 282: Strategize

    "True, but this time I didn''t just buy this invitation to broaden my horizons. I''ve inquired that at the auction, Shengye Sect will offer an elixir called Huayuan Pill, which aids in breaking through the bottleneck of the Foundation Establishment stage. Its efficacy surpasses anything currently on the market, and it''s said to be extremely rare, with only a few bottles refined each year. Aside from the one sold at the auction, they only ept orders from other sects and don''t sell to individual cultivators," Yu Qingli said.

    "Eh, I rememberst time we met, Qingli, you wereining about the slow progress in the Foundation Establishment stage, unsure when you''d even reach the early bottleneck. Isn''t it a bit premature to think about buying elixirs to aid in breaking through?" Zhang Zhi questioned, puzzled.

    "Heh, Brother Zhang, you''re not aware. There''s a spiritual incense shop in town that released a new product called Zixuan Incense the year beforest. It''s much more effective than Qingxuan Incense. I''ve been buying it frequently these past two years. Combined with elixirs, my cultivation speed has increased significantly. Now, my cultivation level has already reached the peak of the early Foundation Establishment stage," Yu Qingli said with augh.

    "Oh, really? I''ve bought Qingxuan Incense before and felt it was too weak, only suitable for the Qi refining stage. I didn''t expect there to be one for the Foundation Establishment stage too. It seems I''ll have to buy a few sticks myself when I get back," Zhang Zhi said, pleasantly surprised.

    "Wait until you get back? Their incense is limited in stock. If you go now, even Qingxuan Incense might be sold out, let alone Zixuan Incense. Dream on!" Yu Qingli shook his head.

    "That popr? Then when does their shop open? I''ll go early enough," Zhang Zhi frowned.

    "They open at the hour of Mao in the morning, but there are so many buyers, you''d have to be there at the hour of Yin to get a chance at grabbing a few sticks. However, I do have a way to avoid the queue, but I''m not sure if you, Brother Zhang, would be willing," Yu Qingli said.

    Seeing the mischievous smile on his face, Zhang Zhi felt a bit uneasy, but he couldn''t resist the temptation of Zixuan Incense.

    "Come on, Brother Yu, stop beating around the bush and just tell me.""Well, I''ve been a patron of their shop for a long time and have umted quite a few points, which allows me to reserve in advance, a day before. However, there''s a limit to how much Zixuan Incense a single person can buy in a day. If I give some to you, I''ll have less for myself," Yu Qingli said meaningfully.

    After a moment''s hesitation, Zhang Zhi gritted his teeth and said, "Brother Yu, we''ve known each other for so long, I wouldn''t let you lose out. How about this: for each stick of incense, I''ll pay ten percent more than the price?"

    Yu Qingli nodded and agreed with a smile.

    However, just then, Yuan Ming suddenly said, "Fellow Daoist Yu, I''ve heard that if the spiritual incense shop discovers someone reselling incense by taking advantage of their points, they''ll cklist them and never sell incense to them again. You might want to be more cautious."

    Hearing this, Yu Qingli was stunned, and Zhang Zhi, realizing the situation, burst intoughter.

    "Brother Yu, with our years of friendship, how could I bear to see you at a loss? To be safe, I''ll just buy at the market price from you. Otherwise, if someone reports us, it would be troublesome."

    Yu Qingli''s face shed with embarrassment and annoyance as he red fiercely at Yuan Ming, but he had no choice but to agree to Zhang Zhi''s terms.

    Yuan Ming didn''t mind; after all, regr customers with points got a discount on incense, so Yu Qingli was still making a profit.

    Reselling was inevitable, and Yuan Ming didn''t have the time to deal with every case, but since it happened right in front of him, he felt obliged to give a warning.

    "Fellow Daoist Yu, since you''re cing an order, could you also reserve a few sticks of Beautifying Incense for me? You probably don''t need those, right? I''ll pay the market price," Hua Xianzi also spoke up.

    Seeing this, a cultivator surnamed Lu stroked his beard and couldn''t help but feel a bit emotional, "Even Foundation Establishment cultivators have to reserve incense. The business of that spiritual incense shop must be booming. The owner behind the scenes must be making a fortune."

    "That''s for sure. With the price of their incense and selling out every day, just sitting at home, they''d make thousands of spirit stones a month," a cultivator surnamed Cui nodded, his words filled with envy.

    "How wonderful! Even the top disciples of Changchun Temple don''t have such treatment. If I could open a shop like that in my lifetime, I''d be content," Zhang Zhi sighed.

    "Come on, you? Better stick to doing some loose alliance tasks. Without a unique business, where would you get such profits?" Yu Qingliughed.

    "If it''s just a simple trade, how easy is it to lose money? Besides,pared to running a shop, loose alliance tasks are more dangerous, right? Not to mention the usual exploring secret realms and escorting fugitives, I heard that recently some fallen loose alliances have started trafficking people, luring local cultivators to unfamiliar ces to poison and trap them. Those with better luck get their cultivation sealed and are sent to mine spirit stones, and the unlucky ones are sold to evil cultivators as sacrificial materials," Zhang Zhi said.

    "Really? That''s terrifying," Yu Qingli eximed in surprise.

    "I have a friend who encountered a simr situation. He was told the task was in the northern part of Zhao country, but the path led closer to the Northern Deserts. Luckily, he realized something was wrong and escaped immediately, saving his life," the cultivator surnamed Cui said.

    Everyone showed shocked expressions, and at that moment, Jiang Xiong from the table next to them leaned over.

    "Gentlemen, I''m from the Northern Deserts and shouldn''t be speaking out of turn, but after the warm assistance from a few fellow Daoists, I''d feel guilty if I didn''t offer a word of caution. In recent years, the cultivation world of the Northern Deserts has been strange, with many cultivators disappearing without a trace and some with little potential suddenly rising. In the ck market of Wangyue City, Qi refining ves appear frequently. If possible, it''s best to avoid the Northern Deserts, or if you must go, be fully prepared," he said, causing everyone to tense up. Yu Qingli chuckled awkwardly and quickly changed the subject, easing the atmosphere.

    After this incident, they no longer discussed other rumors and instead chatted about trivial matters. Yuan Ming listened and asionally chimed in, staying for over half an hour before taking his leave.

    However, as he was leaving, he suddenly saw Hu Tu driving a carriage in a hurry, stopping in the alley behind the Four Symbols Tea House.

    Yuan Ming, curious and unnoticed by Hu Tu, quietly stood at the entrance of the alley.

    In the alley, Hu Tu jumped off the carriage and knocked on the back door of the Four Symbols Tea House.

    "Who is it?" A servant in light blue clothing peeked out.

    "From the spiritual incense shop, we''ve arranged with your manager to deliver incense," Hu Tu said, rubbing his hands.

    The servant scrutinized him, "Wait here, I''ll call the manager."

    Soon, a middle-aged male cultivator came out, smiling and greeting Hu Tu with a bow.

    "Ah, Brother Hu Tu, for such matters, you could have just sent someone from my side. Why bothering yourself?"

    "Can''t help it, the boss ordered me to personally inform you. From now on, you''ll get a consolidated supply of incense, delivered once a month on the first day. And don''t forget to promote our products when you use them," Hu Tu said.

    "Will do," the manager nodded, checked the delivery, and confirmed the quantity. He then went inside and quickly returned with a storage bag.

    "Here''s the payment for the incense from our shop. Could you check it, Brother Hu Tu?"

    Hu Tu took the storage bag, counted the spirit stones inside, and then looked up, "Manager Xu, it seems you''ve given me extra spirit stones?"

    "Heh, that''s a little token of appreciation for your hard work, Brother Hu Tu. It''s the rule of the City Lord''s Mansion," Manager Xu said with a smile.

    Hu Tu''s eyes flickered, and he pocketed the storage bag without changing his expression, "With the rtionship between you and me, Manager Xu, I wouldn''t forget such a favor even if you didn''t mention it."

    After a few more words andughter, the two parted ways.

    Outside the alley, Yuan Ming turned and left.

    ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤

    Back home, Yuan Ming sat cross-legged, carefully pondering the information gathered from the tea house visit.

    The whole city knew about Sha Hao''s case, and even the deaths of Gu Qiulong and Xu Changqing were attributed to him. Now, who knows how many were after his life.

    It would be one thing if they simply killed him, but he feared some might covet Sha Hao''s soul cultivation techniques, deliberately keeping him alive to extract them. After a moment, he took out the artifact refining books he had purchased in the past few days and began to study them intently.

    He had paid a high price for these books, which contained much about top-grade magical artifacts.

    He had already learned the basic content in Biluo Cave, so he quickly skipped over it, focusing instead on the exnations and analyses of top-grade magical artifacts.

    Top-grade magical artifacts, for Nascent Soul stage cultivators, can also be referred to as "treasure embryos," considered unfinished magical treasures.

    Unlike magical treasures, the runes on top-grade magical artifacts cannot be connected into arrays; they exist independently.

    Not all magical artifacts can withstand the engraving of a fourth rune to be top-grade. The fundamental issue lies in the differences in spiritual materials.

    Ordinary spiritual materials can only bear three runes at most. Attempting to add another would disrupt the bnce of the existing runes, leading to their shattering and the destruction of the artifact material due to the inability to withstand the power.

    Only artifacts that incorporate top-grade spiritual materials during the refining process can endure the imprinting and infusion of a fourth rune. Even if the process fails, the artifact will only drop one grade and not bepletely destroyed.

 Chapter 283: SOS

    Chapter 283: SOS

    Yuan Ming nodded to himself as he read, gaining a deeper understanding of top-grade magical artifacts. Afterposing himself, he continued reading.

    The book also mentioned two methods for forcibly upgrading ordinary magical artifacts to top-grade status.

    One method was re-refining, which involved adding top-tier spiritual materials to an already crafted artifact, allowing it to withstand the infusion of a fourth rune.

    The other method was forceful infusion, which simply meant choosing the fourth rune as a derivative of an existing rune on the artifact. For example, if the artifact had a "Frost" rune, the fourth rune could be its derivative "White Frost" rune, or a lesser "Cold" rune.

    The advantage of this approach was that it circumvented the limitation that ordinary spiritual materials could only be inscribed with three runes, allowing any artifact to be upgraded to top-grade. However, the sess rate of this technique was extremely low; it was considered lucky to seed on the first attempt.

    Moreover, if the forceful infusion failed, it could destroy the artifact, rendering it unusable.

    Even if sessful, a top-grade artifact created through forceful infusion would not qualify to be a treasure and would be less powerful than one crafted through normal means, though still far superior to a high-grade artifact.

    Yuan Ming carefully finished reading the content and noted down the methods for crafting top-grade artifacts.

    Naturally, there were more than these two methods for upgrading artifacts, but the ones with higher sess rates were closely guarded secrets of artifact refiners and not avable on the open market.To find Sha Hao''s whereabouts, Yuan Ming now had to use his possession ability on this man every seven days, leaving no time to seek out and covertly learn from artifact refiners.

    Thus, he could only try the two methods recorded in the book for now. If they proved unsessful, he would have to think of other solutions.

    However,cking any top-grade spiritual materials, re-refining was not an option, so he could only try his luck with forceful infusion.

    Of course, with such a low sess rate, he dared not experiment directly on his ck Needle, his only high-grade artifact that he was ustomed to using. A mistake could lead to regrettable tears.

    Yuan Ming thought for a moment, then took out a yellow short halberd and a blue feather fan from his Storage Bag.

    These two artifacts, once belonging to Gu Qiulong, were inconvenient for him to use publicly. Now, they were perfect for practice.

    He first examined the yellow short halberd, identifying the three inscribed runes as "Earth Movement," "Hardness," and "Sharpness." However, when it came to the blue feather fan''s runes, he encountered difficulty.

    Most of the runes he knew came from Master Heimu''s notes, and the artifact refining books he boughtter only covered basic runes.

    Of the three runes on the blue feather fan, he could only recognize "Wind de." The other two were unfamiliar to him.

    But for practice purposes, one was enough.

    After pondering for a moment, he decided on "Heaviness" as the fourth rune for the yellow short halberd and "Wind Swirl" for the feather fan.

    Both were derivatives of the "Hardness" rune and the "Wind de" rune, respectively, and had significant relevance.

    Yuan Ming''s residencecked equipment for artifact refining, but fortunately, there were shops in Xiaohu City that rented out refining rooms. He briefly recalled their locations, quickly packed his things, and left his residence.

    A month and a halfter, inside a refining room, steam billowed.

    In therge forging furnace, a red spiritual mist tightly enveloped the short halberd as spiritual power continuously flowed into the fourth rune on the handle, slowly filling the lines.

    Everything seemed to be going smoothly until the fourth rune lit up halfway, and the short halberd suddenly trembled. The previous three runes also lit up, emitting an extremely dazzling light.

    With a muffled "boom," the spiritual mist in the furnace expanded instantly and then rapidly dissipated. Soon, the furnace was devoid of any light.

    Yuan Ming, with a darkened expression, opened the seal and retrieved the fragments of the yellow short halberd.

    He sighed deeply as he watched a high-grade artifact reduced to nothing, feeling an immense sense of loss.

    Since leaving the Southern Border, Yuan Ming had not been in touch with artifact refining. Although he remembered many of the basics, his skills had be quite rusty.

    Therefore, after renting the refining room, he did not immediately use the forceful infusion method, as it was still part of artifact refining.

    He spent a month practicing forging, wasting countless spiritual materials before he managed to clumsily craft his first medium-grade artifact.

    Although the quality of the artifact he crafted was not great, it greatly boosted his morale. After several attempts and being confident that he had mastered the technique for medium-grade artifacts, he began trying to craft high-grade ones.

    However, the difficulty of crafting high-grade artifacts was several times greater than medium-grade ones, due to just one additional rune. Yuan Ming chose simpler runes with fewer strokes for the infusion to make the process easier, but each attempt ended in failure halfway through. After half a month, not a single artifact was sessfully infused.

    If he couldn''t craft a high-grade artifact, a top-grade one was out of the question.

    But before giving uppletely, Yuan Ming still harbored a glimmer of hope and decided to try the forceful infusion method onest time, thinking it might be simpler than starting from scratch.

    The result before him now dashed his hopes. He tidied up briefly and left the rented refining room.

    Two hourster.

    Yuan Ming returned to the secret chamber of residence number 86, cing the books he had bought on the way on the table. There were two particrly challenging aspects of Sha Hao: one was the top-grade magical artifact, a silver sphere, in his possession, and the other was his soul cultivation illusion techniques.

    With the path of crafting top-grade artifacts closed, Yuan Ming had no better way to counter the silver sphere and could only consider how to deal with Sha Hao''s illusions.

    As a disciple of Xi Cangqiong, Sha Hao''s proficiency in soul cultivation illusions had received the true teachings of the Great Elder and even showed signs of surpassing his master.

    On the other hand, Yuan Ming had to grope his way through, figuring out the use of illusions on his own.

    Therefore, he specifically purchased some books from shops in the city that sold various texts.

    These books contained basic knowledge of illusions and some rtedbat techniques. Yuan Ming chose to learn from these fragments out of necessity. After all, Xiying, who could be considered his soul cultivation master, was now in the Southern Border, far beyond ten thousand miles from Xiaohu City, and even using hermunication talisman, he couldn''t reach her.

    During his previous encounter with Sha Hao, due to the urgency of the situation, his emotions erupted, and he had forgotten this, using one of the talismans.

    The books he bought were quite superficial, with the authors'' analyses of illusions not being profound and even biased. However, for an ordinary cultivator to understand illusions and fill in basic knowledge, they were barely passable.

    One book mentioned that the essence of illusions was to use one''s spiritual consciousness to influence the opponent''s perception.

    Whether through techniques or runes, the illusions cast would inevitably consume the cultivator''s spiritual consciousness.

    Therefore, the stronger the spiritual consciousness, the more realistic the illusion and the harder it is to break.

    Simrly, to counter illusions, one either needs to possess spiritual consciousness far exceeding that of the caster or use rare talismans or magical artifacts to break them.

    After reading this, Yuan Ming thought about the range his illusions could cover, which corresponded to the reach of his spiritual consciousness, and nodded in agreement with the book''s content.

    However, he then remembered something else.

    After all, illusions were just a technique that every soul cultivator could master. The unique abilities that came with the transformation of the soul were a soul cultivator''s true trump card.

    Yuan Ming''s transformed soul crow had abilities like long-distance travel, which were more supportive in nature. So, what abilities did Sha Hao''s blood bat possess?

    Yuan Ming carefully recalled the details of his fight with Sha Hao, especially how Sha Hao always managed to find him no matter where he fled.

    However, he felt that this ability was more likely rted to some secret technique or magical artifact that Sha Hao possessed, rather than his blood bat''s transformation.

    After pondering without sess, Yuan Ming changed his approach and began to consider what he had that could counteract the use of spiritual consciousness.

    Soon, he thought of the Mist Fragrance.

    The mist created by the Mist Fragrance was so dense that even the Great Elder could not see through it, and it would certainly have a restraining effect on Sha Hao.

    After thinking for a moment, Yuan Ming left his residence, exited Xiaohu City, and rode his magical artifact to the Ruins Marsh. He found a secluded spot,nded, took out the Stealing Heaven Cauldron, inserted a stick of Mist Fragrance, lit it, and also released the Vajra.

    Before long, the thick white mist engulfed Yuan Ming and the Vajra''s figures, covering the entire area.

    "I want to test whether the Mist Fragrance can counter illusions. No matter what you seeter, just stand still and don''t move," Yuan Ming instructed, then walked five steps away from the Vajra.

    Seeing the Vajra nod in readiness, Yuan Ming concentrated his spirit to cast an illusion.

    However, under the cover of the white mist, his spiritual consciousness could hardly leave his body, unable to reach the Vajra, let alone plunge it into an illusion.

    Yuan Ming tried several times, each time moving closer to the Vajra, but even when he stood in front of the Vajra and pressed his hand on its shoulder, he could not sessfully cast an illusion.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming felt a surge of excitement.

    The Mist Fragrance indeed had a restraining effect on illusions. With this ace up his sleeve, dealing with Sha Hao in the future would likely be much simpler.

    With the experiment yielding results, Yuan Ming didn''t linger. He extinguished the Mist Fragrance, collected the Vajra and the Stealing Heaven Cauldron, and then rode the jade shuttle, preparing to return to Xiaohu City.

    Suddenly, his expression changed, and he halted.

    "What''s going on?"

    Just then, he had received a message from Huazhi through their spiritual beast connection.

    Without a second thought, Yuan Ming quickly changed direction and flew towards Huazhi''s location.

 Chapter 284: Sister and brother

    Chapter 284: Sister and brother

    Meanwhile,

    In the northern part of the Yu Xiu Marsh, Hua Zhi was embroiled in a fierce battle.

    Suspended mid-air, a crimson bird with a wingspan of about ten feet pped its wings, shaking off numerous red feathers like mes. The feathers ignited in the air, transforming into fist-sized fireballs that rained down on Hua Zhi below.

    Realizing there was nowhere to hide, Hua Zhi plunged his hands into the ground, and dozens of vines instantly shot up from the earth. Intecing and entwining, they formed a dark purple vine cage around and above him.

    In the next instant, the fireballs collided with the vine cage, exploding one after another. The scattered mesnded on the vines, instantly turning them into rolling balls of fire.

    However, thanks to the "True Water Ring" given by Yuan Ming, which protected his body, the mes did not actually ignite the vines. Still, Hua Zhi dared not let the mes crawl back along the vines to his body. He quickly flung the vine cage aside, withdrew his hands, and severed the connection with the vines.

    Once separated from Hua Zhi, the vine cage, no longer protected by the "True Water Ring," exploded under the intense mes. The burning vine fragments scattered on the ground, and the rising white smoke was actually marsh vapor, evaporated by the high temperature of the mes.

    Amidst the rising steam, Hua Zhi heard a sharp phoenix cry. Looking up, he saw the crimson bird circling half a turn in the sky before suddenly diving straight towards him.

    Hua Zhi quickly dodged backward, while simultaneously waving his hands in front of him. A burst of green light flickered, and dozens of wooden flying swords materialized, shooting towards the crimson bird all at once.However, the crimson bird did not dodge or evade, colliding head-on with the flying swords.

    The swords pierced the body of the crimson bird as if entering an illusion, passing straight through without pause, only carrying away sparks that turned the swords to ash.

    Seeing no escape, Hua Zhi immediately tried to flee underground, but just as he moved, a talisman shot from afar andnded on the ground not far away.

    In an instant, the soft, moist earth within several feet of Hua Zhi''s feet became as hard as rock, preventing him from burrowing in.

    With no other choice, Hua Zhi crossed his arms at thest moment, transforming them into a wooden shield in front of him, bracing for the crimson bird''s collision.

    But at the moment of impact, the crimson birdpletely disintegrated from head to tail, turning into several red me chains that tightly bound Hua Zhi.

    Hua Zhi struggled immediately, but the more he struggled, the tighter the chains bound him. However, for some reason, although the chains were made of mes, they did not spread onto his body.

    "Surprising, this beast has some tricks up its sleeve. If I didn''t happen to have a Solid Earth Talisman on me, you might have actually escaped," said a young man dressed in a red dragon-patterned robe with a gold-jade belt, emerging from the woods.

    The man was quite handsome, with a high nose bridge, fair skin, and eyes as bright as dancing mes. His hair was particrly striking, ck with hints of red, which added an exotic charm to his male figure.

    "Today is your lucky day. I''m in need of a spirit pet, so from now on, you''ll follow me," the man said with a smile.

    "I already have a master!" Hua Zhi shouted inwardly, twisting his body in protest.

    However, the man couldn''t hear Hua Zhi''s voice and continued, "Hehe, you must be thrilled, right? After all, following me, Di Chen, is the fortune of eight lifetimes."

    Just then, a white jade shuttle suddenly flew in from the horizon,nding not far away.

    Yuan Ming stepped off the shuttle and saw Hua Zhi bound by the me chains. He frowned, but after noticing that Hua Zhi seemed unharmed, he rxed.

    "Fellow Daoist, this is a spirit beast I''ve been raising here. I''m not sure what offended you, but please show mercy and let him go," Yuan Ming said to Di Chen, bowing politely.

    "Your spirit beast? Do you have proof?" Di Chen asked, frowning slightly.

    "Have you noticed the jade ring on his body? That''s the fire-protection artifact I left for him," Yuan Ming replied.

    Hearing this, Di Chen manipted his magic, and the me chains writhing around Hua Zhi quickly removed the True Water Ring.

    "Tsk, to give a spirit beast such a fine artifact for protection, it seems you truly care for this beast. However, I''ve taken a liking to him as well. How about this, name your price¡ªhow many spirit stones are you willing to sell him for?" Di Chen asked, examining the True Water Ring.

    Yuan Ming shook his head: "Sorry, to me, Hua Zhi is not only a spirit beast but also a partner, not something to be priced in spirit stones."

    "Hehe, no rush, think it over. Are you sure you won''t sell?" Di Chen narrowed his eyes, his spiritual power surging.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming sighed and raised his right hand, summoning a green flying sword out of thin air, pointing it directly at Di Chen.

    A glint shed in Di Chen''s eyes. With a single hand gesture, he suddenly spat out a small crimson bird from his mouth. With a p of its wings, it expanded to ten feet long.

    Yuan Ming didn''t hesitate, silently performing a sword gesture with one hand to control the green flying sword towards Di Chen, while his other hand also performed a magic gesture, pointing towards Di Chen''s feet.

    In an instant, four or five green wooden dragons burst from the ground, lunging at Di Chen.

    Yet, Di Chen was not afraid. With a change of hand gesture, the crimson bird in the sky suddenly exploded, turning into dozens of ming swords that whistled down from the sky, pinning the wooden dragons to the ground.

    At the same time, a red long knife appeared in Di Chen''s other hand, which he used to engage the flying sword inbat.

    Seeing his attack easily blocked, Yuan Ming''s expression darkened. Di Chen, noticing his reaction, revealed a smug look but was suddenly startled.

    A chill crept up Di Chen''s back, and without thinking, he pped a talisman onto himself.

    The next moment, a red light shone brightly on his body, and the intense heat wave rippled out, deflecting the ck needle that had been aimed at his back.

    Had his reaction been a step slower, he would have been pierced by the ck needle.

    Di Chen looked at Yuan Ming with lingering fear and said, "Nice move."

    Yuan Ming did not reply, raising his hand to release the Vajra, while also preparing to cast another spell.

    But just then, Di Chen''s expression changed drastically. He immediately recalled the red long knife and released the chains binding Hua Zhi.

    "Today is your lucky day. We''ll fight another day," Di Chen said harshly, then took out a flying artifact and fled to the east.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming suspected a trick and did not pursue, nor did he let down his guard.

    After a long while, Di Chen did not return, nor did heunch a sneak attack.

    Yuan Ming was puzzled and was about to ask Hua Zhi for details when suddenly, another red light descended from the sky,nding in front of him.

    From within the red light, a capable-looking woman in a gold-edged, fire-patterned long dress with a ponytail emerged.

    Her skin was as wless as jade, her slender eyebrows sat above deep, starry eyes, and her red lips were as vibrant as a blooming lotus.

    Her hair color was simr to Di Chen''s, also ck with hints of red, but it did not appear mboyant; instead, it added a touch of valiant grace.

    She surveyed the surroundings, noticed the traces of Di Chen''s and Yuan Ming''s fight, and her eyebrows knitted slightly as she bowed to Yuan Ming.

    "May I ask, fellow Daoist, did you just engage in a fight with a man whose hair color is simr to mine?"

    "Indeed, he suddenly ran off to the east in the middle of the fight," Yuan Ming nodded.

    "Figures. My brother has caused you trouble. If you hold any grudges, please leave a message at the Five Elements Inn in Xiaohu City, and say you''re looking for Di Yue from Huoque Gate. Once I catch my brother, I will bring him to apologize in person." Before Di Yue could finish, she was already on her flying artifact, and by the time the word "apologize" fell, she had chased dozens of feet in the direction Di Chen had fled.

    Yuan Ming watched the rapidly disappearing red light, inwardly grumbling.

    He had inexplicably fought with someone, and although it hadn''t escted to real anger, the abruptness of it all left him feeling inexplicably frustrated. And this sister was so hasty, even her speech seemed rushed.

    But why had Huoque Gate, located in the eastern part of the Great Jin,e near Xiaohu City?

    As Yuan Ming pondered, he turned to Hua Zhi and said, "It seems your injuries are almost healed. Stay close to me for now to avoid being captured by other cultivators who mistake you for a beast."

    Hua Zhi wanted to retort that he wasn''t that weak, but having almost been captured again, he couldn''t voice his argument and could only nod in frustration.

    At that moment, from a nearby tree, Vajra leaped down, patted its chest at Hua Zhi, and let out an unmistakableugh:

    "Bean sprout, you almost got burned as firewood this time."

    "Monkey,e out and fight me if you dare!" Hua Zhi was furious, immediately baring his teeth and ws.

    "Enough, let''s head back," Yuan Ming said, and without waiting for a response, he tapped his storage bag at his waist, collecting both Hua Zhi and Vajra.

    Shaking his head, he then mounted his artifact and flew towards Xiaohu City.

    Monthster.

    Outside Xiaohu City, a continuous drizzle soaked the earth, and thunder rumbled through the clouds, lingering between heaven and earth.

    The usual gloomy weather, but today, aside from the dark clouds, there were streaks of light from flying artifacts crossing the sky,nding at the city gates like falling stars, transforming into cultivators of various attire.

    Under the azure protective barrier, Xiaohu City was exceptionally lively today.

    The streets were filled with more cultivators than usual, and amidst the surging crowd, many in light blue robes with a four-story tower emblem on their backs directed the flow of people, maintaining order in the city.

    These were the City Lord''s personal guards, usually responsible for defending the City Lord''s Mansion and rarely seen by the residents. Only on such important days would they appear on the streets, filling the gap left by the city guards and disying the majesty and order of the City Lord''s Mansion.

    On both sides of the street, shops hung flower decorations at their entrances and simultaneously offered discounts¡ªthis one 50% off, that one 40% off, all seemingly at great expense. However, few noticed that the original prices above their discounted rates seemed to be much higher than usual.

 Chapter 285: Recruit

    Chapter 285: Recruit

    On such a bustling day in Xiaohu City, Xuanhua Spiritual Incense Shop naturally opened early and hung a weing sign outside the door, offering not only discounts but also doubling the limited supply of spiritual incense. Yet, even so, by noon, the limited-stock spiritual incense had all sold out. Still, customers drawn by the shop''s reputation continued to stream in. Hu Tu and Muyang were busy all morning until the crowd thinned out at the beginning of the afternoon, finally giving them a chance to catch their breath and tally the ounts.

    After seeing off a customer, Hu Tu turned to find the shop less crowded and not in immediate need of his attention, so he leaned against the doorway to rest for a moment. He watched the lively scene on the street and the passing customers with a hint of envy in his eyes. "What''s this? You want to go out and enjoy yourself too?" Suddenly, Yuan Ming''s voice startled Hu Tu. "How could I neglect the shop at its busiest?" Hu Tu quickly waved his hands in dismissal.

    "Heh, you and Muyang have been working hard day in and day out. With the city''s grand event underway, it''s only right to give you some time off. For the next two days, you two can take turns managing the shop in the afternoon, leaving just one person on duty. I''ll also give you your monthly wages in advance. Go and buy whatever you wish," Yuan Ming said. Hu Tu''s face lit up with joy, and he bowed in thanks, but then his expression turned to worry as he whispered, "Boss, I''ve heard from customers that Changchun Temple has sent a Core Formation elder to hunt down Pu Zhengqing."

    Having dealt with cultivators in the shop over the years, Hu Tu had heard about Yuan Ming''s feud with Changchun Temple. Now, with a Core Formation cultivator from Changchun Temple in Xiaohu City, he couldn''t help but worry for Yuan Ming. "You needn''t worry about this matter. No one in the city knows I''m the hidden owner of Xuanhua Spiritual Incense Shop, and Changchun Temple won''t trace anything back to you," Yuan Ming reassured him. "Boss, you misunderstand. I''m concerned for your safety," Hu Tu quickly professed his loyalty. His current status and even his first steps on the path of immortality were all thanks to Yuan Ming''s support. Only if Yuan Ming was well would he be well. "I have it under control. Just keep the shop running smoothly; that''s a great help to me," Yuan Ming nodded. After giving Hu Tu a few more instructions, he left the shop.

    The Tianxiang Auction, held once every three years, attracted arge number of cultivators. However, not everyone could acquire their desired items at the auction. This situation allowed other shops in the city to seize the opportunity to offer discounts, and those who couldn''t find what they wanted at the auction would inevitably make a purchase or two. Over time, even cultivators without an invitation to the Tianxiang Auction woulde to the city during the event to take advantage of these rare discounts.

    Yuan Ming weaved through the crowd and soon stepped onto the pier of the city''ske, arriving at the central Baiyu Square on theke''s heart. The water pool in the center of the square shone brightly as usual. Yuan Ming looked up for a moment before walking over. Two cultivators dressed in guard uniforms stood on either side of the tall building''s entrance, their spiritual energy fluctuations indicating they were at the early stages of Foundation Establishment. Yuan Ming approached them and presented his invitation, which the guards didn''t even bother to check before stepping aside. "Fellow Daoist, please enter. Before the auction officially starts, you''re free to explore the building, and if you need assistance or have any questions, you can consult the patrolling guards inside."

    With the Foundation Establishment guard''s reminder, Yuan Ming pocketed his invitation, nodded, and passed through the gates into the building. His view instantly widened to reveal a vast hall with a giant column at its center stretching up to the ceiling. Numerous suspended walkways extended from the column, connecting it to different floors. Standing at the entrance and looking up, it resembled a giant ancient tree without leaves, its branches supporting the entire structure. Yuan Ming nced around and saw that aside from the giant column, the first floor was lined with neatly arranged wooden stalls, some with owners already disying items for sale, while others remained empty.

    He stopped a passing guard and learned that the first floor was specifically designated for cultivators to set up their own stalls. However, they didn''t need to hawk their wares themselves, as the Tianxiang Auction had arranged for staff to handle sales, and in case of any loss, fullpensation would be provided to the cultivators. Yuan Ming browsed the stalls, finding the items for sale to be of mixed quality, with most stalls primarily seeking to purchase rather than sell. He quickly lost interest and headed towards the giant column, only noticing upon closer inspection that there were several small doors at its base, each leading to a spiritual elevator he had seen in teahouses before, with spirit stones fitted into the walls'' array patterns and floor numbers marked.

    Yuan Ming entered a spiritual elevator and pressed the spirit stone marked with the number two. The elevator smoothly ascended within the column, bringing him to the suspended walkway connected to the second floor. It was then that Yuan Ming realized that, unlike the first floor, the other floors appeared to be circr in design, essible both by spiritual elevator and suspended walkway. The second floor, unlike the first, hadrge disy stands lining the walls, each decorated in distinct regional and sect styles. To Yuan Ming''s left was a stand themed with lush flowers and greenery, with tender vines covering every corner, and on the walls,rge pink blossoms bloomed, their pistils covered with round ss domes, each containing various softly glowing elixirs, a sight quite intriguing.Yuan Ming approached curiously, only to discover that the stand belonged to Shengye Sect, with many of its disciples milling about, including Luo Xing''er. She was not dressed in the sect''s disciple attire but in a carefully tailored light green gown, the skirt billowing like lotus leaves in a pond, a sheer ribbon tied around her slender waist, and a piece of green jade hanging from the end of a white silk ribbon, peeking out from the folds of her skirt like a boat in a lotus pond. Hearing someone approach, Luo Xing''er looked up, and upon seeing Yuan Ming, her face lit up with joy, and she hurried over to him.

    "Ah... It''s Senior Ha Gong. Are you here for the Tianxiang Auction too?" Yuan Ming nodded, surveying the stand: "I happen to have an invitation, so I came to have a look. What are you selling here?" "These are elixirs developed by our sect''s elders from ancient forms. If Senior Ha Gong is interested, let me introduce them to you," Luo Xing''er offered. Yuan Ming was about to decline when he suddenly heard someone behind him ask, "Are you Ha Gong?" He turned to see a kindly old man with white hair and beard, smiling broadly, his eyes crinkled into lines. Behind the old man stood four Foundation Establishment cultivators, all dressed alike, some of whom Yuan Ming even recognized as the Changchun Temple cultivators he had met at the Scattered Cultivators Association with Lu Shen.

    Luo Xing''er recognized these people too, and her whole body stiffened, her grip on Yuan Ming''s arm tightening nervously. Yuan Ming smiled, patted the back of her hand, and withdrew his arm, giving her a reassuring look before bowing to the old man. "I am indeed Ha Gong. May I ask who the senior is?" The old man, a Core Formation cultivator, replied with a smile, "I am Zuo Qinghui, an elder of Changchun Temple. I am here to eradicate the evil soul cultivator Pu Zhengqing. Our disciples here have already mentioned your name to me. I had intended to contact you through Shengye Sect, but I didn''t expect to meet you here." "Senior Zuo is too kind. May I inquire as to why you are seeking me?" Yuan Ming asked. "Nothing serious, just wanted to ask about the details of your encounter with Pu Zhengqing. But now that I see you, you''re even younger than I imagined. With such talent, it''s a waste to remain a scattered cultivator. Would you consider joining Changchun Temple to help us eliminate Pu Zhengqing?" Zuo Qinghui proposed.

    "Senior''s offer honors me greatly, but I am ustomed to my freedom and do not wish to join a sect at this time. Please forgive me," Yuan Ming replied. At his words, Zuo Qinghui remained silent, but someone behind him showed anger. "Ha Gong, think it over carefully. Many people wish to join our Changchun Temple but have no way in. If you refuse today, don''t regret itter." Yuan Ming was unmoved, not even ncing at the man, his gaze still on Zuo Qinghui. Unlike his disciples, Zuo Qinghui was not angered but maintained his smile.

    "Perhaps you fear that as a scattered cultivator, joining a sect would lead to exclusion. You need not worry about that. My invitation is not just to recruit talent but also because I see potential in you and wish to find a personal disciple. If you agree, from then on, you will be my disciple, Zuo Qinghui, and no one in the sect will dare trouble you."

    Hearing Zuo Qinghui''s words, his disciples were astonished, and the nearby Shengye Sect disciples were filled with envy. However, Yuan Ming''s stance remained firm: "I already have a master and cannot change allegiance. Please forgive me." Now, even Zuo Qinghui''s smile faded slightly, and his Changchun Temple disciples were visibly angry. "The recent censorship is severe, giving us more motivation to update faster. Please take a moment to exit reading mode. Thank you."

    Some people die, but they are notpletely dead...

 Chapter 286: Heavy armor

    Chapter 286: Heavy armor

    Since that''s the case, I won''t insist further. However, before the auction ends, if you change your mind, you can stille to find me. But once the auction is over, I won''t give you another chance. Remember this well. After Zuo Qinghui finished speaking, he turned and left with his disgruntled disciples from Changchun Temple. As soon as he left, Luo Xing''er grabbed Yuan Ming''s arm and pouted, "Senior, Changchun Temple is really overbearing. Will they target you?" "No!" Yuan Ming shook his head with a smile, "Don''t worry. As long as I stay within Xiaohu City, what can they do to me?"

    "They just want to use me to capture Pu Zhengqing, especially since I survived a fight with him." "You''re right, but publicly refusing an elder from Changchun Temple has cost them face, and there will be trouble eventually." Hearing this voice, Luo Xing''er turned around joyfully, "Grandmaster Song." Yuan Ming looked up and saw a young female cultivator dressed in a in long skirt with a hairpin, beautiful as jade and fragrant as flowers. Despite her simple attire, she radiated an undeniable brilliance. Luo Xing''er''s call of ''Grandmaster'' reminded Yuan Ming of her identity; she was his grandmother''s master, Elder Song Huitong of Shengye Sect, who was actually at least two to three hundred years old but somehow maintained her youthful appearance.

    Yuan Ming immediately greeted her with a bow, and Song Huitong waved her hand, asking, "I''ve heard from Fen Yun that you''re a decisive person. Now that you''ve refused Brother Zuo, you must have your ns, right? You saved Xing''er and have a deep connection with Fen Yun. It''s only right that we help you. If there''s anything you need, feel free to tell me." "Thank you for your kind offer, Elder. I do have a favor to ask. In myst fight with Pu Zhengqing, my magical artifact was nearly depleted. I''m looking to rece it. Do you know any artifact refiners who can upgrade top-grade magical artifacts to supreme-grade? Could you rmend one to me?" Yuan Ming didn''t hesitate to ask directly.

    Song Huitong pondered for a moment and nodded, "This matter is neither difficult nor easy. The person I know is quite peculiar. Even with a rmendation, whether they''ll refine for you depends on your own persuasion." "If Elder can make the rmendation, I would be eternally grateful, sessful or not," Yuan Ming said earnestly. After speaking with Yuan Ming, Song Huitong left alone, and Yuan Ming wandered around the Shengye Sect''s booth for a while before leaving. Besides Shengye Sect, there were many other booths from sects Yuan Ming had never heard of, and he was greatly enlightened. Passing by a booth decorated with a zing phoenix, Yuan Ming encountered two cultivators he had met once before.

    Di Chen was still wearing his red dragon robe but now hung his head in dejection, while Di Yue, with her red lips and white teeth, stood with hands on hips, seemingly scolding her brother. Perhaps sensing Yuan Ming''s gaze, Di Yue suddenly looked up, and upon seeing him, her face lit up with joy. "Fellow Daoist, over here." Di Yue waved at Yuan Ming, her ck and red ponytail swaying with a dash of heroism. Hearing his sister''s call, Di Chen looked up and nced at Yuan Ming. Unlike his sister, Di Chen seemed to ignore Yuan Ming, but upon seeing the joy on his sister''s face, his eyes shifted from confusion to wariness. Yuan Ming couldn''t ignore Di Yue''s warm demeanor and approached the siblings at their booth.

    "Fellow Daoist, didn''t I tell you to leave a message at the Five Elements Inn in the city? Why haven''t you contacted me for so long? I was worried you had left Leizhou," Di Yue said. "Ha Gong," Yuan Ming gave his usual alias. "You''re that Ha Gong? The one who repelled Pu Zhengqing?" Di Chen suddenly remembered. Yuan Ming nodded, and Di Yue eximed in surprise, "I didn''t expect you to be Fellow Daoist Ha Gong. I must thank you for showing mercyst time and sparing my brother some dignity." "Sister, why do you keep bringing up the past? You''ve mentioned it several times," Di Chen said impatiently.

    Di Yue''s eyebrows rose in anger, "I have to tell you, with your attitude, who knows how many people you''ll offend in the future! It was just a sparring match, and at the time, I didn''t know you were Ha Gong, the one who defeated Pu Zhengqing. I thought, how could that vine monster be so powerful? I didn''t even use my full strengthst time. Let''s have a rematch outside the cityter; I want to see just how strong someone who can defeat soul cultivators really is!" Di Chen suddenly realized and then excitedly prepared to challenge Yuan Ming. But in the next instant, with a light p, Di Yue gently hit Di Chen on the head and gave Yuan Ming an apologetic look. "Sorry, Fellow Daoist Ha Gong, my brother has been spoiled and loves to cause trouble and fight. Please don''t take his words to heart."

    Yuan Ming nodded, his thoughts drifting to the carefree cultivator he had met in the Southern Border. Di Yue apologized to Yuan Ming and then resumed her stern demeanor, scolding Di Chen fiercely. Di Chen seemed a bit wronged but apologized to Yuan Ming under his sister''s coercion. Yuan Mingughed it off, not minding at all, but Di Yue said, "Fellow Daoist Ha Gong, to show our sincerity, if you see anything you like at our Huoque Gate booth today, I''ll give you a 20% discount. Please don''t refuse."

    Hearing this, Di Chen was not pleased, but he didn''t dare to contradict Di Yue openly. After hesitating, his eyes suddenly brightened. "Sister, there''s no need to trouble yourself. I have a protective magical artifact here that I don''t need right now and want to sell. I can just sell it to Fellow Daoist Ha Gong at a discount as an apology." Saying this, he took out a wooden box as tall as a person from his storage ring and ced it on the ground with a thud, opening the lid. Di Yue looked surprised, while Yuan Ming curiously examined the magical artifact Di Chen had brought out. It was a full-body armor made of fine steel, polished to a mirror finish that could reflect a person''s image. The joints seemed to have been specially treated to ensure flexibility withoutpromising defense. The armor was a top-grade magical artifact with three different runes carved on it. Yuan Ming recognized only one, the rare and more precious than the solid rune, the perfect rune. Just this one rune could increase the armor''s defense by more than fifty percent. Yuan Ming was somewhat moved by Di Chen''s willingness to sell such a precious item.But the armor seemed too heavy; wearing it inbat would be quite inconvenient. "How many spirit stones for this?" Yuan Ming asked. "Hehe, if Fellow Daoist Ha Gong likes it, just two thousand spirit stones. Let''s consider it a friendship price. Our Huoque Gate has some expertise in artifact refining, and this magical artifact was made with great effort. I personally refined it using materials I gathered myself. It''s a pity I don''t have much use for it and can''t bear to let it gather dust. If you like it, two thousand spirit stones, no, one thousand eight hundred." Di Chen suddenly became eloquent. Yuan Ming hesitated for a moment, but seeing Di Chen''s sincere face and needing a top-grade defensive magical artifact, he decided to buy the armor. Just then, Di Yue interjected, "Wait, Ah Chen, which three runes did you use on this armor?" "Naturally, the stable, perfect, and arrow-avoiding runes," Di Chen replied with a sheepish smile. Di Yue''s eyebrows furrowed, "Are you sure it''s the stable rune, not the thousand-pound rune? Did you refine this armor for people to wear? With this weight, one would copse from exhaustion during a fight!"

    Yuan Ming chuckled upon realizing the situation and looked at Di Chen. "Sister, you can''t say that. But indeed, the defense is very strong; I''ve already tested it," Di Chen said, feigning innocence. "You''re clearly trying to deceive someone," Di Yue red at Di Chen, then turned to Yuan Ming, "Sorry, Fellow Daoist Ha Gong, if you need a top-grade defensive magical artifact, I can personally refine one for you. This armor isn''t suitable for you." Unexpectedly, Yuan Ming shook his head, satisfied, and patted the wooden box, "No need, I really like this piece of armor from Brother Di Chen. Let''s make it one thousand spirit stones, and let Di Chen take a bit of a loss." "Deal!" Di Chen immediately agreed, surprised that Ha Gong was not only unsophisticated but also wealthy. Yuan Ming didn''t buy the armor to test his own strength, but for his spirit pet Vajra, who could truly live up to the phrase ''born with divine strength.'' As a physical cultivator, Vajra''s natural strength was far beyond ordinary, and now with this armor, few could break through his defenses. The only downside was that the armor was designed for a normal human body, with only two arm guards, and would need some modifications to fit Vajra better.

    Not wanting to trouble others further, Yuan Ming asked, "Could you add two more armholes to this armor?" Before Di Chen could reply, Di Yue volunteered, "That''s an easy fix. Leave it to me." "That would be wonderful. I wouldn''t dare refuse such enthusiasm from Fellow Daoist Di Yue," Yuan Ming replied. "There''s another matter I''d like to ask for your help with. My brother and I came to Xiaohu City for the auction and to ask the Tian San Alliance to investigate the disappearance of our sect''s disciples on their way from Zhao Country to the Northern Wastes," Di Yue exined. "The recent crackdown has only motivated us to update faster. Please take a moment to exit reading mode. Thank you."

    Some people die, but notpletely...

 Chapter 287: Puppet hosting

    Chapter 287: Puppet hosting

    "Lost contact in the Northern Wastes? Could Brother Di Yue borate?" Yuan Ming inquired upon hearing this.

    "About a year ago, three of our Foundation Establishment disciples'' life tokens shattered simultaneously. Our sect dispatched people to investigate immediately. However, the clues we found wereplex and tangled, leading us to a rtively clear conclusion: they had all appeared in Xiaohu City. Coincidentally, the Tianxiang Auction was about to convene, so our sect sent a Nascent Soul elder along with us disciples to continue the investigation here," Di Yue exined.

    "The disappearance of Foundation Establishment disciples, I doubt it has much to do with Pu Zhengqing. Since you only know they appeared in Xiaohu City, why proceed to investigate in the Northern Wastes?" Yuan Ming thought of Sha Hao subconsciously but immediately dismissed the idea.

    "After a thorough investigation, we found that the three disciples only stayed in Xiaohu City for a few days before heading to Zhao Country. Based on other clues we discovered, they most likely ended up in the Northern Wastes. Brother Ha-Gong seems suitable; could you assist us in this matter? Should we seed, we will surely not treat you poorly," Di Yue said.

    "Since your sect has already dispatched a Nascent Soul elder to handle this, why seek the involvement of someone at the Foundation Establishment stage like myself?" Yuan Ming tilted his head, pondering, then asked nomittally.

    "The journey to the Northern Wastes may present many uncertainties. It''s better to have a few skilledpanions rather than many. Brother Ha-Gong, having defeated Pu Zhengqing, is a rare match among his peers. With your help, it would indeed be like adding wings to a tiger," Di Yue said with delight.

    "To be frank, I am currently unable to spare the time, so I''m afraid I can''t be of assistance to Brother Di Yue," Yuan Ming pondered for a moment before shaking his head.

    Di Yue''s face showed disappointment, but her attitude towards Yuan Ming remained unchanged, "No matter, I will have the armor modified for you in the next few days. Please leave a contact method, and I will have someone deliver it to you."

    "Then please have it sent to Qingmu Tower, just say it''s for Ha-Gong to store temporarily," Yuan Ming nodded, giving a location. With Ha-Gong''s identity currently attracting attention, it was better to avoid trouble by not involving Xuanhua Spiritual Incense Shop.Di Yue didn''t mind and simply stated that Yuan Ming could retrieve the armor within seven days.

    After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Yuan Ming then turned and left.

    Originally, he had thought to ask Huoque Gate, known for their artifact refining, to help craft top-grade magical artifacts. However, firstly, he had already agreed to have Song Huitong introduce him, and secondly, having declined Di Yue''s invitation, she had already agreed to optimize his heavy armor, and he did not wish to owe more favors.

    After leaving the Huoque Gate booth, Yuan Ming continued to casually stroll around the building.

    Soon, a clear chime of a bell suddenly rang out within the building, followed by a resonant voice echoing throughout the high-rise.

    "The time hase, the Tianxiang Auction is about to begin. Please take the Spiritual Elevator to the main auction venue," Yuan Ming heard and quickly followed the crowd towards the Spiritual Elevator. Before long, he was transported to a spacious hall.

    In the hall, several city lords'' personal guards stood at the exit of the Spiritual Elevator, politely requesting invitations from each arriving cultivator.

    Yuan Ming handed his invitation to one of the guards, who briefly inspected it before handing Yuan Ming a token, "This bidding token will be usedter for making offers. Please keep it safe and remember to return it when you leave."

    "Next, please head north and take the Spiritual Elevator there to the venue."

    Yuan Ming pocketed the token and, following the guard''s directions, boarded another Spiritual Elevator. As it ascended, after an indeterminate amount of time, Yuan Ming suddenly saw specks of starlight before his eyes.

    Then, a colossal domed hall suddenly appeared before him. The floor of the hall was uneven, resembling arge bowl with towering sides and a sunken center.

    Yuan Ming now stood at the very edge of the hall, the highest point, with a long staircase walkway in front of him leading down to the lowest point at the center of the hall.

    There was a tform there, currently empty and devoid of anything.

    Along the walkway, intricately carved wooden seats with borate patterns were arranged in rows down the steps, each set apart by a distance from the next.

    Yuan Ming looked around and casually chose a seat with a good view to sit down.

    No sooner had he settled into his seat than he looked up inadvertently and noticed that above the many seats, there were several independent levels.

    Not only were there seats, but there were also small tables with fruits, and maids in simple long dresses holding tea, serving those seated above. The treatment was several times better than the seats below.

    "Wow, if only one day I could sit up there, that would be great," Yuan Ming heard a voice and turned to see a corpulent cultivator with no visible neck due to his obesity, taking a seat beside him.

    The plump cultivator saw Yuan Ming looking and immediately greeted him cheerfully, "I am Wang Chongshan, leader of the Shuangwang Alliance. May I ask how to address Brother...?"

    "Ha-Gong," Yuan Ming nodded, returning the greeting.

    Wang Chongshan''s eyes lit up, "So you''re Brother Ha-Gong, I''ve heard much about you. With your status, you should qualify for a private box seat. Why are you sitting here?"

    "This is my first time at the Tianxiang Auction; I didn''t know how to ess a private box," Yuan Ming admitted.

    "Oh, I see. Brother Ha-Gong, have you not yet joined any alliance? The private box seats at the Tianxiang Auction, aside from those reserved for the major sects, are allocated to well-known alliance leaders and Nascent Soul independent cultivators. I had assumed someone of your strength would have already been recruited by an alliance, but it turns out you''re still unaffiliated," Wang Chongshan realized.

    "I prefer not to be constrained, so I haven''t thought about joining any particr power," Yuan Ming replied.

    "I must say a few words about that. You seem to have some misconceptions about alliances. Alliances are very different from sects and cultivation families! Although an alliance is a power, it doesn''t bind its members. They are only called together for missions, and once a mission ispleted and the rewards distributed, members are free to leave. It''s very flexible, and you can even join several alliances at once," Wang Chongshan exined.

    "If it''s so loose, then what''s the point of forming an alliance?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "Think about it, Brother Ha-Gong. When a group of strangerse together for a mission, there''s no coordination, and you have to be wary of someone stabbing you in the back. But it''s different with an alliance. The longer it''s established, the more familiar the members be with each other. Not only do they work together seamlessly, but the distribution of resources and rewards is also fair. Most importantly, an alliance has a reputation. They won''t take a deposit and fail to do the job, so most cultivators and sects go directly to reliable alliances when looking for people to undertake missions. Only tasks with lower rewards or those that don''t require many people are posted publicly," Wang Chongshan borated.

    "There''s also the situation where an alliance takes on a mission but doesn''t have enough people avable at the time. In that case, they''ll post the mission and recruit other independent cultivators, but the rewards for these tasks are set by the alliance and are generally lower than what the alliance initially received," Wang Chongshan added.

    Although Yuan Ming had a general understanding of this from his time in the Southern Border, having it confirmed by a cultivator from the Central ins showed that the understanding of alliances was consistent in both regions. He nodded to Wang Chongshan in thanks.

    As he conversed with Wang Chongshan, other cultivators also gradually entered the venue, filling the seats. Even the private boxes above had people taking their ces. Suddenly, a melodious string music began to y, and the noisy venue gradually quieted down.

    Under the watchful eyes of the many cultivators, a young woman in a goose-yellow long dress with fair skin and a beautiful appearance ascended from the center stage of the venue.

    Yuan Ming''s eyes widened at the sight of the woman, not because of her identity, but because her joints had very obvious seams.

    Although she looked lifelike, as if real, everyone present could tell that she was merely a puppet powered by spirit stones.

    "Firstly, I''d like to thank all the seniors for attending this Tianxiang Auction. My name is Kui Jiu, and I am the host of this auction. As you can see, I am a spirit stone puppet. With me presiding, there will be no mistakes during the auction process. This is personally guaranteed by City Lord Lu, with no falsehood," Kui Jiu said.

    She bowed to the audience, her speech clear and coherent. If not for the seams at her joints, no one would guess that such a vividly alive woman was just a puppet driven by spirit stones.

    Kui Jiu continued to introduce the auction rules from the tform.

    "This auction will use an anonymous bidding system. If any of you are interested in an item, you can make an offer using the token given to you upon entry. After I receive the message, I will announce the highest bid to everyone. If there are identical offers, I will also make that clear. Without further ado, please look at the first auction item!" As Kui Jiu''s voice fell, a stone tform behind her slowly rose.

    She took a nanmu box from the tform, covered with a golden turtle goose velvet cloth, opened it, and disyed the jade slip inside to everyone.

    "This jade slip contains the core technique ''Crimson Fire Heart Method'' of Zhao Country''s Fire Yuan Sect. As you may know, Fire Yuan Sect was once considered one of Zhao Country''s top sects alongside Wulei Sect."

    "Unfortunately, after the sect''s ancestor passed away, no one else advanced to the Elemental Infant stage, and they fell from the ranks of top sects. However, the ''Crimson Fire Heart Method,'' as the main cultivation technique of the sect''s ancestor, retains its value. Moreover, this auction item is theplete ''Crimson Fire Heart Method,'' not missing a single word, including the Nascent Soul stage cultivation methods."

    "With such a technique, a small sect could be transformed, allowing disciples with spiritual roots to save at least fifty years of detours, saving a great deal of cultivation time and resources. The starting bid is only 20,000 spirit stones. Please feel free to bid!"

 Chapter 288: Water Crown Tree

    Chapter 288: Water Crown Tree

    Yuan Ming listened to the introduction and was astonished. The auction had barely started, and already the "Crimson Fire Heart Method," a core technique of a sect, was up for bid.

    He remembered when he had possessed Wu Lu''s body and saw him ept a mission from his n to steal the "Crimson Fire Heart Method."

    Wu Lu had seeded!

    Yuan Ming worried for Wu Lu. He didn''t know much about the Fire Yuan Sect, but it was a sect with a rich heritage. Now, their core technique was being openly auctioned at the Tianxiang Auction. Wasn''t Wu Lu''s family afraid of attracting trouble?

    As he pondered this, a red-faced elder in brocade stood up in the box, cupped his hands towards the entire venue, and announced loudly:

    "I am Luo Tian, an elder of the Fire Yuan Sect. Unfortunately, a traitor recently stole our sect''s technique and put it up for auction. I ask my fellow cultivators to show some consideration and refrain from bidding. Our sect will offer a token of gratitude afterward."

    "Heh, no wonder the Tianxiang Auction is using anonymous bidding. They''re setting up the Fire Yuan Sect. This is going to be interesting," Wang Chongshan chuckled, clearly enjoying the drama. He turned to Yuan Ming and said:

    "I''ve heard that the Lord of Xiaohu City had a grudge with the Fire Yuan Sect before reaching the Elemental Infant stage. The specifics are unclear now, but it''s said that he yed a significant role in the sect''s rapid decline. This time, the true organizer behind the Tianxiang Auction is him. He deliberately ced the Fire Yuan Sect''s technique first to stir up excitement and to spite them. But I reckon in the end, it''ll just cost the sect a fortune. The technique likely won''t fall into others'' hands. Otherwise, if other sects suffer the same fate, the city lord will have a hard time."

    "So, ording to Brother Wang, the technique might have been stolen by someone hired by the city lord?" Yuan Ming asked knowingly."Most likely. But if it''s investigated, it''ll definitely have nothing to do with the city lord. Brother Ha Gong, you might not see this often, but in the Central ins or elsewhere, there''s never a shortage of people willing to do the dirty work. With enoughyers of outsourcing, the ones who actually do the job probably don''t even know what they''re doing. Even if caught, they couldn''t reveal the mastermind," Wang Chongshan exined.

    Meanwhile, Luo Tian''s statement seemed to have little effect. The price called out by the auctioneer kept climbing, never pausing, and Luo Tian''s expression grew increasingly grim as he kept bidding.

    "...Twenty-one thousand four hundred spirit stones, is there a higher bid?" After calling out another price, the auctioneer looked around, waited a moment, then nodded, closed the wooden box, and ced it back on the stone tform.

    Seeing this, Luo Tian breathed a sigh of relief, turned, and left the box without wanting to stay a moment longer.

    Yuan Ming wasn''t sure if twenty-one thousand four hundred spirit stones was expensive for a technique that could be cultivated to the Core Formation stage, but for the Fire Yuan Sect, no amount of spirit stones was too much to prevent the spread of their technique.

    Once the Tianxiang Auction ended, the news would spread, and many would surelyugh at the sect''s expense.

    The Lord of Xiaohu City''s move was a tant scheme, trampling both the dignity and substance of the Fire Yuan Sect. His Elemental Infant stage strength made the sect dare not speak out.

    In the world of cultivation, strength was still the ultimate arbiter.

    Yuan Ming sighed and refocused on the auction.

    "Next up is the second item of the auction, three pieces of Moon Concealing Cold Iron, taken from..."

    On stage, the auctioneer presented one unique item after another, including spiritual materials, elixirs, magical artifacts, and talismans. She praised each one extravagantly, as if missing out on them would be a regret in life.

    Under her lead, many items sold for at least twenty percent above the usual price. Despite the anonymous bidding and no public callouts, the atmosphere grew hotter, surprising Yuan Ming.

    But soon, he noticed something.

    The auctioneer''s voice changed subtly with each bid, sounding as if different people were bidding. Additionally, the venue seemed to have special instruments continuously ying string music, weaving the auctioneer''s voice into a seamless flow, clearly disrupting normal thinking and fueling the fervor.

    Yuan Ming, however, remained clear-headed. He showed interest in a few items and joined the bidding but stopped as soon as the price exceeded his expectations.

    Thus, halfway through the auction, he hadn''t won a single item.

    But as the auctioneer lifted another item from the rising stone tform, Yuan Ming suddenly sat up straight.

    "The next itemes from the Xuanhua Spiritual Incense Shop in Xiaohu City."

    "These three sticks of incense I hold are the shop''s secret form for enchanting incense, made from extremely rare materials. Remarkably, when lit, they release no spiritual energy fluctuations and arepletely silent."

    A murmur ran through the crowd at her words, and some began to whisper among themselves.

    "Anyone who inhales the smoke will fall unconscious in a short time, even if they are at the Foundation Establishment stage, leaving them at the mercy of others. The only downside is that the incense is less effective in open spaces. How to use it is up to the individual. At the request of the Xuanhua Spiritual Incense Shop owner, only three sticks will be sold at this auction, each starting at one hundred spirit stones. Due to limited materials, this enchanting incense is not sold in the shop."

    No sooner had the auctioneer finished her introduction than she quickly said, "Alright, a bid of one hundred and ten spirit stones has already been made... It seems many are interested in this incense, the price has risen to one hundred and twenty spirit stones, no, one hundred and fifty. Any more bids?"

    Yuan Ming listened to the changing prices and a smile appeared on his face.

    Soon, the three sticks of enchanting incense he had put up for auction were sold, fetching higher prices than expected. Aftermission, heted nearly six hundred spirit stones.

    Yuan Ming''s incense had proven effective in actualbat. Now, he put it up for auction to test its value. Making extra spirit stones was secondary; his main goal was to capitalize on the gathering of cultivators in the city to establish the reputation of the Xuanhua Spiritual Incense Shop.

    On the high tform, after selling Yuan Ming''s spiritual incense, the auctioneer immediately presented the next item.

    "The following item is perhaps the most special of this auction."

    As she spoke, she opened the box holding the item and disyed its contents.

    Insidey a vibrant green wooden stump, freshly cut yet showing no signs of decay or wilting. On one side of the stump, several small, uneven buds were sprouting, emitting a faint glow, appearing quite magical.

    "This stump once hosted five Purple Wood Mushrooms, which grew alongside it. Not only are the mushrooms themselves of exceptional medicinal quality, but the stump, imbued with their essence, is filled with vigorous life. The mushrooms have been harvested, and after special treatment, this stump has be an excellent spiritual material, particrly suitable for refining wooden magical artifacts. Most notably, it has been identified as a thousand-year-old spiritual wood," the auctioneer exined enthusiastically.

    This was the first thousand-year-old spiritual material to appear at the auction, and all the cultivators fixed their eyes on the item in the auctioneer''s hands, their eager gazes as if they wished to swallow the stump whole.

    Just then, from a private box, a hoarse voice of an elder said, "The introduction of this item seems iplete, doesn''t it? If I''m not mistaken, this stumpes from a thousand-year-old Water Crown Tree, which contains conflicting water and wood spiritual energies, making it impossible to use as the main material for refining artifacts!"

    "Senior Song indeed has keen eyesight. However, after a thousand years, even if it cannot be used as the main material for artifact refining, it still holds value as a supplement for upgrading high-quality artifacts, especially since everyone here is an elite from various fields who might find even more ingenious uses for it. Therefore, the starting bid for this item is set at three thousand spirit stones, which is quite fair," the auctioneer admitted and then exined, quickly stating the starting price.

    After hearing her, the cultivators regained theirposure and began to discuss among themselves.

    Yuan Ming learned from the discussions that the Water Crown Tree was a very special spiritual wood. As the elder in the box had said, it possessed both water and wood spiritual energies that were always in conflict. Despite its age, using it as the main material for artifact refining was not valuable since the artifact would likely be ruined during the process. Its medicinal value wasn''t high either, and using a thousand-year-old spiritual wood as a supplement was too extravagant when there were other alternatives.

    The auctioneer began the bidding after the discussions died down, but this time the room was unexpectedly quiet, with no bids for a long time.

    "It seems that our fellow cultivators are not very interested in this spiritual wood. No matter, there are still many treasures waiting for you. So, I dere this auction... wait, someone has bid three thousand spirit stones! Three thousand spirit stones for the first time, any other bids? Three thousand spirit stones for the second time..." Just as the auctioneer was about to dere the item unsold, she paused and then continued.

    However, herst efforts were in vain. Aside from the anonymous cultivator who bid the reserve price at thest moment, everyone else watched with indifference, and no one followed with a bid.

    In the end, the thousand-year-old Water Crown Tree spiritual wood was sold at the reserve price of three thousand spirit stones.

 Chapter 289: Self-auctioning

    Chapter 289: Self-auctioning

    Upon hearing the final bid for the auction item, Yuan Ming, seated among the audience, revealed a faint smile on his face as he slightly lifted his palm from the bidding token he had just used.

    These bidding tokens were specially crafted treasures that, with a small infusion of magical power, could silently ce a bid, thus protecting the bidder''s privacy.

    Three thousand spirit stones were neither exorbitant nor a small sum for a millennium-old piece of spiritual wood, nearly the entire fortune of an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator, enough to exchange for at least two superior-grade treasures.

    However, to most people, the Water Crown Tree''s spiritual wood seemed somewhat superfluous, and after some consideration, most cultivators would refrain from bidding.

    But for Yuan Ming, he didn''t mind whether the spiritual energy contained within the Water Crown Tree conflicted with his own; as long as it was ancient enough, he could use it to make incense, significantly extending the duration of the spiritual incense''s effects.

    Yuan Ming estimated that if this piece of spiritual wood were of another wood attribute, it would be one of the top choices for a Nascent Soul cultivator to craft the embryo of a treasure. If it were up for auction, he would likely have to spend tens of thousands of spirit stones to have a chance of acquiring it, and it might even be priceless in the outside world.

    At this price, it was merely a month or two''s profit from his incense shop, so acquiring it was a win for him.

    With his acquisition secured, Yuan Ming felt a surge of excitement and newfound anticipation for the uing auction items.

    As the auction neared its end, Kui Jiu finally presented the first show-stopping item of the event."Speaking of formations, do you think first of the Dust Kun Sect of Kingdom Chu or the Red Lotus Isle of the Southern Border? The debate over which is the foremost in formations has never been settled. However, if we''re talking about the most outstanding formation against Foundation Establishment cultivators, aside from Master Xiao Zhang''s Whirling Wind Illusion Formation from Red Lotus Isle, there''s hardly a second option."

    "Today, our establishment is honored to receive amission from Master Xiao Zhang to auction histest masterpiece¡ªthe Molten Gold and Severing Water Formation."

    "This formation integrates offense and defense. Once deployed, anyone without a formation token who wields a treasure will attract scorching mes, while casting spells will draw in the force of weak water, melting treasures and draining spiritual power, hence the name ''Molten Gold and Severing Water.''"

    "After our testing, even a Nascent Soul cultivator would be hindered within this formation, requiring some effort to escape, let alone an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator. The value of this item speaks for itself. The bidding starts at three thousand spirit stones."

    Before Kui Jiu could finish, eager cultivators began to bid, driving the price of the formation steadily higher, quickly surpassing five thousand and heading straight for eight thousand.

    Yuan Ming was somewhat tempted after hearing the introduction, but upon reflection, he already possessed two sets of formations, and while he was wealthy, he had yet to secure a top-grade magical artifact. Purchasing this formation might affect his ability to buy top-grade magical artifactster on.

    In the end, the Molten Gold and Severing Water Formation was sessfully auctioned for eleven thousand spirit stones, and the atmosphere in the venue grew even more fervent.

    Seizing the moment, Kui Jiu presented another masterpiece.

    "The next item up for auction is a top-grade magical artifact crafted by Master Xu Xinyang of Zhao Country, the Flowing Cloud Ruler, engraved with the runes of Speed, Stealth, Indestructibility, and Solidity. Once activated, it moves with incredible speed, appearing and disappearing without a trace, and its attacks are powerful enough to easily destroy treasures of superior grade or below, and even hold its own against other top-grade magical artifacts."

    "Master Xu Xinyang''s skill is well-known to all. To date, he has crafted eleven top-grade magical artifacts, each of exceptional quality, with eight of them having been elevated to the status of treasures. The starting bid for this Flowing Cloud Ruler is six thousand."

    Below, Yuan Ming eyed the pristine white jade ruler in Kui Jiu''s hand with a conflicted look.

    The magical artifact was very much to his liking, but in practice, it was quite simr to his ck Needle, both employing the strategy of concealment and surprise.

    Thus, if he were to purchase this top-grade magical artifact, and if he continued to refine his ck Needle, he would end up with two top-grade treasures.

    However, while he was pondering, Kui Jiu''s bidding climbed to ten thousand spirit stones, and it looked set to increase further. Suddenly, from a private room above the venue, a burly middle-aged man with a rough appearance stood up. Without using any magical power, his voice carried to every corner of the venue.

    "Among those interested in this treasure, if anyone has millennium-old spiritual wood and is willing to trade, we can calcte the current bid of eight thousand six hundred spirit stones, deduct the value of the spiritual wood, and refund or supplement the difference in spirit stones. This magical artifact will be yours."

    Yuan Ming looked up to see a man with a tiger-like face, round eyes wide as bells, a mouth as wide as a palm, and ck hair standing on end, connected to the whiskers on his cheeks, giving him a fierce appearance.

    From his words, it seemed that this man was the Xu Xinyang that Kui Jiu had mentioned.

    Suddenly, Xu Xinyang''s ears twitched as if someone wasmunicating with him through a secret message. After a moment, a satisfied smile spread across his face.

    "Good, the offer is fair. You there, Kui Jiu, is it? No need to continue this auction. Hurry up and bring out the next item."

    On the stage, Kui Jiu looked bewildered, as if such an abrupt interruption of the auction was not part of her n, causing a stir among the cultivators present.

    Kui Jiu stood still for a moment, as if waiting for instructions from the owner of the venue, before resuming her role as if nothing had happened, saying, "As Senior Xu has instructed, we shall dulyply. Let''s continue with the next item."

    With that, Kui Jiu stepped away from the podium to the center of the stage, and beside her, eight figures slowly rose.

    As everyone was puzzled about what the final item might be, Kui Jiu continued:

    "This penultimate item, as you can see, consists of spirit stone puppets. My siblings and I are all products of the Hundred Mechanisms Gate, nine in total, made from superior materials, each with the strength equivalent to the early stages of Qi refining."

    "Importantly, each of us possesses a simple spirit intelligence. As long as there is a sufficient supply of spirit stones, we can perform various tasks under the control of our master."

    "The starting bid for the nine spirit stone puppets is four thousand five hundred spirit stones. With us, you can assist your master in rted work, have a certain ability to protect yourself, and ensure your master''s secrets remain undisclosed." Kui Jiu said with a yful smile, winking at the audience, and added, "In the Southern Border, a Qi refining stage ve costs three thousand spirit stones, so we are indeed a bargain."

    Kui Jiu''s self-auctioning speech surprised everyone, and the atmosphere in the venue became somewhat eerie, as if they were witnessing the auction of cultivator ves, despite knowing these were puppets from the Hundred Mechanisms Gate.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming was also somewhat tempted. With such rudimentary spirit intelligence, if he could buy them and teach them the art of incense making, he wouldn''t have to worry about his shop''s incense in the future.

    However, he quickly abandoned the idea, mainly because the security of the small house he rented was not guaranteed. If someone took the puppets, his secret of incense making would be known to others, which would be a loss.

    If necessary in the future, he could directly purchase from the Hundred Mechanisms Gate. His spirit stones were better spent on top-grade magical artifacts.

    In the end, the nine spirit stone puppets were sold for prices ranging from five to six thousand spirit stones each.

    After the auction, the other eight spirit stone puppets descended, leaving only Kui Jiu standing on the stage to fulfill her final duty as the auctioneer.

    "Next, thest item ising. It is a treasure collected at great expense for this auction¡ªthe Purple Star Nine Dragons Spear, a personal treasure of the Nascent Soul cultivator Long Xinghe, who once made a formidable name for himself in the Eastern Sea. Unfortunately, a genius was lost too soon, as he fell during a conflict, leaving only this treasure behind."

    Rumors say that before his fall, Long Xinghe told his disciples that he had discovered an ancient secret based on this treasure, and that it was a clue to an Eastern Sea secret trove. However, years have passed, the Purple Star Nine Dragons Spear has changed hands several times, and his main technique, the "Plucking Stars Art," remains unounted for. The secret he spoke of has never surfaced.

    "After our appraisal, this spear is indeed a relic of Long Xinghe, with its array of runes intact and the body of the treasure undamaged. It only needs a little consecration to be used again. The starting bid is twenty thousand."

    The appearance of a famous Nascent Soul cultivator''s treasure at the auction excited many cultivators, who eyed the purple spear behind Kui Jiu with great interest.

    However, the starting bid of twenty thousand was beyond the reach of most cultivators, leaving only the distinguished guests in the private rooms topete.

    At this stage, the Nascent Soul cultivators and representatives of the major sects were no longer discreet, openly shouting their bids, each unwilling to yield to the others.

    After a fierce round of bidding, Zuo Qinghui from Changchun Temple suddenly stood up, stroked his beard, and coldly surveyed the room, "Our Changchun Temple bids thirty-one thousand spirit stones. Does anyone wish to raise the bid?"

    Beside him, Wang Chongshan whispered to Yuan Ming, "I knew it woulde to this. Changchun Temple always uses its power to pressure others."

    After Zuo Qinghui stood up, Kui Jiu waited a moment without seeing anyone else bid, and then turned to him, "Congrattions to Senior Zuo for acquiring this treasure. With that, all items in this auction have been sold. Please exit in an orderly manner, and those who have won items, please wait in the downstairs hall for someone to guide you to collect your items."

    As the auction ended, the crowd gradually dispersed.

    By thekeside, in front of a vast window, Zuo Qinghui looked out over the water and instructed a disciple, "Go find out where Ha Gonges from, which sect he belongs to, what treasure he uses, and especially the details of his fight with Pu Zhengqing."

    "Yes," someone replied.

 Chapter 290: Being a bit too greedy

    Chapter 290: Being a bit too greedy

    That night.

    Upon returning to his residence, Lei Kuo immediately took out the Spiritual Wood of the Water Crown Tree he had won at the auction earlier that day. He carefully cut about one-tenth of it, ground it into a fine powder, and mixed it with other incense-making materials, including the incense ash from the Precious Spirit Sect. Soon, he crafted a new stick of ck incense.

    Next, he took out the Heaven-Stealing Cauldron, inserted the finished ck incense, calmed his mind, and attempted to possess Sha Hao.

    Before long, Yuan Ming''s vision shifted, and he found himself inhabiting Sha Hao''s body once again.

    However, the scenery around him was unchanged from his previous possessions; Sha Hao sat motionless in the stone hut, seemingly rooted to the spot, quietly cultivating.

    Yuan Ming was ustomed to such sights and was not impatient. As usual, he silently sensed the flow of spiritual energy within Sha Hao''s body.

    Half an hourter, just as Yuan Ming thought this attempt would also be in vain, Sha Hao suddenly opened his eyes, reached into his Storage Bag, and tipped a porcin bottle into his palm, only to find nothing came out.

    "Ah, it''s gone so soon? Looks like I need to visit the market to buy some more," Sha Hao muttered to himself.

    Then, he stood up and left the stone hut.Seeing this, Yuan Ming''s heart jolted, and he quickly focused his mind, taking advantage of Sha Hao''s departure to observe the surrounding scenery.

    The ce where Sha Hao resided seemed to be a secluded mountain range, surrounded by ancient trees reaching for the sky, with asional birdsong and beast roars, but nothing particrly remarkable.

    After leaving his dwelling cave, Sha Hao took out a token, waved it, and soared into the sky on a flying boat.

    All the while, Yuan Ming saw nothing that could pinpoint Sha Hao''s location. His previously calm mood began to stir with ripples of concern.

    Missing this opportunity, he had no idea when Sha Hao might travel again.

    Yuan Ming was anxious but had no means to influence Sha Hao, so he could only silently pray that the market Sha Hao intended to visit was not too far away.

    His prayers were to no avail, as the market Sha Hao chose to visit was not particrly close to his hiding ce. Fortunately, thanks to the addition of the millennium-old Water Crown Wood to the incense, his possession time was much longer than before.

    After an indeterminate amount of time, Yuan Ming finally saw a city in the distance. As they drew closer, he realized that the architectural style of the city waspletely different from that of Leizhou, or even the entire Great Jin.

    As Sha Haonded the flying boat, Yuan Ming also saw the name of the city written on the gate''s que¡ªWangyue City.

    Before entering the city, Sha Hao carefully disguised himself and headed straight for an elixir shop, avoiding contact with anyone else along the way, the epitome of caution.

    However, Yuan Ming, who was attached to him, had a clear view of all the shops and passersby they passed.

    On the main street, the cultivators were dressed in brocade and hung with various colored treasures, asionally slipping into Zhao Country ng in their conversations.

    The calligraphy on the shop signs was slender and rounded, characteristic of Zhao Country''s script.

    Most crucially, one of the shops Sha Hao passed had arge notice hanging outside, which read:

    "New arrival of Northern Wastes sandworms, buy now while stocksst."

    It seemed that Wangyue City was a city in the northern part of Zhao Country.

    Yuan Ming made his deduction, and at the same time, Sha Hao crossed the street and stepped into the elixir shop.

    At that moment, Yuan Ming''s possession time also just happened to run out.

    Two dayster.

    Inside a private room at the Four Symbols Tea House, Yuan Ming finally met the artifact refiner introduced by Song Huitong.

    To his surprise, the refiner was none other than Master Xu Xinyang, whom he had seen at the auction.

    Song Huitong noticed Yuan Ming''s surprised expression and exined with a smile, "In terms of crafting top-grade magical artifacts, Master Xu is renowned throughout Zhao Country. Even one of the treasures I carry was upgraded from a top-grade magical artifact by him."

    "Senior Song tters me. My artifact refining skills are modest, and being called a master is somewhat embarrassing," Xu Xinyang said, waving his hand dismissively.

    "Master Xu''s top-grade magical artifacts, most of which can be upgraded to treasures, are coveted even by many Foundation Establishment cultivators. How can you say they are of no use?" Song Huitong remarked.

    "s, Senior Song knows that my cultivation talent is limited. Advancing to Foundation Establishment is extremely difficult for me. No matter how skilled I am in refining, I can only produce top-grade magical artifacts at best. I can''t create treasures and can''t glimpse the higher glories, so I really can''t consider myself a master," Xu Xinyang shook his head.

    "I remember, Master Xu, you once proposed an idea to bnce and integrate the fifth rune with the other four runes to form a pseudo-rune array, directly creating a treasure. Is that path not feasible?" Song Huitong inquired.

    "That''s only theoretically possible, but in practice, it''s extremely difficult. Based on my years of research and numerous attempts, I have yet to seed. It seems that apart from the nurturing of the Dan fire within Foundation Establishment cultivators, there is no good way to alleviate the conflict and repulsion between the five runes. My idea is just empty talk. Let''s not discuss it further. You invited me here today, saying you wanted to introduce me to a talented fellow cultivator. Is this the person?" Xu Xinyang said with a wry smile.

    Hearing this, Yuan Ming immediately bowed and said, "I am Ha Gong, and I have the honor of meeting Master Xu."

    "Master Xu, you must have heard of his name these past few days. He fought Pu Zhengqing to save my disciple but lost most of his magical artifacts in the process. I felt bad about it, so I sought you out. I wonder if you could do me the favor of helping him upgrade one of his superior magical artifacts to a top-grade one," Song Huitong said.

    Xu Xinyang scrutinized Yuan Ming for a moment and then shook his head, "Senior Song, it''s not that I don''t want to give you this favor, but I''m currently busy with another top-grade magical artifact and can''t spare the time. How about this: my shop is located in Zhao Country''s Yuhe City, run by my elder brother. His skills are not inferior, and he has crafted several top-grade magical artifacts. Ha Gong can seek his help and say I sent you."

    This was a polite refusal. Song Huitong sighed helplessly. She wasn''t close enough to Xu Xinyang to assert seniority and pressure him into agreement, so it was up to Yuan Ming to persuade him.

    Upon hearing Xu Xinyang''s words, Yuan Ming was somewhat disappointed but had been prepared. He immediately said, "Master Xu, some years ago, I identally acquired a rune. I have been unable to ascertain its origin and function. With your extensive knowledge, could you possibly enlighten me?"

    With that, Yuan Ming handed over a jade tablet he had prepared in advance.

    Xu Xinyang knew Yuan Ming was offering a rune in exchange for artifact refining. Having immersed himself in the art of refining for many years and seen countless runes, he did not expect Yuan Ming to present anything valuable. Thus, he nced casually at the jade tablet. However, that single look made him sit up straight.

    He took the jade tablet from Yuan Ming''s hand, his eyes wide with fascination, and began to study the rune on it intently,pletely absorbed and ignoring the other two people in the room.

    The rune engraved on the jade tablet given by Yuan Ming was the Corpse Control Rune obtained from the portrait of Ba Yin''s ancestor in Tiehu Town. Although the rune was intended for talisman making, it could also be used on magical artifacts.

    After a long while, under Song Huitong''s persistent urging, Xu Xinyang came back to his senses, looked at Yuan Ming and Song Huitong with some impatience, and remembered the previous topic. He said directly, "I haven''t seen this rune before and need to study it further. Leave the magical artifact you want to upgrade with me, and I''ll refine it for you when I''m done studying. Keep thismunication talisman. In twenty days, I''ll notify you toe and collect it."

    Yuan Ming nodded and took out the ck Needle, the Flood Dragon Scale, and the long-neglected White Jade Belt, "Master Xu, my ck Needle has already been upgraded once. Please add an Armor-Piercing Rune for me. Also, if possible, please refine this Flood Dragon Scale into a top-grade shield for me. And this White Jade Belt, please see if you can repair it."

    Xu Xinyang put down the jade tablet and looked at Yuan Ming with displeasure, "Fellow cultivator, aren''t you being a bit too greedy?"

    "Please forgive my boldness, Master Xu," Yuan Ming said, handing over another Storage Bag.

    Xu Xinyang took the Storage Bag with a hint of mockery. As an artifact refiner, he had seen plenty of spirit stones and thought it naive for a Foundation Establishment cultivator to try to sway him with them.

    As he thought this, he opened the Storage Bag, and upon seeing the pile of shining spirit stones inside, he was taken aback.

    At a rough count, he found there were a full six thousand spirit stones in the bag.

    "This is my gesture of goodwill, Master Xu. I hope it meets with your satisfaction. However, this is only half; once you havepleted the refining, I will immediately present the other half," Yuan Ming said, bowing.

    These spirit stones were almost all he could offer. Although he had earned quite a bit over the years through his spiritual incense shop, most of it had been spent on elixirs to enhance his cultivation.

    But he didn''t feel the slightest regret, for spirit stones could be earned again, while such an opportunity might note by again. Besides, he had calcted that if the other party agreed, he would still have gained quite a bit based on market value.

    Xu Xinyang coughed twice and pocketed the Storage Bag, "Since you are so earnest, I will do my best to assist."

    With that, he took the three items Yuan Ming had brought out, but when he reached the White Jade Belt, his gaze sharpened, and he began to examine it closely.

    "Interesting, using gemstones as carriers for runes instead of magical artifacts is indeed a way to avoid rune conflicts. However, these gemstones... are they coral? No, coral doesn''t transmit spiritual energy this quickly, but... where exactly did you find this artifact, Fellow Ha Gong?" Xu Xinyang''s eyes grew more puzzled as he looked, and eventually, he turned to Yuan Ming to inquire about the artifact''s origin.

    "I obtained it in the Southern Border when I defeated an enemy," Yuan Ming did not conceal the truth.

 Chapter 291: Rain Summoning Technique

    Chapter 291: Rain Summoning Technique

    "Southern Border? No, impossible. The style of this magical instrument''s refinement leans more towards the East Sea inds. It must be the work of a master artifact refiner from an overseas sect. The gemstones are likely from the East Sea as well. As for which spiritual materials they are, I''ll need to study that. Whether I can repair it, I cannot guarantee." Xu Xinyang said with a slight frown, shaking his head after a moment of contemtion.

    "No worries, Master Xu. Please proceed as you see fit," Yuan Ming responded.

    Xu Xinyang nodded, said no more, and took away the ck needle and the white jade belt.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming took the initiative to stand up and take his leave, with Song Huitong apanying him out.

    Outside the teahouse, after thanking Song Huitong for her assistance, Yuan Ming bid her farewell and turned to head towards Qingmu Tower.

    In a private room on the third floor, Yuan Mingpleted the transaction of spirit stones with Di Yue for the heavy armor and once again declined Di Chen''s request for a sparring match.

    After all this, he left Xiaohu City, piloting his flying shuttle into the Ruins Swamp, and released Hua Zhi back into the wild.

    Having learned of Sha Hao''s possible whereabouts, Yuan Ming was now more eager than ever to enhance his own strength. Hua Zhi, having grown tired of staying in the spirit beast bag, had been moring to go out and continue its cultivation, so Yuan Ming indulged its wishes.

    Aside from the previously gifted True Water Ring, Yuan Ming had intended to prepare more magical instruments for Hua Zhi, but given its ever-changing form and its ability to condense swords and des, it couldn''t wear armor. Thus, he abandoned the idea, nning to prepare some auxiliary magical instruments for Hua Zhiter on.After giving Hua Zhi a few instructions, Yuan Ming hurried back to his residence in the city, lit a stick of Zixuan Incense, took some elixirs, and resumed his cultivation.

    Five monthster, the old emperor, d in a yellow robe, stood with his hands hanging down in a courtyard. He looked up at the sun hanging high above and suddenly twiddled his fingers, casting a spell. The mana within his body circted rapidly, and soon, under hismand, clouds gathered in the sky, blocking the scorching sunlight.

    Then, a drop of rain fell with a "plop,"nding half an inch from the tip of his shoe.

    As if signaling a charge, countless raindrops followed suit, leaping from the clouds and pummeling the ground around the old emperor.

    In an instant, a light drizzle turned into a torrential downpour.

    The old emperor, who had already erected a mana shield to keep the rain at bay, turned to look at Liu Tianming, who was not far behind him, and said, "This Rain Listening Technique, have you understood it? The environment it creates not only greatly enhances the potency of your water-based spells but also significantly weakens the fire-based spells of your opponents. It''s up to you to apply it in battle. Now, if there''s anything you don''t understand, feel free to ask."

    "Thank you, Grandfather Emperor, for your teaching. I havemitted it to memory and will diligently practice andprehend," Liu Tianming replied respectfully.

    Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in Xiaohu City in the northern part of Great Jin, Yuan Ming also opened his eyes and recalled the events in detail.

    After mixing in thousand-year-old spiritual wood, the ck incense he madested more than twice as long as before, allowing him to do much more. This confirmed that spiritual incense made from ancient spiritual wood indeed has a longer duration.

    When he had first possessed the old emperor, he was just in time to impart cultivation insights to Liu Tianming. First, he exined some key points of the Nine Elements Form, and then he taught Liu Tianming water-based spells and demonstrated them himself.

    During this time, Yuan Ming had almost witnessed the entire process through possession, gaining a deeper understanding of the Nine Elements Form and sessfully stealing the secret Rain Summoning Technique. He owed it all to the extended duration provided by the ck incense made from the thousand-year-old spiritual wood; otherwise, he wouldn''t have had enough time to see everything.

    However, a single epiphany was probably not enough for him to fully master this secret technique. He would have to possess the old emperor and Liu Tianming again in the future. Otherwise, selfprehension would not only be time-consuming andborious but also might not yield ideal results.

    Yuan Ming tried to cast the technique and found that he was unsessful, but he was not discouraged. Instead, he nned to continue his cultivation while preparing for his uing journey to Zhao Country.

    Sha Hao was powerful, and even if Xu Xinyang could refine all three magical instruments as Yuan Ming wished, he was not guaranteed victory in a solo fight, though self-preservation was possible.

    Monthster, he used the best materials andbined them with the poison from Hua Zhi''s flowers to attempt to incorporate the strange and potent poison from He Wendao''s green flying sword, creating a new batch of "Seven Steps Under the Sun."

    The poison from the green flying sword was terrifyingly powerful, and with the catalytic effect of the Joyful Cauldron, its performance was quite remarkable. The poison mixed with the mist and entered the body directly, spreading faster than through a wound. Yuan Ming tested it on several second-level demon beasts in the Ruins Swamp, and they couldn''t resist at all. They would immediately copse, their internal organs corroded by the poison, leading to swift death.

    Furthermore, Yuan Ming purchased a batch of talismans from the market, mainly focusing on mid-tier offensive talismans, totaling thirty to forty.

    Having sessfully ambushed Sha Hao with a talisman before, Yuan Ming had developed a taste for it. Xiaohu City had arge market, and even high-tier talismans were avable, so he bought more than ten.

    High-tier talismans were expensive, costing twenty spirit stones each, which made Yuan Ming wince at the cost.

    Xiaohu City did not sell third-tier talismans. Their power was immense, and whether it was the talisman masters from sects or independent practitioners, they would quickly stash them away after making them, rarely putting them up for public sale. Even if there were any avable, Yuan Ming couldn''t afford them in the short term.

    As the agreed time approached, Xu Xinyang waste to send a message and did not mention the oue, only asking Yuan Ming to collect the items from the Crane and Heron Shop himself.

    Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming immediately left Xiaohu City and headed to the Ruins Swamp to meet Hua Zhi.

    As soon as he entered the Ruins Swamp, a torrential downpour began, apanied by deafening thunder and blinding lightning that seemed to pierce the sky, more intense than any storm before.

    He quickly descended and burrowed forward to avoid being struck by the lightning. The storm grew denser, and even underground, Yuan Ming felt his hair stand on end and his body tingle.

    "Such a rich force of thunder and lightning, perfect for Lei Yu to stretch its wings," he murmured to himself, then with a wave of his hand, he summoned the Winged Thunderbird, Lei Yu.

    Lei Yu had already absorbed all the thunder and lightning from the Bronze Broken Sword, and its aura had grown significantly.

    Sensing the thunder and lightning all around, Lei Yu let out an excited cry and circled above Yuan Ming''s head before soaring into the storm clouds.

    Lei Yu had the ability to control thunder and lightning, so Yuan Ming wasn''t worried about its safety and continued forward, soon arriving near Hua Zhi''s nest.

    "Master, are you going to teach Sha Hao a lesson?" Hua Zhi sensed Yuan Ming''s approach from afar and greeted him with a host of little demons.

    When Hua Zhi was returned to the Ruins Swamp, its injuries were almost healed. Now, after about a month, it had fully recovered, and its body, damaged by the Bronze Thunder Pattern Array, had regrown.

    "Do you want to bring these subordinates with you?" Yuan Ming nodded, looking at the little demons behind Hua Zhi, numbering forty to fifty.

    These little spirit demons were all first-level demon beasts, including birds, beasts, and two vine-type demons like Hua Zhi.

    The little demons, not yet sentient, were not very afraid of Yuan Ming, and several looked at him curiously.

    "Master, haven''t you yet confirmed the location of Sha Hao''sir? I''ve selected these subordinates for their scouting abilities, and I believe they can help you find Sha Hao," Hua Zhimunicated telepathically.

    "That will do," Yuan Ming said, and with a flick of his sleeve, he enveloped Hua Zhi and some of the little demons in a green light, collecting them all into the spirit beast bag.

    Hua Zhi''s body, once stretched out, was quiterge, and the thunder and lightning it could absorb were dwindling, slowing the growth of Lei Yu''s aura.

    Yuan Ming''s eyebrows twitched. If the cloudspletely dissipated, Lei Yu''s breakthrough would inevitably fail, possibly even backfiring and causing injury, which would affect its next breakthrough.

    In his urgency, he took out three top-grade thunder attribute spirit stones, ready to throw them to Lei Yu, but then another thought crossed his mind.

    He stood on the shuttle, hands hanging down, and began to channel his mana, attempting to cast the Rain Summoning Technique. Over the past twenty days, Yuan Ming had possessed the old emperor and Liu Tianming once each, using the soul imprint to subtly suggest they perform the Rain Summoning Technique again. Now he had basically mastered the technique, though he had never cast it himself. Given the current situation, he had no choice but to try.

    The moisture in the vicinity quickly thickened, and dense rain clouds began to form in the sky, covering several miles, with rain starting to fall sparsely.

    Yuan Ming''s cultivation was far from that of the old emperor, and the rain clouds formed by his Rain Summoning Technique were only sorge, and their power was rtively insufficient.

    However, the rich water vapor in the Ruins Swamp quickly converged, and the thunderclouds in the sky swiftly expanded, reappearing and gathering towards Lei Yu.

    "Just as I thought," Yuan Ming thought to himself. His Rain Summoning Technique could only cover a ten-mile radius and seemed of little use. However, the water vapor in the Ruins Swamp was incredibly dense, umting in the sky, and with a slight external influence, it could easily form arge-scale downpour.

    With the assistance of this thunder and lightning, Lei Yu''s aura continued to surge rapidly.

    A high-pitched screech echoed from the clouds as they churned, as if a divine dragon controlling the rain and clouds was stirring, and thunder rumbled.

    Silver lightning shed continuously within the dark clouds, and the atmosphere was charged with a deadly stillness.

    Suddenly, a fierce wind blew!

 Chapter 292: Trace

    Chapter 292: Trace

    As dark clouds emitted another piercing cry, the already turbulent thunderclouds intensified, and silver lightning wildly shed across the sky.

    Boom! Boom! Boom!

    With the dense sound of thunderps, more than twenty thick bolts of lightning shot down from the sky, forming a forest of electricity that struck a patch of forest over a hundred meters away.

    In an instant, the lush woods were reduced to nothingness, and the ground was pockmarked with deep pits as chunks of earth were flung into the air.

    The entire area of the forest was now over two meters lower than the surroundingnd, leaving the ground scorched ck.

    Yuan Ming''s face showed a look of shock. The destructive power Lei Yu summoned with the lightning exceeded that of a second-tier demon beast, and even a third-tier might not be capable of such a feat.

    Could the winged bird''s summoned lightning be so powerful? He pondered briefly and realized that most of the lightning forest was naturally urring in the Ruins Swamp.

    With the advantage of the rainy environment, the winged bird had the upper hand. Without its own demonic power, it couldn''t have produced such a terrifying lightning strike.

    Lei Yu emerged from the dark clouds, its size significantlyrger, now one and a half meters long. Its purple lightning patterns were more vivid, giving it a majestic appearance, truly embodying the splendor of a second-tier demon beast.Yuan Ming beckoned, and Lei Yu swooped down, alighting on his shoulder in the blink of an eye, chirping joyfully as if to show off to Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming naturally offered words of encouragement before instructing Lei Yu to demonstrate its abilities.

    After breaking through to the second tier, Lei Yu''s flying speed had greatly increased, and its stamina had improved significantly. The lightning strikes it emitted from its mouth were also much more powerful.

    Moreover, its intelligence seemed to have made considerable progress, now able to convey rtivelyplete information.

    Yuan Ming nodded inwardly. At this point, Lei Yu could be considered a capable assistant.

    He stored Lei Yu in the spirit beast bag and summoned a white jade flying shuttle, heading northwest.

    Feather Crane City was a medium-sized city in the southernmost part of Zhao Country, bordering Great Jin.

    Upon arriving in the city, Yuan Ming inquired and soon found Xu Xinyang''s shop.

    After giving his name, he was led by a servant to the back room, where he met Xu Xinyang.

    Without a word, Xu Xinyang waved his hand over a table, and a red light shed, revealing three magical artifacts: a ck needle, a white jade belt, and a dazzling golden shield.

    Yuan Ming''s breath hitched. He first picked up the ck needle and swept it with his spiritual consciousness, his eyes lighting up with joy. Then he took the white jade belt and the golden shield, his face showing even greater delight.

    The ck needle had be a top-grade magical artifact, the white jade belt had clearly been repaired, and although the golden shield was a high-grade artifact, it seemed quite extraordinary.

    Although he had boldly hoped the other party could refine three top-grade magical artifacts for him, he knew it was no easy feat.

    Otherwise, with Xu Xinyang''s artifact refining skills, he wouldn''t have managed to produce only eleven top-grade artifacts until now. It was already quite remarkable.

    "The ck needle was already known for its speed and stealth, but itcked offensive power against strong enemies or powerful defensive artifacts. Therefore, I added the ''Armor-Piercing'' rune to it, making it the twelfth top-grade artifact I''ve refined in my career. As for the two gems on the white jade belt, I''ve re-enchanted them to restore their spirituality and inscribed the ''Swift Wind'' and ''Windbreaker'' runes anew," Xu Xinyang exined.

    "Thank you, Master Xu. To have refined all three artifacts in just a few days is beyond my expectations. Your artifact refining skills are indeed transcendent. I''m familiar with the Swift Wind rune, but what does the Windbreaker rune do?" Yuan Ming asked curiously, expressing his gratitude.

    "The faster you move, the greater the wind resistance you encounter. The Windbreaker rune can break through the air resistance caused by high-speed movement, allowing you to move even faster," Xu Xinyang exined.

    "I see, thank you for the guidance, Master Xu!" Yuan Ming nodded slowly.

    "This Dragon Scale Shield took the most effort. The scales seem to be from a Flood Dragon, which is rich in spiritual energy. Unfortunately, the person who obtained this Flood Dragon scale originally damaged its foundation with improper techniques. I''ve integrated eight high-grade golden spiritual materials into it. I wasn''t confident that inscribing a fourth rune wouldn''t damage it, so it ended up as a high-grade shield. However, its defensive power is almost on par with top-grade artifacts," Xu Xinyang continued.

    Hearing this, Yuan Ming was delighted, thanked him, paid the remaining six thousand spirit stones, and took his leave.

    He didn''t linger in Feather Crane City, heading straight for Wangyue City.

    Wangyue City, like Xiaohu City, was named for its location at the foot of the Wangyue Mountain Range.

    The Wangyue Mountain Range was a vast mountain range in the north of Zhao Country, stretching thousands of miles.

    Rich in mineral resources, the mountain range once housed severalrge spirit stone and spiritual material mines, but they had been exhausted over a hundred years ago.

    After centuries of mining, the Wangyue Mountain Range was riddled with holes and of little value, its spiritual energy gradually depleted. Thus, it was abandoned by the cultivation sects of Zhao Country long ago, only asionally visited by rogue cultivators seeking treasures.

    Despite the depletion of its mines, the Wangyue Mountain Range still had richer spiritual energy than ordinary mountains. Far from the influence of the major cultivation sects of Zhao Country, it was awless area where many rogue cultivators chose to settle and establish their own caves.

    In a cave within the mountain range, a stone chamber about thirty to forty meters in size housed a white eagle perched atop a stone pir, resting with its eyes closed.

    A tform resembling an altar stood about two to three meters high, with stone steps on all sides. A ck array was inscribed on the tform, with a strange ck de, two feet long and neither sword nor knife, suspended in the center.

    Eight ck spiritual woods were ced around the array ording to the Bagua positions, with wisps of yin energy emerging from them and converging on the ck de.

    The ck de pulsed with energy, appearing sentient, as if it possessed its own intelligence.

    "The Soul Extinguishing Sword Qi has finally stabilized. All my years of effort have not been in vain," Sha Hao murmured to himself as he stood before the array, carefully observing the suspended ck de.

    He took several ck yin woods from his storage space bracelet, recing one within the array that had diminished yin energy. Then he took out a silver-white bell, the Soul Capturing Bell, and gently shook it toward the ck de.

    As the bell''s ethereal sound rang out, a smoky soul force spread from the bell, seemingly drawn by an invisible force into the array, wrapping around the ck de like threads.

    The smoky soul force entered the de as if sinking into the sea, and the de trembled slightly, emitting a series of cheerful, clear sounds.

    The Soul Capturing Bell contained only a small amount of soul force, which was quickly absorbed, and the de fell silent again.

    "The souls of Qi refining stage cultivators are too weak. It''s all Ha Gong''s fault for ruining my ns. If I had the soul of Lu Shen''s White Night, plus a few Foundation Establishment stage souls, the Soul Extinguishing Sword would have beenpleted by now. Now that I''ve been exposed, even the Changchun Sect is after me!" Sha Hao stored the Soul Capturing Bell, speaking resentfully to the white eagle. "It''s a pity that the Soul Locking Bead''s tracking onlysts three days. Otherwise, I would have killed Ha Gong. With the powerful soul of a soul cultivator like him, my Soul Extinguishing Sword would have been perfect!"

    Sha Hao''s eyes were cold as he yed with a white bead, which emitted a faint yin energy and contained three glowing points within.

    "It seems these three won''t appear anytime soon. The tracking is tight right now. Go patrol around the cave and see if there are any suspicious people," Sha Hao instructed, then left the stone chamber. The white eagle soared out of the chamber.

    Meanwhile, ten miles away in another secluded valley, Yuan Ming sat cross-legged in a cave, resting with his eyes closed.

    A yellow glow shed on the ground, and Hua Zhi''s head popped up.

    "Did you find out everything?" Yuan Ming asked without opening his eyes.

    "I had those underlings thoroughly investigate the ten-mile radius around Sha Hao''s cave, and there was nothing unusual. It seems Sha Hao is quite confident and doesn''t think he''ll be discovered, so he hasn''t prepared any countermeasures. Only the white eagle is constantly patrolling the sky, but it won''t suspect anything," Hua Zhi reported.

    Hearing this, Yuan Ming nodded slightly.

    Sha Hao''s hiding ce was indeed well-concealed. If not for his possession of the ck Incense, it would have been difficult to find this ce.

    "There''s a powerful demon beast lurking beneath Sha Hao''s cave. I took a risk and found it''s a second-tier demon snake, likely Sha Hao''s spirit beast tasked with guarding the cave," Hua Zhi added.

    "A second-tier demon snake capable of burrowing underground... Leave this beast to you. Proceed with the n," Yuan Ming said, his eyebrows slightly raised.

    "Rest assured, master," Hua Zhi confidently dived back underground and disappeared.

    "Sha Hao must be eliminated, or he''ll be an endless threat," Yuan Ming murmured after Hua Zhi left.

    He stood up, changed into ck clothes, took out the Thousand Mechanism Mask, and put it on. His appearance rapidly changed, and within a few breaths, he transformed into a middle-aged man with a square face.

    He then used a technique to conceal his aura and headed towards Sha Hao''s cave.

    Yuan Ming had been in the Wangyue Mountain Range for several days. Relying on the ck Incense''s possession and the help of Hua Zhi''s inconspicuous little demon beasts, he had sessfully located the exact position of Sha Hao''s cave.

    However, knowing Sha Hao''s strength, he didn''t rashly approach but instead made thorough preparations here.

    Sha Hao had be a mortal enemy, and his identity as a soul cultivator was also known to the other party. This hunt must not fail!

    Inside the cave, Sha Hao was surrounded by fluctuating spiritual consciousness, seemingly practicing a secret soul technique.

    Suddenly, a low roar came from underground, echoing in the chamber.

    Sha Hao opened his eyes and took out a blue mirror, tapping it with a spell.

    A hazy blue light appeared on the mirror, revealing the figure of a middle-aged man.

    "Eh? This person looks somewhat familiar, like Liao, the manager of the Wulei Sect in Wangri City. Could he be tracking me? No wonder I felt like I was being followed when I returned from the market yesterday," Sha Hao muttered to himself, his eyes turning cold. "No matter what Wulei Sect you are from, since you''vee to me, I''ll dly ept your soul."

    With a sinisterugh, he stood up and walked outside.

 Chapter 293: Fight again Sha Hao

    Chapter 293: Fight again Sha Hao

    The Wangyue City''s Wulei Sect''s manager Liao, as mentioned by Sha Hao, was none other than Yuan Ming in disguise.

    At this moment, he was wandering around Sha Hao''s cave dwelling, seemingly in search of the entrance. Suddenly, his face showed a look of shock, his figure blurred slightly, and he transformed into a phantom, shooting forward.

    No sooner had he dashed out than a ck sword shadow shot out from nowhere, nailing the spot where he had just stood¡ªa broad-ded short sword.

    The fierce sword qi burst forth explosively, and the ground copsed with a thunderous crash, leaving a pit about ten feet across and thirty feet deep.

    Sha Hao''s figure flickered into view near the pit, a cold smirk on his face. His spiritual consciousness had already locked onto Yuan Ming''s form. He muttered an incantation, seemingly casting some spell.

    Yuan Ming had just darted out more than thirty feet when he paused slightly, a look of confusion shing in his eyes, but he quickly recovered, activating his white jade belt to increase his speed and continue fleeing into the distance.

    "Eh!" Sha Hao''s face showed surprise. The man before him had suddenly exhibited the aura of the Foundation Establishment stage and had easily broken through his illusion¡ªa feat unprecedented in his past experiences.

    And now, the intruder was nearing his cave dwelling¡ªhe could not be allowed to linger!

    Sha Hao crushed a rune talisman, and ayer of cyan light immediately enveloped him, as he chased after Yuan Ming.Yuan Ming wasn''t moving very fast, and each time Sha Hao felt he was about to catch up, Yuan Ming would suddenly elerate or use other tactics to widen the gap, leaving Sha Hao grinding his teeth in frustration.

    The two of them, one chasing and the other fleeing, soon arrived in a small mountain valley.

    Sha Hao saw Yuan Ming heading towards a pond not far ahead. The pond water was clear to the bottom, and the shore was covered with pebbles. The environment was quite serene. However, he felt a subtle threat in this ce and abruptly stopped his advance.

    With such a distance, to still sense danger, Sha Hao''sbat instincts were indeed formidable. Yuan Ming, noticing the situation behind him, inwardly sighed. Whilemunicating with Hua Zhi through his mind, he summoned the Stealing Heaven Cauldron, holding it in his palm, and quickly lit two sticks of spiritual incense within it¡ªthe Mist Incense and the newly made Seven Steps Down.

    As Yuan Ming sprinted, wisps of white mist began to spread into the air, filling the valley and blending with the atmosphere.

    Sha Hao, seeing this, showed a wary expression and turned to flee back. However, the ground at his feet suddenly exploded, and thick purple-ck vines, like pythons, lunged at him, blocking all possible escape routes.

    Deep underground, Hua Zhiy in wait, draped in Yuan Ming''s gray cloak, concealing all traces of its presence.

    "Ha Gong, it''s you!" Sha Hao recognized the purple-ck vines and understood everything.

    Yet, he didn''t panic. A talisman he had been clutching was pped onto his body, and a thick yellow light shield appeared around him. The purple-ck vines struck the shield and were repelled.

    Sha Hao channeled his spiritual consciousness towards the ground, ready to subdue Hua Zhi with another illusion. However, the surrounding mist had grown denser, an invisible force pervading it, thick and unyielding. His spiritual consciousness couldn''t leave his body.

    A sinking feeling hit Sha Hao''s heart, and he immediately summoned a silver orb. Four runes on the orb were activated, emitting a dazzling silver light that swept rapidly around his body. The ck broad-ded short sword was also summoned, revolving around him, shing out more than a dozen fierce sword qi strikes at the surrounding vines.

    Though Hua Zhi''s vines were tough, under thebined assault of the silver orb and the ck short sword, they were cut down in the blink of an eye, leaving the area clear of vines.

    Sha Hao knew the formidable skills of this Ha Gong and that he might have fallen into a trap. Not daring to linger, he cleared the vines and immediately flew back towards his cave dwelling.

    At that moment, Vajra''s figure emerged from the mist ahead, his fists striking towards Sha Hao''s chest with the speed of thunder, rippling the air with visible waves.

    Caught off guard, Sha Hao couldn''t summon his defensive artifact in time and had to rely on the silver orb and the ck short sword to shield himself, his body suddenly shining with dazzling golden light.

    With a loud "bang," the silver orb and the ck short sword were sent flying, the yellow light shield shattered, and an overwhelming force struck. Sha Hao was sent flying, crashing to the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

    Before Sha Hao could rise, the ground split open again, and a dozen thick vines burst forth, wrapping tightly around his body, binding him like a rice dumpling.

    Yuan Ming had already flown to the edge of the pond, activating the Thousand Knot Water Rope Array. Twenty or thirty translucent water ropes quickly solidified, shooting towards Sha Hao like arrows.

    With Sha Hao bound by Hua Zhi''s vines, he couldn''t dodge the water ropes and was soon tightly bound,pletely immobilized.

    Vajra leaped high, taking out a staff, which glowed with a surge of yellow light, and struck towards Sha Hao''s head.

    "Stinking monkey, don''t even think about stealing the credit!" Hua Zhi roared from underground, casting the Green Sword Technique. The tips of the vines binding Sha Hao transformed into green wooden swords, stabbing towards various parts of his body.

    Faced with such peril, Sha Hao showed no sign of panic. Ayer of blue light appeared on his arms, twisting like flexible snakes, and he broke free from the restraints of the vines and water ropes. His palms opened, revealing a flicker of blood light.

    Hua Zhi, lurking underground, was dazzled. Suddenly, an endless sea of fire enveloped it, freezing all its vines in ce.

    Vajra, too, fell into the illusion, his body stiffening, and he copsed to the ground with a "thud."

    From the moment Sha Hao sensed something amiss and stopped the chase, to the moment he subdued Hua Zhi and Vajra, only a few breaths had passed.

    Behind a nearby boulder, a ck crow''s head peeked out.

    Under the cover of the Mist Incense, Sha Hao couldn''t spread his spiritual consciousness. How he cast the illusion was a mystery to Yuan Ming, who showed a look of astonishment. Then, through the crow''s vision, he spotted the anomaly.

    In the palms of Sha Hao''s hands, two faint blood-colored ripples shot out, extremely subtle and invisible from a distance.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming took out an Earth Escape Talisman and disappeared into the ground.

    After subduing Vajra and Hua Zhi with his illusion, Sha Hao quickly chanted a spell, ayer of blue light appearing on his body as he broke free from the vines and water ropes.

    At the same time, two blood bats flew out from his sleeves, circling nearby as if on alert.

    Sha Hao''snding was noticeably staggered, a hint of green appearing on his face, but he forcefully swallowed a blood-red elixir and raised a hand towards his cave dwelling, aplex incantation resounding from his mouth.

    Inside Sha Hao''s cave dwelling, the ck strange sword within the array suddenly surged with sword qi, violently breaking free from the array''s constraints and shooting outwards.

    The ground in front of the cave dwelling shed with yellow light, and a yellow giant python, over thirty feet long, emerged. Its body was covered with palm-sized yellow scales, and several thick yellow bone spurs grew on its forehead and neck, making it look extremely ferocious.

    The yellow python twisted its body rapidly, also heading towards where Sha Hao was.

    The blood-red elixir Sha Hao had taken was unknown, but a surge of blood color flushed his face, dispelling much of the green.

    He breathed a sigh of relief and made a hand gesture.

    The silver orb flew back, the four runes inside lighting up, and a dazzling silver light shot out, striking Vajra''s head.

    Having previously fought with Ha Gong and failed to kill the white ape after trapping it with an illusion, suffering for it, he would not make the same mistake again.

    Just then, a golden shadow shed, and a golden shield appeared in front of Vajra.

    With a loud "ng," the sound was ear-piercingly loud, echoing in all directions.

    The Dragon Scale Shield''s surface shed with golden light, showing a significant dent, but it managed to block the silver light.

    A green light shone from underground, enveloping Vajra and the Dragon Scale Shield, and both disappeared in a sh¡ªit was Yuan Ming who had been lurking there, saving Vajra at the critical moment.

    Sha Hao''s illusion was tricky, and he dared not linger. He immediately fled towards where Hua Zhi was.

    Seeing this, Sha Hao felt not dismay but tion. He directed the two blood bats towards the ground and opened his mouth as if to spew something. Suddenly, two peals of thunder rang out above, and two purple lightning bolts tore through the mist, striking at the blood bats.

    Blood bats, being soul cultivation illusion techniques of Sha Hao, were extremely wary of lightning. Sha Hao quickly maneuvered the bats to dodge the purple lightning.

    He looked up to the sky and saw the shadow of a ck winged bird flitting through the mist, wrapped in purple lightning, moving at an incredible speed.

    Sha Hao knew it was Yuan Ming''s spiritual bird and snorted coldly, whistling sharply. A white eagle swooped down from the sky nearby, attacking the thunderous winged bird.

    Sha Hao silently channeled his soul power, his brow shing with blood light, and eight blood bats flew out, all opening their mouths to spray towards Yuan Ming''s location.

    A vast wave of blood-colored ripples surged out, flooding into the ground.

    With the winged bird''s surprise attack buying time, Yuan Ming was about to reach Hua Zhi. Just as he was about to arrive, he collided with the blood-colored ripples spewed by the blood bats.

    At that moment, Yuan Ming''s vision blurred, and he found himself in a fiery red world.

    Indeed, once touched by the blood-colored ripples, one would fall into an illusion. Unlike thest illusion, in this one, Yuan Ming lost his freedom, bound to a ten-foot-high cross, his limbs locked in chains, unable to move. Tentacle-like mes swept in from all directions, licking at his body.

    Yuan Ming''s skin was instantly burned, turning charred and sending waves of bone-deep pain, eroding his will, his soul power rapidly weakening.

    Yuan Ming knew he had to escape the illusion quickly, or his soul would suffer greatly. With a thought, a ck shadow suspended in his sea of consciousness suddenly pounced towards his soul¡ªa soul crow.

    He nned to use the Soul Collision technique on himself.

    Among the books he had purchased, besides exining the principles and methods of casting illusions, there were also some tips for breaking them.

    Once trapped in an illusion, all five senses were under the control of the caster. To break free, one needed to apply sufficient stimtion to oneself.

    Yuan Ming had previously bitten his tongue and used the piercing pain to break free from Sha Hao''s illusion, which was one method.

    However, physical stimtion was not very effective in breaking illusions and could only counteractmon illusions. Against powerful illusions, it was ineffective, and a more intense influence was needed, such as a stimulus targeting the soul.

    And the only method he had at the moment to shake his soul was the Soul Collision technique.

 Chapter 294: Soul Extinguishing Sword Qi

    Chapter 294: Soul Extinguishing Sword Qi

    Yuan Ming had no idea if the Soul Collision technique could break through illusions, but facing a life-or-death situation, he was willing to risk severe damage to his own soul. Without holding back, hemanded the soul crow to crash into his spiritual consciousness with full force.

    An almost explosive pain assaulted him, scattering three-tenths of his soul power within his sea of consciousness, but the illusion before him also dissipated under this stimulus.

    Yuan Ming quicklyposed himself and let out a sigh of relief.

    The Soul Collision technique indeed had a miraculous effect on breaking illusions, though it seemed a bit too forceful. He estimated that using half the power of the technique should suffice to break Sha Hao''s illusion.

    As thoughts raced through his mind, he didn''t stop moving, continuing to burrow underground. Soon, he reached Hua Zhi''s side, swept her into his spirit beast bag, and then proceeded to flee forward.

    He didn''t use the Soul Collision technique to awaken the two beasts. Firstly, because the technique was too powerful and could cause irreparable damage to the souls of Hua Zhi and Vajra if he wasn''t careful, and secondly, the soul crow had greatly depleted its soul power, so he needed to conserve its use.

    Based on previous experiences, Sha Hao''s illusions had a range limit. As long as he escaped far enough, the illusions affecting the two beasts would automatically dissolve.

    Sha Hao sensed that Yuan Ming had broken free from his illusion, disbelief shing in his eyes. He had expended a great deal of soul power to activate eight blood bats to emit a soul-distorting illusion wave. Even he would struggle to escape it, and his intent had been to kill Ha Gong in one blow, but he had failed.

    Sha Hao''s gaze grew solemn. This was an unprecedentedly formidable enemy he faced since his Foundation Establishment. His intent to kill grew even stronger.At that moment, a ck light pierced through the white mist andnded steadily in his hand¡ªit was the peculiar ck sword.

    Good, you''re worthy of my Soul Extinguishing Sword!

    Grasping the ck sword, a dark sword light about a three meters long shot out from the de, exuding a wild aura. With a downward sh into the void, the sword emitted a ghostly wail. A sh of ck light followed, and a sword qi about ten meters long shot into the ground.

    The ground was left without a mark, the soft soil and gravel undisturbed, as if the ck sword qi was a fleeting illusion.

    Deep underground, Yuan Ming moved swiftly, quickly putting a distance of seventy to eighty meters between himself and Sha Hao. Vajra and Hua Zhi showed signs of awakening. He felt a slight relief and continued forward while contemting how to counterattack. He hadn''te here to leave empty-handed. Just then, light suddenly brightened ahead, and Yuan Ming emerged from the ground into arge mine cavern.

    The cavern spanned over four to five hundred meters in area and was about ten meters high, covered in dust, evidently abandoned for many years. Sha Hao''s cave dwelling was constructed within this vein, and it was normal for several underground mines to be nearby. He paid it no mind and was about to choose a direction to continue forward.

    At that moment, he felt a sudden premonition of dread. He quickly turned to look behind him, sensing a sharp aura rapidly approaching. As he released his spiritual consciousness, it was instantly shredded upon contact with the sharp aura and forcibly absorbed.

    A piercing pain in his mind made Yuan Ming gasp, and he quickly retracted his remaining spiritual consciousness, turning to face the direction of the attack. A sh of golden light by his side, and the Dragon Scale Shield appeared, held in front of him.

    In the blink of an eye, a ck sword qi shot out from the cave wall, aiming straight for his face.

    Yuan Ming activated the Dragon Scale Shield to meet the attack, while simultaneously sidestepping to dodge.

    Yet the ck sword qi pierced through the Dragon Scale Shield as if it wasn''t there, and like it had eyes, it adjusted its trajectory, continuing to sh towards Yuan Ming!

    Yuan Ming''s face paled with shock, and he poured all his strength into the white jade belt, his feet executing the Shadowless Step, creating several blurry afterimages.

    But the ck sword qi was unaffected, homing in on his true body, its speed increasing rapidly, soon cornering him in the cave.

    With nowhere to run, Yuan Ming flung his arms outward, releasing a dozen mid-tier rune talismans that flew out, transforming into various spells like fire serpents, water swords, and lightning, all aimed at the ck sword qi.

    The fire serpents and water swords proved ineffective, only the lightning spells caused the ck sword qi to pause slightly, but it was far from being destroyed.

    A glimmer of hope in his eyes, Yuan Ming produced three silver rune talismans in his hand and activated them. These were called Heavenly Thunder Talismans, top-tier talismans purchased in Xiaohu City.

    Crackling sounds filled the air as three silver lightning bolts as thick as bowls appeared, like three silver lightning dragons, their ws and fangs bared as they pounced on the sword qi.

    Silver runes surrounded the lightning, illuminating the entire mine, all striking the ck sword qi.

    A thunderous boom echoed as the ck sword qi was mostly dissipated.

    The remaining sword qi, still stubbornly advancing, finally caught up to Yuan Ming, striking him on the head.

    Yuan Ming''s head remained unharmed, but the residual ck sword qi, upon touching his body, entered his sea of consciousness and shed down towards his soul!

    An aura that made his soul tremble enveloped him, giving him the sensation of being crushed and then sucked away.

    In desperation, Yuan Ming''s mind raced, and within his sea of consciousness, ck light shed as three soul crows materialized in a row to meet the ck sword qi, simultaneously executing the Soul Collision technique.

    Bang! Bang! Bang!

    Two consecutive loud noises as two soul crows collided with the ck sword qi, were shredded by it, and the ck sword qi rapidly weakened, finally shattered by the third soul crow''s Soul Collision technique, but the third soul crow also dissipated.

    Yuan Ming''splexion turned as pale as paper.

    With his current level as a soul cultivator, he could only conjure six soul crows in a battle, and now four had been used, leaving only two, with no chance of replenishing them in a short time.

    His soul power within the sea of consciousness was also greatly depleted, less than thirty percent of its original.

    The ck sword qi could actually target the soul directly. If it had been any stronger, Yuan Ming feared he might have perished right there.

    Still shaken, Yuan Ming took out an elixir to restore his soul power and circted the Death Moon method, calming his agitated soul.

    At that moment, a warm current flowed from the incense burner mark on his arm into his sea of consciousness, rapidly restoring most of his depleted soul power.

    Yuan Ming''s heart finally settled somewhat.

    At this time, Vajra and Hua Zhi had both awakened from the illusion within the spirit beast bag.

    Although Sha Hao''s ck sword qi was too bizarre and formidable, even surpassing the silver orb, he had been poisoned. The newly concocted Seven Steps Down poison was potent, surely corroding his internal organs, leaving him unable to recover quickly.

    Yuan Ming''s soul power, on the other hand, was rapidly recovering due to the influence of the Heaven Stealing Cauldron. With the assistance of Hua Zhi and Vajra, the situation was still in his hands.

    After a moment of contemtion, Yuan Ming only released Hua Zhi and then activated the Earth Escape Talisman, returning the way he hade.

    At this time, Sha Hao was sitting cross-legged on the ground, his face flickering with blood light as he concentrated on expelling the poison. The peculiar ck sword was nowhere to be seen.

    Beside him coiled a massive yellow python, its head raised, and its earthy yellow eyes scanning the surroundings alertly.

    During his escape, Yuan Ming had observed the presence of the yellow python through the soul crow.

    The Qi serpent was not an ordinary serpent demon beast but a rare variant capable of transforming into a dragon, just like the Golden Flower Poison Python.

    However, the Qi serpent was an earth-attribute demon beast,cking the Golden Flower Poison Python''s potent venom. It was known for its great strength and sturdiness and could perform various earth-attribute divine abilities, making it a valuable spirit beast.

    Judging by the demon qi of this Qi serpent, it had reached the upper second level.

    As Yuan Ming''s thoughts raced, he immediatelymunicated with Lei Yu.

    In the sky, Lei Yu was still engaged in a chase with the white eagle.

    When Lei Yu was a first-level demon beast, it was already faster than the white eagle. Now that it had broken through to the second level, its speed was even greater, but in a head-on confrontation, it was only evenly matched, so it kept the white eagle entangled in the sky.

    Sensing Yuan Ming''s message, Lei Yu shook off the white eagle and flew back above Sha Hao, letting out a sharp cry.

    The previously clear sky suddenly became covered with dark clouds, and a fierce wind arose, the fog sea below churning. Soon after, thunder rumbled.

    The white eagle quickly caught up, but Lei Yu had hidden within the dark clouds. Lightning flickered within the ck clouds, and the white eagle dared not enter, circling anxiously nearby.

    The Qi serpent looked up at the sky, showing a trace of fear, its body radiating an earthy yellow glow. Most of its body burrowed underground as if that would bring itfort. Serpent demon beasts inherently carried a yin aura and were quite fearful of lightning.

    Sha Hao, of course, also noticed the situation in the sky, but he was at a critical moment in suppressing the poison within his body and couldn''t afford to be distracted.

    The dark clouds in the sky thickened rapidly, and soon heavy rain poured down, with dazzling lightning bolts beginning to move within the clouds, much smaller than when used in the Ruins Swamp.

    The next moment, the dark clouds pressed low, and five or six silver lightning bolts struck down, targeting Sha Hao and the Qi serpent.

    Sha Hao mentally instructed the Qi serpent to shield him for a while.

    Just as the Qi serpent was about to ovee its fear and act, it sensed a destructive aura from the silver lightning. With a "swish," it instinctively burrowed into the ground.

    Sha Hao was both shocked and furious, forced to stop his efforts to expel the poison and waved his hand to summon a gray umbre-shaped magical instrument.

    The gray umbre opened above his head, spinning with dazzling golden light, instantly forming a tangible golden barrier that protected Sha Hao below.

    The silver lightning struck the golden barrier, sparking blinding shes of silver light, but the golden barrier remained unshaken.

    A murderous glint shed in Sha Hao''s eyes, no longer caring to continue expelling the poison. ck light shed in his right hand, and the peculiar ck sword reappeared. Taking a deep breath, he shed at a certain spot on the ground behind him.

    With a "sizzle," a slightly smaller ck sword qi was released.

    Just as the sword qi was less than ten meters from the ground, a figure leaped out from below and darted away, revealing itself to be Yuan Ming.

 Chapter 295: Soul Extinguishing

    Chapter 295: Soul Extinguishing

    Yuan Ming had now fully grasped the essence of the ck sword qi and no longer panicked as before. While retreating backward, he flung his hand and released four Thunder Talismans in one breath. At the same time, a ck needle shadow shot out from his sleeve, vanishing in a sh.

    Half of the high-grade talismans Yuan Ming had purchased in Xiaohu City were Thunder Talismans, chosen for their effectiveness against soul cultivators. Now, he used them all at once.

    Amidst the thunderous roars, four thick thunder dragons emerged, striking the ck sword qi.

    The ck sword qi, formidable as it was, couldn''t withstand thebined strike of the four Thunder Talismans and dissipated into a wisp of blue smoke with a sizzle.

    Simultaneously, a vague ck line shed before the white eagle circling the nearby thunderclouds. Before it could react, the ck needle pierced through its head, and the white eagle plummeted to the ground.

    After its advancement, the ck needle''s attack power and speed had increased dramatically, leaving the ordinary second-level white eagle utterly defenseless.

    "Ha Gong!" Feeling the white eagle''s demise, Sha Hao''s heart ached, and he recklessly charged towards Ha Gong.

    However, a thunderous "boom" resounded from the sky as a silver lightning bolt, much thicker than before, struck down at Sha Hao.

    Sha Hao dared not be careless and halted his charge, activating his grey umbre to release a golden protective shield.The silver lightning struck the golden shield, causing it to tremble violently.

    Sha Hao''splexion changed slightly, evidently surprised by the lightning''s power, and the previous poisoning,bined with the consecutive swings of the Soul Extinguishing Sword, had already weakened him.

    But this lightning strike was just the beginning. The thunderclouds roared, and one after another, identical bolts of lightning rained down, causing the golden shield to flicker and nearly shatter.

    The grey umbre above him dimmed, its spiritual essence greatly damaged.

    Sha Hao''s expression darkened like water, and with a low growl, he manipted the umbre, causing it to burst into golden light and finally stabilize the shield.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming immediately formed a hand seal.

    The dark clouds summoned by the thunderstorm quickly expanded and thickened, growing several timesrger in an instant, with the lightning within also doubling in size.

    Lei Yu, hidden within the clouds, was overjoyed as his wings emitted brilliant lightning, shooting out purple arcs in all directions.

    The lightning within the clouds, as if summoned, converged towards the center, intertwining and twisting.

    With a thunderous "boom," a silver lightning pir as thick as a bowl descended from the sky, striking at Sha Hao on the ground.

    Sha Hao shouted loudly, his clothes bulging and then shattering, revealing a golden half-armor from which endless golden light flowed like a curtain, covering his entire body.

    Just as he finished these preparations, "crack," the golden shield shattered like ss, and the grey umbre was also destroyed.

    The undiminished power of the silver lightning pir continued to strike Sha Hao, emitting a deafening boom.

    The golden light curtain trembled violently, its surface sparking chaotically and roaring piercingly.

    The light curtain quickly thinned, revealing cracks.

    Sha Hao''s face turned extremely ugly, and liquid-like golden light emerged from the muscles of his inner armor, circting around his body, restoring the golden light curtain to its original state, seemingly even thicker than before.

    Sha Hao breathed a sigh of relief, but a trace of pain shed in his eyes as the suppressed green qi surged back onto his cheeks.

    Then, with a jolt, he suppressed his difort and propelled the silver orb to shoot a bright silver light towards a certain point in the void.

    With a "bang," a ck shadow was struck by the silver light and sent flying¡ªit was Yuan Ming''s top-grade magical artifact, the ck needle!

    However, from another side, amidst a slight movement of mist, two golden talismans and a green orb emerged¡ªtwo high-grade Golden Spear Talismans and thest Heart-Splitting Thunder.

    Two golden spear shadows, each about a zhang long, and a thick thunder pir appeared out of thin air, striking the golden shield.

    Sha Hao was startled and tried to activate the silver orb to block, but it was toote.

    The three attacks struck the golden light curtain fiercely, causing it to tremble violently, and Sha Hao stumbled.

    Before he could regain his footing, the ck needle artifact shot from behind him, piercing the golden light curtain and entering nearly halfway before twisting like a venomous snake, burrowing further inside.

    The golden light curtain trembled incessantly, once again showing signs of copse.

    Sha Hao''s heart chilled, and with a wheel-like motion of his hands, he pressed one hand against the light curtain, pouring in his mana.

    But at that moment, the white mist opposite the ck needle blossomed, and the white ape Vajra appeared, wielding the staff and striking down fiercely!

    With a "bang," the golden light curtain trembled violently, cracks appearing on its surface, clearly unable to hold.

    Sha Hao''s face paled with shock, and as he tried to repair the shield, a rich green color surged on his face, and the poison within him eruptedpletely.

    His body trembled, and he spat out green-tinged blood, copsing weakly to the ground.

    Vajra''s eyes gleamed with bloodthirsty excitement, and two ape arms shot out from beneath his ribs, striking the golden light curtain with afterimages, causing the nearby air to buzz.

    Finally, under Vajra''s relentless pounding, the light curtain shattered with a roar, scattering into countless golden lights.

    The freed ck needle artifact immediately transformed into a vague ck line, piercing through Sha Hao''s dantian.

    Sha Hao let out a pained cry as the remaining mana in his dantian dissipated, and he knelt on the ground.

    "Boom!"

    Another silver lightning pir thundered down, engulfing Sha Hao''s body, and the two blood bats circling him were also enveloped by the lightning, their screams silenced before they could even begin, annihted on the spot.

    The bright, blinding lightning soon dissipated, revealing Sha Hao''s charred body, now unconscious, with only the faintest breath remaining.

    A silver orb rolled to his side, motionless.

    The orb''s surface bore several clear scratches, but its mana fluctuations were stable, and it had not suffered significant damage.

    In his other hand, he still tightly held the ck sword, its surface dim and the ck light on the de flickering chaotically, giving the impression it could copse at any moment.

    Yuan Ming emerged from the mist, took out the Cold Star Sword, and touched the two artifacts, both of which remained unresponsive.

    He activated the Cold Star Sword, covering the two artifacts with thick white ice crystals, wrapping them up before collecting them. He then approached Sha Hao and with a single gesture, summoned the ck needle artifact to hover in front of Sha Hao''s forehead, ready to pierce his skull at any sign of movement.

    Sha Hao''s illusions were formidable, and Yuan Ming had to be cautious.

    However, Sha Hao made no move, his breath growing weaker, seemingly at death''s door.

    Yuan Ming finally rxed, took Sha Hao''s inner armor and storage ring, and ced his hand on his head to perform a soul search.

    He soon withdrew his hand, standing silently.

    Through the soul search, Yuan Ming roughly understood Sha Hao''s experiences after the fall of Bi Luo Cave.

    On the day Bi Luo Cave fell, Sha Hao awoke from Xiying''s illusion to find the Soul Calming Jar he was guarding gone. Fearing the Grand Elder would hold him ountable and believing the Grand Elder was no match for Xiying, he took advantage of the distraction to flee Bi Luo Cave.

    Before leaving, he looted all the items stored by the Grand Elder in the cave dwelling and made his way to the Central ins.

    Afterward, Sha Hao, under the alias Pu Zhengqing, began hunting cultivators in the Central ins¡ªnot for wealth, as he had plenty of spirit stones, materials, and elixirs from the Grand Elder''s collection tost him a long time. His hunting was for the ck sword.

    Yuan Ming took out the ck sword, his eyes burning with eagerness.

    ording to Sha Hao''s soul memories, the sword was named "Soul Extinguishing," a true top-grade artifact for soul cultivators.

    Sha Hao, a disciple of the Grand Elder, had spent ten years gathering precious materials for the Grand Elder to request Master Heimu to forge it.

    The Soul Extinguishing Sword was made from Nine Nether Ming Iron as the main material,bined with many yin attribute spiritual materials from the Southern Border. The sword light it emitted when activated had the effect of attacking the soul, ignoring the defenses of ordinary protective artifacts.

    Nine Nether Ming Iron was a top-tier yin attribute spiritual material. Yuan Ming had read about it in "Record of Strange Stones." Born in extremely yin ces, it was a fusion of yin qi and ming iron ore, incredibly hard and not susceptible to destruction by lightning, fire, or other elements like ordinary yin materials.

    Moreover, Nine Nether Ming Iron had a unique feature: it could absorb soul power, hence the nickname "Soul Absorbing Ming Iron." The souls in by the Soul Extinguishing Sword would be absorbed and devoured by it, enhancing its own power.

    The forging of the Soul Extinguishing Sword was extremely difficult from the very beginning, and the runes on the sword were copied from the Soul Calming Jar by the Grand Elder. Master Heimu, upon reaching the final step of inscribing the runes, found the sword malevolent and took the opportunity to flee. His defection led to the copse of the sword''s runes.

    At this point, Yuan Ming recalled a passage from Master Heimu''s notes, "I stumbled upon the forging of a special secret treasure." Master Heimu''sst words also mentioned that if things continued this way, everyone would die!

    It turned out that his departure from Bi Luo Cave was rted to the forging of this sword.

    The Grand Elder had no choice but tomand the three cave masters to take action. After much trial and error and considerable time and effort, they re-inscribed four runes, and Sha Hao would usually keep the sword in a yin cave to nourish it. To strengthen the sword, it needed to absorb arge number of souls, so Sha Hao secretly hunted rogue cultivators to collect them.

    During the battle that destroyed Bi Luo Cave, Sha Hao was directly subdued by Xiying''s powerful illusions, without a chance to draw his sword.

    Now, this soul sword, a product of Master Heimu and the three cave masters'' efforts, had fortuitously fallen into Yuan Ming''s hands.

 Chapter 296: Extermination

    Chapter 296: Extermination

    "So, this Soul Extinguishing Sword was forged by the third cave master himself; no wonder it shares the same creator as my Cold Star Sword," Yuan Ming murmured to himself as he examined the peculiar ck sword in his hand.

    He sensed the four runes on the sword''s body, recognizing only one as "Soul Solidifying," while the others were unfamiliar to him. However, he surmised they must all be rted to the soul.

    Yuan Ming''s gaze then turned cold as he looked at Sha Hao lying on the ground.

    Counting the casualties, Sha Hao had killed no less than three hundred cultivators from the Southern Border to the Great Jin, primarily those in the Qi refining stage. With the current state of the Soul Extinguishing Sword, it would only need the souls of a few more Foundation Establishment stage cultivators to undergo a transformation. If a soul cultivator''s soul was used, given their powerful spiritual consciousness, perhaps just one would suffice. Yuan Ming''s previous disy of his soul cultivator identity while protecting the disciples of the Shengye Sect had left Sha Hao envious.

    "Since you so desire toplete this Soul Extinguishing Sword, let''s use your own soul to fulfill it," Yuan Ming said as he dispelled the ice on the Soul Extinguishing Sword and thrust it into Sha Hao''s forehead.

    Sha Hao''s body shuddered, his face engulfed by a surge of ck qi that twisted and quickly faded, his life force dissipatingpletely.

    Yuan Ming activated the runes on the Soul Extinguishing Sword, and four beams of ck light entered Sha Hao''s head, pulling out a phantom-like cloud of blood that pulsated with a powerful soul force.

    Within the blood cloud, Sha Hao''s face appeared, distorted with terror. He struggled fiercely, but even if his soul had been intact, he couldn''t resist the power of the Soul Extinguishing Sword and was swiftly devoured.

    The Soul Extinguishing Sword let out an excited tremor, and the four runes glowed with a faint blood-colored light.Yuan Ming formed hand seals, using a secret technique gleaned from soul searching to stabilize the runes.

    With his considerable experience in artifact refining and some insights into runes, he was able to grasp the secret technique quickly.

    After the runes flickered uncertainly, the Soul Extinguishing Sword suddenly quivered violently, emitting a series of piercing screeches. The surface was roiled with ck qi, briefly forming a ghastly, unknown face before twisting into another grotesque visage of a man.

    The man''s facested only a moment before morphing into the withered image of an old woman.

    As the faces in the ck qi on the sword''s surface kept changing, Yuan Ming''s expression grew more solemn, veins bulging on his forehead as beads of sweat rolled down, his fingers rapidly forming seals.

    Suddenly, as the face in the ck qi turned into a beautiful young girl, it let out a strange cackle and opened its mouth, unleashing a ck light that shot towards Yuan Ming''s face.

    Startled, Yuan Ming realized he couldn''t dodge at such close range. In desperation, he activated the Stealing Heaven Cauldron, which appeared in a sh to shield him.

    The ck light, which could prate solid objects, was stopped by the Stealing Heaven Cauldron.

    Seizing the opportunity, Yuan Ming''s fingers whirled like wheels, and he formed a strange hand seal, uttering a single word:

    "Swift!"

    After a frenzied shing, the four runes finally disappeared, and the ck qi on the Soul Extinguishing Sword retracted back into the de, calming down.

    The sword still glowed with ayer of ck light but had returned to a state of tranquility, no longer flickering restlessly.

    Yuan Ming finally breathed a sigh of relief, having narrowly escaped danger. Fortunately, his spiritual consciousness was strong, and with the protection of the Stealing Heaven Cauldron, he avoided being devoured by the sword.

    After steadying himself, he channeled his mana and soul force into the Soul Extinguishing Sword.

    The sword emitted a dragon-like cry, releasing a pitch-ck sword qi. Its power hadn''t increased much, but it was much purer than before.

    Yuan Ming swung his arm, and a crescent-shaped sword qi shot out, burying itself into the ground.

    Below, the Qi serpent had awakened and was attempting to burst forth from the ground but was entangled by Hua Zhi''s vines. The two fought fiercely, both sustaining injuries.

    The Qi serpent''s teeth seemed to have petrifying abilities; any vine bitten by it would rapidly turn to stone and shatter, effectively countering Hua Zhi''s regenerative abilities.

    At that moment, the ck sword qi easily pierced through theyers of earth and struck the Qi serpent''s head, prating its scales and entering its skull.

    The Qi serpent''s massive body trembled violently and theny motionless, its life force quickly fading.

    Wisps of soul force seeped out from the Qi serpent''s head, not dissipating but rising to the surface and converging towards the Soul Extinguishing Sword, slowly merging into it.

    Yuan Ming watched in surprise.

    He hadn''t expected the Soul Extinguishing Sword to be so effective at absorbing souls, able to exert such an effect even through the ground and from a distance of several tens of feet.

    Hua Zhi took the opportunity to thrust its vines into the Qi serpent''s body, devouring its essence blood and demonic power.

    Momentster, Hua Zhi emerged from the ground with the withered corpse of the Qi serpent.

    Yuan Ming proceeded to pry open the Qi serpent''s mouth and extracted two earthy yellow fangs.

    These fangs contained rich earth attribute spiritual power. Holding them in his hand, he felt a numbing stiffness, indicating that these were the source of the Qi serpent''s petrifying ability.

    Such rare items were not to be missed. If he could find a skilled artifact refiner, he might be able to create one or two rare magical artifacts rted to petrification.

    Yuan Ming stored the fangs and flicked several fireballs to reduce the Qi serpent''s corpse to ashes.

    Although the battle with Sha Hao took ce within a white fog sea and in a remote area, unlikely to be discovered, Yuan Ming wasn''t one to take chances. After dispersing the fog, he collected the Vajra, Hua Zhi, and Lei Yu, and without dy, took Sha Hao''s corpse and headed towards his previous cave dwelling.

    Before long, Yuan Ming stopped in front of a stone wall deep within a mine tunnel.

    He retrieved a yellowmand g from Sha Hao''s Storage Ring and channeled his mana into it.

    The g emitted a beam of yellow light that entered the stone wall.

    The wall glowed with waves of yellow light and slowly dissipated, revealing two stone doors that opened automatically.

    Yuan Ming released three spirit beasts to guard the entrance and stepped inside, with the stone wall returning to its original state behind him.

    After passing through a corridor, he saw a ratherrge stone hall ahead.

    Before Yuan Ming could take a closer look at the hall, two tall shadows lunged at him from the front, moving quickly.

    Unperturbed, Yuan Ming flipped his hand and tossed out a small ck bell.

    Ding...

    The two shadows halted immediately; they were two ck-furred humanoid demons.

    From soul searching Sha Hao, Yuan Ming knew the origins of these humanoid demons. Sha Hao had brought them from Bi Luo Cave when he escaped, each with thebat power of a peak Qi refining cultivator, used to guard the cave dwelling.

    With another wave of the bell, the humanoid demons obediently retreated.

    Yuan Ming surveyed the stone hall, which was furnished with stone benches and chairs. Around the hall were four chambers: one for cultivation, another equipped with an array for nurturing the Soul Extinguishing Sword.

    Now that the Soul Extinguishing Sword had been stabilized, the array was no longer needed.

    Of the remaining two chambers, one was filled with various spiritual materials of mostly low grade, along with some low-level magical artifacts and Storage Bags.

    Yuan Ming knew these were the spoils Sha Hao had collected from hunting cultivators, yet to be sorted.

    Thest chamber was exceptionally spacious, almost asrge as the hall outside, and had been converted by Sha Hao into a medicinal garden with numerous spiritual herbs and medicines nted.

    "Stargazing Grass, Condensing Spirit Flower, Cold Moon Vine..."

    Yuan Ming''s eyes swept over these precious herbs, several of which could be used to make spiritual incense.

    Ah, Windchaser Flowers!

    He noticed four or five silver nts in the corner of the garden, the main ingredient for Foundation Establishment Pills that he had encountered in the Yunluo Mountain Range.

    No wonder Sha Hao was able to mimic the flower so convincingly; he had indeed discovered this precious herb in the mountain range.

    Yuan Ming''s gaze then shifted to another corner of the garden, where a water tank held a three-foot-long ck branch, rough and unremarkable.

    The water in the tank was a pale ck, exuding a faint aura of yin energy.

    A small array was set up around the tank, isting it from the other spiritual herbs, indicating Sha Hao''s high regard for this ck branch.

    Yuan Ming approached the array and probed it with his spiritual consciousness, but found nothing special. The ck branch seemed to be a yin attribute spiritual material with heavy yin energy, and that was all.

    However, if it were merely a yin attribute material, Sha Hao wouldn''t have ced it so carefully, would he?

    Soul searching could probe a person''s memories, but a cultivator''s lifetime of memories was vast. To review them all would take a long time, and Yuan Ming had only looked for what he needed to know, not finding any information about the ck branch.

    Yuan Ming left the garden and entered Sha Hao''s cultivation chamber.

    The chamber was simply furnished, with a blue meditation cushion in the center and a bronze incense burner in the corner, burning a stick of spiritual incense that was actually the Zixuan Incense he had made.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming felt an inexplicable sense of pride; Sha Hao had purchased Zixuan Incense, which meant he must have visited the Xuanhua Spiritual Incense Shop at some point.

    Yuan Ming collected his thoughts and sat down on the cushion to sort through the acquired items.

    He first took out the silver orb, which had only minor scratches and was not greatly affected.

    He channeled his mana into it, and the orb lit up with brilliant silver light, the four runes shining brightly.

    Yuan Ming was secretly pleased; he had seen the orb''s powerful attacks, which were no less impressive than his ck needle.

    "Since it can shoot such formidable silver light, from now on, I''ll call you the Silverlight Orb. As for the ck needle, let''s name it Shadow Piercer," he thought to himself.

    With the Silverlight Orb and the Shadow Piercer, his offensive capabilities had increased.

    Yuan Ming stored the orb and then picked up the golden inner armor to probe it with his spiritual consciousness.

    The golden inner armor contained four runes and was indeed a top-grade magical artifact.

    He didn''t know what material was used to forge the armor, but its defense was astonishing, far surpassing the Dragon Scale Shield, and it could also activate a golden light screen.

    In the previous battle, Sha Hao had overused the golden inner armor, and it had been hit by abined attack from Lei Yu and Vajra, causing the runes to be unstable.

    However, this wasn''t a major issue; with some time and mana nurturing, it would likely recover.

    Yuan Ming had witnessed the formidable defense of the golden inner armor. With this treasure protecting him, he needn''t worry about attacks from Foundation Establishment stage cultivators.

    He didn''t store the armor but wore it directly, and after categorizing all the treasures, he sat cross-legged on the cushion and began to nurture the inner armor with his mana.

 Chapter 297: Harvest

    Chapter 297: Harvest

    Momentster, Yuan Ming opened his eyes and swept his spiritual consciousness over his body, nodding slightly in satisfaction.

    After a period of nurturing with mana, the runes on the golden inner armor had stabilized somewhat. He was now reassured, and nned to slowly nurture it daily once he returned to his residence.

    He then took out Sha Hao''s storage ring and performed a gesture.

    A sh of white light on the ground revealed a pile of items, mostly spirit stones, stacked about a meter high.

    Besides the spirit stones, there were several magical artifacts, three jade boxes, arge gourd taller than a man, two jade bottles, and two jade slips, one grey and one white.

    Yuan Ming first counted the spirit stones, finding nearly a hundred thousand, which brought him great joy.

    Although he had been earning thousands of spirit stones monthly from his spiritual incense shop in Xiaohu City, most of it was spent on cultivation resources. He had been continuously consuming elixirs and spiritual incense to reach his current level of cultivation, but had still not broken through to the middle stage.

    This was partly due to his innate talent and partly because hecked the financial means to purchase better elixirs. If he could really afford to cultivate without restraint, he believed his progress would be much faster, but the required spirit stones would more than double.

    For instance, at the Tianxiang Auction, he had seen a spirit-gathering formation that could greatly enhance cultivation efficiency. The starting bid was ten thousand spirit stones, and it eventually sold for seventeen thousand. Each activation reportedly consumed several mid-grade spirit stones, making it an extreme luxury that he had previously shied away from.Moreover, although he had devoted most of his energy to cultivation, he still needed to take time to make incense in exchange for spirit stones, preventing him from truly secluding himself for cultivation.

    This time, in order to deal with Sha Hao, he had nearly spent all his spirit stones, and feared that he wouldn''t be able to return to his previous cultivation conditions for a while. Now, with thisrge sum of spirit stones, he could finally afford a proper seclusion.

    Yuan Ming gleefully stored the spirit stones and turned his attention to the magical artifacts.

    There were nine artifacts in total, five of which weremand gs that seemed to belong to the same formation.

    The gs were red, yellow, blue, green, and gold, all identical in size and shape. The yellow g he had used to open the cave dwelling''s door was among them.

    From Sha Hao''s memories, he knew these five gs controlled the formation around the cave dwelling.

    The formation was called the "Five Elements Illusionary Formation," far more intricate than the Thousand Mechanism Water Rope Formation or the Bronze Thunder Pattern Formation.

    It was said that the Five Elements Illusionary Formation was not only an illusion formation but also containedplex principles of the Five Elements. Due to its ingenious design, even ordinary cultivators could activate its illusionary restrictions, trapping intruders within. It was difficult for a typical Foundation Establishment cultivator to escape, earning it the nickname "Minor Immortal Trapping Formation."

    If one mastered certain Five Elements techniques, they could easily control the formation to produce corresponding elemental changes, enhancing the synergy between illusions and the Five Elements, shifting between reality and illusion, and greatly increasing its power.

    With this thought, Yuan Ming summoned themand gs and tried to activate the formation.

    Soon, the area around the cave dwelling was bathed in red, yellow, blue, green, and gold lights, which then transformed into the illusory forms of mes, flowing water, giant trees, rocks, and golden des. These images flickered and shifted, sometimes solidifying into real objects, though they appeared somewhat chaotic and disordered.

    Having little experience with formations, Yuan Ming was clumsy at first, but after repeated practice, he began to grasp the basics.

    Since his cultivation of the Nine Elements Form was among the best of the wood attribute techniques, he also mastered several wood attribute changes within the Five Elements.

    However, to truly master these wood attribute changes forbat or toprehend other elemental changes would require more time for reflection and practice.

    The Five Elements Illusionary Formation was powerful but also consumed a great deal of resources. Each setup could cost over a thousand spirit stones, far beyond what an ordinary cultivator could afford.

    Yuan Ming stored themand gs and examined the remaining four artifacts: a ck short sword, a blue flying boat, a white round bead, and a blue round mirror.

    He was familiar with the ck short sword and the blue flying boat; the former was a high-grade magical artifact with formidable attack power, while thetter was amon flying artifact.

    The white round bead, named the "Soul Locking Bead," was a high-grade soul cultivator artifact capable of locking onto someone''s soul aura for long-distance tracking.

    As long as the target was within a hundred miles, the Soul Locking Bead could precisely sense their location. During their previous encounter, Sha Hao had used this artifact to firmly lock onto Yuan Ming''s position, nearly driving him into a desperate situation.

    The Soul Locking Bead was not only capable of long-distance tracking but also extremely covert; even Nascent Soul stage cultivators might not detect it.

    The only drawback was its time limitation; each lock could onlyst for three days, after which the soul aura within the bead would dissipate, requiring a new lock.

    The blue round mirror, known as the "Water Viewing Mirror," was a mid-grade water attribute magical artifact with a certain level of detection ability. In areas rich in water vapor, it could probe hundreds of feet around.

    However, without water nearby, the Water Viewing Mirror''s effectiveness would be greatly reduced, perhaps even inferior to ordinary artifacts.

    Sha Hao had ingeniouslybined the Water Viewing Mirror with the Five Elements Illusionary Formation, allowing him to probe within three hundred feet around the formation with the mirror.

    Both artifacts were valuable and could be highly effective if used properly.

    Yuan Ming stored the artifacts and opened the three jade boxes, which contained a piece of shiny ck metal, a piece of emerald-green crystal, and a yellowish-brown round bead.

    He recognized these items as ck Profound Iron, Green Water Amber, and Earth Soul Bead, all precious materials for crafting top-grade magical artifacts, though he had no immediate use for them.

    Next, he checked therge gourd and found it filled with nearly a thousand white, jade-like elixirs.

    He took out one elixir, feeling a cool sensation in his palm like holding a snowball, and the rich medicinal fragrance indicated it was a spirit-nourishing elixir, superior to what he was currently consuming.

    "Could this be the Snow Essence Pill?"

    The Snow Essence Pill was one of the best spirit-nourishing elixirs for the Foundation Establishment stage, but it was prohibitively expensive. Yuan Ming could not afford to use it long-term, yet Sha Hao had so many.

    Yuan Ming was secretly delighted; with so many Snow Essence Pills and therge sum of spirit stones he had acquired, he wouldn''t have to worry about elixirs for a long time. These pills would be enough to support his cultivation to thete Foundation Establishment stage.

    The other two jade bottles contained detoxifying and healing elixirs, both of high quality.

    Finally, Yuan Ming picked up the two jade slips for inspection. The grey slip contained a technique called "Mysterious Jade Art" and a soul cultivation technique called "Heart Cleansing Form."

    Already possessing many techniques, he paid little attention to the "Mysterious Jade Art," focusing instead on the "Heart Cleansing Form."

    This was his first encounter with a soul cultivation technique other than the "Death Moon Method," and he was quite curious. He studied it carefully and quickly finished.

    The "Heart Cleansing Form" was a refined soul cultivation technique, but it still paled inparison to the "Death Moon Method." However, the "Heart Cleansing Form" had unique aspects in purifying the mind and eliminating emotional distractions.

    ording to the slip, at advanced levels, this technique could sever all emotions and desires, even achieving the "Four No''s" state of "no heart," "no knowledge," "no consciousness," and "no pain."

    "What a sinister technique," Yuan Ming couldn''t help but remark. If one truly cultivated to that extent, their mental state would indeed be unshakable, but they would likely be a being devoid of thought, likely a side effect of the "Heart Cleansing Form."

    Fortunately, his "Death Moon Method" did not have such a cost.

    Yuan Ming then picked up the white jade slip and immersed his spiritual consciousness into it.

    Suddenly, his expression turned to one of surprise; the white jade slip actually absorbed his spiritual consciousness, but quickly released it again.

    "What''s going on?" Yuan Ming was astonished and once again sent his spiritual consciousness into the white jade slip.

    This time there were no surprises, and his spiritual consciousness smoothly entered the slip.

    He paused for a moment, setting aside the earlier anomaly, and focused on the contents of the slip.

    The white jade slip contained the Grand Elder''s insights into soul cultivation, mostly rted to the "Heart Cleansing Form," and was quite valuable for reference.

    At the end of the slip, there were several secret soul cultivation techniques that caught his eye.

    The one that interested Yuan Ming the most was a soul division technique, a soul-shaking secret technique, and a dream butterfly illusion technique.

    The soul division technique allowed the division of one''s soul form, maintaining the ability of the soul cultivation illusion techniques, albeit weakened.

    The Grand Elder had used this technique during the massacre at Bi Luo Cave, splitting his blood bats into hundreds, nearly reversing the entire battle.

    However, using this technique consumed a great deal of soul power, and carelessness could lead to soul exhaustion, making it quite dangerous.

    The soul-shaking secret technique, as the name suggested, was a technique that could shake the soul, specifically targeting illusions, allowing one to free themselves from illusory realms.

    Yuan Ming realized why Sha Hao had easily escaped his illusions during the battle in the Yunluo Mountains.

    After mastering and bing proficient with this secret technique, he would no longer need to use soul collision to escape illusions in the future.

    As for the dream butterfly illusion technique, it was a powerful illusion technique that could ensnare someone in an illusion without their knowledge, unable to escape, and even use the illusion to consume the enemy''s soul power, harming them invisibly.

    This technique was on a different level from the illusions Yuan Ming had used before, and what Sha Hao had cast on him was this very technique.

    The dream butterfly illusion technique was profound and mysterious, divided into four realms: Mirror Flower, Mirage, Dream Illusion, and Void Emptiness, and was very difficult to cultivate.

    Sha Hao had only cultivated to the first realm, Mirror Flower, which was just the beginning. However, his soul form was a blood bat, capable of spitting out blood-colored soul waves with strong pration power. During the previous battle, this allowed him to be unaffected by the white fog and easily infiltrate deep into the soul, making his illusions doubly effective.

    Sha Hao hadbined the dream butterfly illusion technique with his blood bat soul waves, making it exceptionally powerful. From the Southern Border to the Central ins, no low-level cultivator could escape his illusions. If not for Yuan Ming''s quick thinking to use the soul collision secret technique to save himself, he would likely have faced defeat today.

 Chapter 298: Claim reward

    Chapter 298: im reward

    Yuan Ming breathed a sigh of relief, feeling fortunate that he had been overly confident in his Soul Collision technique and the Stealing Heaven Cauldron, thinking he could break any illusion. He had underestimated Sha Hao''s capabilities.

    If Sha Hao had cultivated his Dream Butterfly Illusion Technique to the Mirage Realm, even Soul Collision might not have been effective.

    The Dream Butterfly Illusion Technique was incredibly powerful. Yuan Ming had resolved to learn it, but unfortunately, Sha Hao was dead. Otherwise, he could have used ck Incense to possess the body andprehend the technique more efficiently, doubling the results with half the effort.

    Yuan Ming packed everything up and began to explore Sha Hao''s cave dwelling, growing more pleased by the minute.

    The cave was well-hidden, with a richer spiritual energy than Xiaohu City, and was protected by the formidable Five Elements Illusionary Formation. It was far superior to his modest abode in Xiaohu City.

    Having lived in Xiaohu City for three years, Yuan Ming had made a fair amount of money from the Xuanhua Spiritual Incense Shop but had also attracted some trouble. Coupled with the looming threat from Changchun Temple, it was time for a change. This ce, within the influence of Wulei Sect in Zhao Country, seemed like the perfect new location.

    Yuan Ming immediately set to work arranging the cave dwelling. He cleared out the stone chamber where the Soul Extinguishing Sword had been kept, removed all the formations on the floor, and ced the casting furnace he had obtained from Master Heimu''s cave dwelling there.

    The recent battle had made Yuan Ming acutely aware of the importance of artifacts inbat. He had learned the art of artifact refining in Bi Luo Cave, and with his powerful soul, he had a natural advantage in areas like drawing talismans and infusing spirit. If he could dedicate himself to artifact refining, he might have already achieved significant sess by now.

    Unfortunately, since leaving Bi Luo Cave, he had been too busy to properly delve into the art of artifact refining.Now, with the Xuejing Pills and nearly a hundred thousand spirit stones he had obtained from Sha Hao, he wouldn''t have to worry about resources for cultivation for the next two or three years and could afford to take things easy.

    The secret chamber next to Sha Hao''s was filled with spiritual materials, and his own storage ring was also packed with unused materials and demonic beast parts. In the days toe, he nned to improve his artifact refining skills alongside his cultivation.

    Yuan Ming quickly got everything in order but didn''t start cultivating right away, as there were still some matters to take care of in Xiaohu City.

    He sealed the cave dwelling and flew southward on his artifact.

    ...

    Xiaohu City, Xuanhua Spiritual Incense Shop.

    Business boomed even more each day after the Tianxiang Auction ended.

    Qingxuan and Zixuan incenses, as the shop''s gship products, had be regr purchases for many major sects.

    The Seven Steps Down, auctioned off earlier, had be the stuff of legends. Rumors told of a rogue cultivator who, when ambushed by two cultivators of the same level, survived and even killed one of his attackers thanks to the Seven Steps Down.

    The story was detailed, but few could actually rify the identity and cultivation level of this rogue cultivator.

    As for the truth, probably only Hu Tu, who always happened to be present when the story was told, knew it best.

    "The boss hasn''t returned yet. In a few days, we''ll have no more incense to sell," Hu Tu said to Muyang as he sent off thest customer and hung up the ''closed'' sign as usual.

    After locking the shop door, he turned around only to see Yuan Ming''s figure.

    "Boss, you''re back! Are you here to check the ounts? I''ll go get the ledger for you," Hu Tu eximed with joy.

    Yuan Ming nodded and didn''t stop him. After quickly reviewing the ledger, a smile appeared on his face.

    "Not bad, the revenue has increased by fifty percent recently."

    "It''s all thanks to the quality and effectiveness of our incense. We just did what we had to," Hu Tuplimented timely.

    Yuan Ming closed the ledger, "When I left, I asked you to keep an ear out for news in the city. Anything noteworthy?"

    "In the past few days, there have been two major events. First, Huoque Gate has rallied the local alliances of Guangli, Qiyue, and Hongshang to form a team and head to the Northern Wastes. Second, it''s rumored that Changchun Temple has roughly located the soul cultivator Pu Zhengqing and has organized a significant number of people. Three Foundation Establishment elders from Changchun Temple, Shengye Sect, and Precious Spirit Sect set off yesterday to capture him in Zhao Country," Hu Tu reported.

    "Good work. However, for the next few days, you and Muyang pack up and sort out the remaining incense in the shop. I''ll take you both to Wangyue City in Zhao Country. I n to open a new shop there," Yuan Ming said with a nod.

    "This... Boss, we''ve just started to build a reputation here. Isn''t it a pity to close now? How about letting Muyang manage this shop while I go with you to open a branch?" Hu Tu was reluctant to leave the thriving business.

    "I have my ns for this matter. Besides, our materials and production are limited and can''t support two shops," Yuan Ming shook his head.

    Hearing this, Hu Tu sighed regretfully, bowed, and then went off with Muyang to pack up.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming also stood up and left the spiritual incense shop, heading to the Scattered Cultivators Association.

    Perhaps due to Huoque Gate and Changchun Temple drawing away many people for their missions, the association was sparsely popted. The attendants stood idly behind the counter, some so bored they even sneakily read a book on the side.

    Yuan Ming nced at the book in the attendant''s hand, which was the "Travels to the South" he had written, and chuckled to himself as he approached the attendant.

    Hearing someone enter, the attendant hastily hid the book and looked up to see it wasn''t his supervisor, he sighed in relief and adopted a respectful demeanor.

    "Senior, are you here to take on a mission?"

    Yuan Ming shook his head and threw Sha Hao''s body out, uttering just two words: "im reward."

    The attendant, startled by the sudden appearance of a corpse, was petrified. After regaining hisposure, he scrutinized Sha Hao''s face and eximed in surprise, "Pu Zhengqing?"

    At those words, the entire Scattered Cultivators Association fell silent. Curious cultivators looked over to see a corpse lying in front of Yuan Ming, causing a stir.

    Yuan Ming looked around, making no attempt to hide, and announced loudly, "Fellow cultivators, I am Ha Gong. The soul cultivator Pu Zhengqing has been tracked and thoroughly in by me. Here lies his body as proof. From now on, this scourge shall no longer gue the world. I ask you all to bear witness."

    Hearing his words, the cultivators in the association were dumbstruck with amazement, while the attendants stood frozen, some of the more astute ones hurriedly turned to summon the association''s manager.

    Soon, a Foundation Establishment stage manager hurried over and bowed to Yuan Ming, "ording to our rules, I need to verify the body to ensure there''s no disguise. Please forgive the inconvenience, Brother Ha-Gong."

    Yuan Ming nodded and stepped aside.

    The manager intended to have the attendants take the body to a verification room, but seeing the crowd of curious cultivators, he decided to bring the tools out and conduct the examination right there in the hall.

    As he began, a transparent gem-like artifact was taken out, with fresh blood suspended in its center. As the manager activated the artifact, it floated above the body, emitting an orange glow that swept across the corpse before returning to the artifact, causing the suspended blood to change.

    Soon, an image of Sha Hao formed from the blood appeared in the center of the artifact.

    Seeing this, the manager swallowed hard and looked up at Yuan Ming with undisguised admiration.

    "This is indeed Pu Zhengqing''s body, untouched."

    The Scattered Cultivators Association erupted into noise, but Yuan Ming simply nodded, "Now that the identity is verified, I should be able to collect the bounty, right?"

    "Of course, I will have someone fetch it. However, since you''ve brought back his body, the reward is only fifty thousand spirit stones. Please understand, Brother Ha-Gong," the manager said.

    "No matter," Yuan Ming waved his hand.

    Soon, Yuan Ming received a storage bag containing fifty thousand spirit stones from the manager and left without lingering.

    Though he departed, the discussion about him in the association didn''t cease.

    "Hey, this Ha Gong, I wonder which sect he''s from. He''s really impressive, killing someone that even Changchun Temple''s Foundation Establishment cultivators had to deal with," someone marveled.

    "Not just that, think about it. Changchun Temple went to great lengths to locate Pu Zhengqing. They had just set out, and Ha Gong already delivered the body. It shows that his cultivation is not the only impressive thing about him. It seems many sects will want to recruit him," another yellow-robed cultivator said.

    "s, fame brings trouble, fortune and misfortune go hand in hand. What do you think, if Changchun Temple finds out about this, will they reward Ha Gong or feel disgraced and seek to trouble him?" a long-robed cultivator suddenly asked.

    "Changchun Temple is arrogant but not foolish. How could they trouble a cultivator like Ha Gong, who clearly has a promising future, over such a trivial matter? I think they''re more likely to try to recruit him," the yellow-robed cultivator shook his head.

    "Last time at the Tianxiang Auction, Elder Zuo Qinghui from Changchun Temple wanted to recruit Ha Gong but was rejected. Maybe they''ll try again this time," an informed cultivator analyzed.

    "Hmph, Changchun Temple dominates Great Jin! That''s for sure. They''ll use both carrot and stick on any well-known rogue cultivator," someone couldn''t help but curse.

    However, this remark seemed to touch a taboo, silencing everyone around. They dispersed, no longer discussing these topics publicly.

    But the discussions about Ha Gong didn''t end there, and the news of Pu Zhengqing''s death by his hand spread like wildfire throughout every corner of Xiaohu City.

 Chapter 299: Breakthrough

    Chapter 299: Breakthrough

    Half a monthter, Yuan Ming returned to Wangyue City. After surveying the area and learning that Changchun Temple''s team had captured Pu Zhengqing and returned to the Great Jin, and that the Sha Hao incident had settled down, he reopened the spiritual incense shop with Hu Tu and Muyang within the city. Once he had taken care of the shop''s affairs, he retreated to his cave dwelling alone.

    The new shop''s business was quieter than before, but Yuan Ming, now notcking in spirit stones or elixirs, ran the shop merely for a steady ie. Thus, he allowed Hu Tu to manage the business and promotion as they saw fit, without putting in as much effort as before.

    Sha Hao''s inheritance should sustain his cultivation to theter stages of Foundation Establishment. Unless something significant urred, Yuan Ming nned to remain in seclusion and cultivate.

    Past experiences had intensified his desire for greater strength. Whether in the Southern Border or the Great Jin, only absolute power could ensure absolute authority. The so-called fairness only applied when powers were equal.

    Had he remained at the early stages of Foundation Establishment, he might have been considered strong among ordinary cultivators, but against true powerhouses, he would be insignificant. He had no desire to repeat the reluctant exile he faced after killing Elder Yuhu.

    The incense needed for the shop would be delivered by Lei Yu after being made, as Yuan Ming had no intention of leaving his cave dwelling lightly.

    While contemting his future ns, Yuan Ming took out a stick of ck Incense.

    Days before, he had used the ck Incense to ensure his parents were safe. Now, he wanted to check on Xiying.

    Despite the news of Sha Hao''s death and his eptance of the Grand Elder''s entire inheritance, Yuan Ming had many thoughts he wished to share with Xiying. Unfortunately, distance made it impossible for his words to reach her.As the ck Incense burned atop the Stealing Heaven Cauldron, Yuan Ming''s vision gradually shifted, transferring to Guoguo.

    Plop! As the possessionpleted, Yuan Ming was greeted by a ssh of water. Salty seawater drenched Guoguo from head to tail, leaving not a single dry spot on its fur.

    Guoguo meowed loudly, seemingly inint, but the relentless waves continued to wash over its body, forcing its eyes shut. It could only pitifully cling to the scales of the giant beast below with its paws, pressing its shrunken, soaked body against it.

    Though its eyes were closed, Yuan Ming calmed his mind and began to observe the surroundings using his spiritual consciousness.

    Not far in front of Guoguo, Xiying stood on the back of the giant beast, enveloped in a faint white glow that repelled the iing seawater. Each wave that hit her elicited an excited shout, her eyes brimming with joy and anticipation.

    Beneath her and Guoguo''s feet was a giant fish, several zhang long, covered in sturdy blue scales, its back as t as a table and shaped like a thin fan.

    The monstrous fish leaped and darted across the sea surface, powerfully churning up waves. Its massive body asionally dived underwater and then breached again, providing its passengers with a thrilling experience.

    Yuan Ming, seeing nothing but blue sea and sky around, surmised that Xiying had left the Southern Border and was somewhere in the Eastern Sea. Unfortunately, the distance from the Wangyue Mountain Range to the Eastern Sea was still vast, makingmunication talismans useless.

    After some time, the frolicking fish attracted attention from above. A green streak of light shed across the sky, halting above the fish''s head.

    However, Xiying seemed unconcerned, simply striking a spell to halt the fish.

    "Senior Xiao, my master is growing impatient. Please, you should head over quickly," a female cultivator in light green robes, standing on a flying artifact, said to Xiying with a cupped fist salute.

    "There''s plenty of time; she can wait a bit longer," Xiying replied nonchntly, waving her hand dismissively.

    "Senior Xiao¡­" The woman in green smiled wryly, opening her mouth as if to persuade further.

    "Meow," Guoguo suddenly let out a weak cry.

    Xiying frowned and, turning her head, picked up Guoguo, saying irritably, "You usually can''t move when you see fish, and now you can''t handle riding one? Once we''re back, you''re banned from eating fish for a month!"

    At her words, Guoguo meowed again but showed no intention of leaving Xiying''s embrace. Yuan Ming, possessing Guoguo, could sense its vague thoughts; clearly, it disliked getting wet more than it craved fish.

    Xiying tucked Guoguo into her arms, dismissed the fish, and then stepped into the air, flying straight up into the sky.

    "Alright, I''m off. You should hurry up too," she said, and with a sh, she stepped onto a gourd-shaped artifact and flew eastward, not waiting for the woman in green.

    Seeing this, the woman in green had no choice but to quickly propel her artifact to follow.

    Xiying''s destination was not close, and by the time Yuan Ming''s ck Incense burned out and the possession ended, she had not yet arrived.

    Yuan Ming''s main concern had been to check on her well-being, and seeing her safe and sound, he had nothing to worry about. He collected his thoughts and, clearing his mind of distractions, immersed himself in cultivation.

    Five years passed in the blink of an eye.

    Inside the cave dwelling, Yuan Ming''s spiritual power fluctuations had reached the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, still some distance from the peak.

    Thanks to the elixirs left by Sha Hao, the Zixuan Incense he crafted, and the spirit stone-bought spirit gathering array, Yuan Ming cultivated day and night. He had broken through to the mid-stage over four years ago, and with the continuous support of elixirs, his magical power surged forward, steadily advancing towards the peak of the mid-stage.

    Additionally, with the daily nourishment of his soul by the Stealing Heaven Cauldron and the nightly practice of the Death Moon method, Yuan Ming''s soul had significantly improved. Today, he was on the verge of breaking through to the fourthyer of the Death Moon method.

    He dared not be negligent, taking out a stick of spiritual incense from his storage ring.

    Over the years, he had often reviewed the Grand Elder''s cultivation insights, gaining much understanding.

    The insights mentioned a type of elixir that could help soul cultivators break through bottlenecks. Although Yuan Ming was not skilled in alchemy, his research led him to create a spiritual incense with simr effects.

    This incense could stabilize a cultivator''s state of mind, dispel distractions, and slightly enhance soul strength. It was not only helpful for soul cultivators'' breakthroughs but also beneficial for general cultivators'' practice. Yuan Ming named this incense "Nourishing Soul Incense," which he nned to sell in the spiritual incense shopter, but there was no rush for now.

    Lighting the Nourishing Soul Incense, he immediately felt a cool sensation in his mind, pushing aside all trivial matters and calming the tension of an impending breakthrough.

    Then, Yuan Ming silently circted the Death Moon method, his soul power in the sea of consciousness churning and crashing like towering waves, rushing towards the soul phantom at the center. As the soul power entered, his soul phantom gradually filled up, quickly reaching its limit, but the surging soul power continued unabated.

    Soon, Yuan Ming''s soul phantom swelled and distorted unnaturally.

    He sensed an indescribable constraint around his soul, hindering its further growth.

    This was not an external affliction but a natural restriction for all cultivators.

    The Grand Elder''s insights referred to this as the "Soul Willow Lock," the key distinction between soul cultivators and ordinary cultivators. Breaking through this lock marked the divergence of a soul cultivator''s path from that of regr cultivators, eventually widening the gap.

    In the sea of consciousness, Yuan Ming''s soul had lost its original shape, but the lock remained, resisting his efforts to break free with the Death Moon method.

    Gradually, the soul power in the sea of consciousness was exhausted, the tumultuous waves subsided, and a flicker of anxiety crossed Yuan Ming''s mind. It was quickly soothed by the Nourishing Soul Incense, but the breakthrough seemed destined to fail.

    At that moment, the Stealing Heaven Cauldron mark on Yuan Ming''s arm suddenly lit up, and a familiar warmth flowed into his sea of consciousness.

    This time, as the warm current reached the sea of consciousness, a phantom of the Stealing Heaven Cauldron appeared before Yuan Ming''s soul phantom.

    Before he could understand what was happening, the Stealing Heaven Cauldron phantom violently collided with his soul phantom. A sharp pain shot through Yuan Ming''s brow, his consciousness blurred, and then a loud noise echoed as the Stealing Heaven Cauldron phantom struck his soul phantom again.

    The violent impact left fine cracks on both the cauldron and soul phantoms.

    With his soul damaged, Yuan Ming felt dizzy, and the Death Moon method he was channeling paused momentarily. In that instant, the Stealing Heaven Cauldron phantom struck a third time, shattering both phantoms into pieces.

    Yuan Ming''s vision darkened, and he fainted, unconscious but havingpleted the final step of breaking the Soul Willow Lock.

    The soul power that had flowed into his soul, now unrestrained, began to move autonomously, absorbing the fragments of the Stealing Heaven Cauldron and the soul, then rapidly coalescing and reshaping into a humanoid form.

    The process was like breaking a y figurine and remolding it with mud. The newly formed soul phantom was more solid than before, still far from fully materialized but showing signs of bing tangible.

    In the cave dwelling, after an unknown period, Yuan Ming groggily sat up, recalling his recent experience. He anxiously looked inward at his sea of consciousness to assess his current state.

    Seeing the somewhat solid pale yellow phantom at the center of his sea of consciousness, he was initially stunned, then overjoyed.

    He released his soul crows and, as expected, he could now control two more, extending his range to forty li.

    Moreover, his soul crows had awakened a new ability called "Crow Cry," capable of emitting soul sound waves to attack enemies.

 Chapter 300: Wish Force

    Chapter 300: Wish Force

    Yuan Ming instructed Hua Zhi to capture a nearby demon beast for experimentation and discovered that when the soul crow released its "Crow Cry," it could cause the enemy''s soul to tremble, rendering their consciousness dull and their bodies rigid, requiring some time to recover.

    Additionally, during his previous cultivation, he had already preliminarilypleted the first realm of the dream butterfly illusion technique, "Mirror Flower." Now, bybining it with the soul crow''s abilities, he could imperceptibly trap his enemies in an illusion.

    This significantly extended the range of Yuan Ming''s illusion techniques, which excited him greatly.

    Yuan Ming put away the soul crow and was about to test other soul cultivator abilities when he suddenly felt the "Stealing Heaven Cauldron" mark on his arm grow warm.

    With a thought, he summoned the Stealing Heaven Cauldron, and as soon as it appeared, Yuan Ming felt his connection with it deepen significantly.

    In the air, strands of invisible force gathered from all directions, merging into the Stealing Heaven Cauldron.

    "What is this?" Yuan Ming''s face showed surprise.

    He quickly discovered something about this invisible force.

    This force was simr to spiritual consciousness, yet different. With a solemn expression, he held the Stealing Heaven Cauldron in his hand, concentrating his mind to sense it. The cauldron emitted a light hum, and ayer of golden runes appeared around it, blocking his spiritual consciousness from advancing even slightly.Back in the Southern Border, Yuan Ming had tried to refine the Stealing Heaven Cauldron and encountered this golden barrier, which had violently repelled him. Now, the barrier''s reaction was far less intense.

    He was secretly pleased, realizing that as his Death Moon method improved, his connection with the Stealing Heaven Cauldron was deepening, and its resistance was weakening. Sooner orter, he would haveplete control over it.

    Yuan Ming closed his eyes to sense the invisible force gathering around him and soon showed surprise again.

    His spiritual consciousness touched this force and absorbed a bit of it, finding it beneficial.

    "These invisible forces can absorb souls. It seems they are indeed of the same nature as spiritual consciousness. The warm flow that emerged from the incense burner whenever my soul was injured must be the invisible force collected by the Stealing Heaven Cauldron," Yuan Ming realized.

    Unfortunately, with the golden barrier around the cauldron, he couldn''t prate it to manipte this force; there was still a distance to go.

    Yuan Ming set down the Stealing Heaven Cauldron, recalling that it was Xiying who had told him its name. He wondered if she knew about this force.

    He took out themunication talisman left by Xiying, intending to inquire, but after some thought, he put it away.

    He had been in seclusion in his cave dwelling for five years, focusing on cultivation and rarely contacting the outside world, not even using ck Incense. He didn''t know Xiying''s whereabouts.

    His thoughts then turned to his parents, whom he hadn''t seen in many years, and he wondered how they were now¡­

    He took out a stick of ck Incense, ready to project his consciousness into his father to check on him, but suddenly felt the same invisible force lingering on the incense, albeit more diluted.

    "The incense also contains this force?" Yuan Ming murmured to himself. After some thought, he took out the only remaining original ck Incense.

    The original ck Incense indeed contained that invisible force, which was much more concentrated, even giving him a sense of viscosity.

    Yuan Ming seemed to have realized something and then took out the ash used for making incense, discovering that it too was enveloped by the invisible force.

    "So that''s how it is." Yuan Ming suddenly understood andughed heartily.

    He had long suspected that the power to project consciousness through ck Incensey in a special force within the ash. The more of that force present, the better the projection effect. Now it seemed his suspicion was correct!

    The force within the incense ash, seemingly derived from the worship and wishes of sentient beings, Yuan Ming decided to name it "Wish Force."

    His research on Wish Force was still superficial, and he couldn''t figure out much at the moment, so he temporarily set aside his thoughts, lit the ck Incense, and projected into his father.

    At that moment, his father was sitting cross-legged in a quiet room, cultivating. Judging by the spiritual power circting within him, his cultivation had advanced from the seventh level of Qi refining to the ninth level, entering thete stage of Qi refining.

    Yuan Ming was happy to detect this progress. If his father could advance further, coupled with some opportunities, reaching the Foundation Establishment stage was not impossible.

    However, he then thought of his mother, who had no talent for cultivation. Now that both he and his father had attained longevity, how could he leave his mother with a short lifespan alone?

    He resolved to find life-extending elixirs for his mother if he had the chance.

    His father was very dedicated to cultivation, his mind neither hurried nor slow. Until Yuan Ming''s projection ended, he did not leave the quiet room.

    This also confirmed that nothing major had happened at home, which somewhat relieved Yuan Ming.

    After his spiritual consciousness returned, he nned to continue meditating. Vajra had been cultivating inside the spirit beast bag and had devoured all the Copper Skin Elixirs obtained from Liu Su, now relying on regr training.

    As Vajra''s spiritual intelligence gradually improved, it recorded its cultivation techniques. Yuan Ming reviewed them and found Vajra''s methods to be extraordinary.

    Yuan Ming had also collected some information on physical cultivation and knew that the essence of physical cultivation techniques in the Central ins was to refine from the outside in, starting with the skin and flesh, then the tendons and bones, and finally the internal organs.

    However, the physical cultivation technique Vajra provided started with directly tempering the internal organs in a rather brutal manner, suitable only for demon beasts with exceptional physical talents, and impossible for ordinary cultivators to practice.

    He had to put aside his thoughts on physical cultivation for the time being, nning to look for a standard physical cultivation techniqueter.

    Suddenly, he took out amunication talisman from his chest, which cracked with a "snap," indicating a matter at the spiritual incense shop. A customer wanted to discuss a big deal and insisted on negotiating with the owner. Yuan Ming couldn''t refuse.

    His Death Moon method had just broken through, and his soul power was not yetpletely stable. He didn''t want to end his seclusion so soon.

    However, due to overly optimistic previous estimates, his stock of elixirs was now depleted. The previous one hundred thousand spirit stones would notst if he continued to spend without earning.

    The higher the cultivation, the more expensive the required elixirs. To maintain the rapid pace of cultivation and break through to theter stages of Foundation Establishment, he still needed arge amount of spirit stones. He couldn''t miss out on the big deal at the spiritual incense shop.

    With this thought, he left Hua Zhi and Lei Yu to guard the cave dwelling and set off for Wangyue City.

    Who could this person be, insisting on dealing with him directly? He had entrusted Hu Tu with managing the shop affairs, so what could be so urgent that they needed to discuss with him? Could it be someone with ill intentions?

    Yuan Ming was already curious about this person''s strong demand for a face-to-face meeting. Now, as he approached the shop, a series of thoughts shed through his mind, causing him to instinctively stop.

    After a moment''s thought, he released a soul crow, which dove into the city''s underground, heading stealthily towards the spiritual incense shop. After the fourthyer breakthrough of the Death Moon method, the soul crow''s ability to change form had also improved, and it could now fully dematerialize and travel underground.

    Soon arriving at the spiritual incense shop, the outer hall was empty except for Mu You at the counter. The soul crow sneaked into the inner hall and peeked out from a hidden corner.

    Inside, Hu Tu was conversing with a gray-robed elder, seemingly in good spirits. This must be the customer who had requested to meet with Yuan Ming.

    Upon seeing the man''s face, Yuan Ming''s pupils suddenly constricted. The visitor was none other than Zuo Qinghui.

    "Why is he here?"

    As a cultivator from Changchun Temple and a Nascent Soul stage existence, Yuan Ming had been on high alert since meeting Zuo Qinghui at the Tianxiang Auction.

    If it were just a chance encounter in Wangyue City, Zuo Qinghui would have introduced himself. Now, with such secretive behavior and a request to purchase arge quantity of spiritual incense, the visitor likely had malicious intentions.

    Yuan Ming quickly decided to return to his cave dwelling, instructing Hua Zhi and Lei Yu to leave and be on guard.

    He thenid out the Bronze Thunder Pattern Formation around the cave dwelling, intertwining it with the Five Elements Illusionary Formation. Afterpleting these arrangements, Yuan Ming used the Concealing Yuan Technique to suppress his cultivation to the peak of the early Foundation Establishment stage and returned to Wangyue City, entering the spiritual incense shop directly.

    "A customer wants to order spiritual incense? Elder Zuo?" Yuan Ming feigned surprise.

    "Ah ha, Yuan my friend, it''s been a long time," Zuo Qinghui said with a lightugh.

    Yuan Ming kept a neutral expression, unsurprised. He had used his real name in Wangyue City, and Zuo Qinghui could easily find out with a little inquiry.

    Hu Tu, hearing Yuan Ming address the visitor as "Elder Zuo," froze in ce.

    Knowing that Yuan Ming was at the Foundation Establishment stage, could this guest be a Nascent Soul stage existence? With this thought, Hu Tu quickly found an excuse to leave discreetly.

    "Elder Zuo, I had no choice but to challenge the former National Advisor in the past. For the sake of Changchun Temple''s reputation, it was best to use a pseudonym and keep a low profile. I hope you don''t take offense," Yuan Ming quickly recovered and greeted with a bow.

    "No harm done, that''s all in the past. My friend, you are meticulous and decisive in action, and you have in Pu Zhengqing, making a great contribution to the Great Jin''s cultivation world. Few of the younger generation can match you," Zuo Qinghui''s smile widened.

    "You tter me."

    Yuan Ming pondered the hidden meaning behind Zuo Qinghui''s words.

    "Why did you suddenly close your thriving spiritual incense shop in Xiaohu City ande to open one in Wangyue City?" Zuo Qinghui looked around and asked.

    "Spiritual incense is not like elixirs or spiritual materials; it''s not a necessity for cultivators. Only the wealthy buy it as a novelty. The business in Xiaohu City wasn''t doing well, and continuing it wasn''t profitable," Yuan Ming replied.

    "Oh, I didn''t expect that besides your strength, you also have a unique business insight. It seems I haven''t misjudged you," Zuo Qinghui chuckled.

    "What do you mean by that?" Yuan Ming asked, slightly taken aback.

    "To be honest, I''vee here for a matter that I need to discuss with you," Zuo Qinghui said as he sat down and waved his hand to create a soundproof barrier, speaking leisurely.

    "Please speak, Elder," Yuan Ming said, his heart tensing but his face still showing innocence.

    "Making spiritual incense is a minor matter. I''vee to revisit an old proposal. Do you remember the suggestion from five years ago?" Zuo Qinghui''s smile became warmer as he spoke.

 Chapter 301: There is no turning back

    Chapter 301: There is no turning back

    "Are you suggesting I join your ranks, senior? I''m sorry, but I have no grand ambitions. I prefer a life of freedom and ease, so I must once again decline your kind offer," Yuan Ming said, shaking his head politely in refusal. "Countless rogue cultivators wish to join Changchun Temple, yet you''ve rejected the offer time and again. Truly worthy of your reputation as a genius Foundation Establishment cultivator from Leizhou. Pu Zhengqing, Gu Qiulong, and Xu Changqing all fell at your hands, didn''t they?" Zuo Qinghui remarked casually, dropping a bombshell. Yuan Ming''s heart skipped a beat upon hearing this, but he quickly regained hisposure. However, the fleeting change in his expression did not escape Zuo Qinghui''s notice. "Your actions have been discreet, but there are always traces to follow. A careful investigation and a bit of spection reveal many clues at Precious Spirit Sect and Guangli Sanmeng," Zuo Qinghui said indifferently.

    Yuan Ming''s face remained unchanged, but his heart sank. Ever since he arrived in Xiaohu City, he had been extremely cautious. The only slip-ups were when he impersonated Xu Changqing''s disciple to collect a penalty fee at Guangli Sanmeng and when he went to Precious Spirit Sect to authenticate a Winged Bird Egg. Zuo Qinghui mentioned these two ces right off the bat, indicating that he had thoroughly investigated the matter. "I don''t understand what you mean, senior. I did kill Pu Zhengqing, but as for Xu Changqing and Gu Qiulong, I''ve never even heard of them," Yuan Ming denied outright. If Zuo Qinghui was recording their conversation with a treasure, his guilt would be set in stone. Still, Yuan Ming was puzzled about Zuo Qinghui''s intentions. With his Nascent Soul stage cultivation, if he hade to capture Yuan Ming, he would have acted by now. Why was he merely engaging in idle chatter? "There''s no need to keep up this act, young friend. You don''t have to worry; I have no connection to Xu Changqing. If you''re willing to pay a price, I can help you cover this up," Zuo Qinghui hinted, tapping the table beside him and speaking through a voice transmission. "What exactly do you want me to do, senior?" Yuan Ming asked after a moment of silence, replying through a voice transmission. "I''m in need of some spirit stones. Give me the earnings from Xuanhua Spiritual Incense Shop over the past few years, along with Pu Zhengqing''s bounty, and I''ll make sure Xu Changqing''s death is pinned on Pu Zhengqing," Zuo Qinghui said, no longer hiding his intentions.

    Yuan Ming felt a slight relief. Although the hundred thousand spirit stones he had obtained from Sha Hao were nearly depleted, the shop had made some profit over the years, and after ounting for the cost of artifact refining, there was still some left. If Zuo Qinghui only wanted some spirit stones, Yuan Ming could scrape together the amount needed to make a deal. "My cultivation expenses over the past few years have been substantial, and the business in Wangyue City has been mediocre. Give me some time, and I should be able to gather thirty-five thousand spirit stones," Yuan Ming said. "Three days, fifty thousand spirit stones," Zuo Qinghui demanded with a frown, in a tone that brooked no refusal. Yuan Ming calcted in his mind, nning to send Zuo Qinghui away and leave Wangyue City immediately. Just then, two streaks of golden light shot out from the opposite side¡ªit was Zuo Qinghui making a gesture. Yuan Ming''s expression changed drastically as he quickly dodged backward, but it was toote. One of the golden lights struck his right arm and disappeared without a trace. Yuan Ming quickly examined his arm, which bore no marks; the golden light seemed to have merged into his body. "What do you mean by this, senior?" Yuan Ming asked gravely. "Why so angry, young friend? It''s just a magical imprint I''ve ced within you," Zuo Qinghui replied, retracting his finger nonchntly.

    Yuan Ming''s face turned sour as he channeled his spiritual consciousness through his right arm and the rest of his body in a rapid search, but he found nothing. "I''ve already agreed to give you the spirit stones, why do you still do this?" Knowing Zuo Qinghui was not easy to dismiss, Yuan Ming suppressed his anger and asked. "You''re feigning ignorance, young friend. Now that we''re in this together, I did this to solidify our rtionship and make future interactions more convenient," Zuo Qinghui chuckled. "Future interactions?" Yuan Ming furrowed his brows. "Of course. You don''t think you''re the only one in Changchun Temple looking into Xu Changqing''s death, do you? Many are watching this matter. To keep it hidden for long, I need to grease some palms. Here''s the deal: we''ll split the profits from the spiritual incense shop seventy-thirty, and I''ll handle any issues from Changchun Temple, ensuring your safety," Zuo Qinghui said smugly.

    Yuan Ming was fuming with anger, barely resisting the urge to punch Zuo Qinghui''s smug face. Xu Changqing was just an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator from Changchun Temple, and sending a Nascent Soul cultivator like Zuo Qinghui to investigate his death was already making a big deal out of it. How could there be others assigned to the case? It was clear that Zuo Qinghui was eyeing the profits from the spiritual incense shop. His greed knew no bounds; not satisfied with extorting fifty thousand spirit stones, he was nning to squeeze future earnings from the shop, clearly aiming to ckmail Yuan Ming over the long term. "Additionally,"

    "the two people in your shop are too weak to ensure its safety. I''ll send a couple of disciples to help out soon. Don''t thank me; helping you is helping myself," Zuo Qinghui said as he stood up, strolling around the inner hall as if inspecting his own property. Yuan Ming, with his back to Zuo Qinghui, had a sh of murderous intent in his eyes. He had already retreated step by step, yet Zuo Qinghui was relentlessly pressing on, even nning to send people to watch over him! Yuan Ming exhaled quietly, his gaze quickly returning to calm, without a ripple.

    "Alright, but you must swear by your inner demon not to tell a third person about Xu Changqing''s matter," he sighed, seemingly conceding. Zuo Qinghui, seeing Yuan Ming''s retreat, was secretly pleased and immediately swore an oath. "Since we''ve reached an agreement, please wait here, senior. I''ll be right back," Yuan Ming said. "Didn''t I give you three days? How can you produce the spirit stones now?" Zuo Qinghui asked with raised eyebrows. "Since senior is in urgent need of spirit stones, I''ve just calcted that I have some stored in my cave dwelling, along with various materials and artifacts. I''ll retrieve them for your inspection, and if you wish to convert them into spirit stones, I can immediately find a ce to exchange them," Yuan Ming replied. "I heard from that kid named Hu Zhao that you''ve been living and cultivating in the Wangyue Mountain Range outside the city. I''ll apany you. I happen to have a powerful formation that can be set up around your cave dwelling to strengthen its defenses," Zuo Qinghui said, looking at Yuan Ming indifferently as he stood up. Yuan Ming didn''t speak and walked outside. The two quickly left Wangyue City and arrived at Yuan Ming''s cave dwelling.

    Yuan Ming had already stopped the Five Elements Illusionary Formation and set it to a dormant state, revealing the entrance to his cave dwelling. He pushed the door open and walked in. Zuo Qinghui spread his spiritual consciousness around, sensing only a faint aura of a formation around the cave dwelling, and entered with peace of mind. "This cave dwelling of yours looks decent, but the formation setup is too rudimentary. Let me lend you a hand," Zuo Qinghui said, walking around the cave dwelling. Yuan Ming remained silent, heading towards his cultivation chamber, passing by the medicinal garden. Zuo Qinghui paused when he saw the various spiritual herbs in the garden. He paid no attention to the others, but his eyes lit up when he saw the Windchaser Flowers, shifting his focus away from Yuan Ming. Yuan Ming immediately channeled his spiritual power into his storage ring, activating themand gs of the Five Elements Illusionary Formation. A loud rumbling sound erupted as red, green, yellow, blue, and gold lights burst forth in the cave dwelling, quickly intensifying. Zuo Qinghui was taken aback and turned around, only to find nothing behind him. Yuan Ming''s figure had already shot out, heading straight for the cave dwelling''s exit. "You''re courting death, boy!" Zuo Qinghui roared in anger, sweeping his sleeve. A two-foot-long golden ruler shot out, covered in star-like silver dots, emitting astonishing spiritual power fluctuations, far surpassing any top-grade magical artifact. The golden ruler flew towards Yuan Ming''s back like lightning, reaching him in the blink of an eye. A treasure! Yuan Ming''s pupils dted, and he immediately raised his hands behind him. The Dragon Scale Shield and a turtle-shell-like ck shield flew out, blocking his back.

    Over the past five years, Yuan Ming''s artifact refining skills had improved significantly, and he could asionally craft high-grade magical artifacts. The ck shield was one of his best creations, and although its defensive power was not as strong as the Dragon Scale Shield, it wasn''t far behind. However, he knew that two high-grade magical artifacts alone couldn''t withstand the attack of a treasure. He stretched his arms back, and a golden inner armor flew out to meet the golden ruler behind him. Yuan Ming didn''t stop there; the Silver Light Pearl, a green poisonous flying sword, a ck short sword obtained from Sha Hao, the Cold Star Sword, and other magical artifacts flew out from his sleeves, attacking Zuo Qinghui from all directions."An ant shaking a tree, utterlyughable!" Zuo Qinghui''s face showed a grim expression as he formed a hand seal. The golden ruler suddenly split into several ruler shadows, meeting the Silver Light Pearl and other objects. With a "snap," the ruler shadow cleaved the Silver Light Pearl in two, dispersing all its spiritual power. The other magical artifacts fared no better, shattering upon contact with the golden ruler shadows as if they were eggs striking stone. The golden ruler itself struck the two shields, piercing through effortlessly and hitting the golden inner armor. The inner armor was also prated with a "puff," but as a top-grade magical artifact, it slightly slowed the golden ruler''s speed. Yuan Ming felt no regret for the destruction of his magical artifacts. He pped his spirit beast bag at his waist. A white shadow shed, and the white ape appeared in its four-armed form, the staff in its hands shining with yellow light as it struck the golden ruler with a fan-shaped ripple of yellow light.

    With a "ng," the staff exploded into countless pieces. The golden ruler''s trajectory shifted slightly, piercing one of the white ape''s arms, easily prating its armor, and then through its limb. The Vajra ape''s eyes turned blood-red as it let out a furious roar, its newly grown arms stretching out with afterimages, striking the golden ruler. Its fists had turnedpletely golden, and where they passed, the void rumbled like thunder, hitting the golden ruler with a tremendous boom. The golden ruler was finally knocked away, and the white ape''s fists fractured, itsrge body flying backward. Yuan Ming''s figure swayed, and he released a green light from his sleeve, wrapping around the white ape and pulling it back into the spirit beast bag. At the same time, the surrounding colorful lights suddenly intensified, and countless illusions of mes, giant trees, boulders, and more emerged, engulfing everything.

 Chapter 302: You are actually a soul cultivator!

    Chapter 302: You are actually a soul cultivator!

    Zuo Qinghui''s entire body was enveloped in ayer of golden light, his figure floated lightly and flew towards Yuan Ming, easily breaking through the mes and giant wood illusions ahead.

    However, he had just flown a few feet when the scenery before him suddenly blurred, and his figure inexplicably returned to its original ce.

    A look of astonishment shed in Zuo Qinghui''s eyes. He formed a hand seal in front of his chest, and the golden light around him intensified, making him appear as if he were cast in gold. He transformed into a streak of light and shot in another direction at an astonishing speed.

    But as quickly as he went, he returned even faster. Almost the instant he flew out, he found himself back in the same spot.

    Zuo Qinghui''s expression grew serious. The formation in this cave dwelling was not simple; it seemed capable of relocating his figure or perhaps it was some kind of illusion he couldn''t easily see through. In any case, he couldn''t afford to be careless.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming had already taken the opportunity to run out of the cave dwelling, feeling a slight relief in his heart. Being in close contact with a Nascent Soul stage cultivator was incredibly stressful. Fortunately, Zuo Qinghui hadn''t used his full strength earlier, and Yuan Ming''s quick reactions, along with the white ape''s efforts, had barely managed to withstand the attack. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have been able to block that strike from the golden ruler treasure.

    He knew that the Five Elements Illusionary Formation inside the cave might not hold Zuo Qinghui for long. Once Zuo Qinghui broke free, it would be nearly impossible for him to escape the pursuit.

    Although he didn''t want to confront a Nascent Soul stage cultivator head-on, today''s extortion by Zuo Qinghui had left him with almost no retreat. If he agreed, he would be a money-making ve for Zuo Qinghui, constantly monitored and unable to keep any secrets. His future breakthroughs would be hopeless, and he would be enved for life.

    Yuan Ming took a deep breath, a resolute glint shing in his eyes. No matter what, he had to keep Zuo Qinghui here today to eliminate future troubles!Whilemunicating with Hua Zhi and Lei Yu through his mind, he flipped his hand and took out a giant bronze sword, which crackled with blue lightning. It was the bronze thunder sword from the stone manual, and he thrust it into the ground!

    The purple spirit stone on the sword hilt immediately shed with spiritual light, continuously injecting spiritual power into the ground.

    Over the past five years, although he rarely went out, he had managed to find enough thunder attribute ores to repair the sword and embed it with top-grade thunder attribute spirit stones.

    Inside the cave, Zuo Qinghui stood still, no longer acting hastily. Instead, he spread his spiritual consciousness, carefully observing the surroundings and deducing the changes in the Five Elements Illusionary Formation.

    ording to his estimation, although this trapping formation was somewhat ingenious, it wasn''t beyond his ability to break.

    Just then, a rumbling sound of thunder echoed, and blue lightning bolts emerged from the ground, quickly intertwining to form a thunder formation several feet in diameter, surrounding him with even greater power than when Yuan Ming had been trapped by it.

    Zuo Qinghui raised an eyebrow slightly and waved his hand. The golden ruler treasure shot out, spinning rapidly and striking the thunder formation.

    With a light tearing sound, the thunder formation was easily ripped open, creating arge gap.

    The golden ruler treasure didn''t stop, transforming into a golden rainbow and striking a part of the Five Elements Illusionary Formation.

    With a tearing sound, the entire formation trembled, a white mark appearing as if it were a crack.

    Golden light shone brightly from Zuo Qinghui''s body, circting continuously. Under his control, he shot through the gap in the thunder formation, heading straight for the white crack.

    Although Zuo Qinghui hadn''t figured out the operation of the Five Elements Illusionary Formation, he intended to break it with brute force.

    Yuan Ming, seeing this, didn''t panic. He turned the fivemand gs in his hand.

    Suddenly, green spiritual light surged around the white mark, and green tree shadows appeared out of nowhere, enveloping the white mark and disappearing. Zuo Qinghui struck empty air, immediately bing furious. He quickly changed his hand seals.

    The golden ruler treasure blurred slightly, transforming into several golden ruler shadows, then struck various parts of the formation like a thunderstorm. The surrounding formation space churned like boiling water but showed no signs of copsing.

    Yuan Ming secretly activated the soul crows, ck light shing from his forehead as four soul crows flew out.

    He formed hand seals, casting the dream butterfly illusion technique. The four soul crows silently flew to the four corners of the cave, then simultaneously opened their mouths and let out a loud cry, spraying ck sound waves towards Zuo Qinghui.

    In another corner of the cave, the Stealing Heaven Cauldron was already burning two newly made Seven-Step Reversals.

    If Zuo Qinghui had previously intended to beat Yuan Ming into submission and turn him into a money tree, now his killing intent had grown, and he truly wanted to kill Yuan Ming.

    Just as he was about to use another technique topletely break the trapping formation, he felt the surrounding space ripple, and ck sound waves enveloped him. His face changed in shock, and he hurriedly retreated.

    He hadn''t figured out what the ck sound waves were, but he knew they couldn''t be good for him, so he decided to dodge first.

    Nascent Soul stage cultivators were far faster than any Foundation Establishment stage cultivator, and in the blink of an eye, he had shot far away, almost out of the range of the ck sound waves.

    Yuan Ming remained unflustered, flipping his hand to release a green formation g, which turned into green light and merged into the formation.

    The scenery before Zuo Qinghui changed, and a vast green forest appeared above him. Then, a pressure of over ten thousand pounds appeared out of nowhere, slightly slowing his movements, and he was engulfed by the ck sound waves released by the soul crows.

    Zuo Qinghui''s eyes became dazed, and he stood there in a stupor.

    Yuan Ming felt a surge of joy but didn''t dare dy. He immediately flicked his fingers, and the Shadow Piercer shot out, aiming for Zuo Qinghui''s temple.

    A ck shadow shed in his hand, and the Soul Extinguishing Sword appeared. He swung it, emitting a piercing screech.

    A ck sword qi, four or five feet long, shot out, also heading straight for Zuo Qinghui''s head.

    At that moment, the golden ruler treasure suddenly appeared beside Zuo Qinghui, blocking the Shadow Piercer, then rapidly circled around.

    With a light sound, the Shadow Piercer was cut into two pieces.

    Zuo Qinghui''s figure suddenly moved sideways, dodging the Soul Extinguishing Sword''s attack. His eyes became exceptionally clear, and he lunged towards Yuan Ming.

    "You are a soul cultivator! You are in league with Pu Zhengqing!" As he spoke, the golden ruler treasure shot out from his hand, transforming into a huge rainbow and shooting towards Yuan Ming.

    Wherever it passed, the illusion formation''s spiritual light was easily torn apart, revealing Yuan Ming''s figure.

    Before he could dodge, the golden ruler treasure shed down on him like a golden lightning bolt, several times faster than before.

    With a tearing sound, Yuan Ming''s body was split in two, but surprisingly, no blood appeared. The two halves of his body turned into illusions and dissipated.

    Deep within the Five Elements Illusionary Formation, Yuan Ming''s figure reappeared, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

    That was a profound change in the Five Elements Illusionary Formation, where everything within the formation could be turned into illusions.

    This was a high-level change in the Five Elements Illusionary Formation, and over the past five years, he had spent a lot of effort practicing this formation, consuming numerous spirit stones to finally master it.

    Fortunately, he had put in the effort to master this formation, as it was his trump card for survival.

    Yuan Ming cautiously moved his figure again, simultaneously releasing all eight soul crows to cast the crow cry illusion technique on Zuo Qinghui.

    ck sound waves, denser than before, enveloped Zuo Qinghui, covering a wider area.

    Zuo Qinghui''s face grew tense. This was his first time fighting a soul cultivator, and he retreated again to avoid the attack.

    However, behind him, the void crackled with lightning, and eight thick blue lightning bolts shot out, containing astonishing power that Zuo Qinghui couldn''t ignore. His eyes shed coldly, and the golden ruler treasure emitted a long cry, its golden light intensifying, forming an armor-like shield around him.

    The eight blue lightning bolts struck Zuo Qinghui first, their blinding blue light blooming and then dissipating.

    The ck sound waves from the soul crows swept over, giving him no chance to dodge, engulfing his body.

    Powerful illusion sound waves surged like a tide, impacting Zuo Qinghui''s soul.

    Having just been injured by the bronze thunder formation, Zuo Qinghui''s soul was unstable, and his eyes showed signs of confusion, truly falling into an illusion.

    Behind him, ck light shed, and the Soul Extinguishing Sword qi that had been dodged earlier shot over, striking Zuo Qinghui''s head and entering his sea of consciousness, shing fiercely at his soul.

    The illusion before Zuo Qinghui''s eyes disappeared, and his body trembled violently. Unable to bear it, he clutched his head and let out a miserable scream, standing still.

    Yuan Ming squinted his eyes and swung the Soul Extinguishing Sword, shing three times in quick session.

    Three Soul Extinguishing Sword qi shot out, striking Zuo Qinghui while he was immobilized.

    Zuo Qinghui let out a blood-curdling scream, blood flowing from his seven orifices, his face deathly pale. His sea of consciousness was almost destroyed.

    His magical power was also greatly affected, and the golden ruler treasure''s light dimmed significantly, less than a tenth of its previous brightness. At the same time, Yuan Ming''s body swayed, his face pale, his soul power exhausted.

    The Soul Extinguishing Sword''s power was astonishing, but it also consumed a tremendous amount of soul power. With his current soul strength, he could only fully activate it four times in a short period.

    At that moment, the Soul Extinguishing Sword suddenly emitted a humming sound, releasing a fierce and malevolent aura that struck Yuan Ming. His already depleted soul trembled violently.

    What''s happening? Yuan Ming''s sea of consciousness throbbed with pain, his head feeling like it was splitting open. He released the Soul Extinguishing Sword in shock, but it was toote. His soul trembled violently, and Yuan Ming felt his head spinning, his vision darkening, and his consciousness fading. At this critical moment, Yuan Ming raised his hand to summon the Stealing Heaven Cauldron, which merged into his arm, releasing a surge of heat that flowed into his sea of consciousness.

    His soul power quickly recovered, and the heat flow directly enveloped his soul, merging with it. The intense pain in Yuan Ming''s soul immediately eased, and his dissipating consciousness quickly regained rity.

 Chapter 303: Split

    Chapter 303: Split

    "What''s going on? Could the Soul Extinguishing Sword backfire on its master?" Yuan Ming frowned, his expression shifting unpredictably.

    Although he had found information about the Soul Extinguishing Sword from Sha Hao''s memories, Sha Hao wasn''t the sword''s creator, so the information was iplete.

    He had long suspected that the sword''s qi could bypass an enemy''s defenses, directly attacking and devouring their soul. Such a terrifying power muste with a significant cost.

    It seemed that the sword could indeed easily kill enemies of higher cultivation stages, but the price was that it would backfire on its master, making it a double-edged sword that harmed both others and oneself.

    Previously, Yuan Ming had exhausted almost all his soul power to deal with Zuo Qinghui, whose cultivation was far superior to his own. Facing the sword''s bacsh, he had no means of self-preservation. Fortunately, he had the Stealing Heaven Cauldron as his trump card.

    In truth, without the Stealing Heaven Cauldron''s miraculous effects on nurturing and stabilizing the soul, he might not have dared to embark on the perilous path of soul cultivation, a journey fraught with danger and near-certain death.

    Yuan Ming took a deep breath and looked at the Soul Extinguishing Sword on the ground beside him, his eyes revealing aplex emotion.

    Suddenly, he let out a surprised "Hmm!"

    The warm current from the Stealing Heaven Cauldron hadn''t stopped; it continued to flow into his soul, splitting into two streams.Yuan Ming quickly used his spiritual consciousness to inspect his body. What he saw startled him.

    A crack had appeared on his soul, likely caused by the fierce qi of the Soul Extinguishing Sword. It might have been too small to notice before.

    Now, under the influence of the Stealing Heaven Cauldron, the crack hadn''t healed but had deepened significantly, making it seem like his soul could split into two parts at any moment.

    The two streams of warm current were being injected into the two parts of his soul divided by the crack.

    How could this be?

    Yuan Ming was bewildered, but at least the excruciating pain in his soul had subsided. Although the crack was deepening, it didn''t seem to have a significant impact on his soul.

    Inside the Five Elements Illusionary Formation, Zuo Qinghui had taken the opportunity to stick several runes on himself and swallow an elixir, his paleplexion gradually improving.

    The golden ruler treasure circled around him, emitting a golden glow that enveloped his body.

    At the same time, he patted his waist, and a Vajra spirit beast shot out from his spirit beast bag, transforming into a white shadow that lunged at Zuo Qinghui.

    Hua Zhi and Lei Yu also charged at Zuo Qinghui from above and below.

    Zuo Qinghui couldn''t afford to continue healing his soul wounds. He pointed a finger at the golden ruler, which transformed into dozens of ruler shadows, shing towards the Vajra.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming activated the five formation gs in front of him. Green shadows flickered above Zuo Qinghui''s head, manifesting as countless giant tree tiger shadows, resembling a vast forest.

    A tremendous pressure descended, causing Zuo Qinghui to pause, and the speed of the golden ruler treasure to drop significantly.

    The Vajra ducked, dodging the golden ruler''s attack, and punched Zuo Qinghui''s chest with a clenched fist.

    The golden light shield around Zuo Qinghui barely withstood the Vajra''s blow, but he was sent flying by the immense force.

    "Crack!"

    Three silver lightning bolts shot out from the nearby void, striking Zuo Qinghui''s back.

    Dozens of purple-ck vines shot out from another direction, their tips forming green wooden swords that stabbed at Zuo Qinghui. Zuo Qinghui roared, and the golden ruler treasure shone brightly, spinning around him and creating a dense array of ruler shadows that shredded the silver lightning and purple-ck vines.

    Although he was a Nascent Soul stage cultivator and severely injured, he wasn''t someone Hua Zhi and Lei Yu, who were at the Foundation Establishment stage, could handle.

    The Vajra was stronger than Hua Zhi and Lei Yu but was already injured. Zuo Qinghui, though heavily wounded, cast spells continuously, panting heavily. He reached for his storage bag at his waist, and a purple spear with nine blue dragon patterns appeared, the Purple Star Nine Dragons Spear he had bought at an auction.

    A blood-red cylinder, half a foot thick, also appeared above his head.

    Yuan Ming''s expression turned serious. Ignoring the anomaly in his soul, he cast the Crow Cry Illusion, and eight crows emitted ck sound waves that instantly enveloped Zuo Qinghui.

    If he were at his peak, Zuo Qinghui wouldn''t be so easily affected, but now his resistance to soul cultivator illusions was greatly reduced. He immediately fell into an illusion, his body freezing in ce.

    Yuan Ming gritted his teeth, grabbed the Soul Extinguishing Sword from the ground, and poured his spiritual and soul power into it. The sword emitted a joyful hum, releasing a ck sword qi over ten feet long.

    With a loud shout, he swung the sword in the air.

    A ck sword qi, seven or eight feet long and as wide as a door, shot out, exuding a powerful soul-absorbing force. Hua Zhi, Lei Yu, and even the Vajra felt their souls being pulled, as if they would be sucked out and devoured by the sword qi.

    The three of them quickly retreated, feeling that the farther they were from the ck sword qi, the better.

    The ck sword qi moved with lightning speed, piercing Zuo Qinghui''s head and shing his soul.

    Zuo Qinghui''s body trembled, ck light spewing from his seven orifices. His sea of consciousness and soul shattered, annihted by the terrifying sword qi!

    The golden ruler treasure, Purple Star Nine Dragons Spear, and blood-red cylinder fell to the ground with a tter, losing their master''s control.

    Yuan Ming immediately threw the Soul Extinguishing Sword to the ground. This time, it didn''t backfire but emitted a dark glow, absorbing scattered soul power.

    The sword trembled slightly, emitting a satisfied hum. The four runes on its de deepened in color before it finally calmed down.

    Indeed, a fearsome sword!

    Yuan Ming couldn''t help but marvel.

    He stopped the operation of the Five Elements Illusionary Formation, sat down cross-legged, and closed his eyes to inspect his sea of consciousness, ignoring the spoils of battle.

    The warm current from the Stealing Heaven Cauldron had almost stopped, but the crack in his soul had deepened significantly. The two parts of his soul''s power were almostpletely separated, seemingly about to split into two distinct parts.

    Yuan Ming couldn''t help but regret.

    He had thought that with the Stealing Heaven Cauldron''s protection, his soul wouldn''t be too affected by a small crack. Now, it seemed the cauldron had elerated the splitting of his soul.

    Although it didn''t seem to have any immediate adverse effects, who knew what might happen in the future?

    He had never read about any cultivator''s soul splitting or being cut without resulting in soul copse.

    But there was no use regretting now. If he hadn''t acted decisively, he might have been killed by Zuo Qinghui, his body and soul destroyed.

    With this thought, Yuan Ming calmed his mind and tried to use the Death Moon method to repair his soul.

    However, as soon as he activated the method, the soul power in the two parts of his soul began to circte, causing the crack to widen visibly.

    Yuan Ming''s heart skipped a beat. He quickly stopped the soul power, but it was toote. The crack had reached its limit.

    With a soft "crack," his soul split into two, with about one-fifth of it separatingpletely.

    Yuan Ming''s emotions exploded, his heart racing. He braced himself for severe soul damage or even copse, like a prisoner awaiting execution.

    But nothing happened. Apart from a brief headache, everything seemed the same as before.

    "What''s going on?" Yuan Ming was puzzled and continued to inspect his soul.

    Therger part of his soul remained stable in the center of his sea of consciousness, absorbing surrounding soul power.

    The incense burner mark emitted another warm current, merging into his main soul. The part that had been cut off began to regenerate visibly, seemingly able to recover soon.

    Yuan Ming realized that with the Stealing Heaven Cauldron''s protection, his soul could still heal, exining why he hadn''t noticed anything unusual.

    The separated part of his soul floated around his sea of consciousness without dissipating.

    This intrigued Yuan Ming.

    He focused on the separated soul and found that its soul power was not weak, roughly equivalent to two soul crows.

    As he thought about this, the separated soul transformed into a transparent soul crow.

    Yuan Ming was astonished. This part of his soul was so responsive that it immediately transformed into a crow upon his thought? Could it transform into other things? As soon as the thought arose, the soul crow transformed into a soul bat, resembling Sha Hao''s blood bat.

    Yuan Ming experimented with various forms, his spiritual consciousness spreading out like a wave.

    The next moment, the soul flew out of his sea of consciousness, transforming into a soul crow that flitted around the cave dwelling. Yuan Ming watched with a smile, which suddenly froze. This soul crow, though simr to his other soul crows, had a fundamental difference¡ªit had a certain degree of self-awareness. While this wasn''t obvious in his sea of consciousness, it became apparent once released.

    His other soul crows could share his vision and perform tasks while he did other things, but they were entirely under his control. This transparent soul crow, however, had a degree of autonomy.

 Chapter 304: Soul manipulation

    Chapter 304: Soul maniption

    At this moment, Yuan Ming felt that controlling the transparent soul crow was akin tomanding a spirit beast.

    Fortunately, the transparent soul crow''s self-awareness was not strong, and it had a peculiar sense of closeness to him, obeying hismands without any issue.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming gradually felt at ease. Using his spiritual consciousness to carefully sense the transparent soul crow, he quickly showed a look of surprise.

    This soul crow was not formed through soul cultivation techniques but was instead a manifestation of his own soul''s original power. It possessed two abilities simr to those of soul cultivators: soul travel and object control.

    The soul travel ability was simr to other soul crows but seemed to have a much greater range. How far exactly, he would need to testter.

    As for object control, it was far stronger than that of ordinary soul crows. This transparent soul crow could not only attach to and control corpses but also living beings.

    Of course, controlling living beings required that the target''s soul power not exceed that of the transparent soul crow itself.

    Driven by curiosity, Yuan Ming immediatelymanded the transparent soul crow to try controlling a corpse. Zuo Qinghui''s previously lifeless eyes suddenly gleamed with new light, his heart began to beat, and his blood started to flow again.

    In no time, "Zuo Qinghui" propped himself up with one hand and stood up.Yuan Ming was astonished. The transparent soul crow''s control over the corpse was so agile that Zuo Qinghui appeared to be a living person, breathing slowly as if he had trulye back to life.

    After a moment of shock, Yuan Ming quickly understood the reason. Firstly, Zuo Qinghui had just fallen, and his death was caused by the Soul Extinguishing Sword, which destroyed his soul but left his body intact. The transparent soul crow attaching to the body was akin to injecting a new soul, reactivating the body''s vitality.

    Secondly, the transparent soul crow''s ability to control corpses was far more agile than ordinary soul crows, increasing the likelihood of the corpse reviving.

    Such urrences of corpses resuming breathing were not unheard of. Yuan Ming had seen simr records in a jade slip from the ck Fire Sect.

    The ck Fire Sect specialized in corpse refining techniques, and some rtively undamaged corpses could indeed resume breathing and heartbeat under external stimtion.

    This situation was not true resurrection but merely the reactivation of residual vitality in the corpse, allowing it to linger in the world a bit longer. The dispersed soul could not return.

    However, for a corpse-refining sect like the ck Fire Sect, such revived corpses were significant and could be used to refine higher-level corpses.

    But Zuo Qinghui was different. If the transparent soul crow continued to attach, this body could trulye back to life.

    Yuan Ming examined Zuo Qinghui''s body and found many purple-ck spots, clearly caused by the poison of the Seven-Step Reversals.

    He nodded slightly. It seemed that the poison of the Seven-Step Reversals was effective even against Nascent Soul stage cultivators, though their powerful spiritual energy could suppress the poison.

    He summoned Hua Zhi to extract the poison from Zuo Qinghui''s body and used his spiritual consciousness to probe Zuo Qinghui''s dantian. Inside, a golden-blue Golden Elixir had shattered into several pieces, with most of the spiritual energy dissipated, leaving only the level of early Foundation Establishment.

    Now that Zuo Qinghui''s body had revived, the spiritual energy in his dantian stopped leaking and began to circte slowly.

    Yuan Ming tried to control this spiritual energy and found no issue, as if it were his own cultivation.

    He nodded secretly. The transparent soul crow''s control over the corpse could even harness the body''s spiritual energy, allowing him to use the deceased''s abilities. If used properly, it could yield unexpected results.

    After controlling Zuo Qinghui''s body for a while, Yuan Ming had the transparent soul crow leave. Zuo Qinghui''s body became motionless again, though his breathing continued, making him seem like a living dead standing there, with the spiritual energy in his dantian starting to leak again.

    Yuan Ming nodded and directed the transparent soul crow to fly towards Lei Yu. It swiftly entered Lei Yu''s body, attempting to control a living being. Lei Yu''s eyes briefly showed confusion before clearing up, and he flew towards Yuan Ming,nding beside him.

    Yuan Ming could clearly feel that Lei Yu was nowpletely controlled by his transparent soul crow.

    Just like with Zuo Qinghui''s corpse, the transparent soul crow could control Lei Yu''s demonic power, perform lightning strikes, fly rapidly, and even summon Lei Yu''s abilities.

    Yuan Ming''s face showed a satisfied expression. He quickly had the transparent soul crow leave Lei Yu and fly off into the distance to test its range.

    The transparent soul crow, being purely formed from soul power, was much lighter than ordinary soul crows, easily passing through stone walls and flying rapidly, about three times the speed of a regr soul crow.

    In just a moment, it had flown fifty or sixty miles and still showed no sign of reaching its limit.

    Seeing this, Yuan Mingmanded the transparent soul crow to continue flying. After another cup of tea''s time, it finally began to struggle.

    The transparent soul crow had flown one hundred and fifty miles¡ªone hundred and fifty miles of soul travel!

    Yuan Ming couldn''t help but feel excited. The surprises brought by splitting his soul were immense, far exceeding the capabilities of soul cultivators. Even Xi Cangqiong in his prime probably couldn''t interfere with something one hundred and fifty miles away.

    He didn''t let the transparent soul crow stay outside for too long and immediately summoned it back. Calming his emotions, Yuan Ming stood up and picked up the golden ruler treasure, the Purple Star Nine Dragons Spear, and the blood-red cylinder beside Zuo Qinghui''s body.

    The golden ruler treasure was only two feet long but very heavy, weighing forty or fifty pounds. Its material was unknown, but even without activation, its surface glimmered with spiritual light, looking very splendid.

    Yuan Ming tried to use his spiritual consciousness to probe its interior but was blocked by an invisible force. Injecting spiritual power into it also had no effect, as if it had sunk into the sea.

    Examining the golden ruler closely, he found two tiny characters engraved at its base: "Golden Sun."

    Yuan Ming picked up the Purple Star Nine Dragons Spear and found it light in his hand. His spiritual consciousness couldn''t probe its interior either, and there was no way to investigate its connection to the East Sea''s hidden treasure.

    Although he couldn''t use it, he still admired the Golden Sun Ruler and the Purple Star Nine Dragons Spear for a while before carefully putting them away. His gaze then turned to the blood-red cylinder.

    Judging by its aura, the blood-red cylinder was just a top-grade magical artifact, but Zuo Qinghui had taken it out at a critical moment, indicating its extraordinary nature.

    After a brief examination, Yuan Ming released his spiritual consciousness into the blood-red cylinder and quickly showed a look of surprise.

    The blood-red cylinder had a unique structure, divided into front and back sections. The front was engraved with four strange blood-colored runes, none of which he recognized.

    The back section of the cylinder was a blood-colored space simr to a spirit beast bag, seemingly used for storage.

    After some thought, Yuan Ming realized that the blood-colored cylinder seemed to have two types of attack methods. Without understanding its origin, he didn''t dare to activate it rashly and instead put it away.

    He then took Zuo Qinghui''s storage bag and used his spiritual consciousness to probe inside, his face lighting up with joy.

    The wealth of a Nascent Soul stage cultivator from Changchun Temple was indeed abundant. Zuo Qinghui''s storage bag contained over fifty thousand spirit stones, as well as numerous spiritual materials and elixirs.

    Among the spiritual materials, there were five or six items of good quality, three of which were sufficient to refine top-grade magical artifacts.

    As for the elixirs, they were all for Nascent Soul stage cultivators and temporarily unusable for him.

    Yuan Ming''s gaze swept over these items and quickly shifted. He then took out three blood-red flying knives and two jade slips, one white and one red, from the storage bag.

    The blood-red flying knives were over a foot long, with des as thin as cicada wings, emitting a chilling light that seemed capable of cutting through anything.

    The flying knives were engraved with four runes, clearly top-grade magical artifacts, and their spiritual power fluctuations surpassed those of the Silver Light Pearl and the Shadow Piercer.

    Yuan Ming''s spiritual consciousness found that the runes on the blood-red flying knives were simr to those on the blood-red cylinder, indicating they were of the same type of artifact.

    He then examined the two jade slips. The white jade slip contained a technique called "Golden Shadow Sword Art," which was very profound andplete, capable of being cultivated to the peak of the Nascent Soul stage. It seemed to be a legacy of Changchun Temple.

    With Zuo Qinghui''s body slowly regaining vitality, if preserved properly, it might be able to continue cultivating this Golden Shadow Sword Art and see if it could improve its cultivation.

    Yuan Ming''s spiritual consciousness then entered the blood-red jade slip, and his eyes quickly showed a serious expression. The blood-red jade slip recorded a heretical technique called "Blood Transformation Technique," which was veryplete and also cultivable to the peak of the Nascent Soul stage.

    The cultivation process of the Blood Transformation Technique was extremely sinister, requiring the consumption of demonic beast blood, treating the blood containing spiritual power as elixirs. The higher the level of the demonic beast, the stronger the spiritual power in its blood, and the greater the benefit to the Blood Transformation Technique.

    This technique was insidious and vicious, affecting one''s mind and gradually making them bloodthirsty and murderous. Despite these drawbacks, the Blood Transformation Technique was very powerful.

    Its spiritual power was highly corrosive, capable of directly corroding spiritual shields and artifacts, and could also absorb the enemy''s blood duringbat.

    The jade slip also included several powerful secret techniques, such as the formidable Blood me Technique, the Blood Spirit Method for both offense and defense, and a blood exchange technique for healing, which intrigued Yuan Ming.

    "Ah!" His eyes suddenly lit up as he looked at the end of the blood-red jade slip, where it recorded the methods for refining two types of treasures. One was called the "Blood Star Cylinder," which matched the description of the blood-red cylinder, though it was only refined to the level of a top-grade magical artifact. The runes inside were all rted to the corrosive effects of the Blood Transformation Technique.

    When stored in the Blood Star Cylinder''s back space, the four runes could refine demonic beast corpses into corrosive blood-colored pellets, especially effective at corroding protective spiritual power and artifacts.

    The power of the blood-colored pellets depended on the type of demonic beast refined. Pellets made from second-level demonic beast corpses could even threaten Nascent Soul stage cultivators.

    The other treasure recorded in the jade slip was the blood-red flying knife, called the "Corrosive Knife."

    The runes on the knife had simr effects to those of the Blood Star Cylinder but were more attack-oriented. A scratch from its de would cause blood poisoning, and without an antidote, the victim would soon turn into pus and die.

 Chapter 305: Escape to the Northern Wastes

    Chapter 305: Escape to the Northern Wastes

    Yuan Ming was in a rtively good mood at the moment. In the previous battle, most of his magical artifacts had been destroyed by Zuo Qinghui, but now he had obtained these two top-grade magical artifacts, which made up for the loss.

    However, Zuo Qinghui was a cultivator from Changchun Temple. It was unlikely that he would spend significant effort to refine such malicious artifacts. The blood-colored jade slip and the two magical artifacts were probably seized from some rogue cultivator he had killed.

    Yuan Ming collected the two magical artifacts, the two jade slips, and Zuo Qinghui''s body. He then waved his hand, sending out a cyan light that quickly swept through the cave, gathering all the damaged artifacts from the recent battle.

    He nced regretfully at the discarded artifacts, but then his eyes lit up as he picked up the inner armor pierced by the Golden Sun Ruler, feeling a stroke of luck.

    Although the inner armor appeared to be pierced, the spiritual power flowing within it had only weakened significantly, and the four runes inside were still intact.

    Yuan Ming, having some proficiency in artifact refining, knew that the golden inner armor could be fully repaired with the right spiritual materials.

    Among the three top-grade spiritual materials in Zuo Qinghui''s storage bag, there happened to be a piece of metal ore. He could try to repair the inner armorter.

    Yuan Ming put away the golden inner armor and was about to collect the other broken artifacts when he suddenly stopped and picked up a green broken sword, which was part of the green poison sword. The poison sword had been cut in half by the Golden Sun Ruler, its runespletely shattered, and the spiritual power within the material had dissipated. The broken sword itself was now worthless.

    However, Yuan Ming''s eyes were fixed on the cut of the broken sword. He knocked it on the ground a few times.With a light "clink," a purple jade fragment about an inch square fell out. It had no magical fluctuations but faintly glowed green.

    Moreover, as soon as the dark green jade fragment hit the ground, the nearby surface began to turn purple-ck at a visible speed, as if something was spreading from the jade fragment, corroding the ground.

    Yuan Ming raised his hand and used a technique to lift the purple jade fragment off the ground, stopping the corrosion.

    "It seems the source of the green poison sword''s venom is this purple jade fragment. I wonder what its origin is?" He carefully examined the purple jade fragment, pondering.

    On the other side of the jade fragment was a small scorpion emblem, lifelike, seemingly a kind of mark.

    After studying it for a while and finding nothing else, Yuan Ming took out a white jade box and carefully ced the purple jade fragment inside.

    The refined and warm jade material could effectively resist the corrosion of poisonous substances. This box was made of Bai Ge Jade, known for its anti-poison properties, and should effectively limit the spread of the purple jade fragment''s poison.

    Sure enough, the poison on the purple jade fragment could not erode the white jade box.

    Not feeling entirely secure, Yuan Ming took out arger jade box and ced the Bai Ge Jade box inside before putting it away.

    After handling these trivial matters, he sat down to consider his next move.

    It was clear that he couldn''t stay here any longer.

    It was a pity to leave such a secluded and safe cave dwelling.

    Yuan Ming quickly moved around the cave, collecting the Five Elements Illusion Formation and the Bronze Thunder Rune Formation. He also gathered the forging furnace and all the spiritual herbs and medicines from the herb garden, including a ck branch soaking in an ice vat.

    He had studied this ck branch several times over the past five years but still couldn''t determine its origin or use.

    Yuan Ming took Vajra, Hua Zhi, and Lei Yu and left the cave dwelling, heading towards Wangyue City.

    He didn''t enter the city but wrote a letter to Hu Tu, instructing him to close the spiritual incense shop and leave quickly. The spiritual incense and a few spirit stones in the shop would belong to Hu Tu and Sha Hao.

    Yuan Ming then summoned Lei Yu, sat cross-legged on its back, and flew north.

    He had already decided on his next destination.

    Yuan Ming took out a wooden box containing several jade slips of various colors.

    He selected one, a map jade slip of Zhao Country and its surrounding areas.

    In the northwest of Zhao Country, there was a vast desert known as the ck Wind Desert, named for the ck storms that swept through it. Ity between Zhao Country and the extreme northern wastnds.

    Although it was an endless desert, it was not barren. Numerous spiritual material veins were buried underground, and many strange beasts lived within the desert, attracting sects from Zhao Country, Qin Country, and the Northern Wastes, as well as many rogue cultivators, to explore and mine.

    The ck Wind Desert was situated between the three forces. Zhao, Qin, and the Northern Wastes had fought for hundreds of years, unable topletely overpower each other. The constant conflict had drained much of their strength.

    Eventually, the three sides reached a truce, agreeing to stoprge-scale direct conflicts and instead engage in covert battles.

    With norge-scale battles to deter them, rogue cultivators became active, mining and treasure hunting to fill their pockets.

    Over ny percent of the ck Wind Desert''s mineral resources were controlled by the three major forces, but the remaining scattered benefits were enough to enrich many rogue cultivators. Moreover, there were countless beasts to hunt.

    The ck Wind Desert''s reputation for wealth gradually spread, attracting more and more rogue cultivators.

    Where there are people, conflicts are inevitable, and incidents of murder and robbery becamemonce.

    To gain benefits, the sects in the ck Wind Desert only managed their own territories, turning a blind eye to the conflicts among rogue cultivators, mostly ignoring them.

    Seeing the ck Wind Desert unmanaged, bandits, sect traitors, and wanted evil cultivators from the three regions also flocked there, making the ce even more chaotic.

    Today, the ck Wind Desert had be synonymous with chaos and bloodshed. No one knew how many cultivators were hidden there. Even the three major forces dominating the area could barely keep track of their own territories.

    Yuan Ming was heading to the ck Wind Desert.

    Changchun Temple was on the other side of Zhao Country, so even if they had long arms, they couldn''t reach here.

    As for the dangers within the ck Wind Desert, Yuan Ming wasn''t worried. His Death Moon method had reached the fourth level, giving him formidable illusion techniques. Combined with powerful artifacts like the Soul Extinguishing Sword, he had no problem protecting himself against ordinary Nascent Soul stage cultivators.

    Yuan Ming put the map jade slip back into the wooden box and took out a white jade slip.

    This was a jade slip he had obtained from Sha Hao, containing the Grand Elder''s experiences with the Dream Butterfly Illusion Technique.

    In the recent battle, the Dream Butterfly Illusion Technique had yed a significant role, but its power was still insufficient and needed further refinement.

    He activated his spiritual consciousness and entered the jade slip.

    Boom!

    The jade slip suddenly emitted a suction force, absorbing his spiritual consciousness.

    Yuan Ming was startled. He had encountered this suction force when he first examined the jade slip, but it hadn''t appeared again in the past five years. Now that it had reappeared, there must be a reason.

    After a moment''s thought, he didn''t withdraw his spiritual consciousness but let the jade slip absorb it. The jade slip began to emit a faint white light, quickly bing bright.

    Suppressing his excitement, Yuan Ming continued to send his spiritual consciousness into the jade slip.

    After a few breaths, the jade slip stopped absorbing his spiritual consciousness, and the white light on its surface dissipated.

    Yuan Ming hurriedly checked the jade slip, finding new content left by the Grand Elder.

    The new content began with an exnation of the jade slip''s transformation, caused by a secret technique that required strong spiritual consciousness to reveal.

    Yuan Ming realized that his spiritual consciousness hadn''t been strong enough before, but now that his Death Moon method had reached the fourth level, it met the requirement.

    He focused on the new content, knowing that Xi Cangqiong had hidden it with great effort, indicating its importance.

    As he read, Yuan Ming''s expression gradually changed, showing uncontroble joy, and he eventually burst intoughter.

    The new content described a soul cultivation secret technique called the "Soul Pill" method, which involved condensing spiritual power into a pill simr to a Golden Elixir.

    ording to the secret technique, the Soul Pill could greatly assist in breaking through the bottleneck of the Nascent Soul stage, increasing the sess rate by half.

    Since entering the cultivation world, Yuan Ming, like all cultivators, had longed to form a Golden Elixir, not only because Nascent Soul stage cultivators possessed far greater power than Foundation Establishment stage cultivators but also because forming a Golden Elixir significantly increased lifespan.

    Foundation Establishment stage cultivators could live up to two hundred years, but forming a Golden Elixir could more than double their lifespan to over five hundred years.

    However, forming a Golden Elixir was extremely difficult, causing countless cultivators to sigh in despair.

    While breaking through the Foundation Establishment stage could be aided by spiritual medicines like the Foundation Establishment Pill, requiring good aptitude and determination, advancing to the Nascent Soul stage was a hundred times more challenging.

    At this stage, aptitude and determination had minimal impact. Even cultivators with Heavenly Spirit Roots had little confidence in forming a Golden Elixir, relying almost entirely on fate and opportunity.

    Bi Luo Cave had nearly a thousand disciples, but only a few Nascent Soul stage cultivators. Evenrger sects like Shengye Sect and Changchun Temple, with ten times the number of disciples, had very few Nascent Soul stage cultivators.

    Yuan Ming had the worst four-spirit root aptitude, and breaking through the Foundation Establishment stage had been a stroke of luck, aided by the Foundation Establishment Pill, Foundation Establishment Incense, and the Stealing Heaven Cauldron.

    Now, having obtained a secret technique that could increase the sess rate of forming a Golden Elixir by half, how could he not be ecstatic?

    The reason the Soul Pill could assist in forming a Golden Elixir was that the soul power condensed into the Soul Pill was fundamentally simr to the spiritual power condensed into a Golden Elixir.

    A Golden Elixir was not just condensed spiritual power; it also involved the integration of essence, energy, spirit, and intent, refined into a golden, round, and resilient pill, embodying the essence of the elixir.

    Condensing spiritual power into a Golden Elixir could produce this essence, and condensing soul power into a Soul Pill could do the same. Forming a Soul Pill and understanding its essence made it much easier to form a Golden Elixir.

    ording to the jade slip, after forming the Soul Pill, one needed to guide it into the dantian, using the essence of the Soul Pill to attract and condense spiritual power, forming a pseudo-elixir.

    With these twoyers of assistance, the sess rate of forming a Golden Elixir would greatly increase. Xi Cangqiong had relied on this Soul Pill method to break through to the Nascent Soul stage.

 Chapter 306: Black Wind

    Chapter 306: ck Wind

    The art of the Soul Pill, while greatly aiding in the formation of the Golden Elixir, is not an easy feat to master. In fact, it can be said that its difficulty rivals that of forming the Golden Elixir itself. Condensing a Soul Pill requires an immense amount of soul power, which means that only soul cultivators can attempt it. However, soul cultivators are few and far between in the entire cultivation world, and in many regions, their existence is considered taboo. Even among soul cultivators, sess is not guaranteed. ording to the jade slip, Xi Cangqiong achieved sess by cultivating the Heart Cleansing Form to an extremely high level and using the Soul Calming Jar to refine arge amount of soul power. Yuan Ming, despite having cultivated the Death Moon method to the fourth level, stillcks sufficient soul power. Since embarking on the path of soul cultivation, the Stealing Heaven Cauldron has been of great help, mainly in restoring soul power, but itcks the ability to refine others'' souls and feed back to oneself like the Soul Calming Jar. In other words, if he wants to cultivate the Soul Pill, he needs to find a way to enhance his soul power.

    After a moment of contemtion, Yuan Ming gradually calmed down. Despite his mediocre aptitude, he has a high talent for soul cultivation. Using soul power to condense the elixir could be a promising way to sessfully form the Golden Elixir in the future. Yuan Ming withdrew his soul from the white jade slip, which once again emitted a faint white light, hiding the secret technique of the Soul Pill. He put the jade slip back into the wooden box and began nning his future cultivation. Since he decided to cultivate the Soul Pill technique, he needed to increase the time spent on the Death Moon method, produce arge amount of Nourishing Soul Incense, and see if the willingness collected by the Stealing Heaven Cauldron could be directly absorbed and integrated with his spiritual consciousness. If possible, the cultivation of the Death Moon method could be greatly elerated.

    With this in mind, Yuan Ming instructed Lei Yu to continue heading north while taking out the Stealing Heaven Cauldron and holding it in his arms, starting to operate the Death Moon method. As soon as he activated the Death Moon method, he could more clearly sense the willingness gathering around the Stealing Heaven Cauldron. Yuan Ming extended his soul power from his sea of consciousness, enveloping a strand of willingness, attempting to draw it into his sea of consciousness. The process was unexpectedly smooth. Under the pull of his soul power, the strand of willingness was sessfully drawn into his sea of consciousness. Yuan Ming operated the Death Moon method, and a vortex of soul power appeared in his sea of consciousness, enveloping the willingness and beginning to refine it. Soon, it waspletely absorbed, and his soul power increased slightly. He felt a surge of joy, but then a shock followed. The absorbed strand of willingness contained a strong andplex mix of emotions, including fear, unease, despair, and worship. Yuan Ming felt a throbbing pain in his forehead, and the various emotions lingered in his heart, unable to dissipate for a long time.

    "Ah, so willingness carries emotions? Of course, willingness is inherently mixed with various emotions." After a long while, Yuan Ming finally recovered and exhaled a breath of turbid air. The willingness flowing from the Stealing Heaven Cauldron, however, did not carry any emotional burden. It seemed that the Stealing Heaven Cauldron had some secret that could refine these willingnesses. Yuan Ming spected silently. Although the willingness from the outside was difficult to refine, using this method to enhance soul power was much faster than simply cultivating the Death Moon method. Yuan Ming steadied his mind and continued to try to draw willingness into his body and refine it.

    Under the azure sky, the scorching sun hung high. The endless yellow sand covered the ground, with undting dunes resembling waves in the sea. From a distance, they appeared exceptionally smooth, like a ssy mirror without any ws. In the caravan, a dark-skinned man named T tightened the white cloth wrapped around his head, his gaze climbing along the bright yellow sand. Seeing the distant horizon where the yellow and blue met, the sky and the sand seemed to blend yet remain distinct, he breathed a sigh of relief.

    "Everyone, let''s push on while the weather is good and try to reach Quicksand City as soon as possible!" he shouted to those behind him. The others in the caravan responded weakly, their voices uneven, and their steps did not quicken. Although avoiding a sandstorm was a relief, the cloudless sky and the scorching sun were also unbearable. After nearly a day of travel, most of the caravan members were physically and mentally exhausted, their feet burning on the hot sand as if walking on a red-hot iron te, leaving them with no energy to hasten their pace. Not everyone could be like T, the caravan leader, riding a camel. However, riding a camel was not exclusive to T. In the caravan, four others also sat atop camels, showing no signs of fatigue. The others in the caravan dared not show any dissatisfaction towards them, as these were esteemed cultivators. If not for their duty of escorting the goods, they would have flown to Quicksand City on their magical artifacts, rather than wasting time with these mortals.

    However, there was an exception. A handsome young man, who seemed unweathered by hardship, scrutinized the four cultivators on camels and then quietly asked, "Hu Ji, why do we have cultivators apanying a mere mortal caravan?" The man he addressed, Hu Ji, was a middle-aged man with a rough face and a scar below his left eye. Recognizing the young man as Yuan Ming, a neer recruited within Zhao Country, Hu Ji casually exined, "The ck Wind Desert is full of dangers, with beasts that could appear at any moment. Without the protection of cultivators, no mortal would dare venture here. But cultivators have no interest in mortal gold and silver. How did the caravan owner manage to hire them?" Yuan Ming asked curiously. "Kid, remember, the ck Wind Desert is different from the outside world. Without the protection of cultivators, mortals can''t survive here. The towns in the desert are built for cultivators, and we mortals are just their servants. The real owner of this caravan is also a cultivator, so he naturally has ways to hire other cultivators," Hu Ji whispered.

    "If the conditions are so harsh, why don''t you leave and settle elsewhere?" Yuan Ming asked in surprise. "Have you ever seen a master tolerate runaway ves? And to be honest, there are only three types of mortals living in this cursed ce: those lured by high wages like you, criminals or fugitives from Qin, Zhao, or the Northern Wastes, and those captured or sold as ves. Once you enter the city, you''ll be branded, trapped in the ck Wind Desert forever, with no freedom. Even your descendants won''t escape. And even if you do get out, people will see the brand and report you to the authorities, who will send you back. There''s no escape," Hu Ji exined with a self-deprecating smile.

    Hearing this, Yuan Ming remained silent for a long time before sighing deeply. Hu Ji looked at him, expecting to see regret and fear in his eyes, but instead saw a trace of pity. Hu Ji was taken aback, muttering "strange person" to himself, and stopped paying attention to Yuan Ming. Yuan Ming also lost interest in continuing the conversation. After arriving at the Zhao Country border, he had disguised himself as a mortal and joined the caravan, entering the ck Wind Desert. In thiswless area, even if he used his real name and acted openly, no one would care, let alone the Changchun Temple.As the sun set, the sky was painted with an orange-red hue, and the sand became an extension of the sky. Standing on a dune, it was hard to distinguish where the sky ended and the earth began. On the other side of the dune, the caravan finally set up camp after a day''s journey, allowing everyone to rest. The previously exhausted members regained some energy. Yuan Ming gazed at the endless dunes, calcting that he had ventured deep into the desert and no longer needed to follow the mortal caravan. He only needed to use illusion to find out the location of Quicksand City from the caravan leader and then leave on his own. With this decision, he descended the dune, intending to find T, but ran into Hu Ji, who had spoken to him earlier. Hu Ji was carrying two wooden boxes filled with food. Seeing Yuan Ming, he immediately approached, "Where have you been? I''ve been looking for you. Here, I brought you some food." "No need, I''m not very hungry," Yuan Ming smiled, refusing his kindness. Hu Ji sighed, "I know my words earlier upset you, but since you''re here, you might as well make the best of it. Working in the caravan is already a good deal."

    Just as Yuan Ming was about to use illusion to escape, the surroundings suddenly darkened, and someone nearby shouted, "Oh no! It''s the ck Wind! The ck Wind ising!" Yuan Ming turned to see the once clear sky now covered with dark clouds, the sunset and sun gone, reced by a chilling wind. The dunes in the distance seemed toe alive, racing across thend like waves crashing against invisible reefs and shores. The ground trembled, and the sand under Yuan Ming''s feet began to jump. The caravan members were all filled with fear and despair.

    At that moment, four streaks of light suddenly appeared in the camp. The four Qi refining cultivators had simultaneously taken out their magical artifacts and were fleeing into the distance. Seeing this, Yuan Ming was shocked and, without hesitation, summoned Lei Yu and climbed on. As he prepared to take off, he noticed the dazed Hu Ji nearby. Without hesitation, he grabbed Hu Ji by the cor and pulled him onto Lei Yu''s back, then directed Lei Yu to chase after the fleeing cultivators.

 Chapter 307: Dungeon

    Chapter 307: Dungeon

    Lei Yu''s speed far surpassed the magical artifacts of the four cultivators. Although it took offter, it overtook them in the blink of an eye andnded directly ahead.

    Seeing this scene, the four cultivators immediately realized that there was a Foundation Establishment cultivator hidden within the caravan. However, they had no time to worry about this now and desperately urged their artifacts forward, fearing they would fall behind.

    At the same time, five pitch-ck whirlwinds suddenly appeared in the sky behind them.

    The ck tornadoes lifted the yellow sand from the ground, and amidst the flying sand, bolts of lightning fell from the dark clouds, illuminating the entire area with blinding light in an instant.

    As Yuan Ming sped forward, he nced back hurriedly and saw endless electric arcs dancing within the tornadoes, like frenzied mad dogs chasing some unknown prey.

    At this moment, Hu Ji, who was being carried by Yuan Ming, shouted loudly, "Immortal Master, fly towards Quicksand City! Only the underground formation there can resist this!"

    "Boom!"

    The moment Yuan Ming heard the thunder, he felt a strong dizziness and pain, as if someone was hammering his soul with a giant mallet.

    Lei Yu beneath him let out a wail and plummeted straight to the ground.However, perhaps due to the strength of Yuan Ming''s soul, he quickly recovered from the dizziness.

    But by then, he had already fallen off Lei Yu''s back and was plummeting towards the ground. He didn''t dare dy and quickly took out his jade shuttle. As he flew up, he managed to save both Hu Ji and Lei Yu before they hit the ground.

    Yuan Ming, feeling a bit distressed, ced the still-dizzy Lei Yu into his spirit beast bag and continued to control the flying shuttle forward. He nced back again and saw that the four Qi refining cultivators who had been following him were nowhere to be seen.

    The five tornadoes, however, continued to chase him relentlessly. The shing and leaping electric arcs seemed to outline the head of a giant beast, silently roaring at Yuan Ming.

    Meanwhile, the thunder roared like war drums, each p louder than thest. Yet, for some reason, the thunder now seemed tock its previous power, and it no longer harmed Yuan Ming''s soul.

    However, this did not mean Yuan Ming was out of danger. The raging tornadoes pursued him closely, and the bone-chilling cold pierced his spine.

    "Crack!"

    Suddenly, Yuan Ming heard the sound of ice crystals shattering. He looked down in horror to find a wisp of frost-like ck mist creeping up the tail of his jade shuttle. The mist slowly spread towards Yuan Ming''s feet, like the hand of a soul reaper reaching for his body.

    But in the next moment, the wind behind Yuan Ming abruptly stopped, and the ck mist on the jade shuttle dissipated. Everything in the sky returned to normal, as if the previous events were just a nightmare.

    When Yuan Ming turned to look, he saw several terrifying, long scars on the sandy ground behind him, like the earth''s wounds, shocking to behold. The ck Wind Desert got its name from the frequent "ck wind" disasters, which appeared and disappeared without any pattern, leaving nothing but yellow sand in their wake.

    Yuan Ming had heard of the ck wind''s ferocity beforeing here, but it was only when he faced it that he understood the true meaning of "disaster."

    Yuan Ming flew the shuttle towards the previous caravan camp, but along the way, he saw nothing but scars, some broken wood, tattered cloth, and asional severed limbs. Not a singleplete corpse remained.

    The entire caravan now had only two survivors: Yuan Ming and the man named Hu Ji.

    Yuan Mingnded the shuttle and ced Hu Ji on the sandy ground to check his condition. He found that Hu Ji''s body was unharmed, but his soul was injured, leaving him in aa with no clear time for recovery.

    In the vast desert, without a guide, Yuan Ming had no idea where Quicksand City was. Helpless, he decided to try soul-searching the unconscious Hu Ji.

    Fortunately, although Hu Ji''s soul was injured, many of his memories remained, including those of traveling between Zhao Country and Quicksand City with the caravan.

    In his memories, Quicksand City was in the direction where Yuan Ming and the four Qi refining cultivators had fled.

    Having figured out the location, Yuan Ming wasted no time. He took the unconscious Hu Ji, boarded the jade shuttle, and flew towards Quicksand City.

    Soon, Yuan Mingnded the jade shuttle in front of a tall ck sand dune.

    This was the location of Quicksand City.

    Unlike other ces, all towns in the ck Wind Desert were built underground, hence they were also called underground cities. The entrance to each underground city was set within a simr ck sand dune, reinforced by formations and guarded by dedicated cultivators. In case of a ck wind disaster, they would immediately dive underground and activate another formation in the city to protect against the ck wind.

    During a ck wind disaster, not only would there be tornadoes and lightning above ground, but also miasma erosion underground. Therefore, simply diving underground was not enough to escape the ck wind.

    Yuan Ming quickly found the entrance to Quicksand City at the foot of the ck sand dune. Seeing Yuan Ming covered in dust and carrying an unconscious mortal, the Qi refining cultivators guarding the entrance immediately became tense.

    "Senior, what happened..."

    The guards at the gate widened their eyes in surprise and repeatedly praised Yuan Ming''s luck, allowing him to enter.

    Behind the sand dune entrance was a wide underground tunnel, sloping slightly downward. The ceiling and walls were embedded with numerous Night Pearls, providing ample light for the entire tunnel.

    As Yuan Ming walked down the path, his vision soon opened up, revealing a city beneath the sand.

    The city was built within a massive hollow. The ceiling was densely packed with special luminous artifacts, emitting lightparable to daylight, illuminating the entire city brightly without any sense of gloom.

    From above, the city was structured in concentric circles, divided into inner and outer cities. However, whether in the inner or outer city, most of the buildings were made of sand and soil, appearing seamless and integrated. The window frames on the windowsills were mostly made of stone, with window cloths instead of paper.

    Due to the height of the hollow, the tallest buildings were only five stories high, with a noticeable gradient from the city center outward.

    The outer city''s buildings were even more dpidated, with crude construction everywhere. The further out, the simpler the houses became, with walls showing various marks of axes and knives, and some even bearing signs of magical damage, presenting a scene of ruins.

    At the city''s edge, there were no proper walls or tiles, just makeshift tents made of rags, which would have been blown away if not for the windless underground.

    Yuan Ming didn''t rush to explore the city. He first found a rtively decent clinic in the outer city, handed Hu Ji over for treatment, and left some gold and silver for the doctor to give to Hu Ji when he woke up. Then he headed towards the inner city.

    Walking through the outer city''s streets, Yuan Ming noticed that the mortals around him either looked impoverished and sorrowful or exuded a fierce aura, not appearing to be good people.

    Even these seemingly bandit-like individuals would immediately step aside cautiously when they encountered cultivators on the street, fearing to block their way.

    Compared to mortals, the cultivators on the street had an even more wild and violent aura.

    Perhaps because Yuan Ming''s gaze lingered too long, one of the two cultivators arguing on the street, a burly man with a beard, looked up and red at Yuan Ming fiercely. "What are you looking at? Want to die?"

    Not wanting to cause trouble, Yuan Ming shook his head and withdrew his gaze, ready to move on. But suddenly, he frowned and swiftly dodged to the left, avoiding a stumbling, skinny cultivator who was about to crash into him. At the same time, he reached out like lightning and grabbed the man''s arm.

    "Misunderstanding, it''s all a misunderstanding, fellow Daoist," the skinny cultivator smiled apologetically, bowing repeatedly.

    But as he bowed, his empty left hand suddenly flicked upwards, seemingly holding something aimed at Yuan Ming.

    However, such small tricks couldn''t escape Yuan Ming''s senses. Just as the man''s arm lifted, Yuan Ming''s finger pointed at his face, and a fireball appeared at his fingertip, rapidly expanding.

    Sensing the power of Yuan Ming''s explosive spell, the skinny cultivator broke out in cold sweat and dared not make any more moves, repeatedly begging for mercy.

    Since Yuan Ming was new here and didn''t want to cause trouble, he released the skinny cultivator''s arm, scolded him a few times, and let him go.

    However, as the skinny cultivator hurriedly fled, Yuan Ming heard several boos around him.

    He looked around and saw that his actions had attracted a crowd of onlookers, who now seemed disappointed that there hadn''t been a fight, as if they thrived on chaos.

 Chapter 308: Insect Elixirs

    Chapter 308: Insect Elixirs

    Yuan Ming frowned and continued forward, witnessing yet another shocking scene.

    In a small alley beside the main road, a headless corpsey sprawled, its blood already dried. Not far from it stood a burly man with a bare chest and a bushy beard, exuding the aura of someone at the early Foundation Establishment stage. He was cursing loudly:

    "Which damned bastard killed someone and didn''t even clean up the body, just left it in front of someone else''s house? Have you no decency?"

    Seeing the man cursing so righteously and the nearby cultivators acting as if it was nothing unusual, some not even bothering to nce back, Yuan Ming couldn''t help but gain a new understanding of the chaos in this ce.

    However, as he entered the inner city, the situation improved significantly. Although the cultivators on the streets still exuded a murderous aura, at least there were no public brawls.

    Soon, Yuan Ming found a ce in the inner city to rent a house for shelter.

    Unexpectedly, the yellow-robed cultivator in charge of rentals quoted a price that greatly shocked him.

    "Six hundred spirit stones a year for a house in the inner city? Why don''t you just rob people?" Yuan Ming angrily retorted.

    Though he had quite a few spirit stones on him, it didn''t mean he was willing to be fleeced. After all, the housing prices in Xiaohu City were only about two hundred spirit stones. How could this rundown ce be more expensive?Seeing Yuan Ming''s reaction, the yellow-robed cultivator quickly handed over a jade slip marked with the locations of vacant houses in the inner city. Yuan Ming took it and frowned again.

    "Why are there only two ces left?"

    "No choice. Many people living in the outer city are desperate to move to the inner city. These two spots just became avable yesterday, so you''re in luck," the yellow-robed cultivator exined.

    Yuan Ming, feeling helpless, didn''t bother to ask what "just became avable" meant. He simply chose one of the rtively quiet spots, handed over the spirit stones, and received the key and a token marking his residency from the yellow-robed cultivator before leaving.

    After renting the house, Yuan Ming hurried to a store in the city that sold elixirs.

    This store, named Chunfeng Hall, was far inferior in both scale and decorationpared to Qingmu Tower in Xiaohu City. It had only a few types of elixirs for Foundation Establishment stage improvement, and their prices were more than half higher than those at Qingmu Tower.

    This realization made Yuan Ming regret not buying more elixirs while he was in Great Jin and Zhao Country.

    He began to calcte his current wealth. Though he still had tens of thousands of spirit stones, without the stable ie from the spiritual incense shop, maintaining a rtively good cultivation environment would soon deplete his resources.

    Yuan Ming hesitated for a moment and then waved for the shop assistant to lead the way.

    The young assistant led Yuan Ming to the innermost part of the shop, where there was a counter disying ten bottles of gray and ck elixirs.

    Yuan Ming scanned them with his spiritual consciousness and was surprised.

    The elixirs in these bottles were vastly different from those outside. They were much smaller, with rough, grayish surfaces that made them look more like dirt pellets than elixirs.

    However, the spiritual energy emanating from these elixirs was exceptionally strong,parable to the Xueqing Elixirs he had taken before.

    Most importantly, these elixirs were very cheap, priced at just over a hundred spirit stones each, with the most expensive ones being no more than two hundred spirit stones.

    "What kind of elixirs are these?" Yuan Ming picked up a bottle and gently opened the stopper, releasing a strange, sour, and pungent smell.

    "Insect Elixirs?" Yuan Ming looked at the assistant.

    "The ck Wind Desert is barren, and transportation to the Central ins is inconvenient. Although the underground mineral resources are abundant, spiritual herbs and medicines are extremely scarce. Fortunately, there are countless insect-type demonic beasts here. The alchemists in the ck Wind Desert have learned the alchemy methods of the Northern Wastes, using local materials and refining these Insect Elixirs with the insect cores of demonic insects," the young assistant exined.

    "Insect cores? Are they simr to demonic cores? As far as I know, second-level demonic beasts rarely have demonic cores. Only when they reach the third level do theymonly develop demonic cores. These Insect Elixirs can''t be made from third-level demonic insects, can they?" Yuan Ming asked, puzzled.

    "In their heads..." Yuan Ming pondered.

    The ck Wind Desert may look deste, but its underground mineral resources are rich. The demonic insects here don''tck spiritual power supplements, and the ck winds in the desert greatly affect the soul. In such a unique environment, it''s not surprising that the demonic insects form insect cores in their heads to protect their souls with demonic power over the years.

    "Oh, these Insect Elixirs have such good effects, but you''re selling them so cheaply. There must be some drawbacks, right?" Yuan Ming shook the bottle in his hand and asked with a smile.

    If the drawbacks of the Insect Elixirs were really minimal, they wouldn''t be sold so cheaply given their efficacy.

    After weighing the pros and cons for a moment, Yuan Ming finally decided to buy only one bottle for a trial, despite the assistant''s enthusiastic sales pitch. He chose a few other ordinary elixirs to take back and try.

    After purchasing the elixirs, Yuan Ming returned to the rented residence. Although the cave dwelling was simple, it had all the necessary furniture and was clean and tidy, which slightly improved his mood.

    He didn''t rush to cultivate but first carefully checked the house to ensure there were no hidden mechanisms or traps left by others. He then set up the Five Elements Illusionary Formation outside for added security.

    Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Yuan Ming took out the bottle of Yanxu Elixir, poured out a pill into his palm, and, after some hesitation, swallowed it with his eyes closed.

    To his surprise, the Yanxu Elixir melted instantly in his mouth, turning into a fragrant liquid with a slightly sweet taste, refreshing his mouth.

    As the liquid entered his stomach, Yuan Ming felt a cool sensation spreading from his abdomen to his limbs, like drinking a bowl of iced tea on a scorching summer afternoon.

    Immediately after, he felt a strong medicinal power merging into his body. He quickly activated his techniques to cultivate, taking advantage of the medicinal power. Although there was no significant improvement, his cultivation speed was indeed slightly faster than before.

    But just then, Yuan Ming suddenly felt a pain between his eyebrows, followed by a buzzing noise in his ears, like the sound of insects.

    At the same time, a thin ck mist appeared in his sea of consciousness, slowly enveloping his soul.

    Yuan Ming''s consciousness became hazy, and he felt as if he had turned into a ck insect lurking in the sand, asionally responding to the calls of hispanions.

    Momentster, the feeling abruptly vanished, and Yuan Ming returned to normal.

    He rubbed his forehead and nced at the Yanxu Elixir beside him, smiling bitterly.

    Relying on the Yanxu Elixir for cultivation was fast, but he had to endure the emotional erosion from the medicinal power. If he continued using these Insect Elixirs for cultivation, it might eventually affect the state of his soul.

    Yuan Ming shook his head and put away the Yanxu Elixir, deciding not to use it for now.

    He tried the other elixirs and found that, apart from being extremely expensive, their effects were normal, which reassured him a bit.

 Chapter 309: Source

    Chapter 309: Source

    Yuan Ming steadied himself, took a moment to regte his breathing, and waited until midnight. He then took out a stick of ck Incense, intending to possess one of the disciples who had followed Zuo Qinghui in Xiaohu City to see if Changchun Temple was aware of Zuo Qinghui''s situation.

    Although he was now in the ck Wind Desert, he still needed to keep tabs on Changchun Temple. Otherwise, if they came looking for him, he would be caught off guard.

    However, when he took out the Stealing Heaven Cauldron, he was suddenly stunned. He sensed a wish power more intense than any he had ever felt before, wrapping around the cauldron like tentacles. Yuan Ming was greatly surprised. In the past, wish power had always been like thin threads. Why was this wish power so dense?

    He tried to envelop this wish power with his spiritual consciousness and sent it into his sea of consciousness. He discovered that this wish power contained emotions of worship, longing, inferiority, and worry.

    As he refined and absorbed this wish power, he vaguely sensed its source, which was not far from him, seemingly within Quicksand City.

    Yuan Ming showed a look of joy and released the transparent soul crow from his sea of consciousness, sending it straight to the source of the wish power.

    The transparent soul crow could travel much farther than ordinary soul crows, move faster, and change forms, making it more suitable for reconnaissance. Although this crow had its own consciousness, its soul power was the same as Yuan Ming''s, allowing him to share its five senses. "Quicksand City, Zhang Yu''s residence."

    As the steward of Quicksand City, Zhang Yu, though a mortal, had the privilege of living in the inner city. This status was passed down from his grandfather, and whenever he mentioned it, he felt immensely grateful that his grandfather had found such a good master.

    He had worked in the City Lord''s Mansion for over thirty years, married, and had children. Now, seeing his son grow up, he thought it was time to train him to take over.But his son, Zhang Xiu, was particrly resistant to his father''s suggestion.

    "Bang!" Zhang Yu roughly pushed open the door and saw his son hurriedly hiding a book. He was instantly furious. "You little brat! I told you to learn ounting from Uncle Li, and you dared to lie about being sick to read idle books here. Hand it over!"

    "Father, I don''t want to learn those things," Zhang Xiu said with a tearful face. He was only thirteen or fourteen, with a face full of youth. His ck hair was tied haphazardly, showing that he didn''t usually take care of it. Notably, there was a clear burn mark near his left ear, resembling a raging tornado. Zhang Yu quickly stepped forward, grabbed Zhang Xiu, and snatched the hidden book from his hand. The cover read "Sheng Gongzi''s Eastern Travels" in bold characters. "If you don''t learn ounting, how will you take over my job? Do you think reading these idle books will help you serve the City Lord?"

    Zhang Yu scolded him harshly and tore the book in half.

    Seeing his beloved book torn, Zhang Xiu became agitated and lunged at his father, grabbing the remnants of the book.

    "I don''t want to follow your path, nor do I want to stay in this wretched ce as a steward. I just want to go out and see the world. Why can''t you understand and let me be free?" Zhang Xiu cried, holding the torn book.

    Zhang Yu looked at his son with disappointment. "Xiu''er, you''re too naive. Do you know how many people in this city would kill for this position you disdain?"

    Zhang Xiu sobbed silently.

    "Sigh, when you grow up, you''ll understand. I''m doing this for your own good. Being born in the ck Wind Desert, it''s already a blessing to follow in my footsteps."

    Seeing this, Zhang Yu couldn''t bear it and sighed. Zhang Xiu looked up, his eyes filled with a dim hope. "Father, is there really no other path for me?"

    "Child, ept your fate. In this world, only those exalted cultivators can truly be free. We mortals have no choice," Zhang Yu said, shaking his head. Zhang Xiu lowered his head in disappointment, tears welling up in his eyes but held back.

    With that, Zhang Yu left the room.

    Watching his father''s slightly hunched back, Zhang Xiu couldn''t help but feel a pang of sorrow. He staggered and fell onto the bed, lifting the torn "Sheng Gongzi''s Eastern Travels." Memories of the stories and the magnificent scenes described in the book shed through his mind, blurring his vision. Outside the window, the transparent soul crow witnessed everything and then burrowed into the ground.

    At the same time, Yuan Ming opened his eyes, suddenly enlightened.

    The wish power of the Stealing Heaven Cauldron came from people who had read his book, no wonder it was filled with emotions of worship and longing.

    So, the previous wish power absorbed by the Stealing Heaven Cauldron likely also came from his readers.

    Yuan Ming recalled the argument between Zhang Xiu and his father, his mind filled with thoughts.

    He, Yuan Ming, from a prisoner in the Southern Border to a wanderer in the desert, had experienced the feeling of being "helpless." What difference was there between mortals and cultivators? Ultimately, everyone was trapped in this world''s great prison, struggling and toiling, with few able to escape their fate. Freedom was a luxury for the strong and a dream for the weak.

    His previous refusal to join Changchun Temple and his battle with Zuo Qinghui were all for the sake of freedom.

    Yuan Ming''s confused gaze gradually became firm.

    He longed for freedom, for the joy of going wherever he pleased. No matter the difficulties, nothing could change his mind or destroy his will. Yuan Ming shook his head.

    Calming his emotions, he began to study the changes in the Stealing Heaven Cauldron again.

    From what he had observed, the transmission of wish power was greatly affected by distance. The farther away, the thinner the wish power. Zhang Xiu was the closest, so his wish power was much denser than others. To verify his assumptions, Yuan Ming immediately started an experiment. He left his residence and walked in the opposite direction of Zhang Xiu.

    Sure enough, as Yuan Ming moved farther away, the wish power from Zhang Xiu became thinner, and his sense of its source grew fainter.

    When he reached a few miles outside Quicksand City, he could no longer sense the source of the wish power.

    It seemed the distance to sense the source of wish power was only thirty miles.

    Yuan Ming thought to himself.

    He then took out a stick of ck Incense, made from the ashes of the Precious Spirit Sect''s ancestral hall, which was rich in wish power. He tried to absorb it with his spiritual consciousness but couldn''t.

    "It seems I can only absorb wish power directed at me. Other people''s wish power is useless," Yuan Ming thought.

    The hot wind howled in the ck Wind Desert, kicking up dust. Yuan Ming didn''t stay outside the city for long and turned to head back. Suddenly, a dozen blue lights shot out from the sand behind him, aiming at his back.

    Yuan Ming''s eyes shed with cold light, and he leaped into the air without warning,nding silently a few yards away.

    The blue lights missed and embedded themselves in the ground where Yuan Ming had stood. They were a dozen blue ice spikes, looking extremely sharp.

    A gray-robed figure peeked out from where the blue lights hade, ring at Yuan Ming. A yellow light shed across his body, and he burrowed back into the ground. Judging by his aura, he was also a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Yuan Ming naturally wouldn''t let him escape. He shot a stream of spiritual consciousness from his forehead, casting the dream butterfly illusion technique. The gray-robed man''s body suddenly froze, his fierce eyes turning nk. He emerged from the ground, and a sh of blood-red light severed his head, blood gushing out and staining the nearby sand.

    Yuan Ming took the man''s storage bag, used a fireball spell to incinerate the body, and turned back to the city. He had long noticed this person lurking underground, likely nning to ambush cultivators returning from treasure hunting or beast hunting. But to think someone would set an ambush just a few miles from Quicksand City, the ck Wind Desert was indeed as chaotic and dangerous as rumored.

    Yuan Ming quickly returned to his residence and examined the storage bag with his spiritual consciousness. Inside were six or seven hundred spirit stones, a few ordinary magical artifacts, the highest being mid-grade, and a dozen low-level runes, nothing remarkable.

    He put away the spirit stones and runes, inserted a stick of ck Incense into the Stealing Heaven Cauldron, and sat cross-legged, possessing one of Zuo Qinghui''s disciples.

    The disciple was currently cultivating in Changchun Temple. Yuan Ming used a soul imprint to make him inquire about Zuo Qinghui''s situation from other disciples. With his Death Moon method breaking through the fourthyer, Yuan Ming''s soul power had greatly increased, and he easily imprinted the disciple.

    Zuo Qinghui often traveled for years without returning, so the disciples seemed unaware of his death. Changchun Temple had not yet discovered this.

    After ending the possession, Yuan Ming felt relieved. Although he didn''t know how long this could be kept secret, at least for now, he didn''t have to worry about anyoneing after him.

    Moreover, being in the ck Wind Desert, the longer he dragged it out, the harder it would be for Changchun Temple to find clues or track him down.

    Yuan Ming set aside his worries and continued extracting wish power from the Stealing Heaven Cauldron, resuming his cultivation.

    The surrounding wish power was sent into Yuan Ming''s sea of consciousness and slowly refined. However, soon, he felt a surge of inexplicable, chaotic emotions and had to stop absorbing, using the Death Moon method to calm his mind.

    After a long time, Yuan Ming finally rid himself of the chaotic emotions. He looked at the Stealing Heaven Cauldron, sensing the wish power on it, and sighed.

    The wish power was right in front of him, but he couldn''t take it. It was truly frustrating.

    He wondered when he would be able to break the golden rune restriction on the cauldron and ess the refined wish power inside.

 Chapter 310: The wonderful use of soul division

    Chapter 310: The wonderful use of soul division

    Yuan Ming remained silent for a moment, then continued to cultivate the Death Moon method, absorbing the power of wishes and channeling it into his sea of consciousness.

    His transparent soul crow, formed from a split of his soul, wandered aimlessly within the sea of consciousness.

    Yuan Ming''s spiritual consciousness scanned the crow briefly but paid it no further attention.

    Just as he was about to continue refining the power of wishes, his expression suddenly changed. His spiritual consciousness locked onto the transparent soul crow, and he couldn''t help but find the situation both amusing and frustrating!

    The transparent soul crow wasn''t wandering aimlessly at all; it was slowly absorbing the soul power newly integrated into the sea of consciousness, enhancing itself.

    The soul power he had painstakingly refined from the power of wishes was being siphoned off by this transparent soul crow!

    Yuan Ming was about to summon the transparent soul crow when a thought struck him. In the next moment, he divided the power of wishes entering his sea of consciousness into two streams: one for his main soul and the other for the transparent soul crow.

    Since this split soul had already developed its own consciousness, it should also be able to absorb the power of wishes. Once it refined the power of wishes, Yuan Ming could then absorb the soul power from the split soul, thereby elerating the enhancement of his own soul power.

    The power of wishes sent to the main soul was refined and absorbed as usual, so Yuan Ming didn''t pay it further attention. Instead, he focused entirely on the split soul.The transparent soul crow quickly absorbed the power of wishes without any abnormalities, much to Yuan Ming''s delight. This method seemed to work.

    However, at that moment, the transparent soul crow''s body began to change, forming bubbles and cracks in many ces, startling Yuan Ming. He quickly redirected the power of wishes back to the main soul, but the cracks on the transparent soul crow continued to increase, as if it were on the verge of copse.

    Through his connection with the split soul, Yuan Ming realized that it wasn''t unable to absorb the power of wishes, but rather it couldn''t dispel the chaotic emotions contained within it.

    As someone with a mature and independent consciousness, Yuan Ming himself experienced various emotions, which would gradually dissipate over time. Therefore, even if he absorbed the power of wishes and gained more chaotic emotions, as long as it didn''t exceed a certain limit, he could dispel them on his own.

    The split soul, although independent, was still immature and fragile, unable to form clear and distinct thoughts. Faced with sudden chaotic emotions, it naturally couldn''t dispel them on its own. Realizing this, Yuan Ming immediately had the split soul operate the Death Moon method, hoping to use it to dispel and dissolve the chaotic emotions.

    However, although the Death Moon method was a profound soul cultivation technique, its effectiveness in dispelling chaotic thoughts was average, and the condition of the transparent soul crow did not improve. "What should I do?" Yuan Ming thought anxiously. Should he just watch the transparent soul crow copse?

    Yuan Ming was deeply worried. The transparent soul crow was hard-won and very useful; losing it would be a significant loss. Just then, a sh of inspiration struck him, and he remembered the Heart Cleansing Form in Sha Hao''s storage bag. As the Grand Elder''s main cultivation technique, the Heart Cleansing Form''s greatest feature was its ability to cleanse the mind and dispel chaotic emotions. However, at its highest level, it wouldpletely eradicate all human emotions and desires, which was why Yuan Ming hadn''t tried to cultivate it.

    Now that the transparent soul crow was on the verge of copse due to chaotic emotions, it was worth a try, even if it was a desperate measure.

    Moreover, even if the split soul lost all emotions due to the Heart Cleansing Form, it wouldn''t significantly affect the main soul.

    Yuan Ming had already memorized the contents of the Heart Cleansing Form. He decisively controlled the split soul to operate its soul power ording to the Heart Cleansing Form.

    Due to the split soul''s considerable soul power and Yuan Ming''s experience with the Death Moon method, the Heart Cleansing Form quickly took effect.

    In no time, the split soul''s copse began to slow.

    Yuan Ming was overjoyed and continued to control the split soul to operate its soul power.

    After about half an hour, he began to clearly feel the chaotic emotions within the split soul melting away like snow, gradually disappearing. The cracks started to heal, and its swelling body gradually returned to normal.

    Not only that, but the soul power of the transparent soul crow also noticeably increased.

    Yuan Ming breathed a sigh of relief. He hadn''t expected the Heart Cleansing Form to be so effective in dispelling chaotic thoughts. This way, his previous n could be fully realized!

    Yuan Ming guided another stream of the power of wishes into his sea of consciousness, letting the transparent soul crow absorb it while simultaneously operating the Heart Cleansing Form.

    The Heart Cleansing Form''s effect far exceeded his expectations. This stream of the power of wishes was quickly refined and transformed into pure soul power.

    Yuan Ming operated his main soul crow, using the soul-nurturing technique to absorb the pure soul power before the split soul could. He couldn''t help but feel excited; using this method, he could enhance his soul power without any risk!

    Yuan Ming repeated the process, continuously sending the power of wishes from the Stealing Heaven Cauldron into the split soul, refining it with the Heart Cleansing Form. He left only a small portion to nourish the split soul, while the rest was channeled into the main soul. After a whole day of cultivation, Yuan Ming opened his eyes in surprise and delight. His soul power had advanced rapidly, much faster than with the Death Moon method alone. With such rapid enhancement of his soul power, the once unattainable Soul Pill technique now seemed highly achievable. Inparison, the amount of power of wishes from the Stealing Heaven Cauldron seemed insufficient. It appeared he needed to spread his writings in Quicksand City, allowing more people to see them and generate admiration and longing, thereby umting more power of wishes.

    When he went to buy elixirs today, Yuan Ming took a brief tour of Quicksand City. There were some bookstores here, so publishing his books wouldn''t be a problem.

    As Yuan Ming pondered, he suddenly remembered the Insect Elixirs.

    These elixirs were cheap, but the most challenging part was the residual thoughts of the demonic insects they contained. Since the Heart Cleansing Form could refine the power of wishes, could it also eliminate the residual thoughts of the demonic insects?

    With this thought, Yuan Ming took action. He took out an Insect Elixir and swallowed it. Soon, a thin ck mist appeared in his sea of consciousness. This time, he was prepared and immediatelymanded the split soul to absorb all the mist. As the split soul continuously operated the Heart Cleansing Form, the ck mist disappeared in the blink of an eye. Yuan Ming waited for a moment to confirm that the demonic thoughts hadpletely dissolved, and then he beamed with joy. This way, the side effects of the Insect Elixirs were non-existent for him. He could purchase and consume them without any concerns, elerating his cultivation while saving a significant amount of spirit stones.

    Excited, Yuan Ming immediately went out and bought several Insect Elixirs at low prices from various elixir shops. He returned to his residence and immediately immersed himself in cultivation.

    Four monthster, Yuan Ming emerged from a bookstore in the outer city, shaking his head as he turned towards the inner city. The ck Wind Desert was located on the outskirts of the Central ins, far from the Great Jin. Although his works had spread, their number was very limited, and many were pirated copies with errors and omissions. Some even had other books printed in thetter half.

    To increase his ie from the power of wishes, Yuan Ming had specially rewritten the manuscripts of his works and sent them to a bookstore in Quicksand City for printing and publishing.

    But now, four monthster, he found that the number of readers had increased very slowly, only adding four or five streams of the power of wishes.

    After inquiring at the bookstore today, he understood the reason.

    The harsh conditions of the ck Wind Desert made survival difficult for themon people, who had no leisure to buy or read books.

    Moreover, the area was ruled by cultivators who treated mortals as ves, selecting only the obedient ones. Naturally, there were no schools or private academies to teach themon people to read. Most of the mortals in the city were illiterate, leading to poor sales of Yuan Ming''s books, in stark contrast to the situation in the Great Jin.

    Faced with this situation, Yuan Ming felt helpless and could only consider book sales as a side note, no longer hoping to gain more power of wishes from it.

    After entering the inner city, he soon arrived at Chunfeng Hall. The ordinary elixirs he had bought earlier were all consumed, and he was here to buy more Insect Elixirs for his future cultivation needs.

    As he walked into the shop, Yuan Ming was thinking about finding the shopkeeper when he looked up and saw a familiar face.

    The man wore a in schr''s hat and robe, with a gentle and amiable appearance, though his skin was slightly dark, as if tanned by the sun. He was thin but not weak. He was selecting elixirs in the shop and seemed to sense Yuan Ming''s gaze. He looked up and, seeing Yuan Ming, showed a surprised expression.

    "Well, if it isn''t Daoist Cui. What a coincidence, it''s been a long time," Yuan Ming said with a smile, cupping his hands in greeting.

    This man was the Cui-named cultivator Yuan Ming had met at the Four Symbols Tea House in Xiaohu City. Although he was from Zhao Country, the world was vast, and meeting Yuan Ming here again was a stroke of fate. The Cui-named cultivator clearly remembered Yuan Ming, though they hadn''t exchanged names at the time. Now, he wanted to greet Yuan Ming properly but didn''t know how to address him.

    Yuan Ming realized this and immediately said, "You can call me Yuan Ming, Daoist friend."

    Upon hearing this, the Cui-named cultivator was momentarily stunned, then he understood and smiled, cupping his hands in return. "I am Cui Wuran. Yuan Daoist, I''ve heard much about you. What brings you to the ck Wind Desert?"

    Yuan Ming smiled, cupped his hands in thanks, and just then, the shopkeeper came down from upstairs. Seeing Cui and Yuan, he immediately approached and greeted them, "Senior Cui, you''re here! It''s been a long time. I thought you had settled in another city."

 Chapter 311: Benefactor Yuan Ming

    Chapter 311: Benefactor Yuan Ming

    "Ha ha, I was busy with some trivial matters recently and indeed left the city for a while. But let''s not talk about that. Shopkeeper Shen, let me introduce you to a fellow Daoist, Yuan Ming, who has some ties with me," Cui Wuran said.

    "So it''s Senior Yuan. I''ve heard a lot about you. Are you here to buy elixirs? Since Senior Cui introduced you, I''ll give you a ten percent discount. Please take care of our business in the future," Shopkeeper Shen said, cupping his hands towards Yuan Ming.

    Cui Wuran was delighted to see Shopkeeper Shen offering a discount, feeling that his face had gained much respect.

    Yuan Ming, seeing this, did not stand on ceremony and said directly, "In that case, Shopkeeper Shen, how many Yanxu Elixirs do you have in your store? I''d like to buy arge quantity at once."

    "Yanxu Elixir? Daoist Yuan, are you aware of the side effects of this elixir? Don''t make a mistake in buying it," Cui Wuran reminded him, slightly taken aback.

    "Ah, Daoist Cui, thank you for your kind reminder. How could I not know the side effects of the Yanxu Elixir? It''s just that I''m really strapped for cash. After calcting, I can only afford this elixir for cultivation," Yuan Ming said with a bitter smile, looking deste.

    Seeing Yuan Ming''s expression, Cui Wuran''s lips moved as if recalling some sad memories, and he was momentarily speechless.

    Shopkeeper Shen, seeing the situation, immediately tried to smooth things over, "Senior Yuan, rest assured, we still have plenty of Yanxu Elixirs in stock. If you want, one bottle costs one hundred and sixty spirit stones."

    Yuan Ming nodded and reported the amount he needed for his cultivation. Shopkeeper Shen hurriedly went to make arrangements upon hearing this.After Shopkeeper Shen left, Cui Wuran suddenly sighed, "Daoist Yuan, seeing you in such a difficult situation pains me. Recently, I received a task from the Rogue Alliance that offers arge quantity of elixirs as a reward. Although the task is difficult, the reward is extremely generous, and the Rogue Alliance only wants to select trustworthy people, so they didn''t post it publicly. If you''re willing, I can rmend you and let you share in the reward."

    "Please tell me more, Daoist Cui," Yuan Ming pretended to be interested.

    "It''s like this. Recently, a Fire Smander nest was discovered near Quicksand City, with at least a few second-tier high-level beasts inside. Our task is topletely destroy this nest. Once the task ispleted, each participant will receive at least eight bottles of elixirs or an equivalent amount of spirit stones as a reward," Cui Wuran exined.

    Yuan Ming was somewhat surprised. Such a reward was insignificant to him, but for ordinary rogue cultivators, considering the local prices, it was indeed generous.

    Currently, he trulycked elixirs but not spirit stones. Therefore, after pretending to be conflicted for a long time, he shook his head and said, "Sorry, Daoist Cui, my strength is limited. A group of second-tier beasts would be too much for me to handle. I can''t go and cause trouble for you."

    Hearing this, Cui Wuran knew that Yuan Ming might not value this task. He looked disappointed and tried to persuade him a few more times. Seeing Yuan Ming''s firm attitude, he had to give up temporarily, handing Yuan Ming amunication talisman, telling him to contact him if he changed his mind.

    Yuan Ming nodded, took themunication talisman, and just then, Shopkeeper Shen returned with the Yanxu Elixirs. Yuan Ming quickly counted them, bid farewell to Cui Wuran, and left Chunfeng Hall.

    Back at his residence, Yuan Ming didn''t dwell on what happened at Chunfeng Hall and began his cultivation as usual.

    However, when he was about to absorb the willing power to cultivate his soul, he suddenly discovered a new, dense willing power outside the Stealing Heaven Cauldron.

    Unlike the willing power he generated, this one seemed more profound and pure, as if it had a different source.

    Yuan Ming guided this willing power into his split soul. During the refining process, he faintly sensed emotions of gratitude, prayer, and plea.

    At the same time, he also sensed the location of the owner of this willing power, which was in a house in the eastern part of the outer city.

    Although Yuan Ming had not lived in Quicksand City for long, he had already gained a good understanding of itsyout. Besides the distinction between the inner and outer city, the city was further divided into different areas, such as the Rogue Alliance''s gathering ce, themercial district with numerous shops, and so on.

    The location of this willing power was in the well-known ck Soil District of the outer city, a ce where no cultivators were willing to visit, inhabited by impoverishedmoners.

    Curious, Yuan Ming sent out a soul crow to investigate the source of the willing power.

    A pair of feet in worn cloth shoes stepped onto the dirty ck soil.

    Hu Ji carried a cloth bag, carefully avoiding the asional garbage and the foul-smelling wet mud on the street.

    The yellow walls on both sides of the street were dpidated, with temporary barriers made of dirty cloth and rubble in between, dividing the already cramped houses into several smaller rooms.

    Thin ropes hung above the street, connecting countless houses on both sides, with faded clothes dripping dark water onto passersby, causing bursts of curses.

    In a small alley to Hu Ji''s left, three children stood sneakily in a corner, defiling a door. In the next instant, the door suddenly opened, and the owner, unaware, stepped out, immediately stepping into the filth. Realizing what had happened, his face turned red with anger, and he chased after the children, waving his arms furiously.

    In the house to Hu Ji''s right, two ragged women were arguing, their foulnguage mixed with the reason for their quarrel, which seemed to be someone wearing the wrong undergarment.

    Today''s ck Soil District was as noisy as ever.

    Hu Ji did not linger on these familiar scenes and quickly walked to his home deep in the ck Soil District.

    Having lived in Quicksand City for many years and working in a caravan, Hu Ji had saved up a bit and rented a house without partitions, living with his wife and daughter, which was considered high-ss in the ck Soil District.

    As soon as he entered the house, he saw his six-year-old daughter washing clothes, her small hands wrinkled from the water, making Hu Ji''s heart ache.

    Hu Ji put down his cloth bag, took the washbasin from his daughter, and asked while washing the clothes, "Where''s your mother? Why is she letting you do this?"

    "Mother fell ill again just now. I didn''t want her to suffer, so I wanted to help. Please don''t me her, Father," his daughter exined timidly, sensing a hint of reproach in Hu Ji''s words.

    Hu Ji quickly put down the clothes, stood up, and said, "Fell ill again? What about the medicine we bought earlier? Did you give it to her?"

    "I did, but Mother said it''s not too serious this time, and the medicine is expensive, so she wants to save it," his daughter replied.

    Hearing this, Hu Ji frowned and quickly walked to the inner room, lifting the curtain to see his wife lying on the bed.

    His wife was extremely thin, with limbs like sticks, hair like straw, and a sallow face devoid of blood, with bluish-gray spots that looked particrly frightening.

    Hearing Hu Ji''s footsteps, she turned her head with difficulty, looking at the door with cloudy eyes, surprised.

    "Ah Ji, why are you back so early today?"

    "The caravan couldn''t gather enough people for a while, so they let mee back and wait for news. But you, I told you not to save money on medicine. Why don''t you ever listen to me?" Hu Ji muttered, taking a wooden box from under the bedside table.

    Opening the box, his eyes slightly narrowed, then he pretended nothing was wrong, taking out a ck pill and fetching a bowl of water from the water tank.

    The water in the tank was not clear, with a faint greenish tint and a slight strange smell, not something ordinary people would dare to drink.

    But this water was the only source for the people of the ck Soil District,ing from wells connected to underground rivers, with poor quality, not valued by the city''s cultivators, and only drunk bymoners.

    Hu Ji helped his wife take the medicine, seeing her condition worse than before, feeling anxious but hiding it to avoid worrying her.

    Afterforting his wife, he left the bedroom and came to a shrine in the main room.

    On the shrine was a que inscribed with "ck River God," finely crafted with many decorative patterns.

    Hu Ji nced at the que, then took a new que from his cloth bag.

    This que had only four characters, "Benefactor Yuan Ming," crafted with care, though slightly inferior to the ck River God''s que.

    Hu Ji ced the que, then knelt before the shrine, kowtowing three times and praying earnestly. He then retrieved a small bag of gold and silver from a hiddenpartment under the shrine, hid it in his clothes, instructed his daughter, and left the house.

    Soon, he arrived at a two-story house, hesitated for a moment, and knocked on the door.

    "Who is it? Oh, it''s Brother Hu Ji. What brings you here in broad daylight?" a fat man opened the door and looked at Hu Ji.

    Hu Ji lowered his head and said, "Lord Envoy, I''m here to buy medicine."

    Hearing this, the man''s eyes lit up, and a smile appeared on his chubby face.

    "Buying medicine, huh? That''s easy. But recently, there have been too many people with the Green Poison Disease in the city, and the medicine bestowed by the ck River God is running low. The price will be much higher than usual."

    Hu Ji took a deep breath, gritted his teeth, and said, "Lord Envoy, don''t worry. I brought a lot of silver this time."

    Saying this, he handed over the bag hidden in his clothes.

    The man took the bag, weighed it, and smiled with satisfaction, stepping aside to let Hu Ji into the house.

 Chapter 312: Dark Moon God

    Chapter 312: Dark Moon God

    Hu Ji squeezed past the fat man into the room, his gaze instinctively sweeping around.

    The room''s decor wasn''t luxurious, but it exuded a sense of mystery. Against the wall stood a towering statue of a mysterious man in a ck robe, his facepletely obscured by the shadow of his hood.

    Several men and women in ck robes stood inside the room, each with three wavy lines sewn onto their chests, marking them as followers of the ck River God.

    Hu Ji stood there, listening to their prayers, feeling increasingly agitated.

    Before long, the fat man who had taken his money emerged from the inner room, holding a wooden box.

    Hu Ji took the box and counted the pills inside, finding nearly half as many as before. Anger surged within him, but when he looked up, he saw several burly men in ck robes appear beside the fat man.

    "Brother Hu, these are the blessings of the ck River God. You''d better keep them safe. If you offend the ck River God and incur divine punishment, I won''t be able to protect you," the fat man said with a smirk.

    Seeing this, Hu Ji suppressed his anger and asked, "May I ask if these expensive pills from the ck River God can really cure the Green Poison Disease? My wife has been taking them for a long time, but she''s not getting any better."

    "How dare you question the ck River God! If your wife''s illness isn''t improving, it''s because her faith isn''t sincere enough. Go home and have her recite the ck River God''s scriptures a few more times, and the medicine will naturally take effect. Stop causing trouble here!" the fat man snorted, waving his hand. The burly men pushed and shoved Hu Ji out of the room.Outside, Hu Ji stumbled and fell, barely protecting the wooden box in his hands. When he got up, the door had already closed. Seeing this, he could only turn and head back home.

    Meanwhile, on the roof, a soul crow observed everything. As Hu Ji left, it pped its wings and vanished into the ground.

    ...

    Since his wife had already taken the pills, Hu Ji put the wooden box away when he returned home and started doing household chores.

    However, a seed of doubt about the "ck River God" had taken root in his heart, mixed with a vague sense of resentment. But for now, he had no choice but to trust the "ck River God."

    Having some medicine was better than none.

    After busying himself around the house and hanging up the washed clothes, Hu Ji returned inside, only to find a man in a in long robe talking to his daughter.

    rmed, Hu Ji rushed over to shield his daughter, but when he saw the man''s face, he froze.

    "Benefactor?"

    Yuan Ming smiled and nodded at him. "It''s been a while. Seeing you in good spirits puts my mind at ease."

    Hu Ji knelt before Yuan Ming, excited. "I was blind before and showed you disrespect on the way back. Thank you for your magnanimity, for not holding it against me, and for saving me from the ck Wind. I am forever in your debt and willing to serve you in any way."

    Yuan Ming looked at Hu Ji, a faint smile on his lips.

    Hu Ji was indeed a smart man. He knew that as a cultivator, Yuan Ming wouldn''t seek him out for no reason. So, he expressed his gratitude and willingness to serve right away.

    "I came to help you today," Yuan Ming said, walking to the altar. He used his finger as a knife, wiping away the text on the ck River God''s que and carving three new characters¡ª"Dark Moon God."

    "From now on, I want you to preach in the city under the name of the Dark Moon God. The more followers you gather, the greater your rewards will be. If you reach a certain number, it might even be possible for you to embark on the path of immortality," Yuan Ming said.

    Hu Ji didn''t hesitate. "I will follow your orders and do my best to live up to your expectations. However, I have one more request."

    Yuan Ming asked directly, "Do you want me to cure your wife''s illness?"

    "Your insight is remarkable. That is indeed my request, but it''s not just for my selfish reasons; it''s also for the sake of your preaching," Hu Ji exined.

    "Tell me more," Yuan Ming said, looking at Hu Ji with a hint of appraisal.

    "I mentioned before that the ck Wind Desert is a melting pot of people from Qin, Zhao, and the Northern Wastes. Every city has a mix of people from these regions. I''m from Zhao Country, and my wife is from the Northern Wastes. Central ins people don''t usually follow religions, but many Northern Wastes people already have faith. Spreading a new religion will be challenging."

    Hu Ji knew Yuan Ming was testing his judgment, so he exined carefully.

    "Moreover, the people in the ck Wind Desert are ves to cultivators. Although their horizons are limited, they won''t worship just any magic. To gain their faith, we must solve their problems. The biggest issue in Quicksand City right now is the Green Poison Disease, which my wife also suffers from. If we can cure this disease, gaining their faith will be much easier."

    Yuan Ming asked, "Is this what the ck River God cult did?"

    "Yes, the ck River God cult rose to power by addressing this issue and now sells divine medicine to gain followers. If you can teach me to make better elixirs, we can win over their followers," Hu Ji said.

    "Don''t worry about that. Their medicine is just mud pills with no spiritual energy, meant to deceive. My elixirs are a thousand times better, even if diluted in water," Yuan Ming said, taking out a bottle of low-grade detoxifying elixirs and cing it on the altar.

    Hu Ji was overjoyed and quickly took the elixirs, rushing into the bedroom.

    Yuan Ming didn''t mind and didn''t follow him. He casually nced around the room. At that moment, Hu Ji''s daughter approached him with a bowl, her voice clear and sweet.

    "Benefactor, please have some tea."

    At six years old, she didn''t understand Yuan Ming''s status as a cultivator. Seeing her father''s respect, she instinctively treated Yuan Ming as an honored guest, offering him tea.

    Yuan Ming was touched by her thoughtfulness but smiled wryly when he looked at the tea.

    Floating in the pale green tea were a few broken leaves, and the rising steam carried a sour, astringent smell instead of a tea fragrance.

    Yuan Ming had never drunk such tea, but seeing the girl''s sincere eyes, he couldn''t refuse. He took a small sip.

    As the tea went down, Yuan Ming suddenly frowned and summoned Hua Zhi.

    The girl was startled by the sudden appearance of the vine-like creature but bravely touched Hua Zhi''s arm, full of curiosity.

    Yuan Ming ignored her and handed the bowl to Hua Zhi. "Check where the poison in this teaes from."

    Hua Zhi took the bowl, dipped a finger in the tea, picked up a leaf, and swallowed it.

    After a while, he concluded, "Master, the water is poisoned."

    Yuan Ming nodded. At that moment, a joyful cheer came from the bedroom, and Hu Ji emerged, supporting his wife. The spots on her face had noticeably faded.

    "Benefactor, this is..." Hu Ji looked up and saw Hua Zhi, startled.

    "This is mypanion. Don''t worry about it. I have a question. Where does your household watere from? Has anyone tampered with it?" Yuan Ming asked.

    Hu Ji thought for a moment and shook his head. "The wateres from the well. It doesn''t taste good, but there''s enough. Each family draws their own water, so there''s no contact or tampering."

    "Where is the well? Take me there," Yuan Ming ordered.

    Hu Ji nodded, helped his wife sit down, and led Yuan Ming to the well.

    Soon, Yuan Ming reached the well and sent a soul crow down to investigate. Following the water, he found the underground river was deep and murky, obscuring visibility.

    After some thought, Yuan Ming used an illusion to conceal Hua Zhi and sent him down the well to trace the poison''s source.

    Hua Zhi followed the underground river, sensing the flow of toxins and moving upstream.

    Before long, Hua Zhi surfaced in a spacious underground air pocket. There, a giant green insect, resembling adybug but human-sized, was feasting on other insect corpses. Green fluid dripped from its back, pooling on the ground and flowing into the river.

    Seeing this, Hua Zhi attacked the insect.

    The insect, a low-level demon, couldn''t even bite through Hua Zhi''s vines, and its toxic fluid was ineffective. It soon fell into a disadvantage and, sensing its impending defeat, curled up and extended its antennae towards Hua Zhi in submission.

    Sensing its surrender, Hua Zhi marked it with a vine and led it back to the surface.

    On the surface, Yuan Ming listened to Hua Zhi''s report, pleased that the water''s poison was resolved. He began to ponder how to use this to gather more faith.

 Chapter 313: Compete for

    Chapter 313: Compete for

    One monthter, in front of the well at ck Soil District.

    It was nearing midnight, and twenty to thirty people dressed in gray-white robes were gathered around the well. There were men and women of various ages, each holding a torch. All stood silently, not uttering a word.

    Around them, over a hundred onlookers of different ages and attire whispered among themselves, watching the scene unfold.

    Before long, Hu Ji, dressed in a luminous white robe, emerged from the shadows. He did not carry a torch, yet his robe emitted a soft glow, illuminating the surroundings.

    The gray-white robed individuals all looked up at Hu Ji in unison and instinctively made way for him, watching silently as he walked to the well, after which the path closed behind him.

    The believers formed an inner circle around Hu Ji, their eyes filled with fervor and hope. The rest of the crowd also ceased their murmuring, instinctively moving closer to form arger outer circle.

    They all gazed towards the well, some faces showing confusion, others curiosity, and some even disdain.

    At this moment, no one spoke, and the scene became eerily quiet.

    "When the Death Moon rises, all remnants of darkness will be dispelled, all rampant diseases will be cured, and all rampant evil will be purified. The Dark Moon God has descended, bringing light to those who look up to Him, blessings to His followers, and guidance to His believers. Brothers and sisters, we gather here tonight to witness the miracle of the Dark Moon God!" Hu Ji stood in the center of the crowd, raising his arms high and looking around as he broke the silence.The surrounding believers also raised their arms high, their eyes filled with reverence as they looked at Hu Ji.

    Over the past month, Hu Ji had used the antidote elixirs provided by Yuan Ming to quickly cure many mortals afflicted by the Green Poison Disease, thus gaining many followers for the Dark Moon God.

    Unlike the elixirs provided by the "ck River God''s emissary," the elixirs bestowed by the Dark Moon God had visible effects. Even though some mortals knew that these might be gifts from a cultivator, they willingly worshipped this cultivator.

    Today, Hu Ji had gathered them and many residents of the district to demonstrate the miracle of the Dark Moon God.

    "The Green Poison Disease has gued Quicksand City for two years. During this time, many false gods and evil cults have exploited the situation under the guise of helping the people, taking our money but leaving us with worsening illness."

    "We prayed to the City Lord''s Mansion but received only cold indifference. We knelt before the immortal masters but were met with disdain and scorn. Only the Dark Moon God heard our cries, saw our suffering, and extended a helping hand to save us from our misery."

    As Hu Ji spoke, his voice gradually rose.

    The believers recalled their past sufferings, their emotions stirred. Even the onlookers began to nod in agreement with Hu Ji''s words.

    They were not blind; they could clearly see who truly helped them and who exploited them.

    "Not only does the Dark Moon God pity the people, but He also knows that evil must be eradicated. He not only bestowed elixirs but also used His divine power to find the culprit behind all this. Today is the day of judgment for that pest."

    Suddenly, Hu Ji raised his arms high. Behind him, a bright full moon rose slowly, like emerging from the sea, and finally hung above everyone''s heads.

    From the full moon, a section of purple-ck glowing vine suddenly grew out, apanied by countless pale white butterflies. They circled the vine, causing it to grow rapidly into a vine ball, which then flew into the well under the guidance of the butterflies.

    The moonlight was gentle and warm. Bathed in it, everyone felt an unprecedented sense of peace.

    They looked up at the full moon and suddenly saw a scene appear in the moon''s glow.

    It was a green insect demon clinging to a stone wall, surrounded by countless horrifying corpses, both of beasts and humans.

    Dirty green pus flowed from the insect demon''s back into the river. Seeing this, everyone couldn''t help but recall the water they drank daily, and some even began to retch.

    At that moment, the vine ball entered the scene, and the butterflies surrounding it flew into the ball.

    The vine grew rapidly, transforming into a glowing armored vine deity, which charged at the insect demon. The demon fought fiercely with various tactics, but the vine deity countered each move. Sometimes the scene seemed dangerous, causing the crowd to gasp, but the vine deity quickly regained the upper hand.

    After an unknown period, the vine deity finally broke through the demon''s defenses and pierced it with its arm, causing the crowd to cheer excitedly.

    Hu Ji then raised his hand, and the vine deity flew out of the well, holding the insect demon''s corpse.

    "Today, the Dark Moon God sent His divine general to y the insect demon. From now on, the people of Quicksand City will no longer suffer from the Green Poison Disease!"

    Hearing this, the crowd couldn''t help but shout the name of the Dark Moon God, even those who initially didn''t believe joined in.

    At that moment, a cold snort came from the outermost part of the crowd.

    "Hmph, what a joke. Catching some insect demon and iming it''s the cause of the Green Poison Disease, what a farce."

    The believers turned to see a fat man, who called himself the "ck River God''s emissary," standing with a tall man in a ck robe, looking at Hu Ji with disdain.

    For the past month, Hu Ji had been wary of the ck River God''s cult disrupting his efforts to recruit followers. Surprisingly, they hadn''t acted, allowing Hu Ji to take their followers. He thought they had given up, but they showed up today.

    "Tucha, I have reported your exploitation under the ck River God''s name to the Dark Moon God. The great god is merciful and willing to give you a chance to repent. If you kneel and confess now, you can still live!" Hu Ji shouted at the fat man.

    Unexpectedly, Tucha didn''t look at him but instead smiled at the man beside him.

    "Master, this is Hu Ji. He brought out some so-called Dark Moon God and offended the ck River God''s divine authority."

    The man ignored Tucha and instead looked at Hua Zhi, then shouted to the surroundings.

    "I am Li Xia, an emissary under the ck River God. All the believers here are under my jurisdiction. You, uninvited, stole my followers and destroyed my cult. You are quite audacious. Since I am here today, if you reveal yourself, apologize, and leave, I might let it go. If you persist, don''t me me for being ruthless and killing your spirit pet on the spot."

    Hidden among the crowd, Yuan Ming frowned. He had thought the ck River God was just a fabrication to exploit money, but Li Xia turned out to be a genue Foundation Establishment cultivator.

    Yuan Ming became cautious, releasing his spiritual consciousness and finding no other cultivators in ck Soil District besides Li Xia. He decided to extract the truth from him.

    He immediatelymanded Hua Zhi to attack Li Xia while he began to activate the Death Moon method, casting an illusion.

    Hua Zhi, following the order, extended her limbs, growing numerous vines that bypassed the crowd and lunged at Li Xia.

    The onlookers, including the fat man, scattered in fear, leaving Li Xia alone.

    "Hmph, seeking death! I''ll grant it!" Li Xia''s face showed a hint of cruelty.

    He immediately formed a seal with his hands, chanting incantations. A pitch-ck orb flew out of his sleeve, spraying countless ck streams like a fountain, enveloping him and spreading in all directions.

    The ck streams sizzled upon hitting the ground, emitting white smoke.

    Seeing this terrifying scene, the mortals, including the believers, screamed in fear and tried to flee. Many were sshed by the ck streams, their bodies melting like ice, turning into pools of blood.

    Many of Hua Zhi''s vines also corroded upon contact with the ck streams.

    Hua Zhi was shocked and quickly tried to retract the remaining vines.

    At that moment, Li Xia raised his hand, and several ck streams intertwined, forming a giant ck w that grabbed Hua Zhi, swallowing her whole.

    "Daring to offend the ck River God, this is your fate! If you don''t reveal yourself, I''ll drag you out myself!" Li Xia shouted, his eyes filled with bloodlust.

    As he finished, his gaze shifted, piercing through the fleeing crowd to lock onto Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming instinctively looked back, his face full of panic, seemingly trying to escape under the cover of the mortals, only to meet Li Xia''s gaze.

    Li Xia sneered, forming another seal. The orb above his head wobbled, stopped spraying ck streams, and after a moment, shot a ck water arrow that pierced Yuan Ming.

    Seeing this, Li Xia smiled triumphantly, ready to recall the orb, but suddenly felt a pain in his neck. The scenery around him changed rapidly; the supposedly dead mortals were suspended in the air by purple-ck vines, not consumed by the ck streams.

    And Yuan Ming stood not far away, calmly watching him.

    Li Xia was horrified, trying to activate the orb again, but felt dizzy. The mortals were upside down,pletely inverted.

    What is this¡ª

    Before he could understand, he lost consciousnesspletely.

 Chapter 314: Independent Soul Split

    Chapter 314: Independent Soul Split

    Yuan Ming quickly walked over to Li Xia''s side and caught his head before it hit the ground. He intended to use the Soul Searching technique to uncover the identity of the ck River God.

    However, before he could perform the technique, Li Xia''s soul suddenly exploded, releasing a wisp of ck smoke that swiftly disappeared into the earthen wall above Quicksand City.

    Yuan Ming''s face darkened slightly. He knew this was likely a trick set up by the person behind Li Xia, but there was nothing he could do. With a sigh, he picked up the orb and storage bag from Li Xia''s corpse. The believers and onlookers around him raised Li Xia''s head high.

    "I am the emissary of the Dark Moon God. The false god''s minion has been executed on the spot. The light of the Dark Moon God shines upon the earth; the good are protected, and the evil are punished. Remember this well."

    As soon as he finished speaking, a strong silver-white light burst from his body, enveloping him and lifting him into the full moon hanging above. Hua Zhi also released the crowd, surrounded by a halo, and flew into the moon.

    Witnessing this miraculous event, the crowd was awestruck by the power of the Dark Moon God, cheering fervently and with renewed faith.

    In a corner of the crowd, Yuan Ming nodded at the scene, then slowly dispelled the illusion and retrieved Hua Zhi and his insect demon underling before turning to leave. He returned to his residence in the inner city.

    "Leave the rest to Hu Ji. How did I do, Master? Wasn''t my performance great?" Hua Zhi eagerly sought praise as soon as they returned.

    Yuan Ming nodded, not sparing his approval. "I think you were born for this kind of thing. What do you want?""I don''t want anything, just please don''t make me stay in the spirit beast bag anymore. It''s too dark in there..." Hua Zhi pleaded immediately.

    Yuan Ming thought for a moment. Hua Zhi had be more human-like and disliked bitter cultivation. He grew faster when cultivating freely in the wild. Previously, near Wangyue City, due to the scarcity of demon beasts, his strength hadn''t improved much in five years. Now, in the ck Wind Desert, teeming with demon beasts, it was better to let him out.

    With this thought, Yuan Ming nodded. "Alright, but don''t go too wild outside. Stay close to Quicksand City and be careful. The ck Wind can be troublesome." Hua Zhi quickly agreed. Yuan Ming then took out a talisman and a set of ck clothes to cover his body.

    "This Avoidance Talisman cost me a lot in the city. Whether it works, even the seller couldn''t guarantee. Only wealthy Foundation Establishment cultivators would buy one just in case."

    Yuan Ming didn''t need to leave the city often, so it was suitable for Hua Zhi. Knowing the value of the talisman, Hua Zhi felt even more grateful and close to Yuan Ming. He took the items, bid farewell, and left with his insect demon underling. Yuan Ming then took out the orb Li Xia had held.

    The orb was a high-grade magical artifact. After ying with it for a moment, Yuan Ming put it away and checked Li Xia''s storage bag.

    There wasn''t much inside, just some elixirs, spirit stones, and a palm-sized ck gourd. The gourd was made entirely of Nine Nether Ming Iron, cold to the touch, and intricately carved with two scenes: one side depicted a zing sun with countless cultivators and mortals worshipping beneath it, and the other side showed a high-hanging dark moon with a faceless figure sitting cross-legged beneath it, holding the moon as if trying to grasp it, surrounded by countless wailing spirits fighting like in purgatory.

    "This is Nine Nether Ming Iron!" Yuan Ming eximed softly, examining the gourd. His Soul Extinguishing Sword was also made of this rare material.

    This iron was extremely precious, and the gourd being entirely made of it suggested that Li Xia''s backers were formidable.

    Yuan Ming took out the gourd and tried to activate it but found it required a special technique to use.

    He then probed it with his spiritual consciousness and was surprised to find it stored arge amount of wish power.

    Yuan Ming was astonished. This gourd could store wish power!

    Besides the Stealing Heaven Cauldron, he had never seen anything that could store so much wish power. Usually, only incense ashes could hold a small amount.

    Could this ck gourd be a treasure simr to the Stealing Heaven Cauldron?

    But apart from being made of Nine Nether Ming Iron, itcked intricate runes and was only a magical artifact.

    He extended his spiritual consciousness to carefully sense the inside of the gourd and soon discovered a thumb-sized white object at the bottom, resembling a jade fragment.

    The jade fragment emitted an attractive force, causing all the wish power in the gourd to revolve around it. asionally, some wish power would stir, but the Nine Nether Ming Iron shell of the gourd would contain it, preventing any from leaking out.

    Yuan Ming realized that the gourd''s ability to store wish power was due to the jade fragment, with the Nine Nether Ming Iron shell merely serving as a container.

    What was the origin of this jade fragment that it could attract wish power?

    He tried to extract the wish power but found he couldn''t move it at all, only able to look on enviously.

    He then attempted to probe the jade fragment with his spiritual consciousness. As he approached, he felt a strong pull, drawing his consciousness into the fragment and quickly severing his connection with it.

    This pull was exceptionally powerful, far surpassing that of the Soul Extinguishing Sword.

    Yuan Ming was greatly shocked. After studying it for a while, he found that he couldn''t utilize the wish power inside or extract the jade fragment without destroying the artifact.

    With a sigh, he reluctantly put it away and pondered the matter of the ck River God.

    Moreover, through his recent attempts, he confirmed that he could only absorb wish power generated for himself. Wish power generated for others was useless to him and couldn''t be mobilized.

    Yuan Ming thought for a moment but couldn''te up with any immediate solutions. He decided to adopt a wait-and-see approach, focusing on improving his cultivation and strength.

    With this in mind, Yuan Ming sat cross-legged, summoned the Stealing Heaven Cauldron, and began absorbing wish power. Streams of wish power flowed in from all directions, gathering in the cauldron, significantly more than before. Over time, as the image of the Dark Moon God he had crafted took root in people''s hearts, and with Hu Ji''s talented management, the collected wish power steadily increased. The recent blow to the ck River God cult had been particrly effective.

    This would surely elerate his cultivation of the Death Moon method. As he thought this, he controlled his soul division to absorb all the wish power, rapidly increasing his soul power. Over a month passed in the blink of an eye. In the secret chamber, Yuan Ming, who had been meditating with his eyes closed, suddenly stopped absorbing wish power. A transparent soul crow flew out from his forehead and circled the room.

    The transparent soul crow had grown significantlyrger and its soul power had increased, though it seemed less agile than before.

    "This Heart Cleansing Form is truly strange. Reaching the second level already has such a significant impact on the soul," Yuan Ming muttered to himself.

    The soul division had been practicing the Heart Cleansing Form, reaching the second level with the aid of abundant wish power.

    Like the Death Moon method, the Heart Cleansing Form had six levels.

    The soul division''s consciousness was already weak, and the Heart Cleansing Form''s effect of eliminating emotions made it even weaker. However, this was beneficial, as the soul division would remain under his control. Reaching the second level also allowed him to attempt a secret technique.

    Yuan Ming retracted the soul division into his sea of consciousness, quickly forming hand seals. The soul power within the transparent soul crow surged, and a crack appeared in the middle, rapidly widening and deepening.

    "Split!" Yuan Mingmanded softly. The transparent soul crow split into two halves, which quickly transformed into two slightly smaller transparent soul crows. This was the soul division technique recorded in the Grand Elder''s jade slip, requiring the Heart Cleansing Form to reach the second level. Yuan Ming felt intense pain in his sea of consciousness, as if it were being split by an axe, far more painful than the soul splitting caused by the Soul Extinguishing Sword''s bacsh.

    He gritted his teeth and endured, his body trembling until the pain subsided.

    "I didn''t expect the soul division technique to be so costly. Splitting the soul division is already this painful; splitting the main soul would be unbearable."

    Yuan Ming was filled with lingering fear. He sensed the two transparent soul crows, noting that their abilities to roam and possess were intact. He nodded inwardly, satisfied that the Grand Elder''s jade slip was urate. With two soul divisions, he could aplish more, and as he continued to refine wish power, the number of soul divisions could increase. If he ever reached the Grand Elder''s level of having hundreds of soul crows, he wouldn''t fear even if the entire Changchun Temple pursued him.

    Yuan Ming waved his hand, and Zuo Qinghui''s body appeared on the ground. Over the past six months, the transparent soul crow had rarely possessed Zuo Qinghui, and although the body remained alive, its mana had nearly dissipated. Yuan Ming controlled a soul crow to enter Zuo Qinghui''s body.

    His eyes regained color, and he sat up. Yuan Ming then had Zuo Qinghui sit cross-legged and practice the Golden Shadow Sword Art.

    The surrounding spiritual energy began to flow into Zuo Qinghui''s body.

    A transparent soul crow-possessed Zuo Qinghui could cultivate, indicating that the body had fully recovered and was no different from a normal person. With his soul division in control, Zuo Qinghui could serve as a special avatar.

    Moreover, Zuo Qinghui had dual metal and water spiritual roots and was originally a Nascent Soul stage cultivator. Although his Golden Elixir had shattered, he still had potential and was worth nurturing. Yuan Ming elerated the Golden Shadow Sword Art''s operation, finding it unusually smooth, as if it wasn''t the first time practicing this technique.

    The spiritual energy quickly converted into mana, umting in Zuo Qinghui''s dantian.

    "Even though his soul was extinguished, Zuo Qinghui''s cultivation experience remains in the body," Yuan Ming noted. This was beneficial, as Zuo Qinghui''s talent and residual experience would allow his cultivation to progress rapidly.

    "Take these elixirs and use them to quickly improve your cultivation." Yuan Ming handed over several bottles of Qi Refining stage elixirs.

    The insect elixirs he had were too potent for Zuo Qinghui to handle at the moment.

    Zuo Qinghui took the elixirs and went to another room to cultivate on his own. Yuan Ming also sat down and began practicing the Nine Elements Form.

 Chapter 315: Invited

    Chapter 315: Invited

    A year and a half passed in the blink of an eye.

    A clear cry echoed from the secret chamber, carrying powerful waves of magical energy that caused the ground and walls to tremble slightly.

    The walls of the cave dwelling glowed with a yellow light, blocking all sound and energy waves from escaping.

    Momentster, Yuan Ming emerged from the secret chamber, exuding a powerful aura that indicated he had reached thete Foundation Establishment stage.

    He had already been close to thete Foundation Establishment stage, and after resolving the drawbacks of the Insect Elixirs with his split soul, the elixir''s potency became exceptionally strong. Coupled with the aid of spiritual incense and other items, his cultivation of the Nine Elements Form progressed smoothly.

    Yuan Ming was not surprised by his breakthrough after a year and a half of arduous cultivation. His greatest improvement was in his soul.

    Previously, he had protected the ck Soil District and the nearby mortals multiple times. With Hu Ji''s proper management, the number of devout followers of the Dark Moon God had increased to over three hundred, and the number of ordinary followers was also significant, naturally boosting the collected wish power.

    With the assistance of this wish power, Yuan Ming''s cultivation of the Death Moon method advanced rapidly. The fourthyer was now nearlyplete, and after stabilizing for a while, he could consider breaking through to the fifthyer.

    In Yuan Ming''s sea of consciousness, his split soul floated quietly. Its size had recovered to its original scale and even grownrger. Additionally, his cultivation of the Heart Cleansing Form had refined his soul power to an astonishing degree, giving it the solidity of well-tempered iron.Such a split soul was far more efficient at refining the emotional impurities in the wish power than before.

    Yuan Ming walked slowly to another secret chamber and pushed the door open. Zuo Qinghui was meditating inside, his aura quite strong, having also reached the Foundation Establishment stage.

    Speaking of which, Zuo Qinghui''s aptitude was far superior to Yuan Ming''s. With ample elixirs, he had reached the peak of Qi refining half a year ago.

    Subsequently, Yuan Ming spent a sum of spirit stones to buy a Foundation Establishment Pill from Quicksand City, allowing Zuo Qinghui to sessfully establish his foundation.

    Despite the scarcity of elixirs in the Central ins, Quicksand City, with its mix of various characters, asionally offered valuable items brought by cultivators from afar.

    From Yuan Ming''s experience over the years, as long as you had the money, you could aplish many things here that were impossible in the Central ins.

    Zuo Qinghui, with his exceptional aptitude, began using Insect Elixirs for cultivation after breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage. His progress in magical power was rapid, almost describable as advancing by leaps and bounds. Yuan Ming believed it wouldn''t take many years for Zuo Qinghui to catch up with him.

    However, Zuo Qinghui''s body had some issues, possibly due to his resurrection or the bacsh from cultivating the Golden Shadow Sword Art and using Insect Elixirs. His skin had turned a pale gold, and the wrinkles on his face had significantly reduced, making him look like a robust middle-aged man.

    Yuan Ming was somewhat surprised by this but did not attempt to resolve it. As a Core Formation cultivator of Changchun Temple, Zuo Qinghui was already worried about attracting attention when acting outside, and this change made him less recognizable.

    The split soul in Zuo Qinghui''s sea of consciousness had also strengthened considerably, thanks to Yuan Ming''s deliberate cultivation using wish power.

    The stronger the split soul, the more effortlessly it could control Zuo Qinghui.

    This split soul refined the residual thoughts of the demonic beasts in the Insect Elixirs through the Heart Cleansing Form, and over time, its soul power became quite refined.

    Yuan Ming did not wake Zuo Qinghui but turned and left. As he exited the secret chamber, his expression changed slightly, and he took out amunication talisman from his robe, inserting his spiritual consciousness into it.

    The talisman shattered, turning into a ball of white light, and a voice reached his ears.

    A hint of joy shed in Yuan Ming''s eyes. He got up and left his residence, quickly arriving at a shop named Earth Spirit Pavilion in the inner city.

    This shop sold formation tools, and two months ago, he had ordered a set of formations here, which was now finallypleted.

    Yuan Ming entered the shop and reported his name. He was soon led to the inner hall, where an old man in green robes was already waiting.

    "Hehe, Daoist Yuan, you''re too polite. This is my business; there''s no such thing as hard work. The formation you ordered is inside, please check it."

    The old man in green robes took out a wooden box about a foot high and handed it over. Inside was a set of ck formation gs and disks, brimming with spiritual energy.

    "Master Lu, since you personally crafted this formation, there can''t be any mistakes. No need to check." Yuan Ming chuckled and directly put the wooden box away.

    Master Lu was one of the top formation masters in Quicksand City, also highly skilled in crafting formation tools. Yuan Ming had spent a considerable amount of spirit stones tomission him to create a Northern Dipper Star Soul Formation.

    This formation did not have any offensive capabilities; its sole function was to form a star soul barrier. Within this barrier, soul power would not leak out, which was a prerequisite for condensing a Soul Pill. The method of crafting it was recorded in the Soul Pill secret technique, but Yuan Ming naturally could not craft it himself.

    Master Lu was very pleased with Yuan Ming''s attitude and, after exchanging a few pleasantries, saw him off.

    Yuan Ming, still in the stage of building a rapport with Master Lu for futuremissions, took his leave tactfully.

    After stepping out of the Earth Spirit Pavilion, he activated his spiritual consciousness and probed the formation inside the wooden box,paring it with the records in the Soul Pill secret technique. Finding no issues, he feltpletely at ease.

    With everything ready, Yuan Ming only needed to break through the Death Moon method. He turned to head home but suddenly stopped and changed direction, heading to another part of the inner city.

    Here, the shops became sparse, and the buildings grew taller and wider. This area was the base of various loose alliances in Quicksand City.

    Many cultivators hurried in and out of these bases.

    Yuan Ming walked straight to the base of an alliance named Tiger Might, where a tall, thin figure in a ck robe stood¡ªHua Zhi.

    Seeing Yuan Ming, Hua Zhi approached and handed over a storage bag.

    "You''ve been away for a while, but your harvest is quite impressive." Yuan Ming''s spiritual consciousness entered the storage bag, and his eyebrows raised.

    Hua Zhi had been hunting demonic insects near Quicksand City to improve his strength.

    Yuan Ming thought that since Hua Zhi was already hunting demonic insects, he might as well take on some tasks to collect materials and earn some spirit stones.

    Hua Zhi''s speed in hunting demonic insects exceeded Yuan Ming''s expectations. The storage bag was filled with demonic beast materials, which could fetch a considerable amount of spirit stones if sold directly.

    "Recently, I''ve added a few more subordinates, so the speed of collecting materials has naturally increased," Hua Zhi transmitted, his voice tinged with joy.

    Yuan Ming understood and instructed Hua Zhi to return home first. He then took the storage bag and walked into the Tiger Might alliance.

    The entrance led to arge stone hall with many task boards hanging around, listing various tasks.

    Tiger Might had close ties with the artifact shops in Quicksand City and posted many tasks for collecting demonic beast materials. This was why Yuan Ming came here, and Tiger Might was lenient, allowing even non-members to take on tasks.

    Many cultivators moved around the hall, checking the task lists.

    Yuan Ming walked straight to a long stone table at the back, took out the storage bag filled with demonic insect materials and two spirit stones, and handed them to a gray-robed man behind the table.

    The gray-robed cultivator, who handled numerous tasks daily, quickly processed them. Yuan Ming''s storage ring now held an additional seven or eight hundred spirit stones.

    Just as Yuan Ming was about to leave, a voice called out from the side, "Oh, isn''t this Daoist Yuan?"

    Yuan Ming looked up to see a man in yellow robes approaching. It was Cui Wuran, whom he had met a few times before.

    "Yes, Tiger Might allows outsiders toe and go. I''m just here to look around. Oh, Daoist Yuan, your cultivation has advanced significantly. Congrattions!" Cui Wuran sensed the change in Yuan Ming''s aura, feeling both envious and astonished.

    "The mid andte Foundation Establishment stages are worlds apart. My aptitude is mediocre, and I rely heavily on external aids, unlike you, Daoist Cui."

    "You''re too kind, Daoist Yuan," Yuan Ming replied with a slight smile.

    At that moment, a burly man with a full beard walked over from the task table, stopped a few feet away, nced at Yuan Ming, and said to Cui Wuran, "Daoist Cui, the matter is settled. Shall we go?"

    "By the way, Daoist Yuan, I''m hosting a small exchange meeting with a few friends from the Fire Yuan Sect. If you''re free, why not join us?" Cui Wuran invited.

    "An exchange meeting? Sure," Yuan Ming said, showing interest.

    Exchange meetings weremon gatherings among cultivators to discuss cultivation insights, the state of the cultivation world, and sometimes trade items they didn''t need.

    Although Yuan Ming had heard of such gatherings since entering the cultivation world, he had never attended one. It would be good to experience it now.

    The burly man nced coldly at Yuan Ming, seemingly displeased with Cui Wuran''s invitation.

    Yuan Ming, noticing this, didn''t intend to greet the burly man. Judging by his aura, he seemed to be at the mid Foundation Establishment stage.

    However, Yuan Ming had asionally heard of the Fire Yuan Sect, the sect where Wu Lu had been ordered to steal techniques andter appeared at an auction.

 Chapter 316: Change the message

    Chapter 316: Change the message

    Yuan Ming and the bearded man followed Cui Wuran to a nearby tavern. They went straight to the second floor and entered a spacious private room.

    The floor was covered with a crimson carpet, and the walls were adorned with intricate carvings of flowers and birds, iid with gemstones, exuding an air of luxury.

    In the center of the room was a round mahogany table, around which three people were already seated: a young man in a ck robe who looked about ten years old, a plump middle-aged woman, and an elderly man with gray hair and a ruddyplexion.

    They were engaged in a low conversation, but stopped immediately when Cui Wuran and the others entered, their eyes sweeping over the neers.

    "Haha, Daoist Cui, you finally made it," the gray-haired elder said with a smile, standing up first.

    "We were dyed on the way, making you wait. I¡¯ll punish myself with three cupster as an apology," Cui Wuran said with a chuckle.

    "Let me introduce you to these two friends. This is Daoist Shi, a distinguished disciple of the Fire Yuan Sect from Zhao Country. And this is Daoist Yuan, an old acquaintance of mine from Great Jin," he said, introducing the bearded man and Yuan Ming.

    "So it''s Daoist Shi and Daoist Yuan. A pleasure to meet you," the gray-haired elder greeted warmly.

    The young man in the ck robe and the plump woman merely nodded slightly in acknowledgment.The bearded man remained aloof, nodding curtly before pulling out a chair and sitting down.

    Yuan Ming, however, did not put on any airs and cupped his hands in salute to the three.

    Cui Wuran then introduced the three seated individuals. The young man in the ck robe was surnamed Ruan, and the gray-haired elder was surnamed Qu. Both were rogue cultivators from Zhao Country.

    In the ck Wind Desert, cultivators were generally cautious. Unless among close friends, most would only reveal their surnames during introductions.

    The plump woman introduced herself as Madam Gu San, hailing from a small sect in Zhao Country. She had left her sect to travel at a young age and was considered a half-rogue cultivator.

    Yuan Ming scanned the three with his spiritual consciousness, quickly assessing their cultivation levels.

    The young man in the ck robe and the gray-haired elder were at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, while Madam Gu San was at thete-Foundation Establishment stage with abundant spiritual power, surpassing Yuan Ming. It was clear she had been at thete stage for a long time.

    After some polite exchanges, everyone took their seats. Cui Wuran ordered avish feast, not only delicious but also containing ingredients imbued with spiritual power, beneficial to their cultivation.

    Cui Wuran and the gray-haired elder were both eloquent, and during the meal, the bearded man gradually lowered his aloof demeanor, asionally joining in the conversation.

    "It seemed you three were discussing the Soul Burial Abyss earlier? What happened there?" Cui Wuran asked as the tavern staff cleared the table.

    Yuan Ming''s interest was piqued. He had heard of the ce before. The Soul Burial Abyss was a unique area deep within the ck Wind Desert, significantly lower in elevation than its surroundings, resembling a massive abyss.

    The ck winds there were unusually frequent, and it was home to various strange insects and other dangers. Even Nascent Soul stage cultivators could not guarantee their safe return, hence it was called the "Soul Burial Abyss" by the cultivators of the ck Wind Desert.

    "It''s not a major event. A few months ago, someone saw thick ck smoke rising from the Soul Burial Abyss, covering a vast area and reaching the clouds before gradually dissipating," the gray-haired elder exined.

    "Such a strange urrence? Could it be just a rumor?" Cui Wuran asked.

    "It''s no rumor. The ck smoke lingered for half a day before dissipating. Many cultivators witnessed it firsthand, so it''s definitely true," Madam Gu San said in a gruff voice.

    "If Daoist Gu says so, it must be true. Could it be a sign of some treasure about to emerge?" Cui Wuran mused, stroking his chin.

    "It''s hard to say. The Soul Burial Abyss is a ce where only Nascent Soul stage seniors dare to venture. Even if there is a treasure, it has nothing to do with us rogue cultivators," the young man in the ck robe said.

    "Indeed, such phenomena are peculiar. I wonder if the True Gang Sect or the ck Desert Alliance have sent anyone to investigate," Cui Wuran said.

    The group continued their casual conversation, asionally discussing cultivation. Each had their own insights, and the exchange was beneficial for everyone.

    Yuan Ming shared some of his experiences with wood attribute techniques, in exchange for somete-Foundation Establishment stage tips from Madam Gu San, feeling the trip was worthwhile.

    As night fell, their enthusiasm only grew. They finally got to the main topic, discussing the exchange meeting.

    However, with only six people present, Cui Wuran suggested inviting more friends. After the earlier conversation, everyone felt more familiar and less guarded, so they each usedmunication talismans to call others.

    Soon, seven or eight more cultivators arrived, and the exchange meeting officially began.

    Everyone, except Yuan Ming, hade prepared.

    The gray-haired elder brought out a rare Barrier-Breaking Pill, which could increase the chances of breaking through when encountering a bottleneck, effective even for Foundation Establishment stage cultivators.

    The young man in the ck robe offered a damaged top-grade magical artifact, more powerful than a high-grade artifact but with limited uses.

    A rogue cultivator invited by Madam Gu San took out a piece of Kutu Wood, which could be used to craft top-grade magical artifacts.

    The other items presented were also valuable, with nothing worthless among them.

    Yuan Ming used some Zixuan Incense and two sets of beast materials to exchange for two pieces of ore filled with abundant thunder energy from a newly arrived cultivator.

    He didn''t n to cultivate thunder attribute techniques himself; these were for Lei Yu.

    The ck Wind Desert was dry, with hardly any rain, let alone thunder energy for Lei Yu to absorb. Lei Yu''s cultivation had stagnated for a long time.

    When it was Yuan Ming''s turn, he hesitated briefly before cing three materials on the table: a yellow armor piece, a purple hook-shaped stinger, and a green ore emitting a misty green glow.

    The yellow armor piece was from a mid-second-level Rock Piercing Armor Beast, and the purple stinger was from a high-second-level Purple Pattern Scorpion, both obtained by Hua Zhi after hunting beasts in the ck Wind Desert. Thest item was a green ore called Pine Wave Stone from Zuo Qinghui''s storage, a top-grade spiritual material emitting apelling spiritual energy that caught everyone''s attention.

    "Daoist Yuan, you truly have hidden depths. What are you looking to exchange for?" the elder surnamed Qu asked.

    "I wish to exchange these three materials for information," Yuan Ming replied.

    "What kind of information are you seeking?" Madam Gu San asked, her eyes fixed on the Pine Wave Stone, which she needed to craft a wood attribute artifact.

    "Something practical, like methods to assist in forming a Nascent Soul or information on obtaining such methods. If it exceeds the value of this material, I canpensate with spiritual stones," Yuan Ming said.

    Although the Soul Pill secret technique could increase the chances of forming a Nascent Soul by fifty percent, his aptitude was poor. To maximize his chances, he needed to find additional methods.

    As he spoke, Yuan Ming spread his spiritual consciousness, closely observing everyone''s expressions.

    The people present were all at the Foundation Establishment stage, from various regions and circles. Perhaps someone had encountered such secret techniques.

    He didn''t expect anyone to provide a method to assist in forming a Nascent Soul, but if anyone''s expression changed, he could use ck Incense to possess them and extract the relevant information with a soul imprint.

    Everyone exchanged nces but remained silent, with no one showing any unusual expressions.

    Yuan Ming frowned and looked at Madam Gu San and a newly arrived red-haired young man. Both were at thete-Foundation Establishment stage and should have started paying attention to methods for breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage.

    "Don''t look at me, Daoist Yuan. My aptitude is poor, and I''ve reached this stage purely by relying on elixirs. I have no potential for further advancement and don''t dare to hope for the Nascent Soul stage," Madam Gu San said with a bitter smile, shaking her head.

    The red-haired young man quietly sipped his tea, ignoring Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming felt a bit disappointed and was about to retrieve the three materials.

    "I have two methods here, Daoist Yuan. Would you like to take a look?" a voice suddenly came from the side. It was Cui Wuran.

    "Daoist Cui has methods?" Yuan Ming asked in surprise.

    Everyone else also looked over.

    "Let me rify first. These two methods were obtained by chance. One is somewhat reliable, while the other hasn''t been verified. I can''t guarantee its effectiveness," Cui Wuran said, taking out a white jade slip.

    "One reliable method is enough," Yuan Ming said happily.

    Hearing this, Cui Wuran wrapped the jade slip in spiritual power and sent it over.

    Everyone''s eyes were fixed on the jade slip, their expressions filled with longing. Although the hope of forming a Nascent Soul was slim for most Foundation Establishment stage cultivators, no one would pass up even a slight chance to advance.

    At that moment, a red hand formed of spiritual power suddenly reached out to grab the jade slip.

    "What is the meaning of this, Daoist Wen?" Yuan Ming''s face darkened as he looked at the owner of the red hand, the red-haired young man.

    "I''m also interested in this method to assist in forming a Nascent Soul. How about letting me take a look at this transaction?" the red-haired young man said with a smile, sending his spiritual consciousness towards the jade slip.

    Yuan Ming''s eyes turned cold, and a blood-red de of light shot out, severing the red hand with a "shhh" sound.

    The jade slip was caught by the de of light and flew back. The red-haired young man''s spiritual consciousness was shattered by the fierce, bloody aura of the de.

    "This transaction was agreed upon between Daoist Cui and me. If you also want these two Nascent Soul methods, you can discuss it with Daoist Cui," Yuan Ming said calmly.

    The red-haired young man''s eyes turned cold, and a ck whip appeared in his hand, shing with dark light. With a flick of his wrist, the whip extended several feet, reaching for the white jade slip.

    "Top-grade magical artifact!" someone whispered, and the others'' expressions grew serious.

    Yuan Ming remained expressionless, his fingers spread open as the white jade slip continued to fly back.

    The blood-red de of light shot out again, striking the center of the ck whip.

    This was the weakest point of the whip''s spiritual power. Ordinary cultivators might not notice, but Yuan Ming''s spiritual consciousness was incredibly powerful. With a single sweep, he could see through the whip''s condition as if reading his palm.

    With a soft "snap," the ck whip was knocked away, spinning back towards the red-haired young man.

    The blood-red de revealed its true form, the Blood Transformation de, emitting a sinister, bloody aura that flowed into the red-haired young man''s body through the whip.

    The young man''s meridians went numb, his internal energy churned, and he felt nauseous, almost vomiting.

    His face twisted with rage, and ck mes erupted from the whip, releasing a powerful, chilling aura.

 Chapter 317: The second method

    Chapter 317: The second method

    "Daoist Wen, please stop!" Cui Wuran was shocked, waving his sleeve to release several beams of white light that formed a white barrier around the room.

    The red-haired youth ignored him, his eyes turning bloodshot as if he had lost his sanity. With a single wave of his hand, his ck whip shattered the table into pieces andshed towards Yuan Ming again. The ck mes on the whip affected those near Yuan Ming, forcing them to retreat in shock and anger.

    Yuan Ming frowned, this person was relentless. He waved his sleeve.

    The Blood Transformation de glowed with a sudden burst of blood light, transforming into a streak of blood that shot towards the red-haired youth, its speed doubling from before.

    The red-haired youth was startled, hastily activating his protective technique. ck mes emerged from nowhere, enveloping his body. A green shadow shed in his hand, revealing a bamboo basket-like magical artifact, which he used to block the Blood Transformation de.

    However, the Blood Transformation de blurred and disappeared, and nine blood-colored flying knives appeared around the youth, emitting a fierce aura as they stabbed down simultaneously.

    The red-haired youth was terrified, unsure which flying knife to block with his bamboo basket.

    In that moment of hesitation, he lost hisst chance. The nine flying knives pierced his body, the ck mes proving useless as they were easily prated.

    "Ah!" The red-haired youth screamed in agony, the ck mes on his body dissipating as he fell to the ground, a bloody hole in his chest.A sinister force, ten times stronger than before, rapidly spread through his body, rendering him numb and immobile.

    Everyone in the room was horrified by the scene, remaining silent for a long time.

    Yuan Ming dispersed the soul power entwined around the Blood Transformation de, dispelling the illusion. The nine flying knives merged into one and flew back into his sleeve with a sh of blood light.

    Fighting was strictly forbidden in Quicksand City''s inner city, and killing was even more taboo. Yuan Ming didn''t want to cause too much trouble. Otherwise, even without activating the Blood Transformation de, the de''s blood poison alone could easily take the red-haired youth''s life.

    Ignoring the red-haired youth, Yuan Ming continued to explore the jade slip with his spiritual consciousness.

    "Daoist Wen!" Cui Wuran hurried over to help the red-haired youth.

    Ayer of blood-colored light appeared on the red-haired youth''s face, and he quickly regained his mobility, seemingly using a secret technique.

    "Your strength is formidable. I, Wen, admit defeat. We''ll settle this score another time!" He broke free from Cui Wuran''s support, applied a green rune to his chest wound, and staggered away.

    Yuan Ming paid him no mind, continuing to examine the contents of the jade slip. The others, seeing that it had nothing to do with them, remained silent.

    The jade slip described two methods. One was a profound technique called the "Flower Transntation Technique," which allowed one to integrate a third-level demonic core into their dantian and refine it to serve as a Golden Elixir.

    This secret technique had many restrictions. First, the demonic core''s attributes had to match the cultivator''s exactly; any deviation would result in failure. Secondly, during the refining process, one had to endure the residual soul of the demonic beast within the core.

    If one could ovee these two hurdles, there was a seventy to eighty percent chance of sessfully forming a Golden Elixir.

    However, the Golden Elixir formed through this opportunistic method was vastly inferior to a genuine Golden Elixir. It did not extend lifespan and essentially eliminated any future breakthroughs.

    Despite these drawbacks, the Flower Transntation Technique had one advantage: the cultivator could perfectly inherit the power contained within the demonic core and even use the demonic beast''s innate abilities.

    The second secret technique was rtively normal. It mentioned a type of "Elixir Purification Liquid" that could cleanse the dantian, purify the dantian''s mana, and make forming the Golden Elixir smoother.

    However, the jade slip did not specify where to buy this Elixir Purification Liquid, only vaguely mentioning that someone had seen it in Purple Thunder City over a decade ago.

    "Purple Thunder City..." Yuan Ming muttered to himself.

    Purple Thunder City was thergest city in the ck Wind Desert region controlled by Zhao Country, governed by the Wulei Sect. It was more than ten timesrger and far more prosperous than Quicksand City.

    "Daoist Cui, you mentioned earlier which of these two methods is reliable and which is unverified?" Yuan Ming asked Cui Wuran via voice transmission.

    "The more reliable method is the Elixir Purification Liquid, which I heard about in Purple Thunder City. As for the Flower Transntation Technique, I found it on a corpse and have not verified it." Cui Wuran replied via voice transmission.

    As soon as he finished speaking, he sent another transmission, apologizing: "Daoist Yuan, I apologize for the earlier incident. Daoist Wen is usually quite calm. I don''t know why he lost control today. Please forgive him."

    "No problem. Can you tell me more about the origin of this Flower Transntation Technique?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "Of course. A few years ago, while hunting demonic insects in the ck Wind Desert, I identally found a long-decayed corpse underground. It wore a storage ring on its finger, and inside was a cultivation journal that recorded this Flower Transntation Technique." Cui Wuran exined via voice transmission.

    Yuan Ming remained silent. The second method could be verified in Purple Thunder City, but the first method''s origin was untraceable and unverifiable. The key risks were too great, especially the inability to break through further, which was uneptable to him.

    "Daoist Yuan, do you not believe me? I can swear an oath to the heart demon that everything I just said is true. If not, may I be gued by heart demons, my cultivation ruined, and reduced to a mortal!" Cui Wuran solemnly swore via voice transmission.

    Hearing Cui Wuran''s oath, Yuan Ming fell silent. He then put away the jade slip, picked up the three spiritual materials on the table, and handed them to Cui Wuran.

    The transaction quickly resumed. Intimidated by the incredible abilities Yuan Ming had just disyed, everyone present was somewhat subdued, and the atmosphere was far less lively than before.

    Yuan Ming remained silent and did not make any further moves.

    Half an hourter, the exchange meeting ended, and everyone began to take their leave.

    Yuan Ming also stood up to leave but was stopped by Cui Wuran, who said he had something to discuss.

    "Daoist Cui, what is it?" Yuan Ming asked.

    Cui Wuran waved his hand to form a barrier, then took out the three materials from earlier and pushed them in front of Yuan Ming.

    "Daoist Cui, what is the meaning of this?" Yuan Ming asked after a moment of silence.

    "During the transaction, if I had refused to ept these three materials, it might have disrupted the exchange meeting. I obtained those two methods with little effort, so how could I ept your precious materials? Besides, we are old friends. Consider these two secret techniques as my early congrattions on your Golden Elixir formation." Cui Wuran said with a smile.

    Hearing this, Yuan Ming''s eyes shed with surprise. He pushed the three materials back: "Daoist Cui, you must be joking. Secret techniques to assist in forming the Golden Elixir are incredibly valuable. How could I take them for free? If you have something to say, please speak directly."

    "Since Daoist Yuan has seen through it, I will be straightforward. I do have a request, and these three materials are my greeting gift. Uponpletion, there will be an additional reward of five thousand spirit stones." Cui Wuran said with a wry smile.

    "Five thousand spirit stones! What is it that you need?" Yuan Ming raised an eyebrow and asked.

    "It''s not aplicated matter, just hunting two demonic beasts. With your formidable strength, you are perfect for the task." Cui Wuran said.

    "If it''s just dealing with two ordinary demonic beasts, you could handle it yourself. Even if you needed help, you wouldn''t offer such a high price of five thousand spirit stones. So, the demonic beasts you want to kill must be two third-level demonic beasts, right?" Yuan Ming asked, looking deeply at Cui Wuran.

    "It''s a pair of high-level second-tier Crimson Gold Centipedes. Theirbined strength rivals that of third-level demonic beasts. But don''t worry, this task involves several Foundation Establishment cultivators, and we will rely on a formation to deal with them. It won''t be too dangerous." Cui Wuran exined.

    "Crimson Gold Centipedes!" Yuan Ming''s eyes shed with interest.

    Crimson Gold Centipedes were metal-attribute demonic insects that could devour metals and had incredibly tough bodies, making them one of the most formidable second-tier demonic insects in the ck Wind Desert.

    Recently, Master Lu had mentioned wanting a pair of Crimson Gold Centipede corpses to refine a special formation tool.

    However, Crimson Gold Centipedes were extremely rare, and thest sighting was over a decade ago. Master Lu had posted rewards in several rogue cultivator alliances, but no one hadpleted the task. Unexpectedly, Cui Wuran had found their whereabouts.

    This task was worth a try. If he could obtain the Crimson Gold Centipede corpses, he could gain Master Lu''s favor, making future requests for formation tools much easier.

    Even without Master Lu''s request, the reward of five thousand spirit stones was very tempting.

    Yuan Ming needed arge amount of spirit stones to support the dual cultivation of himself and "Zuo Qinghui," controlled by his split soul. His current spirit stones were running low, and relying on Hua Zhi to hunt demonic insects for spirit stones was far from sufficient.

    "Is this task issued by Master Lu of the Earth Spirit Pavilion?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "Master Lu? Of course not. This task was issued by the City Lord''s Mansion, supposedly for a Nascent Soul elder of the Wulei Sect. The location of the Crimson Gold Centipedes was also provided by them. The City Lord''s Mansion has other operations and cannot spare experts, so they enlisted us rogue cultivators." Cui Wuran shook his head.

    "Wulei Sect!" Yuan Ming''s expression turned serious.

    The area where Quicksand City was located was under Zhao Country''s influence. The ck Wind Desert was rich in mineral resources, attracting Zhao Country''s powerful sects, including the Yellow Sand Sect, which controlled Quicksand City.

    As Zhao Country''s top sect, the Wulei Sect wouldn''t miss out on the lucrative ck Wind Desert, sending numerous elders and disciples to the region.

    Due to the chaotic nature of the ck Wind Desert, the Wulei Sect enforced a strict rule, eliminating any challengers to their authority.

    With their strength and iron-fisted rule, the Wulei Sect had established a fearsome reputation far beyond the desert. Within Zhao Country''s territory, the Wulei Sect was like an emperor,manding obedience from dozens of underground cities.

    Yuan Ming remained silent. If the Wulei Sect wanted to hunt the Crimson Gold Centipedes, even if sessful, the centipede corpses wouldn''t end up in his hands. Should he give up this opportunity?

 Chapter 318: Hunting

    Chapter 318: Hunting

    ```

    "Daoist Yuan, are you not interested? This mission is a rare opportunity. I was only able to invite others because I have a connection with a steward at the City Lord''s Mansion. Don''t miss out on this chance," Cui Wuran said urgently upon seeing Yuan Ming''s expression.

    "Thank you for considering me, Daoist Cui. However, I have just broken through to thete Foundation Establishment stage, and my realm is still unstable. I must regretfully decline your kind offer. But I have two friends whose cultivation levels are slightly lower than mine, but their abilities are formidable. Together, they are no less powerful than I am. Could they take part in this mission? As for the reward, five thousand spirit stones for theirbined efforts would suffice," Yuan Ming said after a brief contemtion.

    "This..." Cui Wuran looked troubled.

    "If it is inconvenient for you, Daoist Cui, then let''s forget it. Please ept these three materials instead," Yuan Ming said.

    "Since Daoist Yuan rmends them so highly, their abilities must be exceptional. I will mention it to the steward at the City Lord''s Mansion. Wait for my message," Cui Wuran said, handing Yuan Ming amunication talisman.

    Yuan Ming naturally agreed.

    The two chatted casually for a few more moments before parting ways.

    Yuan Ming returned to his residence and continued his meditation. Within an hour, he received a reply from Cui Wuran. The steward at the City Lord''s Mansion had agreed, and they were to meet at the city gate entrance early the next morning."Master, the two people you mentioned to rece you, are they me and Vajra? I don''t want to act together with that stinky monkey," Hua Zhiined discontentedly.

    "Vajra is currently in seclusion and won''t being out anytime soon. This time, you will act with Zuo Qinghui," Yuan Ming said.

    "Zuo Qinghui? Well, he''s barely eptable, better than that stinky monkey," Hua Zhi muttered through a voice transmission after a moment of surprise.

    Over the past year, she had been continuously hunting various demonic insects, progressing rapidly in strength, and was now close to the upper second level, significantly stronger than the current "Zuo Qinghui."

    ...

    The next morning, on a vacant lot not far from the City Lord''s Mansion, Cui Wuran met Yuan Ming''s two friends. One was a tall, thin figure wrapped in a ck robe, and the other was naturally Zuo Qinghui.

    At this time, Zuo Qinghui had grown his hair and beard, covering most of his face. Coupled with the change in his aura and appearance, even his direct disciples might not recognize him at a nce.

    As for the figure in the ck robe, it was naturally Hua Zhi.

    "You must be Daoist Hua and Daoist Zuo? A pleasure to meet you. Let me introduce you to the steward of the City Lord''s Mansion, Steward Liao," Cui Wuran said, introducing a short, dark-skinned, stout middle-aged man beside him.

    This man was short in stature, standing with his hands behind his back, but his presence was anything but ordinary.

    "Hehe, friends rmended by Daoist Cui are indeed extraordinary. Daoist Hua''s strength is nearly at thete Foundation Establishment stage, and Daoist Zuo''s cultivation is also impressive. With your help, this mission should be no problem," Steward Liao said with augh, showing no airs.

    "You''re too kind, Daoist Liao," Zuo Qinghui said politely.

    Hua Zhi stood silently to the side, merely nodding slightly without greeting Steward Liao and Cui Wuran.

    "Daoist Liao, Daoist Cui, Daoist Hua is mute and means no disrespect. Please don''t take offense," Zuo Qinghui exined.

    "No problem," Steward Liao said, ncing at Hua Zhi with a slight raise of his eyebrows.

    "When do we set off?" Zuo Qinghui asked.

    "There are still two more Daoists who haven''t arrived yet. Please wait a moment," Cui Wuran said before Steward Liao could respond.

    Zuo Qinghui acknowledged and stood aside with Hua Zhi.

    The two soon arrived, and to Yuan Ming, they were familiar faces¡ªMadam Gu San and the bearded man from the Fire Yuan Sect who called himself Shi Chuan, both of whom had attended the exchange meeting the previous day.

    Zuo Qinghui''s expression shifted slightly, realizing that Cui Wuran''s invitation to the exchange meeting had a deeper purpose.

    After a brief introduction, Steward Liao greeted the two neers politely.

    "Now that everyone is here, let''s set off," Steward Liao said, raising his hand. A phantom shot out, expanding in the wind into a white jade flying boat, which he then boarded with a single leap.

    Cui Wuran and the other four followed suit, boarding the flying boat.

    The flying boat hovered and then shot out as a white streak, quickly disappearing into the distant sky.

    Steward Liao led the group northwest, flying for a full day and night before stopping in a desert canyon.

    "Daoist Liao, isn''t this beyond Zhao Country''s territory?" Shi Chuan asked cautiously, surveying the surroundings.

    "It seems we''ve reached Qin Country," Madam Gu San added.

    Zuo Qinghui and Hua Zhi nced around but remained silent.

    "Hehe, you have sharp eyes. We are indeed in Qin Country, but only in the outer regions. We won''t encounter cultivators from Qin Country''s sects," Steward Liao said with augh.

    "Let''s hope so," Shi Chuan said nomittally.

    The Fire Yuan Sect had two cities in the ck Wind Desert and had had many conflicts with Qin Country''s cultivation sects over mineral veins. If they encountered Qin Country''s sect cultivators here, others might be fine, but he would be in big trouble.

    "You''ve all had a long journey. Rest here for a while. The City Lord''s Mansion has invited a few more Daoists who should arrive soon," Steward Liao said.

    Shi Chuan said nothing and sat down nearby. Madam Gu San hesitated for a moment before sitting down not far from him.

    Zuo Qinghui and Hua Zhi moved to another side, while Cui Wuran and Steward Liao stood chatting idly.

    They waited for most of the day until sunset when three streaks of light appeared in the distant sky, quickly flying into the canyon and revealing two men and a woman.

    The two men wore red robes and looked simr, possibly brothers, both at the mid Foundation Establishment stage.

    The woman appeared to be in her mid-twenties, with delicate eyebrows, a jade-like nose, a voluptuous figure, and skin as smooth as jade. Her half-open, half-closed eyes seemed to draw one''s soul with a nce.

    Her aura had reached thete Foundation Establishment stage, and her attire was simr to Steward Liao''s.

    "Steward Yue, you''re finally here. Anyter, and we''d have missed the opportunity," Steward Liao said coldly, seemingly not on good terms with the voluptuous woman.

    "Crimson Gold Centipedes are active during the day and return to their nests at night. Now is the perfect time to go," Steward Yue said with a charming smile, causing the men present to be momentarily dazed.

    Hua Zhi was naturally unaffected, and Zuo Qinghui, having cultivated the Heart Cleansing Form deeply, was also unaffected.

    Steward Liao''s expression froze upon hearing this.

    "Steward Liao has invited so many Daoists. I am Yue Rong. Today''s matter will rely on your efforts," Yue Rong said, bowing gracefully to the group brought by Steward Liao, almost as if she were the host.

    "Of course, of course," Shi Chuan responded with a hearty smile.

    Yue Rong smiled at Shi Chuan and waved her jade hand, summoning arge yellow sand boat on the ground ahead.

    "The Crimson Gold Centipedes'' nest is not far from here. Flying might alert them, so let''s take this sand boat," Yue Rong said, boarding the sand boat.

    The others followed suit.

    Steward Liao''s expression was somewhat displeased, but he did not argue with Yue Rong and boarded the sand boat.

    Shi Chuan, seemingly captivated by Yue Rong''s beauty, immediately struck up a conversation with her upon boarding.

    Yue Rong chatted with Shi Chuan while steering the sand boat.

    The yellow sand boat moved forward, gradually elerating to a speedparable to flying, quickly reaching a small stone mountain.

    "The Crimson Gold Centipedes'' nest is beneath this small stone mountain. These two demonic insects are highly intelligent and sensitive. Do not use your spiritual consciousness, or they might detect us," Yue Rong said through a voice transmission.

    Everyone nodded.

    Yue Rong stopped the sand boat in a concealed spot nearby and took out a set of yellow formation gs and a formation disk, quickly setting up a formation with practiced skill, indicating she was a formation master.

    "Is this the Thick Earth Dual Aspect Formation?" Zuo Qinghui recognized the formation after watching for a while.

    "Oh, Daoist Zuo also knows formations?" Yue Rong asked, ncing over with a smile.

    "I wouldn''t say I know them, just a bit of dabbling," Zuo Qinghui said calmly, seemingly unaffected by Yue Rong''s bewitching eyes.

    A hint of surprise shed in Yue Rong''s eyes as she continued setting up the formation, quicklypleting it.

    "Miss Yue, your skills are impressive. With this Thick Earth Dual Aspect Formation as our support, those two Crimson Gold Centipedes won''t be a threat," Shi Chuan said tteringly.

    "You''re too kind, Daoist Shi," Yue Rong said with a charming smile.

    "Now that the formation is set, as per our previous n, we''ll split into two groups. I, Daoist Cui, and the Wang brothers will lure the Crimson Gold Centipedes here. You all stay here and prepare to assist," Steward Liao said.

    "Luring the Crimson Gold Centipedes is quite dangerous. Steward Liao, you..." Yue Rong was surprised by Steward Liao''s volunteering and hesitated.

    "In terms of controlling the Thick Earth Dual Aspect Formation, I''m far inferior to you. It''s better for you to handle it. Daoist Cui has a tunneling artifact, and the Wang brothers practice earth attribute techniques and are skilled in joint attacks. The four of us are the best choice," Steward Liao said decisively.

    "Steward Liao is right. We''ll leave it to you," Yue Rong said slowly.

    Steward Liao said no more, calling the other three to sneak towards the small stone mountain.

    Yue Rong activated the formation, and waves of yellow light, like sand, enveloped everyone present.

    The yellow light of the formation blended seamlessly with the surrounding sand, making it indistinguishable and emitting no aura.

    Everyone''s spiritual consciousness was also blocked, with only Yue Rong closing her eyes, seemingly sensing the outside through the formation.

    Time passed, and soon a quarter of an hour had gone by.

    "They''reing. Get ready!" Yue Rong suddenly opened her eyes and said.

    Everyone inside the formation perked up, summoning their artifacts and scanning the surroundings with their spiritual consciousness, ready for action.

    ```

 Chapter 319: Noble Thief

    Chapter 319: Noble Thief

    A few breathster, Yue Rong took out a yellow array g and shook it vigorously in a certain direction.

    The Thick Earth Dual Aspect Formation suddenly dispersed, revealing the outside situation.

    Steward Liao and the two red-robed brothers were each urging their flying artifacts, shooting towards them from the direction of the small stone mountain. All three had traces of blood on them, seemingly heavily injured, especially Steward Liao, whose figure appeared unstable. Cui Wuran was nowhere to be seen.

    Behind them, a cloud of dust was chasing relentlessly, with shes of blinding golden light within.

    The three and the cloud of dust passed by the vicinity of the Thick Earth Dual Aspect Formation.

    "Attack!"

    Yue Rong shouted, summoning a silver nail-shaped artifact and striking it into the dust cloud.

    Others, including Zuo Qinghui and Hua Zhi, also made their moves, various artifacts fiercely striking out, instantly tearing through the drifting dust, revealing a seven to eight zhang long, barrel-thick, ferocious centipede.

    The creature seemed to be cast from gold, each segment of its body shining brightly, its hundred feet sharp and menacing, making a nging sound as it scraped the ground, sparks flying.ng! ng! ng!

    Everyone''s artifacts struck the Crimson Gold Centipede, sparks flying but causing little harm, at most leaving a few marks.

    The Crimson Gold Centipede, feeling the pain, abandoned Steward Liao and the others, turning to pounce on the group, spewing a cloud of dark green poisonous mist.

    The flying artifactsing towards it were instantly deflected upon contact with the mist, covered in ayer of dark green, losing their spiritual essence and falling to the ground, startling everyone.

    "Don''t let the poisonous mist touch you," Yue Rong said solemnly, urging the yellowmand g in her hand.

    The ground nearby rumbled, yellow sand-like light reappearing, forming a thick yellow light screen.

    The dark green poisonous mist fell on the light screen, making a "sizzling" sound, like a green wave hitting a reef, the mist rolling and dispersing.

    But before everyone could breathe a sigh of relief, Steward Liao''s figure appeared above the Thick Earth Dual Aspect Formation, his previous unsteady stance gone.

    He waved his hand, sending out several yellow array gs, which floated around the formation in a strange array.

    As several incantations shed andnded on these gs, they trembled, various lights shing, and threads of light shot out, connecting into a peculiar formation, covering the Thick Earth Dual Aspect Formation.

    Several multicolored spiritual lights fell from the peculiar formation onto the Thick Earth Dual Aspect Formation below, causing the yellow light screen to tremble violently, showing signs of copse.

    "Liao Zhong! What are you doing?" Yue Rong shouted in anger and surprise, shaking her sleeve and quickly shooting seven or eight array gs towards the formation.

    "Yue Daoist, watch your step, retreat quickly!" Zuo Qinghui suddenly shouted coldly, a blood-red cylinder appearing in his palm, shooting a blood-colored pellet the size of an egg towards the ground behind him.

    However, the ground there slightly bulged, and seven or eight ck needles shot out first, hitting Yue Rong''s legs.

    Yue Rong groaned, falling to the ground with a thud, the light of the seven or eight array gs dissipating and falling to the ground.

    The blood-colored pellet shed and disappeared into the ground, followed by a scream from below.

    At this moment, the Thick Earth Dual Aspect Formationpletely copsed, and the Crimson Gold Centipede spewed another cloud of dark green poisonous mist, engulfing the five figures.

    Yue Rong''s angry voice came from within the poisonous mist, three yellow beams of light shooting out in a triangr formation.

    A vast yellow light surged from the ground, creating a strong storm that instantly swept away all the poisonous mist.

    The five figures within the formation appeared, their auras weak and dispirited, with patches of poison marks on their faces, arms, and other parts, clearly poisoned by the Crimson Gold Centipede.

    Yue Rong was in the worst condition, with seven or eight ck needle holes on her legs, the ck poison rapidly spreading.

    But she was remarkably resilient, still standing with gritted teeth.

    Around them, seven or eight cultivators had appeared at some point, all in the Foundation Establishment stage, wearing yellow robes, surrounding them with mocking eyes.

    Steward Liao, the Wang brothers, and Cui Wuran stood outside the encirclement, clearly in league with the yellow-robed men.

    Cui Wuran''s right arm was severed at the shoulder, the wound clean, clearly self-inflicted, his gaze towards Zuo Qinghui full of resentment and fear.

    He had been hit by the blood-colored pellet underground, his arm rotting rapidly. If he hadn''t cut it off in time, he would have turned into a pool of blood.

    The red-haired youth from the exchange meeting yesterday was also among them, scanning the five in the formation, seemingly looking for something, finally withdrawing his gaze in disappointment.

    Yue Rong and the others felt their hearts sink. At this point, anyone could see they had fallen into a trap.

    Zuo Qinghui, however, was not as worried as the others. Hua Zhi had already extended a slender vine from the ground, absorbing the poison from his body.

    The poison marks on his body quickly faded, but he retained the marks on his hands and face to deceive the enemy.

    Zuo Qinghui''s gaze swept over the yellow-robed men, finallynding on the Crimson Gold Centipede beside them.

    The centipedey beside them, not fighting the yellow-robed men, but rather seeming to join forces against amon enemy.

    On a sand dune a hundred miles away, a yellow figure sat quietly, it was Yuan Ming.

    He wore a yellow robe with a hood, covered in scale-like patterns,pletely concealing his aura.

    This yellow robe was made from the skin of a Yellow Slime Lizard from the ck Wind Desert, effective in concealing his aura, though not as good as the gray cloak given by Xiying, still quite effective.

    He had originally nned for Zuo Qinghui and Hua Zhi to follow the City Lord''s Mansion people to hunt the Crimson Gold Centipede, while he would follow behind, looking for an opportunity to snatch the centipede''s corpse. Unexpectedly, things had taken a turn, leading to the current situation.

    "It seems this mission was a trap from the start, but at least there is indeed a Crimson Gold Centipede," Yuan Ming thought to himself.

    He rose, summoning the White Jade Flying Shuttle, and flew towards the small stone mountain.

    ...

    "Liao Zhong, what are you up to?" Yue Rong looked at Steward Liao, her voice cold.

    Steward Liao looked down, seemingly not hearing Yue Rong''s voice.

    "I''ve heard that the steward of Quicksand City''s Lord''s Mansion, surnamed Yue, is naturally charming and seductive. Seeing you today, it seems the rumors are true. Brothers, we''re in for a treat today!" A tall man stepped forward, his eyes filled with undisguised lewdness as he looked at Yue Rong.

    This man had a long face and a big mouth, quite ugly, with a yellow horn on his forehead, his cultivation at thete Foundation Establishment stage.

    The other yellow-robed cultivatorsughed, their eyes fixed on Yue Rong, as if they wanted to strip her with their gaze.

    Shi Chuan was furious but dared not speak out.

    "Who are you people? Although Quicksand City is a small ce, this mission is for the Wulei Sect. Don''t make a mistake," Yue Rong said calmly, as if she hadn''t heard the vulgar words.

    "Wulei Sect? You Zhao Country cultivators fear that name, but to us from Qin Country, it''s worthless," the horned man said disdainfully.

    Yue Rong frowned. Even in Qin Country''s cultivation world, the Wulei Sect was renowned, and evenwless rogue cultivators wouldn''t dare speak so disrespectfully.

    These people disregarded the Wulei Sect, their origins unknown.

    "Fellow Daoists, if I''m not mistaken, these people should be disciples of the Returning to Origin Sect from Qin Country," Madam Gu San''s voice sounded in the ears of the other four.

    "Returning to Origin Sect!" Yue Rong and Shi Chuan''s hearts tightened.

    Zuo Qinghui''s eyes flickered. The Returning to Origin Sect was Qin Country''s top sect, the leading force in the ck Wind Desert, rivaling Zhao Country''s Wulei Sect in power and influence.

    "How did you figure it out?" Yue Rong asked, using her spiritual consciousness tomunicate, covering only the five of them.

    "The Returning to Origin Sect excels in joint attacks, with strict rules and a hierarchical structure. Their disciples are brave and known for their discipline. I''ve fought their disciples before, and their positions, though seemingly scattered, hide a subtle strategy, resembling the Returning to Origin Sect''s joint attack formation," Madam Gu San replied.

    Zuo Qinghui observed the yellow-robed cultivators. Their positions, though seemingly random, had a hidden strategy, their auras subtly connected, resembling a special joint attack technique.

    It seemed these people were indeed Returning to Origin Sect disciples.

    But Zuo Qinghui didn''t care. Whether they were Returning to Origin Sect or Wulei Sect disciples, it was all the same to him. His goal was the Crimson Gold Centipede.

    "So, you are Returning to Origin Sect disciples. No wonder you disregard the Wulei Sect. But when did the esteemed disciples of Returning to Origin Sect be desert bandits? If this spreads, what will your sect''s elders think?" Zuo Qinghui stepped forward, his expression calm.

    Yue Rong and the others were shocked.

    Zuo Qinghui had directly revealed their identity, wasn''t he forcing them to kill?

    "Zuo, you''re seeking death, don''t drag us down!" Shi Chuan angrily transmitted.

    "Don''t panic, follow my instructions, and I will help you escape. I''ll first remove the poison from your bodies," Zuo Qinghui''s voice sounded in their ears.

    Yue Rong and the others were stunned, then felt a slight pain in their feet, as if something had pierced them.

    The poison in their bodies gathered at their feet and was quickly absorbed.

    Especially Yue Rong, not only was the centipede poison absorbed, but the poison from the ck needles in her legs also quickly dissipated, her body rapidly recovering, more effective than any antidote elixir.

    "Haha, who would have thought that the esteemed disciples of Returning to Origin Sect would be thieves. Howughable," Yue Rong felt joy in her heart, but her face showed a mocking smile.

    "Oh, you recognized us. Then we can''t let you live. Attack!" The horned man''s face darkened, waving his hand.

    The yellow-robed cultivators almost simultaneously stepped forward, closing in.

    "I advise you not to approach. Mypanion practices a sinister poison technique. Once unleashed, everything within a hundred zhang will be destroyed. Haven''t you noticed the air smells different?" Zuo Qinghui pointed to Hua Zhi, who was wrapped tightly, and smiled.

    "Not good, retreat!" The horned man sniffed a faint fragrance, his expression changing, retreating quickly.

    Seeing this, the others, whether they smelled it or not, all retreated.

 Chapter 320: Colluding

    Chapter 320: Colluding

    "Where do you think you''re going!"

    Yue Rong formed a seal with both hands, and the remnants of the Thick Earth Dual Aspect Formation beneath her feet red up with a bright yellow light, creating a massive yellow circle that enveloped the one-horned man and a tall, thin elder beside him.

    At the same time, Madam Gu San summoned a small golden axe, which transformed into arge axe shadow about ten meters long, cleaving down towards the one-horned man.

    The one-horned man abruptly turned around, shaking his sleeve to release a small green g. The g expanded rapidly in the wind, transforming into a massive object several meters wide, emitting countless green clouds that supported the yellow circle.

    A beam of yellow light as thick as a bowl shot out from the horn on his forehead, colliding with Madam Gu San''s golden axe.

    With a loud "ng," the golden axe was sent flying, and its sharp de turned a stony gray.

    "Petrification technique!" Madam Gu San was startled and quickly retrieved her axe to inspect it.

    The tall, thin elder halted his steps and summoned a ck short spike, which turned into a ck light and shot towards Madam Gu San.

    But at that moment, the elder''s eyes suddenly became dazed, then quickly cleared up again.The ck spike abruptly changed direction, aiming straight for the one-horned man''s lower back.

    The one-horned man sensed the danger and immediately sidestepped, avoiding the spike. At the same time, ayer of yellow light rose from his body.

    However, with a "puff," the yellow light was torn apart, and his lower back felt a chill as a ck short spear pierced through his abdomen, blood sttering everywhere!

    This all happened in a sh, and despite the one-horned man''s cultivation being slightly higher than the tall elder''s, he couldn''t defend against this sneak attack.

    "Lin Po, what are you doing?" The one-horned man turned angrily, a beam of yellow light shooting from his horn and piercing the elder''s chest, creating a blood flower the size of a bowl, with the surrounding flesh turning to stone.

    However, the tall elder seemed unfazed, advancing instead of retreating. A sh of white light in his hand revealed seven or eight red runes, which shattered into pieces, summoning seven or eight firebirds the size of millstones, high-level firebird runes.

    The firebirds shot out like arrows, hitting the one-horned man at point-nk range.

    "Boom! Boom! Boom!" Explosions rang out, engulfing the one-horned man in mes.

    "Senior Brother Fang!" The other Returning to Origin Sect disciples finally reacted, eximing in shock.

    The tall elder didn''t attack the one-horned man further but turned and rushed towards the Crimson Gold Centipede.

    "Stop Lin Po!" The one-horned man''s weak voice came from within the mes.

    The other Returning to Origin Sect cultivators, who were initially heading towards the one-horned man, now pounced on the tall elder.

    However, the ground in front of them suddenly split open, and Hua Zhi emerged, waving her hands. Two long, purple-ck vines shot out from her sleeves, covered in purple flowers, sweeping towards them like whips.

    A fragrant scent spread, and the Returning to Origin Sect cultivators felt weak as they approached, recalling Zuo Qinghui''s earlier words and dodging as if avoiding a gue.

    Steward Liao, the Wang brothers, and Cui Wuran also tried to approach but were blocked by Yue Rong, Shi Chuan, Zuo Qinghui, and Madam Gu San. For a moment, various magical artifacts and spells shed fiercely in mid-air, creating sparks and blocking Steward Liao and the others.

    The tall elder had already reached the Crimson Gold Centipede, striking one of its eyes with the ck short spike.

    The Crimson Gold Centipede roared in anger, spewing a cloud of dark green poison that engulfed the tall elder.

    The elder didn''t dodge, and his body quickly rotted, falling to the ground.

    The Crimson Gold Centipede opened its mouth and swallowed the elder whole.

    Everyone present was shocked, and the Returning to Origin Sect disciples were stunned.

    The mes around the one-horned man had extinguished, and he sat on the ground, half of his body charred but still alive.

    "General Gold Centipede, kill them all, leave no one alive!" The one-horned man took out a green rune and stuck it to his wound, slowly standing up and speaking coldly.

    The Crimson Gold Centipede''s eyes shed with a strange light before returning to normal, its massive body lunging towards Zuo Qinghui, Yue Rong, and the others.

    The Returning to Origin Sect cultivators quickly took out antidote elixirs, swallowed them, and donned masks to protect their noses and mouths, following the Crimson Gold Centipede closely.

    Shi Chuan''s eyes showed fear as he suddenly broke away from the battle, summoning a fiery red flying sword to lift him into the air.

    The flying sword turned into a red streak, flying dozens of meters away in an instant, clearly intending to flee.

    Madam Gu San cursed loudly at this, and Yue Rong frowned.

    "Ignore him, prepare to retreat," Zuo Qinghui''s indifferent voice transmitted to Yue Rong and Madam Gu San, surprising them both.

    Just as he finished speaking, a sudden change urred!

    The Crimson Gold Centipede, which was lunging towards Yue Rong and the others, suddenly changed direction, heading straight for Steward Liao and the others, spewing a cloud of dark green poison.

    Caught off guard, the four were engulfed in the poison, screaming in pain.

    The Crimson Gold Centipede darted into the poison cloud, biting Cui Wuran, who was desperately resisting the poison, and swallowing him whole.

    The centipede then twisted its body, its long tail sweeping towards the Returning to Origin Sect members.

    The ground nearby split open, and thick vines shot out, covered in purple poisonous flowers, sweeping towards the Returning to Origin Sect cultivators and forcing them to retreat again.

    The one-horned man was shocked, but no matter how he called, the Crimson Gold Centipede ignored him. Yue Rong and Madam Gu San were both surprised and delighted.

    "Quickly, let''s go!" Zuo Qinghui transmitted to the two women, waving his hand to release two sword-shaped golden lights.

    The golden lights brushed past Yue Rong and Madam Gu San, revealing two tiny, thread-like transparent insects.

    Madam Gu San looked puzzled, clearly unaware of when these insects had attached themselves to them.

    "What about you, Daoist Zuo?" Yue Rong asked gratefully.

    "I have my own way to escape, you two go quickly!" Zuo Qinghui urged.

    "Thank you, Daoist Zuo. We will repay this great favor in the future!" Yue Rong bowed to Zuo Qinghui, summoning a silver bird-shaped flying carriage.

    The two women jumped into the carriage and activated it together.

    The bird-shaped carriage shot out, transforming into a brilliant silver light that soared into the sky.

    Zuo Qinghui''s figure flickered, appearing next to Hua Zhi the next moment.

    The Crimson Gold Centipede quickly swam over, and Zuo Qinghui and Hua Zhi jumped onto its back, releasing several green runes that stuck to the centipede, all of which were speed-enhancing runes like Lightening and Swift Wind runes.

    The Crimson Gold Centipede''s body became lighter, its hundred legs moving rapidly, turning its long body into a blurred golden shadow, not much slower than Yue Rong''s bird-shaped carriage.

    In a series of rapid changes, Zuo Qinghui and the others disappeared in the blink of an eye!

    "Damn it, forget the others, chase the Crimson Gold Centipede!" The one-horned man shouted anxiously.

    But at that moment, thick white fog suddenly appeared around them, engulfing everything and preventing their spiritual consciousness from spreading.

    Already unnerved by Zuo Qinghui''s strange methods, they instinctively stopped, fearing an ambush.

    "Don''t stop! If the Crimson Gold Centipede is taken, we''re all dead. Chase!" The one-horned man, having barely stopped his bleeding, led the charge.

    The others gritted their teeth and followed, soon emerging from the white fog without incident.

    However, the Crimson Gold Centipede was nowhere to be seen, and there were no traces left on the ground.

    "The Crimson Gold Centipede can''t fly, how could there be no traces? Could it have been put into a spirit beast bag? Impossible!" The one-horned man looked incredulous.

    "Senior Brother Fang, what do we do now?" A square-faced man beside him asked fearfully.

    They hade on someone''s orders to capture the cultivators of Quicksand City, but now their targets had all escaped, and they had lost three people. The Crimson Gold Centipede had been taken by the enemy using strange methods. Returning like this would be disastrous.

    The others also looked to the one-horned man, who was at a loss.

    Steward Liao and the Wang brothers flew over, their bodies covered in poison spots, their eyes showing the fear of having narrowly escaped death.

    The one-horned man nced at them but said nothing.

    "I still have one smoke thread insect left, attached to that Fire Yuan Sect boy," a short female cultivator suddenly said.

    "Chase him, we must catch him!" The one-horned man ordered decisively.

    A red-haired youth summoned a white flying boat, carrying the group as they sped towards the direction Shi Chuan had fled.

    ...

    After the one-horned man and his group left, the ground rippled, revealing the tracks of the centipede.

    Not far away, the ground split open, and the Crimson Gold Centipede slowly emerged.

    A yellow light shed on the sand, and Zuo Qinghui, Hua Zhi, and Yuan Ming appeared.

    "Master, since you''re here, why let them go? It would have been easy to capture them," Hua Zhi asked Yuan Ming, puzzled.

    "They''re disciples of the Returning to Origin Sect. Killing them all would cause too much trouble, and I don''t have time to clean up the mess. My target is the Crimson Gold Centipede; capturing it is enough," Yuan Ming said calmly, turning to the centipede.

    The Crimson Gold Centipede opened its mouth, spitting out two people, the tall elder and Cui Wuran.

    Yuan Ming needed to question them, so he hadn''t let the centipede use its poison to dissolve them. Instead, he had extracted the poison from their bodies.

    The two were still alive but barely breathing.

    Yuan Ming approached Cui Wuran, cing his palm on his head and using a soul-searching technique.

    Cui Wuran had clearly been colluding with these people for a long time. Yesterday''s exchange meeting was a trap set by him, so what he said at the meeting could be false.

    Since it involved the Golden Elixir, Yuan Ming had to determine whether the two methods were genuine.

    ck light flickered in Yuan Ming''s palm, and he quickly found the memories of the two auxiliary Golden Elixir methods, breathing a sigh of relief.

    Judging from Cui Wuran''s memories, both methods were genuine, though the Flower Transntation Technique was missing many details.

    This secret technique had indeed been found on a corpse in the desert, but it wasn''t discovered by chance; it also came from the Returning to Origin Sect cultivators.

    Cui Wuran had been colluding with the Returning to Origin Sect cultivators for years. These cultivators had been capturing Foundation Establishment stage cultivators in the ck Wind Desert for unknown reasons.

    The ck Wind Desert was chaotic andwless, with cultivators frequently disappearing, so even when someone was caught, it didn''t attract much attention.

    Cui Wuran had joined them years ago when he was destitute, seizing the opportunity to earn a rich reward by luring cultivators into the desert and delivering them to the Returning to Origin Sect.

    Just like today, if not for Yuan Ming''s presence, the enemy would have seeded.

 Chapter 330: Revenge

    Chapter 330: Revenge

    "Tsk tsk, it didn''t even take sixty breaths, and two Flower-patterned Leopards were already dealt with. I haven''t had enough of the show yet." On the high tform at the back of thebat arena, Chen Shang twirled one end of his mustache and said.

    Next to Chen Shang sat two others: Zhu Si and Liao Zhong, who had just joined them.

    The three of them were responsible for guarding the dormitory tonight, but theycked the patience for it. They sent a few Qi refining stage disciples to watch the entrance of the dormitory and came to thebat arena to pass the time themselves.

    "Feng Ling''s strength is indeed impressive. To remain undefeated in thisbat arena, he must have some real skills. It''s a pity though," Liao Zhong said.

    "Haha! To be honest, I also think highly of him. Not to mention, ordinary demonic beasts below the second level are no match for him," Chen Shangughed heartily.

    "Since Senior Brother Chen is so confident, would you dare to make a bet with me?" Zhu Si suddenly said.

    "Oh? What kind of bet?" Chen Shang raised an eyebrow, showing some interest.

    "Recently, a White Rock Lynx was just brought here. Let''s bet on whether Feng Ling can handle it, how about that?" Zhu Si said with a smile.

    "The White Rock Lynx..." Chen Shang''s face turned serious.The White Rock Lynx is a high-level first-grade demonic beast, strong and agile, with thick scales covering its body. Ordinary low-level spells can''t break its defense, and it can even use a divine ability simr to Earthquake Technique. Even cultivators at the eighth or ninth level of Qi refining would find it troublesome, let alone Feng Ling, who is currently suppressed to the third level of Qi refining.

    "What? Didn''t Senior Brother Chen just boast about Feng Ling''s prowess? Are you backing down at the mention of the White Rock Lynx?" A hint of disdain shed in Zhu Si''s eyes.

    "Hmph, it''s just a White Rock Lynx. Since Junior Sister Zhu wants to bet, I will naturally apany you. But I have no interest in small bets. If we bet, let''s bet big!" Chen Shang pped the table and shouted.

    "What does Senior Brother Chen want to bet?" Zhu Si showed no sign of retreat, speaking leisurely.

    "This is the Golden Feather de I just acquired. Though it''s only of medium quality, its power is not much less than that of a high-quality weapon." Chen Shang took out a broad-backed de radiating golden light and threw it on the table with a loud bang.

    "Senior Brother Chen is truly bold! Unfortunately, I am just a lone woman in the sect, with no power or influence, and my pockets are quite empty. I can''te up with a treasure of equal value," Zhu Si nced at the golden de and smiled.

    "Junior Sister Zhu, no need to y poor. I heard you recently acquired a bottle of Meridian Stabilizing Pills. Would you dare to bet with that?" Chen Shang sneered.

    "Senior Brother Chen is well-informed. Very well," Zhu Si said, taking out a white jade bottle and cing it on the table. Even without opening the lid, a faint enticing fragrance wafted out.

    "Refreshing! Then let''s have Daoist Liao be our witness," Chen Shang''s eyes swept over the white jade bottle, and he chuckled dryly.

    "It would be my honor," Liao Zhong agreed without hesitation.

    Seeing the two Foundation Establishment stage cultivators set the bet, the nearby Qi refining stage guard disciples naturally went down to make the arrangements.

    The nextbat soon began. A half-zhang tall, scale-covered White Rock Lynx appeared in thebat arena, causing quite a stir among the onlookers.

    The beast didn''t look veryrge, but its eyes glowed with a green ferocity as it stared at Feng Ling and hispanion, exuding a bloodthirsty and murderous aura.

    "How can it be a high-level first-grade demonic beast? How are we supposed to handle this?" The fat mine ve was both shocked and angry, showing signs of retreat.

    Feng Ling''s face also darkened. Seeing the White Rock Lynx charging at them with a tangible evil wind, he had no choice but to meet it head-on.

    After a brief exchange, Feng Ling and hispanion immediately fell into a bitter struggle.

    The White Rock Lynx was not only incredibly strong and well-armored but also extremely fast. Feng Ling tried several times to get behind it and lock its neck, but the beast always evaded him with its keen senses.

    "Zhou Zhuang!" Feng Ling, experienced in beast battles, quickly changed tactics and signaled to the fat mine ve.

    Zhou Zhuang understood and moved to the left of the White Rock Lynx, while Feng Ling lunged to the right, attempting to nk it.

    However, the White Rock Lynx was highly intelligent. It let out a low roar, and its front paws glowed with bright yellow light, stomping the ground forcefully.

    The yellow light spread like ripples, shaking thebat stone tform. Feng Ling and Zhou Zhuang lost their bnce, disrupting their coordination.

    The White Rock Lynx seized the opportunity to counterattack, pouncing on Feng Ling.

    Its hind legs also glowed yellow, shooting out two spear-like beams of yellow light that swiftly aimed at Zhou Zhuang''s legs.

    Zhou Zhuang dodged hurriedly but was still grazed by the yellow light on his calf, causing blood to gush out.

    Seeing the blood, the crowd erupted in excited shouts.

    Chen Shang''s eyes gleamed with excitement as he downed his drink, while Zhu Si smiled silently.

    Time passed, and Feng Ling and Zhou Zhuang soon had several more wounds on their bodies.

    However, their mutual defense and cooperation were quite harmonious, causing the White Rock Lynx to start getting injured as well. Especially on its head, where Feng Ling had wed out five bloody marks, nearly gouging out one of its eyes.

    But overall, the White Rock Lynx still held the upper hand.

    Chen Shang frowned, showing signs of impatience, and was about to send a voice transmission to urge Feng Ling.

    He knew Feng Ling had a secret technique to burn his blood essence, which could temporarily boost hisbat power several times, enough to defeat the White Rock Lynx. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have bet with Zhu Si.

    But at that moment, the stone wall above the dormitory lit up with a blue glow, and the entire dormitory began to shake slightly.

    "Why was the mine''s protective barrier triggered? What''s happening?" The three of them were startled and stood up.

    Seeing this, a sh of joy crossed Feng Ling''s eyes as he leaped off the high tform.

    Zhou Zhuang, who was already at his limit, quickly rolled away as well.

    The White Rock Lynx, bound by a secret technique to thebat tform, couldn''t chase after them and could only let out a few frustrated roars.

    Feng Lingnded on the ground but suddenly slipped and fell.

    The ground beneath him cracked open, and a purple-ck vine shot out, wrapping around his neck ring.

    Chen Shang and the others, ignoring the situation on thebat tform, quickly discussed and decided to leave Chen Shang there while Liao Zhong and Zhu Si rushed towards the underground cavern.

    The guard disciples around thebat arena also hurriedly followed.

    "Everyone, return to your quarters immediately. No one is allowed to leave without notice tonight!" Chen Shang shouted.

    The mine ves, hearing this, quickly left, and the once bustlingbat arena became empty in the blink of an eye, with only the White Rock Lynx still standing on the tform.

    Chen Shang, feeling uneasy, didn''t stay on the high tform. He leaped to the ground and headed towards the dormitory entrance.

    It was closer to the underground cavern, so he could be the first to know if anything happened.

    But just then, a figure appeared in front of him¡ªit was Feng Ling.

    "Didn''t you hear what I just said? Get back to your room! I''ll deal with your poor performance in the fightter!" Chen Shang was initially stunned but then shouted coldly, continuing to move forward.

    Feng Ling suddenly raised his hand and pointed, a powerful wave of energy bursting from him, revealing his mid-Foundation Establishment stage cultivation.

    Yellow light shed on the ground, and seven or eight sharp rock spikes burst out, shooting towards Chen Shang''s legs with incredible speed.

    Chen Shang was shocked, but as an inner disciple of the Returning to Origin Sect, his cultivation and reflexes were notcking. His legs glowed with a green light as he leaped to the side, barely dodging the rock spikes.

    "You''ve regained your power? How is that possible? Who unlocked your neck ring?" Chen Shang,nding, looked at Feng Ling''s bare neck and his face turned grim.

    Feng Ling had no intention of exining. He formed a seal and pointed again, causing another wave of sharp rock spikes to shoot up from the ground around Chen Shang, aiming for his lower body.

    At the same time, Feng Ling charged forward, a blue light shing at his fingertips, summoning a blue long de that shed towards Chen Shang''s head.

    Seeing Feng Ling''s desperate attack, Chen Shang shivered and hurriedly patted his Storage Bag.

    A silver bell artifact appeared above his head, casting down countless silver rays that formed a semi-transparent bell-shaped shield around him.

    The rock spikes and the blue long de struck the silver bell shield, producing two loud ngs but failing to break through. The shield remained intact.

    Seeing this, Chen Shang breathed a sigh of relief.

    "Feng Ling, you dare to collude with outsiders to sabotage the protective array and plot to escape? Prepare to face the sect''s punishment!" He shouted at Feng Ling and turned to flee the dormitory.

    Although he didn''t know how Feng Ling had regained his power and why he was suddenly attacking him, his own safety was paramount. He didn''t care much about the mine''s security.

    "You won''t escape today!" Feng Ling shouted, chasing after him with the blue long de shing madly at the silver shield.

    A hint of mockery shed across Chen Shang''s face as he continued to flee.

    But just then, the ground beneath him cracked open, and several thick purple-ck vines shot out, quickly wrapping around Chen Shang''s legs.

    Chen Shang, using a wind-based speed technique, was now entangled and fell to the ground.

    He was shocked and reached for his Storage Bag.

    A purple-ck vine shot out like an arrow, piercing his right hand and pinning it to the ground.

    "Ah..."

    Chen Shang, born into a prominent family but timid and cautious by nature, had rarely fought others and had never suffered such an injury. The pain nearly brought him to tears.

    A chilling force invaded his body, rendering half his arm immobile and disrupting his energy flow.

    The silver shield trembled and thinned rapidly.

    Chen Shang knew he was at a life-or-death moment. Ignoring the pain, he reached for his Storage Bag with his left hand.

    A fragrant scent wafted over. The vines entangling his legs had bloomed withrge purple flowers, emitting a strong fragrance.

    Chen Shang hurriedly held his breath, but his body had already weakened, and his left hand fell limp.

    His energy flow waspletely disrupted, and the silver bell shield quickly thinned and then vanished.

    A blue shadow shed¡ªthe blue long de flew over and pierced Chen Shang''s abdomen, destroying his dantian.

    Chen Shang''s energy dissipated, and blood gushed from his mouth.

    He stared at Feng Ling, who was walking towards him, with eyes full of despair, unwillingness, and confusion.

    "Want to know why I''m killing you? Do you remember the white-d girl you killed in Wugou City eight years ago?" Feng Ling walked towards Chen Shang step by step, speaking slowly.

 Chapter 331: Cultivator will never be a slave

    Chapter 331: Cultivator will never be a ve

    Eight years ago? Wugou City? A girl in white?

    These three terms shed through Chen Shang''s mind, and a faint image of a mischievous girl appeared before his eyes.

    He had always been fond of women since his youth, often using his family''s power to capture mortal women from themon folk. Eventually, mortal women could no longer satisfy his appetite, so he began targeting low-level rogue cultivator women who had no power or influence.

    He also had a habit of killing the women he abandoned to avoid any unnecessary troubleter.

    The girl in the white dress had just stepped onto the path of immortality. Her mischievous yet pure demeanor and her stubborn refusal to yield left a deep impression on him. Since he had seen her, he naturally wouldn''t let her go.

    Chen Shang carefully recalled the girl''s appearance, which bore some resemnce to Feng Ling in front of him. Could they be father and daughter?

    His heart sank, but he said, "Fellow Daoist Feng, I don''t know what you''re talking about. I grew up in Wugou City but left over twenty years ago to join the Returning to Origin Sect. I haven''t been back since. You must be mistaken."

    "Is that so? Then let me help you remember." Feng Ling slowly rotated the blue long knife in his hand, its sharp de cutting into Chen Shang''s internal organs.

    "Ah..." Chen Shang let out a piercing scream."Now, do you remember?" Feng Ling paused his knife and asked slowly.

    "I really don''t know what you''re talking about. I''m the direct descendant of the Chen family in Wugou City and an inner disciple of the Returning to Origin Sect. You can''t kill me..." Chen Shang pleaded in pain.

    "Heh, quite a background you have. You must have done many such heinous things. Was it this hand that did it?" Feng Ling''s lips curled into a cruel smile as he stomped on Chen Shang''s right hand with force.

    With a "crack," Chen Shang''s entire hand shattered into a mess of flesh and bone fragments.

    Amid Chen Shang''s screams and terrified gaze, Feng Ling stomped on his other hand, turning it into a simr mess.

    Chen Shang screamed in agony, his eyes filled with fear and despair as he looked at Feng Ling.

    He realized that Feng Ling didn''t care whether he confessed or not; he just wanted him to die slowly in pain and torment.

    "I found out five years ago that you were the culprit. To avenge my daughter, I''ve been watching you every moment for the past five years. But you were too cowardly, always hiding in safe ces. Even in this mine, you cowered in the Returning to Origin Sect disciples'' quarters. If it weren''t for someone''s help this time, I don''t know how long it would have taken to get my revenge!" Feng Ling said slowly, his foot stepping on Chen Shang''s knee and crushing it.

    Chen Shang''s leg bone shattered, and he fainted from the excruciating pain.

    "We don''t have much time left; it''s almost over." Hua Zhi''s voice sounded in Feng Ling''s ear.

    Feng Ling was silent for a moment, then drew his blue long knife and swung it backward.

    Blood sttered, and Chen Shang''s head flew off.

    "I''ve fulfilled my promise to you and the master, helping youplete your revenge. What about the thing you promised?" Hua Zhi continued to ask through voice transmission.

    "Don''t worry, everything is arranged. Just follow the n." Feng Ling sheathed his long knife and said.

    "Alright." Hua Zhi responded, and her voicepletely disappeared.

    Amotion came from the front; a few Qi refining stage guard disciples patrolling the dormitory area had vaguely heard the noise and were rushing over.

    "Perfect timing, you can all die together!" Feng Ling''s eyes shed with hatred as he charged forward with his knife.

    These Qi refining stage cultivators were no match for Feng Ling and were all killed in an instant.

    After killing several enemies, Feng Ling felt a bit calmer. He grabbed the storage bags of Chen Shang and the Qi refining stage cultivators and headed straight into the dormitory.

    In arger room deeper in the dormitory area, over twenty Foundation Establishment stage cultivator mine ves were gathered, including She Yu, Xu Che, and Wu Lu.

    No one spoke, as if waiting for something.

    Suddenly, the ground in front of them cracked open, and a dozen purple-ck vines shot out, wrapping around the neck rings of everyone in the room.

    There was a slightmotion, but no one dodged.

    A surge of powerful demonic energy poured from the vines, destroying the restrictions within the neck rings.

    The neck rings of a dozen people shattered with a "snap" and fell to the ground.

    Various colors of light shone from their bodies as their magical power was fully restored.

    "ording to the n, let''s begin!" said a bald man, and the dozen or so people who had regained their magical power rushed out.

    Hua Zhi''s vines shot out again, breaking the neck rings of the remaining Foundation Establishment stage cultivators.

    Zuo Qinghui, She Yu, Xu Che, and Wu Lu were among them. She Yu and Xu Che''s bodies glowed with bright yellow light, indicating they practiced earth attribute techniques.

    These people also rushed out to free other cultivator mine ves from their neck rings.

    She Yu, Xu Che, and Wu Lu were about to follow when Zuo Qinghui called them back.

    With a wave of his sleeve, two magical artifacts and two Earth Escape Talismans appeared on the ground.

    "There are many formation eyes in the cave''s protective array. She Yu, Xu Che, you both practice earth attribute techniques. Use these magical artifacts and Earth Escape Talismans to help the master destroy those formation eye pirs," Zuo Qinghui said. Earlier, when Hua Zhi freed him from his neck ring, she had also returned his storage artifacts.

    She Yu and Xu Che agreed, took the artifacts and talismans, and immediately burrowed into the ground.

    Zuo Qinghui turned to Wu Lu, about to assign him a task.

    However, Wu Lu, who had been standing nearby, was nowhere to be seen.

    Zuo Qinghui was stunned. He had been using his spiritual consciousness to monitor the surroundings but hadn''t noticed when Wu Lu disappeared.

    But he didn''t dwell on it and flew out to join the action of freeing the neck rings.

    One freed two, two freed four, four freed eight...

    In a very short time, four or five dozen cultivator mine ves had gained their freedom and restored their magical power.

    Breaking the neck rings required Foundation Establishment stage power, so Zuo Qinghui and the others chose to free only Foundation Establishment stage cultivators.

    The magical artifacts brought by Hua Zhi and Feng Ling were distributed, but there were still far too few. Only a few people had artifacts, while most were still empty-handed.

    Even so, four or five dozen Foundation Establishment stage cultivators were already a formidable force.

    Zhou Peng was among the first to be freed, but instead of feeling much joy at escaping the neck ring''s restraint, his expression was full of anxiety and even a bit of confusion.

    At that moment, the Returning to Origin Sect cultivators in the underground cavern finally noticed themotion in the dormitory area. A dozen Foundation Establishment stage cultivators, along with dozens of Qi refining stage cultivators, charged over.

    Zhu Si and Liao Zhong, who had left not long ago, were among them.

    Zhou Peng had been imprisoned by the Returning to Origin Sect for many years and had long developed a deep-seated fear of the sect''s guard disciples. Seeing arge number of Returning to Origin Sect cultivators charging at them, each with a murderous look, he immediately showed fear and retreated, losing all fighting spirit.

    Many cultivators were like Zhou Peng, showing fear and retreating, their morale plummeting.

    "Never be ves, kill!"

    Feng Ling had anticipated this situation and shouted, charging forward with his blue long knife towards Zhu Si!

    Behind him, a few loyal subordinates also activated their newly acquired artifacts and followed Feng Ling in the attack.

    Facing Feng Ling''s assault, Zhu Si didn''t hesitate. He formed a seal with his hands, and silver light shed around him, shooting out nine small silver swords, each radiating a powerful aura.

    The small swords circled briefly before shing with the blue long knife.

    Zuo Qinghui knew this was a critical moment. If they couldn''t inspire the mine ves'' will to escape, all their previous efforts might be in vain.

    "Fellow Daoists, my master has already engaged Elder Hai. If we can defeat these Returning to Origin Sect cultivators, we can escape their clutches. The world will be ours to roam. What are you waiting for? Never be ves, fight for freedom!" Zuo Qinghui also shouted, summoning the Blood Star Cylinder.

    The Blood Star Cylinder emitted a blinding blood-red light, and a blood-colored projectile shot out, aiming at another leader, Liao Zhong.

    Liao Zhong had seen the power of the Blood Star Cylinder before and was very wary. He quickly summoned a ck gold shield and arge yellow banner, stacking them in front of him.

    The spiritual power fluctuations from the ck gold shield and the yellow banner were strong, indicating their high quality.

    The blood-colored projectile hit the ck gold shield with a "puff" sound, easily piercing through both artifacts and continuing towards Liao Zhong.

    Liao Zhong''s expression changed dramatically. He quickly moved sideways, his body glowing white, forming a white light shield around him.

    With a "hiss," the blood-colored projectile easily prated the white light shield and hit Liao Zhong''s chest, melting into it.

    A bowl-sized blood hole appeared in Liao Zhong''s chest, rapidly expanding, melting not only flesh but also bone.

    Blood flowed from his seven orifices, and he fell to the ground, convulsing a few times before dying, his body quickly turning into a pool of pus.

    The nearby Returning to Origin Sect cultivators were shocked, their faces filled with fear!

    Zuo Qinghui was not surprised. He had studied the Blood Star Cylinder for over a year and had fully grasped its secrets.

    The cylinder could melt demonic beast corpses, refining them into blood-colored projectiles with strong corrosive effects. Its power was unmatched.

    Currently, there were four blood-colored projectiles in the cylinder. The one he had used earlier against Cui Wuran was made from a second-level demonic beast''s corpse.

    To boost morale and ensure a kill, he had used the earliest projectile, made from a suspected third-level demonic beast. Even a Nascent Soul stage cultivator might not withstand it, let alone Liao Zhong.

    Puff, puff, puff!

    The ground nearby cracked, and dozens of thick vines shot out, enveloping the Returning to Origin Sect guards who were frightened by the Blood Star Cylinder.

    "Never be ves! Let''s go!"

    "Never be ves! Kill!"

    The other mine ves, seeing the leader of the Returning to Origin Sect killed, suddenly awakened and roared, activating their artifacts and spells, charging forward.

    The mine ves had the numerical advantage in Foundation Establishment stage cultivators, and with Hua Zhi, Zuo Qinghui, and others, the Returning to Origin Sect disciples were at a disadvantage and began to retreat.

    However, under themand of a few Foundation Establishment stage cultivators, the Returning to Origin Sect disciples gradually stabilized. Although they were in a disadvantageous position, they did not immediately copse.

    Meanwhile, more guard disciples from the surrounding area continued to join the battle, leading to a stalemate.

 Chapter 332: Fight for freedom!

    Chapter 332: Fight for freedom!

    "Zuo Daoist, what should we do next? If we keep stalling here, we might end up in more trouble," Feng Ling asked Zuo Qinghui through voice transmission while entangled in a fight with Zhu Si.

    Although he didn''t say it outright, his concern was clear. He feared that if Elder Hai, the Nascent Soul stage cultivator, showed up, their hastily gathered forces would be easily crushed.

    "We focus on our task and free all the mine ves as quickly as possible. Remember, don''t abandon the mortals either. As for Elder Hai, my master has his own ns," Zuo Qinghui replied.

    "I understand," Feng Ling nodded, then subtlymunicated with his lips.

    Feng Ling was well-known and respected among the mine ves. Through quick exchanges with a few others, he divided their Foundation Establishment stage cultivators into two groups. One group, consisting of those with powerful artifacts and higher cultivation, would hold off the Returning to Origin Sect cultivators. The other group would split up to rescue the other Foundation Establishment stage mine ves.

    As a result, more and more Foundation Establishment stage cultivators broke free and joined the fight, turning the tide in their favor. The Returning to Origin Sect''s disciple guards began to falter.

    Before long, most of the imprisoned Foundation Establishment stage mine ves had regained their powers. With their numbers and morale, they gained an overwhelming advantage.

    Over the years, the Returning to Origin Sect had captured and imprisoned over a hundred Foundation Establishment stage cultivators in the mines. The mines were hidden and protected by formations, and the mine ves'' powers were restricted, ensuring safety.

    Although the Returning to Origin Sect didn''t expect any trouble, they hadn''t rxed their guard. They stationed over twenty Foundation Establishment stage cultivators and more than a hundred Qi refining stage disciples, with a Nascent Soul stage cultivator overseeing them.Now, with so many Foundation Establishment stage mine ves suddenly regaining their powers and rising in revolt, the Returning to Origin Sect''s hastily assembled guards were caught off guard. Despite their coordination skills, they couldn''t withstand the absolute power.

    Soon, Zhu Si and the other leading cultivators were scattered. The stronger ones managed to retreat, while most of the Foundation Establishment and Qi refining stage disciples were killed, their artifacts looted.

    "Never be ves! Believe in the Dark Moon God and gain freedom!"

    "Never be ves! Believe in the Dark Moon God and gain freedom!"

    Someone shouted, and others quickly echoed, their voices growing louder and more fervent. Excitement and disbelief filled their faces. Many had never dreamed of escaping the dark, sunless mines in their lifetime.

    Feng Ling, having avenged his great grudge today and now leading the cultivators to defeat the guards, felt immense satisfaction. His gratitude towards the Dark Moon God grew, and he dared not forget Zuo Qinghui''s instructions.

    He immediately arranged for some cultivators to guard the dormitory entrance while sending others to remove the cors from the Qi refining stage mine ves scattered in the dormitory area.

    Soon, hundreds of ragged mine ve cultivators gathered in the open square at the dormitory entrance. Many, including Qi refining stage cultivators, had no idea what had happened, looking confused and even fearful.

    The Returning to Origin Sect imposed severe punishments on mine ves who attempted to escape. Despite their apparent strength, these hundreds of cultivators had not fought in a long time and feared Elder Hai, the Nascent Soul stage powerhouse overseeing the mines.

    Zuo Qinghui stood on a high ground, with Feng Ling and others beside him. Hua Zhi, in a ck robe, stood on the other side.

    He looked at the hundreds of cultivators below, their faces filled with confusion, and his mind raced.

    If all these cultivators could be devout followers of the Dark Moon God, providing their willpower, the Soul Pill technique could be perfected in an instant.

    Unfortunately, cultivators had strong wills, and Foundation Establishment stage cultivators were knowledgeable and unlikely to submit easily. However, they should at least be grateful for this rescue.

    Gratitude might not be as enduring as faith, but it was better than nothing and far stronger than that of mortals.

    "Everyone, as cultivators blessed by the heavens, we should be free to roam the world and pursue immortality. Yet, we were thrown into these mines by the Returning to Origin Sect, with no hope of escape. My master, the Dark Moon God, couldn''t stand by and sent me to rescue you. Elder Hai will be dealt with by my master. We only need to clear out the Returning to Origin Sect guards and free the mortal mine ves to leave safely!" Zuo Qinghui dered loudly.

    "The Dark Moon God?" Many Qi refining stage cultivators exchanged puzzled nces.

    Zuo Qinghui had been preaching for some time, and many had heard of it, but few believed it.

    Zuo Qinghui didn''t say more and turned to Feng Ling.

    Feng Ling understood and stepped forward, saying, "That''s right. We owe our escape to the protection of the Dark Moon God. If we work together, we can surely leave this ce and regain our freedom!"

    Feng Ling was highly respected among the mine ves. Hearing him say this, the Qi refining stage cultivators who were unaware of the situation calmed down a bit.

    "Fight for freedom! Kill!" Without further exnation, Zuo Qinghui and Feng Ling led the army of cultivators in a charge.

    ...

    Almost simultaneously, a fierce battle raged in the underground cavern ahead.

    Vajra rampaged through the cavern, drawing the guards'' attention to buy time for Zuo Qinghui, Hua Zhi, and others to rescue the mine ves and for Yuan Ming and his group to destroy the formations.

    More and more Returning to Origin Sect cultivators arrived, including over ten Foundation Establishment stage cultivators led by the man with a single horn, Fang Dafu, trying to encircle Vajra.

    However, Vajra moved like lightning, its strength overwhelming. Ordinary Foundation Establishment stage cultivators were no match for it, let alone the Qi refining stage guards.

    In no time, many Returning to Origin Sect guardsy dead, their limbs and blood scattered across the cavern, filling the air with a nauseating stench.

    Boom!

    The gate of a four-story building burst open, and Elder Hai flew out.

    "Elder Hai!" The Returning to Origin Sect guards cheered.

    Fang Dafu''s expression wasplex but relieved to see Elder Hai.

    Seeing the situation in the cavern, Elder Hai''s eyes shed with anger. He formed a seal and pointed at Vajra.

    A white bone knife shot out, shing towards Vajra.

    The bone knife''s hilt was a grim skull, and the de emitted a white me-like glow, cold and menacing.

    The white bone knife''s sh created a chilling aura, almost freezing the blood, aiming for Vajra''s head.

    Vajra shuddered under the bone knife''s cold aura, but its skin quickly glowed gold, returning to normal. A purple spear appeared in its hand.

    This spear was the Purple Star Nine Dragons Spear taken from Zuo Qinghui''s storage bag. Vajra raised it to block the white bone knife with a ng.

    Elder Hai was slightly surprised. Vajra''s aura was strange, emitting a faint demonic energy, but its physical strength was formidable.

    And that purple spear, easily blocking his Cold me Bone Knife, was undoubtedly a treasure, yet Vajra used it purely as a weapon.

    While pondering, Elder Hai formed another seal, and the white bone knife ignited with bone-white mes, lunging at Vajra like a living creature.

    Vajra''s arm moved, and the Purple Star Nine Dragons Spear''s tip vibrated, unleashing a powerful force that sent the white bone knife flying.

    Vajra''s arm circled, and the spear''s tip shed left and right, tearing through the white mes.

    "What is this..." Elder Hai was stunned.

    Vajra didn''t linger, immediately charging at the Foundation Establishment stage cultivators.

    With the Purple Star Nine Dragons Spear in hand, Vajra''sbat power was terrifying, the spear''s shadows blooming like fireworks.

    Wherever the spear reached, cultivators'' foreheads and hearts were pierced, their protective artifacts and spells shattering on contact.

    "Everyone, stay back! This demon ape is a body cultivator. Don''t engage it up close!" Elder Hai shouted in anger and flew forward.

    The white bone knife, which had been knocked away, stopped and shed at Vajra again.

    At that moment, Vajra''s flying form suddenly halted. Its left arm glowed gold, turning into pure gold as it punched the white bone knife.

    With a loud bang, the white bone knife was sent flying, leaving a deep gash on Vajra''s fist, white mes burning fiercely.

    Vajra ignored it, its right arm swelling as it hurled the Purple Star Nine Dragons Spear.

    Whoosh!

    A purple shadow shot towards Elder Hai''s chest.

    The move was so sudden that Elder Hai barely reacted in time. The spear was already in front of him.

    Elder Hai stopped and pushed his palms forward.

    Two blue ribbons shot out, wrapping around the spear. Although they were quickly shredded into pieces, they slowed the spear slightly.

    Taking advantage of the pause, Elder Hai''s right eye turned deep blue, erging with a vertical slit in the center, emitting a strange mix of demonic energy and magical power.

    A cold blue beam shot from the eerie blue eye, striking the spear.

    With a loud ng, the spear was knocked back.

    The blue beam unleashed a chilling aura, forming a massive blue ice mountain that encased the spear, covering the ground in blue ice crystals.

    "What kind of technique is this?" Vajra, with its newly awakened intelligence, was puzzled by Elder Hai''s methods.

    But Vajra, eager for battle, showed no fear. It vanished and reappeared near the ice mountain, punching it.

    The towering ice mountain shattered into pieces, sending chunks flying at Elder Hai, each piece carrying Vajra''s immense strength and emitting a terrifying sound.

 Chapter 333: Respond to

    Chapter 333: Respond to

    Elder Hai furrowed his brow, sped his hands together, then separated them, producing a blue g in each hand.

    With a wave, the two gs expanded rapidly in the wind, transforming into two massive banners the size of millstones. As they shimmered, two streams of blue light erupted from the ground before him, interwoven with numerous blue patterns, forming two blue light screens in an instant.

    After a series of loud bangs, the iing ice chunks shatteredpletely, but the two blue light screens also trembled violently before dissipating.

    "What¡¯s going on? Could someone be sabotaging the core of the protective array? We need to finish this quickly!" Elder Hai was startled.

    Vajra pulled the Purple Star Nine Dragons Spear from the shattered ice and charged at Elder Hai again.

    However, at that moment, a surge of blue frost emanated from the spear, climbing up Vajra''s arms.

    Ayer of blue ice crystals appeared on Vajra''s arms, rapidly spreading to other parts of his body.

    "Let go quickly! The spear is contaminated with the blue-eyed beast''s icy power!" Yuan Ming''s voice echoed in Vajra''s mind.

    Vajra shuddered and hastily threw the spear away, retreating swiftly. The spread of the blue ice crystals halted, freezing only up to his elbows.A white light, apanied by a chilling wind, shot towards him.

    It was the white bone de, zing with fierce white mes, shing towards Vajra''s head.

    ...

    Deep within the mine, Yuan Ming was wielding the Blood Transformation de, attacking a white stone pir before him.

    With the previous sabotage efforts by Xu Che and She Yu, it was estimated that destroying this core pir wouldpletely break the protective array of the mine.

    At that point, Elder Hai, a Nascent Soul stage cultivator, would be much easier to deal with without the array''s support.

    This stone pir was several times thicker than the previous ones, made entirely of white crystal, withplex array patterns on it, making it exceptionally sturdy. The Blood Transformation de could only chip off a bowl-sized piece at most, far from the effect of cutting through the previous pirs in two strikes.

    "Hmm, Elder Hai''s blue eye has a strange aura, simr to that one-horned beast of Fang''s. Both are demonic beast parts, fused onto him through secret techniques," Yuan Ming muttered to himself, pausing his attack.

    To keep track of the underground situation, he had secretly ced a soul crow near Vajra, observing the fight between Elder Hai and Vajra.

    Elder Hai''s abilities were strange, and with the support of the protective array, Vajra, despite his physical strength beingparable to an early Nascent Soul stage cultivator, was still at a disadvantage. It was alreadymendable that he could hold on.

    Yuan Ming needed to break the mine''s array quickly to assist Vajra.

    With this thought, Yuan Ming bit his tongue, spitting out a mouthful of blood, which he infused into the Blood Transformation de.

    The de''s blood-red glow intensified, and he struck the white stone pir fiercely.

    ...

    In the underground cavern, Elder Hai and Vajra were entangled in battle once again.

    Elder Hai, wary of Vajra''s immense strength, kept his distance, manipting the tworge gs in his hands to point at the cavern ceiling.

    A sharp whistling sound echoed from the ceiling as blue array patterns appeared, shooting down beams of blue light that formed arge blue, enveloping Vajra.

    The blue was massive, leaving Vajra no room to escape.

    With his hands frozen and unable to use the Purple Star Nine Dragons Spear, Vajra''sbat power was greatly reduced. He transformed into a golden shadow, darting to evade.

    "Where do you think you''re going?" Elder Hai sneered, shaking the array g. The followed Vajra, moving several times faster than him.

    Despite Vajra''s agile movements, he couldn''t escape the, which eventually ensnared him.

    Elder Hai''s figure blurred, appearing several meters away. His blue eye glowed brightly, shooting a beam of blue light at Vajra.

    Moreover, the sleeve on his right arm suddenly burst, revealing a grotesque arm covered in purple lightning patterns, clearly another transnted part. He reached out towards Vajra.

    Thunder roared!

    The lightning patterns on the arm shot out thick purple arcs, condensing into a purple lightning column as thick as a barrel, striking at Vajra''s chest.

    Elder Hai unleashed all his powers, aiming to quickly eliminate Vajra and move on to clean up other areas, especially the dire situation near the dormitories.

    Facing such overwhelming attacks, Vajra''s expression turned grim. Golden light shed behind him, and two new, thick ape arms emerged, tearing the blue apart like paper.

    The new ape hands grasped in the air, materializing a golden ruler and a giant bronze sword¡ªthe Golden Sun Ruler and the Bronze Giant Sword.

    With a swing of his arms, countless ruler and sword shadows appeared, sweeping towards the white bone de, the blue light beam, and the purple lightning column.

    A series of explosions ensued. The white bone de was knocked away, and the blue light beam and purple lightning column were shattered.

    However, Vajra was also sent flying backward, half of his body covered in ice, the other half charred, crashing heavily into the stone wall behind him. The Golden Sun Ruler and the Bronze Giant Sword were also knocked away.

    Elder Hai smirked, shooting the two array gs into the ground.

    Blue array patterns emerged on the stone wall behind Vajra, shooting out blue light chains that tightly bound him.

    Vajra, both shocked and furious, grabbed the blue light chains, trying to tear them apart.

    However, heavily injured, he couldn''t break the chains, which were sturdier than the previous blue.

    "Die!" Elder Hai spat out a white light, merging it into the white bone de.

    The de''s chilling aura intensified, extending a dozen meters long, shing towards Vajra''s neck with the force to split mountains and seas.

    ...

    "Not good!"

    Seeing Vajra''s predicament, Yuan Ming''s expression changed.

    The white jade pir before him was only half cut, and it would take considerable time topletely destroy it.

    The mine''s protective array was intricate. With Elder Hai controlling it, Yuan Ming wasn''t confident in dealing with him. He had nned to destroy the array first before confronting Elder Hai, but Vajra was losing too quickly.

    "Forget it, I''ll deal with Elder Hai first and then destroy the array." He decided, a ck light shing between his brows as seven soul crows flew out, heading outside.

    Yuan Ming was about to move out when he suddenly stopped.

    To facilitate his spellcasting, he had corroded a closed space around the white stone pir with the Blood Transformation de, just like before.

    An idea struck him, and he activated the Earth Escape Talisman, entering the stone wall.

    But as he entered the wall, he took out a silver token, tossing it into the closed space beside the pir.

    As soon as the token hit the ground, it emitted liquid-like silver light, rapidly spreading and filling the space, forming a silver barrier.

    The array patterns on the white stone pir were isted by the silver barrier, cutting off all connections with the outside.

    Almost simultaneously, the array patterns on the stone wall behind Vajra vanished, and the blue light chains binding him disappeared.

    Vajra, both surprised and delighted, pushed against the stone wall, moving several meters sideways.

    The white bone de struck the stone wall where Vajra had been, causing a massive explosion!

    The cavern wall shook violently, a deep fissure several meters long appeared, andrge chunks of rock fell.

    Yuan Ming was overjoyed. The silver token''s barrier was incredibly effective, not only isting spiritual power and consciousness but also severing the array''s connections. He had underestimated the token''s potential before.

    "Not good! Has the array been broken?" Elder Hai frantically tried to activate the protective array with the gs, but nothing happened.

    At that moment, a ck sound wave shot out from the nearby stone wall, enveloping Elder Hai.

    Elder Hai had noticed the soul crows nearby but had been too preupied with Vajra to deal with them. As soon as the ck sound wave appeared, he swiftly retreated, easily dodging it.

    Unexpectedly, ck light shed from the ground behind him, releasing a much denser sound wave.

    This time, Elder Hai couldn''t dodge. The ck sound wave engulfed him, causing his soul to tremble and hallucinations to appear before his eyes, leaving him in a daze.

    A ck sword qi shot out from the stone wall, shing at Elder Hai''s head, sinking into it.

    Elder Hai clutched his head, letting out a blood-curdling scream, but managed to break free from the illusion, immediately darting forward.

    Inside a nearby stone wall, Yuan Ming looked surprised.

    Elder Hai''s soul was unstable. The Soul Extinguishing Sword''s strike had targeted his soul''s weak point, yet he endured it and escaped. When Zuo Qinghui of Changchun Temple was hit by the Soul Extinguishing Sword, he couldn''t move immediately.

    However, from this exchange, Yuan Ming gauged Elder Hai''s soul strength, which was weaker than his own. He likely couldn''t withstand the Crow Cry Illusion.

    ck light shed on the nearby stone walls and ground, releasing waves of crow cry sound waves, all aimed at Elder Hai, giving him no chance to dodge, engulfing himpletely.

    Elder Hai''s eyes turned vacant, quickly falling into an illusion.

    But his soul suddenly trembled, mustering a strange resilience, resisting the Crow Cry Illusion, and he looked towards the Returning to Origin Sect cultivators in the distance.

    "Take Dafu and run..." His lips trembled, struggling to transmit the message.

    Among the crowd, the ground beneath Fang Dafu''s feet rippled with yellow waves, like water. Arge hand covered in yellow scales emerged, grabbing his leg and pulling him down.

    Fang Dafu''s body sank into the ground, disappearing.

    At that moment, shouts and cries erupted from the direction of the dormitories. Feng Ling, Zuo Qinghui, and others led the mine ves in an assault.

    The Returning to Origin Sect guards hurried to meet them, and a fierce battle ensued, with various spiritual lights shing violently.

    The Returning to Origin Sect guards were vastly outnumbered, but they were elite, with many possessing demonic beast abilities like Fang Dafu, forming battle formations to resist the mine ves'' attack.

    The Crow Cry sound waves were too widespread, preventing Vajra from intervening in Yuan Ming and Elder Hai''s fight. He retrieved the fallen Purple Star Nine Dragons Spear, Golden Sun Ruler, and Bronze Giant Sword, then charged at the Returning to Origin Sect guards.

    Yuan Ming nced at the mine ves, then refocused,manding the soul crows to unleash the Crow Cry again.

    Dense sound waves engulfed Elder Hai once more, his remaining sanity quickly fading, plunging him into the illusionpletely.

    Yuan Ming flicked his finger, and the Blood Transformation de shot out from the stone wall, turning into a streak of blood light, circling Elder Hai''s neck.

    Elder Hai''s head tilted, rolling off, as a fountain of blood gushed out.

 Chapter 334: Celebrate

    Chapter 334: Celebrate

    Elder Hai was in, and the Returning to Origin Sect disciples who witnessed this scene were utterly terrified. Their fighting spirit vanished instantly, and they no longer tangled with the mine ve cultivators, turning to flee instead.

    The mine ve cultivators nearby, seeing Yuan Ming''s heroic disy of ying a Golden Elixir stage cultivator, were now even more invigorated, as if injected with adrenaline.

    They cheered excitedly and charged at the fleeing guards.

    As the chase continued, the news of Elder Hai''s death quickly spread throughout the entire mine. The battle, already one-sided, now copsed even more rapidly.

    Seeing that the battle was settled and no longer required his intervention, Yuan Ming ordered Hua Zhi and the others to disperse and assist the mine ves. He then collected Elder Hai''s corpse and storage bag, descending to the four-story building that had been Hai''s residence.

    From top to bottom, he scoured Elder Hai''s quarters, but perhaps because this ce was merely Hai''s residence in the mine and not his private cave dwelling, there wasn''t much of value. After a thorough search, he found little of interest.

    Soon, Yuan Ming found a hidden door leading to the basement. As the ce where Elder Hai spent most of his time, it stored many unknown elixirs and spiritual liquids, as well as books recording his experimental insights.

    Yuan Ming collected all of these and then walked to the ice-cold room storing severed limbs. Even though he knew what was inside, he couldn''t help but frown.

    He skipped this room and continued forward, arriving at the deepest hall.Innumerable cages filled the hall, with only demonic beasts remaining. The cages that once held cultivators were now empty.

    Yuan Ming nced around. Due to Elder Hai often feeding the beasts with the flesh of failed experiments, these demonic beasts, though imprisoned, had not lost their ferocity. To prevent them from escaping and causing chaos, he killed them all.

    Then, he used his magical tools to destroy everything in the basement, copsing the supporting pirs. Before the basement caved in, he returned to the surface.

    Without support, the four-story building began to shake and finally copsed with a thunderous crash.

    The dust and debris from the copse rose high, illuminated by the surrounding fires, resembling fireworks celebrating the liberation of the mine ves, or the twilight glow marking the end of the Returning to Origin Sect''s rule over this ce.

    In thetter half of the night, the chaos in the mine gradually subsided. The Returning to Origin Sect cultivators were either dead or had fled. Now, only the mine ves remained.

    The freed cultivators could have left, but most of them, after venting their anger, stayed voluntarily, wanting to see the benefactor who had fought a Golden Elixir stage cultivator and given them a chance at freedom.

    Behind them were hundreds of mortal mine ves.

    Yuan Ming stood on the ruins of the four-story building, looking at the cultivators and mortals gathered around. Seeing their faces filled with gratitude, amazement, and curiosity, he slowly began to speak:

    "When I first embarked on the path of cultivation, I was just like you, a prisoner of a sect, trapped in a mountain, deprived of freedom."

    "During countless days and nights of imprisonment, I constantly thought about breaking free from my shackles, to take control of my life and future. But resisting was incredibly difficult. The envers used various means to numb us, corrupt us, making us indulge in the crumbs of benefits they let fall from their hands, ept the rules they set, and willingly embrace a future they deliberately made unattainable."

    "Fortunately, like you, I received help from someone. Not only did I shed my ve identity, but I also gained my current cultivation and strength. I am very grateful to her, but I often wondered why she helped me. Was it just because she had read the verses I wrote as a mortal?"

    "Today, standing here, looking at you, recalling the past, I finally understand the answer."

    In the crowd, Xu Che looked at Yuan Ming on the ruins, his eyes shining.

    Yuan Ming also nced at him at this moment, nodded slightly, and continued:

    "The path of immortality is long. We cultivators strive for longevity, status, or dignity. Ultimately, it all stems from a yearning for freedom. If even the heavens cannot confine us to mortal bodies, no cultivator can imprison us in chains!"

    "Some of you may have be numb to reality, but many more have not lost their spirit, still daring to show their fangs at those who obstruct them, roaring their unwillingness to be mediocre."

    Zhou Peng, hearing this, was moved, his lips trembling, but he only managed to utter a sigh of old age.

    "Now, everyone, celebrate, for your victory, for our freedom." As Yuan Ming''s words fell, the entire mine erupted into a sea of jubtion. Cultivators cheered, shouted, and vented their years of imprisonment, while some mortals began to kneel in worship.

    Some were flushed with excitement, some shed tears recalling the past, and some looked up at Yuan Ming, admiring his strength and nobility. But without exception, everyone felt heartfelt gratitude and reverence for Yuan Ming.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming suddenly felt an overwhelming surge of willpower from the cultivators and mortal mine ves before him, rushing towards his right arm.

    The willpower from the cultivators was different from that of the mortals, each strand carrying a hundredfold richer aura. Unfortunately, perhaps because they did not truly believe in Yuan Ming, the willpower they provided was not continuous, each person''s contribution having a limit.

    As the willpower surged, the incense burner mark on Yuan Ming''s right arm heated up. Although the Stealing Heaven Cauldron did not manifest, it tirelessly absorbed the willpower for Yuan Ming.

    But Yuan Ming still couldn''t actively use the willpower stored in the cauldron. Seeing this, he grew anxious and immediatelymanded his sub-soul, which had just returned to his body, to operate at full speed, absorbing all the willpower flowing towards the Stealing Heaven Cauldron. He then sat down cross-legged, with his main soul absorbing the purified willpower from the sub-soul, rapidly cultivating the Death Moon Method.

    In front of the ruins, Xu Che and the others, who had wanted to speak with Yuan Ming after his speech, were puzzled when they saw him suddenly sit down cross-legged.

    "Don''t worry, everyone. The master has had an epiphany. He will speak with you once he has fully digested his insights," Zuo Qinghui exined.

    To maintain the vitality of Zuo Qinghui''s body, Yuan Ming rarely used the sub-soul ced within him. At this moment, it could handle some matters on behalf of the main soul.

    Hearing Zuo Qinghui''s exnation, Xu Che and the others nodded, their doubts resolved. However, Yu Yu suddenly nced at the meditating Yuan Ming and chuckled softly.

    "I''m curious, Zuo Daoist, why do you, who fought for our freedom, willingly serve him as your master?"

    Xu Che asked, "By the way, Zuo Daoist, how should we address your master when we speak with himter? Should we call him the Dark Moon God?"

    "The master''s name is Yuan Ming. You can call him Daoist directly; he doesn''t mind such things," Zuo Qinghui replied.

    Recalling his behavior that night, Xu Cheughed awkwardly and fell silent.

    As they conversed, Yuan Ming''s cultivation reached a critical stage.

    In his sea of consciousness, the vast soul power surged, forming a massive vortex, devouring the willpower refined by the sub-soul to strengthen itself.

    As the soul power grew rapidly, Yuan Ming''s sea of consciousness soon filled with it. Everything, including the main soul and the sub-soul, seemed to be submerged in a sea of soul power.

    But in the next moment, the soul power that filled the sea of consciousness suddenly receded. Although the sub-soul continued to provide willpower without pause, the soul power''s retreat only elerated, soon receding to half its original volume.

    At this moment, a wless white halo, like a newly risen moon, emerged from the sea of soul power.

    Within the halo, Yuan Ming''s soul sat cross-legged, resembling a meticulously carved jade statue, identical in appearance and posture to Yuan Ming.

    As the halo fully ascended above the sea of consciousness, Yuan Ming suddenly opened his eyes in reality, his spiritual consciousness spreading out instantly, enveloping the entire mine.

    The celebrating cultivators in the mine felt a chill run through them, as if they were being watched by an unfathomable presence.

    "Do not be rmed, everyone. I had a fortunate breakthrough and forgot to control it for a moment."

    Yuan Ming''s gentle voice echoed in everyone''s ears, and then he retracted his spiritual consciousness. Everyone immediately felt relieved, looking at each other. In that brief moment of contact, their backs were soaked with sweat from fear.

    At this moment, they truly experienced Yuan Ming''s power firsthand, adding a touch of awe to their hearts.

 Chapter 335: Thirteen times

    Chapter 335: Thirteen times

    At the top of the ruins, Yuan Ming savored the recent sensation, his eyes filled with excitement.

    With the aid of wish power, he had directly broken through to the fifth level of the Death Moon method.

    Reaching the fifth level of the Death Moon method, Yuan Ming felt he had entered a whole new realm. Not only had his soul power significantly increased, but the most crucial aspect was that after stepping into this realm, his soul power would circte ording to the Death Moon method without any deliberate effort, constantly enhancing itself.

    In other words, at this stage, soul cultivators were almost always getting stronger, with the only limitation being the bottleneck when breaking through minor realms.

    For ordinary soul cultivators, this was undoubtedly the strongest enhancement that couldpletely leave other cultivators, like those who practiced magic or physical cultivation, far behind.

    But for Yuan Ming, this speed of strength growth was nowhere near as fast as actively refining wish power, so it was only marginally better than nothing.

    In fact, for ordinary soul cultivators, breaking through to this realm was extremely difficult. Even with excellent aptitude, it required a lot of time and effort, plus some fortuitous opportunities to break through.

    However, with the assistance of wish power, Yuan Ming''s cultivation speed was nearly a hundred times faster, and the bottleneck between the fourth and fifth levels was also broken through with the wish power generated by the gratitude of hundreds of cultivators in the mine.

    The importance of wish power to Yuan Ming was self-evident. While excited, he also secretly decided to find more ways to increase the acquisition of wish power in the future.After breaking through the fifth level, several of Yuan Ming''s abilities had also improved in ways different from before.

    First was the number of soul crows. This time, the number of soul crows increased by four, reaching a total of twelve, and their travel distance increased to sixty miles.

    Correspondingly, the distance his split soul could move also greatly increased. Although Yuan Ming couldn''t test it on the spot due to special circumstances, he estimated it should be over three hundred miles.

    Unfortunately, the split soul was rtively independent, and the improvement of Yuan Ming''s main soul did not benefit the split soul.

    Among the remaining abilities, "Soul Search" had the most significant improvement, with the speed of probing memories increasing several times. Previously, it took at least ten days to half a month to search all the memories of a cultivator, but now it only took one or two days.

    The power of "Soul Collision" and "Crow Cry" had also doubled.

    The power of "Soul Feeding" had increased significantly, and it could now absorb the souls of some weak living beings, in addition to the remnant souls of the dead.

    As for the "Corpse Control" ability, there was no significant change; each soul crow could still only control one corpse, but the control was more adept than before.

    Besides these existing abilities, Yuan Ming also awakened a new ability called "Emotion Control" with this breakthrough.

    It could control various emotions in people''s hearts, such as sadness, fear, anger, joy, jealousy, etc., and could amplify or suppress them, making people extremely calm or frenzied, even mad.

    The "Emotion Control" ability, like illusions, could be performed through spiritual consciousness, and could also be triggered by the crow''s cry.

    However, the effect and duration of "Emotion Control" would vary depending on the strength of the person''s soul and mental state.

    After understanding the effect of this ability, Yuan Ming immediately thought of many clever uses. Unfortunately, there were too many people around at the moment, so he couldn''t research and try it publicly. He had to temporarily set aside his expectations, walk down the ruins, ande before Xu Che and the others.

    "Thank you, Daoist Yuan, for your help."

    Seeing Yuan Minge down, Xu Che and the others all cupped their hands in thanks, looking somewhat reserved.

    Yuan Ming waved his hand and smiled, "No need to be so polite, fellow Daoists. What are your ns now?"

    "I should return to ck Desert City. It''s the territory of the ck Desert Alliance, and the Returning to Origin Sect can''t reach there. If you happen to pass by in the future, you can find me at the Qianlong Inn in the city," She Yu said.

    "Alright, but Daoist She, you don''t need to worry about the Returning to Origin Sect seeking revenge. They''ve secretly captured so many fellow Daoists, and now that the news will spread, their days in the ck Wind Desert will be tough," Yuan Ming said.

    "That''s true. I''m also nning to spread the news. If I can get several major forces to join forces and pressure the Returning to Origin Sect to shrink their territory, that would be the best oue," She Yu said with a smile.

    Yuan Ming nodded and turned to Feng Ling, "Daoist Feng, are you nning to return to Qin Country? That''s the base of the Returning to Origin Sect, so you must be careful."

    "Thank you for the reminder, Daoist. But I have sworn to Juan''er that I will bring Chen Shang''s corpse to her grave tofort her spirit," Feng Ling said through gritted teeth.

    Yuan Ming sighed and didn''t persuade him further. He then turned to Xu Che, but before he could speak, Xu Che cupped his hands and said, "Young Master Yuan, may I follow you like Daoist Zuo?"

    "I remember you still have unresolved grudges in Zhao Country, right? Now that you''re free, don''t you want to go back for revenge? Why do you want to follow me?" Yuan Ming asked, surprised.

    Xu Che shook his head, "To be honest, my uncles have already allied with a Golden Elixir cultivator from the Wulei Sect to seize the family property. With my strength, I can''t fight them. I''ve been wasting my time in the ck Wind Desert for years without any growth, and the chance for revenge is bing slimmer. Young Master Yuan, you have the power to defeat a Golden Elixir cultivator. Following you might allow me to learn more than if I were wandering alone."

    "But why should I help you?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "Daoist Zuo said you are willing to give your followers the key to open their cages. I don''t need you to take action personally, just give me the opportunity for revenge," Xu Che said, bowing his head like a believer praying to his god.

    Yuan Ming looked at Xu Che, as if seeing his former self, "If you gain power and face your enemy, and find that his actions have a universally epted justification, what would you do?"

    Xu Che had heard of Yuan Ming''s deeds and knew how to answer to meet Yuan Ming''s expectations, but he still hesitated. After a moment, he straightened up and said, "I might forgive him, or continue to hate him, even kill him. But no matter what, it will be my own choice. I won''t give up my right and freedom to please anyone."

    Yuan Ming smiled. He felt a strong wish power rising from Xu Che, continuously flowing to the incense burner mark on his arm.

    The faith of mortalses from awe and worship, while the faith of cultivatorses from recognition.

    For cultivators, the difference between them and gods lies only in the level of cultivation. Therefore, what truly attracts their worship and following is the ideology proposed by the "god."

    They are not followers of the god butpanions and fellow travelers. They bow not to the god''s power but to the god''s thoughts and will.

    Through his reflection and answer, Xu Che had fully understood Yuan Ming''s interpretation of freedom at that moment and genuinely agreed with his ideas.

    Thus, he became Yuan Ming''s first cultivator follower, a fellow traveler on Yuan Ming''s path to freedom. In the future, he might be an object of admiration for others, gaining their gratitude and faith. The wish power generated would trace back to Yuan Ming.

    Yuan Ming looked at Xu Che, patted his shoulder, and agreed to his request with a smile. Xu Che didn''t act overly grateful, just nodded and silently moved to stand behind Yuan Ming, like Zuo Qinghui.

    She Yu and Feng Ling watched this scene with different expressions. At this moment, Wu Lu, who had almost disappeared during the battle, suddenly appeared and came to Yuan Ming with a grin.

    "Brother Yuan, long time no see."

    "You rascal, where have you been? Why did you disappear for so long?" Yuan Mingined helplessly.

    "Forgive me, Brother Yuan. I had no choice," Wu Lu said, ncing at the others.

    Seeing this, She Yu seemed a bit displeased, but Feng Ling didn''t care and left after saying a word to Yuan Ming. She Yu also cupped his hands to Yuan Ming and left together.

    Behind Yuan Ming, Xu Che understood that Wu Lu wanted to talk to Yuan Ming alone, so he volunteered to check on the mortal mine ves in the mine with Zuo Qinghui and left.

    Wu Lu took Yuan Ming to a secluded ce, cast a soundproof spell, and said, "Brother Yuan, I won''t hide it from you anymore. Actually, I''ve been secretly serving a cultivation family."

    Yuan Ming feigned surprise, "Is that so? But I remember you were once a member of Dawn. They say Dawn''s origins are mysterious. Could it be your family that founded it?"

    "Brother Yuan, you''re overthinking. Although many in my family have connections with Dawn, they are not the founders. As far as I know, although Dawn is a rogue alliance, many of its controllerse from major sects. But no one has ever figured out who the real leader is," Wu Lu shook his head.

    "My family is somewhat simr to Dawn. Although it''s a Central ins family, it includes people from the Southern Border, Western Region, Northern Wastes, and even the half-demons from the Eastern Sea. There are twelve Golden Elixir elders in the family, each responsible for different regional tasks. Although they are rogue cultivators, they have extensive connections. Elder Niu Mian, who oversees Zhao Country, has a close rtionship with Elder Hai stationed here. Brother Yuan, you killed him this time, so be careful in the future."

    Listening to Wu Lu''s exnation, Yuan Ming frowned and asked, "Brother Wu Lu, you are so candid. Are you in trouble?"

    Wu Lu was silent for a moment and sighed, "Brother Yuan, do you know how many infiltration missions I''ve undertaken in the family over the years?"

    Before Yuan Ming could speak, Wu Lu raised his hands and said, "Thirteen times, in thirteen sects. Each time, I started as a low-level disciple. The shortest infiltrationsted two years, the longest seven years. Since I entered the Foundation Establishment stage, I''ve spent fifty years in infiltration, with almost no day of freedom."

    ...

    Friendly rmendation: The new work by author Chang Feng, "Princess, Please Behave!"

    Agent Luo Xing identally travels through time and bes a secret agent "Fox Seventeen" in the Southern Yamen of the Great Zhou Dynasty. His former subordinate, Princess Ye Liuli, has be a martial arts prodigy and one of the four beauties of Luojing.

    One is in the court, the other in the rivers andkes.

    Ten yearster, fate brings them together again. In the treacherous court and the era of martialpetition, who is the mastermind behind it all, and who will stand at the pinnacle of martial arts and be the ultimate winner?

 Chapter 336: Black and White Tokens

    Chapter 336: ck and White Tokens

    "Sometimes, I can hardly tell who I am anymore. Am I Wu Lu from Bi Luo Cave, Nanchenzi from Fengshan Temple, or Luo Yao from the Fire Yuan Sect? Every so often, I have to practice different techniques in the disciples'' quarters of various sects, never daring to rx for a moment, fearing that my Concealment Technique might fail and I¡¯d be discovered," Wu Lu said with a bitter smile.

    "I''ve had enough, Brother Yuan, really had enough. All these years, the only person I can call a friend is you. Heh, let me be honest with you. Do you remember when we were beast ves in the Great Mountain Range, and you found me suffering from the aftereffects of the Concealment Technique? I wanted to kill you then, just like I did with anyone who discovered me while I was undercover. But when I tried to use the Fire Pattern Iron to lower your guard, you told me you saved people not for repayment."

    Wu Lu pointed at Yuan Ming and suddenly burst intoughter,ughing so hard he bent over, before continuing:

    "Tell me, how can there be such a foolish person? Clearly captured just like the rest of us, with lost memories, seeing no hope or future, only being strung along by false promises, enduring the torment as a beast ve, yet still holding onto a shred of kindness, willing to save a stranger without expecting anything in return. Such a person doesn''t need my hand to kill; they could easily die in the mouth of some demonic beast any day."

    Yuan Ming looked at Wu Lu and calmly said, "But that person survived."

    "Yes, who would have thought? That fool I spared on a whim not only survived but also disyed great power, rescuing another fool trapped in a cage. Perhaps it was destiny," Wu Lu said, his smile fading. "Brother Yuan, I don''t want to hide anymore. I don''t want to live like this. I want my freedom. I betrayed my family, but in the end, Elder Niu Mian caught me. He seems to be plotting something in Zhao Country and has no time for me, so he handed me over to Elder Hai for punishment in this mine."

    "I didn''t participate in the battle at the mine because I was afraid of leaving traces. If Niu Mian came and found out I was connected to you, it would cause you trouble. Now that the mine is destroyed, it has nothing to do with me. Although Niu Mian and Elder Hai are acquainted, they won''te looking for you. Just remember, if you ever encounter them, don''t mention me or the mine."

    Yuan Ming nodded and asked, "Brother Wu, are you nning to flee and live as a fugitive?"

    "Yes, but don''t worry, Brother Yuan. With my skills, no one can find me if I want to hide. It''s a pity that we brothers finally met, but now we must part again. Who knows when we''ll meet again?" Wu Lu sighed, then took out two jade slips and handed them to Yuan Ming."These two jade slips were hastily recorded during the chaos. One contains my Concealment Technique, called the ''Concealment Art.'' You mentioned it when we first met, but I couldn''t give it to you because of my family. Now, there''s no such concern. The other is a secret technique from my family, called the ''Hidden Vein Condensing Elixir Art,'' which can increase the probability of forming a Golden Elixir but requires the ''Concealment Art'' as a foundation. It''s best to practice the former before considering thetter."

    Yuan Ming didn''t take the jade slips but suggested, "Brother Wu, with my current strength, I can even kill Nascent Soul stage cultivators. Why don''t youe back to Quicksand City with me? Even if Niu Mian finds you, with my help, it would be better than facing him alone."

    Wu Lu smiled but shook his head. "No need, Brother Yuan. You have your own path to follow. How can I burden you? Besides, I''m not only escaping my family''s pursuit but also seeking an opportunity to form a Golden Elixir. If I seed, I mighte back to ask for your help to settle the score with my family."

    Seeing Wu Lu''s determination, Yuan Ming stopped persuading him and epted the jade slips.

    Wu Lu continued, "By the way, there''s something else I need to tell you. Do you remember after the battle at Bi Luo Cave, I said I was going to see the sea and ended up in Haiyan City? Actually, I wasn''t just there to enjoy the scenery. I heard that someone had seen Peni Ind there."

    Yuan Ming was surprised. "Peni Ind? One of the three Eastern Sea inds said to produce elixirs of immortality? Isn''t it said that no one has ever found its exact location?"

    "That''s what I thought too. When I went to Haiyan City, I found it was just a rumor and let it go. But in recent years, I''ve heard more and more news from the Eastern Sea about cultivators seeing a shadow or it disappearing when approached. The truth is unclear, but one thing is certain: something big might be happening in the Eastern Sea. If you have time, Brother Yuan, you could go and check it out."

    Wu Lu then took out a half-ck, half-white token and handed it to Yuan Ming. "This is my other identity token in the Dawn Alliance, under the name Wu Chen, a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator. My family doesn''t know about this identity, and the Dawn Alliance only recognizes the token, not the person. Take it; the Dawn Alliance is also offering rewards for information on the three Eastern Sea inds. If you go there and encounter any trouble, you can show the token to avoid some hassle."

    "Remember, the leader of the Dawn Alliance''s Eastern Sea branch, Pei Jianghai, is ate-stage Golden Elixir cultivator. He''s proud and petty, so it''s best not to offend him publicly. Other than that, there''s not much to worry about. Just one thing: this Eastern Sea matter is causing a stir, and the deputy leader might personally get involved. No one knows his true identity, but it''s rumored he has fought with Elemental Infant stage cultivators and is incredibly powerful."

    Yuan Ming took the token, feeling like Wu Lu was making final arrangements. He sighed inwardly, wanting to persuade him again, but Wu Lu sensed his intention, smiled, and waved his hand. He stepped back two steps and, like a hero in a story, sped his fists toward Yuan Ming.

    "Brother Yuan, all good things muste to an end. Farewell for now. We''ll meet again in the martial world."

    Yuan Ming also smiled and sped his fists. "Brother Wu, take care."

    Wu Lu nodded,ughed heartily, and turned to take out a flying artifact he had scavenged from the chaos. Just as he was about to take off, he heard Yuan Ming ask again.

    "Brother Wu, as we part, can you leave your real name?"

    Without turning back, Wu Lu said, "Brother Yuan, I was an orphan raised by my family. Though I have many faces, no one ever cared. Only the name Wu Lu matters, for it was Wu Lu who met you and was saved by you. With this, all my other identities vanish. From now on, I am only Wu Lu."

    With that, Wu Lu flew off on his artifact, heading out of the mine.

    ...

    After bidding farewell to Wu Lu, Yuan Ming sighed and then got busy.

    Although the battle at the mine was won, the aftermath was troublesome.

    There were over eight hundred cultivators in the mine. After tonight''s celebration, they would go their separate ways, continuing their journeys. Except for Elder Hai''s belongings, which no one dared to touch, the storage bags and artifacts of the Returning to Origin Sect disciples, as well as the spirit stones in the mine, were all taken as spoils of war by the cultivators.

    However, the most abundant resource in the mine was the ores. Despite the cultivators taking some, a lot remained.

    Yuan Ming nned to take these ores out and sell themter for a significant amount of spirit stones.

    Before that, Yuan Ming went to the array node in the mine to retrieve the silver token he had ced there.

    Then, he began treating Vajra''s injuries. As a body cultivator, Vajra''s recovery ability was astonishing. With the elixirs Yuan Ming had given him in advance, the injuries from his fight with Elder Hai were almost healed, except for the ice on his arm.

    Now that he had time, Yuan Ming quickly melted the ice after some research.

    Meanwhile, Lei Yu, who had been guarding outside the mine, was called back and put into the spirit beast bag.

    Then, he and Vajra found Feng Ling, who had not yet left the mine, and got the beetles he had secretly used during cultivation.

    Feng Ling was originally a technique cultivator but was forced to switch to body cultivation. Now, he had no reason to keep the beetles. With his help, Yuan Ming quickly found where the beetles were.

    Just as he was about to collect the beetles with Vajra, he learned from Zuo Qinghui that the mortal believers in the mine were looking for him. So, he let Vajra catch the beetles on his own.

    Soon, Yuan Ming arrived at the mortal residential area in the northern part of the mine, where Xu Che and Zuo Qinghui were waiting with three mortals.

    "Dark Moon God, these are the leaders chosen by the mortal mine ves here. They want to thank you personally."

    In front of outsiders, Xu Che did not call Yuan Ming by name but referred to him as the Dark Moon God.

    Yuan Ming nodded and looked at the three mortals.

    The one on the far left was a middle-aged man, dark-skinned and muscr, looking very strong.

    Next to him was a woman equally robust, with a build that matched the man''s, her features showing a certain heroic spirit.

    The one on the far right was an elderly man with white hair, thin but with bronze skin, showing signs of longbor in the mine.

    "Believers Bai Qi, Rong Zhuang, and Qiao Sabei, greet the Dark Moon God."

    Seeing Yuan Ming, the three shouted in unison and knelt down.

    Behind them, countless mortal mine ves also knelt, chanting the name of the Dark Moon God.

 Chapter 337: Persuade

    Chapter 337: Persuade

    Yuan Ming looked at them, feeling the surge of faith from their bodies, and nodded slightly.

    "Everyone, please rise."

    "Thank you, Dark Moon God, for your grace," the followers chanted in unison as they stood up.

    Although Yuan Ming had seen many grand scenes, this sight of thousands chanting together still made him feel somewhat uneasy. He took the initiative to ask, "My messengers, Xu Che and Zuo Qinghui, said you have something to discuss with me?"

    Qiao Sabei quickly stepped forward and said, "We trouble you, Dark Moon God. We are truly fearful. Everyone is a bit uneasy. We don''t know if you have any orders or arrangements for us in the future that we need to follow."

    "I have already eliminated all the cultivators overseeing this ce. You are now free to go home. I don''t need you to do anything for me. If you must do something, just recite my name a few times each day," Yuan Ming said.

    However, upon hearing his words, most of the mortals did not react with the expected joy. Instead, they looked at each other with a bit of confusion on their faces.

    Bai Qi hesitated for a moment but then gathered his courage and said, "But Dark Moon God, this is our home. If we leave here, where can so many of us go? Is there a ce that can support us? Moreover, where would we even find such a ce?"

    "Oh, so that''s the issue. Don''t worry, I''ve already made arrangements. I will take you to a safe ce where you can settle down. Of course, you can also decide to stay or leave on your own; I won''t stop you," Yuan Ming said, somewhat enlightened.Upon hearing this, all the mortals were overjoyed and knelt down again, chanting the name of the Dark Moon God.

    Yuan Ming waved his hand, signaling them to rise. He then instructed Bai Qi and the others to gather some food and hold a simple celebration for the mortals here. After the celebration, they were to count the people, pack their belongings, and move to the giant flying boat used for transportation in the mine. They were also to allocate some people to move the ores from the mine.

    Afterward, Yuan Ming, along with Xu Che and Zuo Qinghui, left amidst the cheers of the mortals.

    "Master, there are still quite a few spirit beasts here. During the previous battle, the cultivators from the Returning to Origin Sect didn''t have time to use them. They are all locked up now. What should we do with them?" Xu Che asked as they walked.

    "See if there are any powerful or rare ones and send them to the flying boat. For the rest, ask the cultivators here if anyone wants them. If not, release them. There are still many unmined veins here, and the Returning to Origin Sect will definitelye back. We can''t leave anything for them," Yuan Ming said.

    While the mortals and cultivators at the mine were celebrating, a yellow light emerged from the desert hundreds of miles away.

    As the light dissipated, Fang Dafu and another middle-aged cultivator appeared. The middle-aged man looked ordinary, with long hair and no beard, but he had a blood-red mark on the back of his neck.

    "Earlier, the situation was urgent. I had to forcibly drag you away. Please forgive me, young master," the middle-aged cultivator said, bowing to Fang Dafu.

    Fang Dafu regained hisposure and shook his head. "It was chaotic at the time. Uncle Ding, you saved me, which was no easy feat. Let''s not talk about this. Where is Elder Hai? Where should we go to meet him?"

    Uncle Ding was Elder Hai''s trusted aide, having been by his side since childhood, always loyal and unwavering.

    Upon hearing Fang Dafu''s question, a hint of sadness shed in Uncle Ding''s eyes. "Young master, please ept my condolences. The master was betrayed by his own disciple. I''m afraid you will never see him again."

    Fang Dafu was stunned, his expression shifting from disbelief to shock and confusion, and finally to a touch of sorrow.

    He wanted to refute, but he had seen Elder Hai''s dire situation with his own eyes. Uncle Ding, being his father''s trusted aide, would never joke about such matters.

    He opened his mouth but found his throat dry, unable to say a word. His vision blurred, as if covered by tears, but when he wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, they were dry.

    Since he could remember, he had lived with his mother, harboring hatred for the father who abandoned them. But when his mother passed away, and his often-cursed father came to find him, he wanted to vent his anger. However, seeing the pain and sorrow in his father''s eyes as he looked at his mother''s memorial tablet, he found himself unable to say anything, just like now.

    Uncle Ding stood by, waiting for a long time, seemingly giving Fang Dafu time to vent his emotions. Seeing no reaction, he reminded, "Young master, if I may be so bold, you should quickly return to the sect''s base, report the situation at the Yanlin Mine, and seize the assets left by the master before the news spreads, to prevent others from taking them."

    Fang Dafu took a deep breath and shook his head at Uncle Ding. "They won''t allow a bastard like me to inherit those assets."

    "The master only has you as his child. As long as you are willing to acknowledge your ancestry, they will have to ept it," Uncle Ding advised.

    "Uncle Ding, there''s no need to persuade me. I won''t change my name, and I don''t want to get involved in the Hai family''s affairs. You don''t need to follow me anymore or call me young master. Thank you for saving me today. I will find a way to repay you in the future," Fang Dafu shook his head.

    Uncle Ding was silent for a moment, then asked, "Young master, as an outsider, I shouldn''t interfere in your family matters, but I must speak my mind. You feel the master owes you and your mother, but hasn''t he done enough over the years to make up for his past mistakes?"

    "Even if you still hate the master, he sacrificed so much for you and was killed by traitors. Don''t you want to avenge him? Can you bear to see the family business he built over half his life taken by those who looked down on you and your mother?"

    Fang Dafu fell silent, pondering for a long time before sighing deeply. "What should I do?"

    "First, you must return to the family and acknowledge your ancestry, changing your surname back to Hai. Then, I will arrange trustworthy people to help you take over the master''s assets. You can also ce some of your own people, but this will only ensure temporary safety. You must quickly form your Golden Elixir to secure your position. The master has already collected most of what you need for this, but a few items are still missing, which you will need to find yourself," Uncle Ding said quickly.

    He then took out several storage bags and spirit beast bags. "During our escape, I managed to bring out some rare items and all the sessful experimental subjects from the master''s residence. These experimental subjects are powerful and can protect you until you break through."

    Fang Dafu epted the storage bags and spirit beast bags, opening them to find that one of the experimental subjects inside was Shi Chuan, whom he had captured earlier.

    He didn''t mind, putting away the storage bags and spirit beast bags. He nced in the direction of the mine, his gaze distant as if looking at his past. Then, he turned around, took out his flying artifact, and flew towards the Returning to Origin Sect''s base with Uncle Ding.

    The next day at noon, the giant flying boat, loaded with arge amount of ore and thousands of mortals, slowly flew out of the mine.

    After the celebration, the other cultivators at the mine dispersed. Now, only Zuo Qinghui and Xu Che remained by Yuan Ming''s side on the flying boat.

    Zuo Qinghui and Xu Che were also the ones controlling the flying boat, while Yuan Ming sat in the quiet room, counting the spoils from ying Elder Hai.

    There wasn''t much of value in Elder Hai''s residence, and his storage bag contained little of interest.

    There were quite a few spirit stones, about sixty to seventy thousand, along with two jade slips, some elixirs, spiritual materials, and several cultivation books.

    Most of the cultivation books were rted to demonic beasts, with a few misceneous ones about elixirs and battle formations.

    Battle formations are a special type of formation that uses cultivators as core nodes,bining their powers to attack with extraordinary force.

    The Returning to Origin Sect is renowned for this technique in the Central ins, and Yuan Ming had seen its power during the battle in the mine.

    However, the disciples stationed at the mine were not as skilled in using battle formations as the core disciples, so they didn''t shine in the battle. But this didn''t mean the formations were worthless.

    Yuan Ming carefully studied these books.

    His Corpse Control ability could currently control up to twelve corpses. If he couldbine them with battle formations, they might be even more powerful.

    As he read, Yuan Ming realized that battle formationse in various forms but ultimately focus on the coordination of spiritual power and spellcasting, requiring both to work together to unleash their power.

    One book mentioned a concept for a body cultivation formation, but it was only briefly touched upon and not very clear.

    The corpses controlled by the soul crow couldn''t circte spiritual power or cast spells, so they couldn''t use battle formations.

    It seemed that using battle formations would have to rely on corpses controlled by split souls. Yuan Ming was a bit disappointed and put the book down. But then, an idea struck him. What if he used the soul crows to form a battle formation, using soul power instead of spiritual power, and had them simultaneously use their Crow Cry ability? It might enhance the power further.

    He envisioned several formation methods in his mind but decided to wait until they returned to test them, as he worried that experimenting with such an offensive ability on the flying boat might affect the mortals below.

 Chapter 338: Soul Pill

    Chapter 338: Soul Pill

    Yuan Ming, upon this thought, continued to inventory his spoils.

    Among the two jade slips in Elder Hai''s storage bag, one recorded the Flower Transntation Technique, and the other contained a technique named "Yin Luo Technique."

    Unlike the Flower Transntation Technique Yuan Ming had obtained earlier, the version in Elder Hai''s possession was not only moreplete but also included many of Elder Hai''s personal insights and experiences.

    Theplete Flower Transntation Technique could not only ce demonic cores into a cultivator''s dantian to aid in breakthroughs but also enhance a cultivator''s strength through beast body transnts.

    However, thetter had many drawbacks. The first was the issue of rejection. ording to Elder Hai''s research, forcibly transnting a demonic beast''s body parts into a human would cause severe rejection reactions, ultimately leading to the transnt recipient''s death. Therefore, special elixirs and auxiliary methods were necessary to maintain a certain sess rate.

    Additionally, there seemed to be a special corrtion between the person receiving the transnt and the demonic beast, though the exact rules were unclear. The only certainty was that spiritual roots were a crucial influencing factor.

    Secondly, after a sessful transnt, the cultivator''s soul would often be affected by the residual thoughts of the demonic beast. This influence was somewhat simr to the aftereffects of consuming Insect Elixirs, but the former could not be eradicated. Even if temporarily suppressed, it would resurface after some time.

    Lastly, after the transnt, the cultivator''s cultivation would be unable to advance. Even if only the body was transnted and not the demonic core, the cultivator''s cultivation would stagnate for life.

    Between the lines, Yuan Ming discovered that Elder Hai often mentioned someone with considerable resentment. It seemed that it was because of this person that he had to resort to using the Flower Transntation Technique.There might be a story behind this, but with Elder Hai''s death, Yuan Ming might never know.

    The other jade slip contained Elder Hai''s main cultivation technique, the "Yin Luo Technique."

    This technique, which Elder Hai had obtained during a secret realm exploration, was a rare yin-attribute technique with six levels, capable of being cultivated up to the Golden Elixir stage.

    Yuan Ming nced through it and found it temporarily unusable, so he put it away for now.

    In this battle at the mine, Yuan Ming didn''t acquire many physical artifacts. The greatest gain was the wish power generated by the cultivator mine ves.

    Additionally, there were the mortal followers on the flying boat and a boatload of ores.

    Xu Che''s appearance was an unexpected delight. Yuan Ming could delegate many tasks to him in the future, as long as he continued to provide wish power, there was no fear of betrayal.

    Yuan Ming did not n to take these mortals back to Quicksand City. Firstly, the influx of thousands of mortals would be too conspicuous. Secondly, the ck Wind Desert was not a safe ce. He couldn''t rescue these followers from one peril only to send them into another.

    Therefore, he nned to take these people out of the ck Wind Desert and find a secluded ce in Zhao Country to settle them.

    Although every mortal in the ck Wind Desert bore a brand, it was a trivial matter for Yuan Ming to remove it.

    Thus, during the journey, Yuan Ming carefully concocted a potion that, when applied to the branded area, would erase the mark.

    Once the flying boat left the ck Wind Desert, Yuan Ming sent Xu Che to the Zhao Country market to buy sufficient medicinal herbs and remove the brands from all the mortals.

    Afterward, Yuan Ming led these mortals to a remote valley, spending considerable time helping them clear thend and build houses, eventually forming the rudiments of a vige.

    Of course, not all mortals wished to stay. Those who wanted to leave were given enough gold and silver to return home and were allowed to depart.

    After establishing the vige, Yuan Ming appointed Qiao Sabei as the vige chief, Bai Qi as the head of the vige guards, and Rong Zhuang as the priest of the Dark Moon God Temple. The three of them were responsible for vige affairs, making decisions together, while Yuan Ming would asionally send someone to inspect the situation.

    Qiao Sabei and the others were naturally grateful. The other mortals, having witnessed the Dark Moon God''s assistance in building their home, became even more devout in their faith.

    To prevent chaos, Yuan Ming only left them with essential survival supplies like rice, cattle, and sheep, without any gold or silver. As for the flying boat and the ores on it, he hid them in another valley, camouging them for future retrieval.

    ...

    After settling everything, Yuan Ming, apanied by Xu Che and Zuo Qinghui, left amidst the worshipful farewells of the mortals and quickly returned to Quicksand City.

    Although he hadn''t been away from Quicksand City for long, he had encountered so many events that seeing the familiar underground city felt like a lifetime ago.

    Yuan Ming shook his head and led the two into the city.

    The city gate''s guards had been significantly reinforced, with stricter inspections of those entering the city. Several wanted posters were posted near the gate, featuring the likes of Liao Zhong and Fang Dafu.

    Yuan Ming was not surprised. Liao Zhong, as a steward of the City Lord''s Mansion, had colluded with the Returning to Origin Sect to hunt down Quicksand City cultivators, especially targeting Yue Rong. The City Lord of Quicksand City would naturally not let this slide.

    Zuo Qinghui had met Yue Rong and revealed his true form during the mine battle. To be safe, Yuan Ming immediately used his spiritual consciousness to envelop the three of them, casting an illusion to alter their appearances, allowing them to enter Quicksand City smoothly.

    Yuan Ming arranged for Xu Che to stay in the outer city, instructing him to connect with Hu Ji and manage the affairs of the Dark Moon God Temple there as the temple''s envoy.

    "Xu Che, in theing days, ensure that these followers live peacefully and pray often to the Dark Moon God," he instructed.

    "Yes, my lord," Xu Che replied respectfully.

    After giving a few more instructions, Yuan Ming and Zuo Qinghui returned to the inner city. After purchasing some items, they immediately returned to their residence to prepare for the condensation of the Soul Pill.

    Condensing the Soul Pill required absolute tranquility, without any disturbance.

    Yuan Ming first set up the Five Elements Illusionary Formation, then instructed Zuo Qinghui, Hua Zhi, and Vajra to stand guard outside before beginning to arrange the Northern Dipper Star Soul Formation.

    Three dayster, everything was ready.

    Yuan Ming stepped into the Northern Dipper Star Soul Formation and activated it with a hand seal.

    With a soft "buzz," beams of ck light shot out from the formation, enveloping the entire secret room and forming a ck light array.

    Yuan Ming sat cross-legged, circting the Death Moon method, mobilizing the abundant soul power in his sea of consciousness, letting it flow slowly.

    A vast wave of spiritual power spread out, stirring a strong yin wind within the secret room, but it was all contained by the Northern Dipper Star Soul Formation, not leaking out at all.

    Yuan Ming''s hands moved rapidly, casting spells ording to the steps for condensing the Soul Pill. A faint white light emanated from his forehead, illuminating his face in a radiant glow.

    The flow of soul power in his sea of consciousness quickened, converging towards the main soul, continuouslypressing and refining.

    The operation of the Northern Dipper Star Soul Formation also elerated, exerting pressure on the sea of consciousness to assist in thepression of the soul power.

    Time passed quickly, and the vast soul power in Yuan Ming''s sea of consciousness rapidly diminished, soon consuming more than half.

    "Ha!" He suddenly let out a low shout, forming a hand seal with both hands, his body remaining motionless.

    Yuan Ming''s face contorted in pain under the white light, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead, but the white light from his forehead grew increasingly bright, making it hard to look directly at.

    The soul power in his sea of consciousness surged and condensed, gradually forming a faintly visible round bead.

    Yuan Ming''s face lit up with joy as the Soul Pill finally began to take shape. Now, he only needed to continuously infuse it with soul power to fully condense it.

    "Hmm, could it be that my soul power is insufficient?" Yuan Ming opened his eyes.

    After the Soul Pill''s shadow took shape, it quickly absorbed the soul power in the sea of consciousness. Even the vast soul power umted after breaking through the fifth level of the Death Moon method was not enough.

    However, he was prepared. He immediately summoned the Stealing Heaven Cauldron and ced it in front of him.

    The next moment, arge amount of wish power from the Dark Moon God''s followers in Quicksand City, as well as the mortal mine ves in the valley, was transmitted. His split soul fully operated the Heart Cleansing Form, refining all the wish power and injecting it into the sea of consciousness.

    Not only that, but the split soul also merged its soul power into the main soul.

    The secret room''s door fluctuated, and the second split soul, residing in Zuo Qinghui''s body, flew in, entering Yuan Ming''s sea of consciousness to transfer soul power to the main soul.

    Zuo Qinghui''s cultivation was already quite profound, so the temporary departure of the second split soul would not cause a significant drop in cultivation.

    With so much assistance, the soul power was finally replenished. The light on the Soul Pill''s shadow quickly transformed into a substantial crystalline glow, and the Soul Pill gradually solidified.

    Momentster, a round bead appeared in the sea of consciousness, emitting a brilliant light, continuously rotating and pulsating like a strong heart.

    Thump thump... thump thump thump...

    A powerful wave of spiritual power emanated from the Soul Pill, causing the Northern Dipper Star Soul Formation to tremble.

    Yuan Ming''s eyes shone with joy, and he couldn''t help butugh heartily.

    After so many days of hard work, the Soul Pill was finally refined, marking a solid step towards breaking through to the Golden Elixir stage!

    After a brief moment of tion, he quickly calmed down and carefullyprehended the wonders of the Soul Pill.

    The Soul Pill was a product of condensed spiritual power, gathering all the soul power in the sea of consciousness. The main soul now resided within the Soul Pill, feeling incredibly secure.

    The soul power within the Soul Pill was exceptionally stable. If attacked by techniques like Soul Collision, the Soul Pill alone could withstand it. If someone cast an illusion on him, its effect would be greatly diminished.

    Conversely, when he cast Soul Collision or illusions, the Soul Pill would provide significant support.

    "No wonder the Grand Elder highly esteemed the Soul Pill technique. The effect of condensing soul power into a Soul Pill is no less than that of forming a Golden Elixir with magical power," Yuan Ming thought.

    The Soul Pill technique was not yetplete. He continued to operate the Death Moon method, and the Soul Pill began to move, soon leaving the sea of consciousness and traveling down the body, finally entering the dantian.

    The Soul Pill continued to rotate, influencing the magical power in the dantian, which slowly gathered around it, formingyer uponyer.

    Yuan Ming nodded in satisfaction. The Soul Pill technique indeed greatly aided in forming the Golden Elixir. The Soul Pill could rotate on its own without his control.

    Over time, all the magical power in the dantian would attach to the Soul Pill, forming a virtual elixir, making it much easier to form the Golden Elixirter on.

 Chapter 339: Meeting in Purple Thunder City

    Chapter 339: Meeting in Purple Thunder City

    Yuan Ming calmed his emotions, closed his eyes, and continued to examine the changes within his body.

    Now, his main soul had also shifted from the sea of consciousness to the dantian along with the Soul Pill, but his body did not feel any obvious difort.

    Firstly, his split soul still remained in the sea of consciousness, which was now empty. Yuan Ming instructed the split soul to continue operating the heart method to refine the willing power and convert it into soul power, as the split soul had been depleted.

    Earlier, to condense the Soul Pill, a significant amount of soul power was used. Yuan Ming had integrated half of the refined willing power into the split soul to help it recover quickly, while the remaining willing power was injected into the sea of consciousness.

    The originally empty sea of consciousness gradually became full again. Yuan Ming was still somewhat uneasy about this, so he continued to operate the Death Moon method.

    After a day and night, he felt that his soul power hadpletely stabilized. Only then did he rx, knowing that the Soul Pill had been sessfully cultivated. Next, he needed to push his magical power to the peak of Foundation Establishment, while also searching for the Elixir Washing Liquid and cultivating the Hidden Vein Condensing Elixir method to prepare for forming the Golden Elixir.

    Yuan Ming pondered for a moment, then got up and went out. He first went to a shop in the city that sold elixirs and spent arge sum of money to buy a batch of Insect Elixirs, enough tost him for two years.

    He then went to the outer city to meet Xu Che, gave him a few artifacts, and instructed him to temporarily stop managing the mortal followers in Quicksand City and make a trip to Purple Thunder City to find clues about the Elixir Washing Liquid.

    Afterpleting these two tasks, Yuan Ming returned to his residence and directly entered the secret chamber.Days passed, and everything in Quicksand City operated smoothly. Mortals continued to engage in their lowest-level work to earn a living, with scenes of worldly love and hate, joy and sorrow ying out daily.

    Cultivators also led busy lives, hunting demonic beasts in the ck Wind Desert, searching for spiritual materials, outwitting desert bandits, or meditating and cultivating, all striving to improve their strength. No one would linger.

    In an ordinary, almost inconspicuous house in the inner city.

    Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, a year and a half had passed.

    The tightly closed door of the cave dwelling opened, and Yuan Ming walked out with Zuo Qinghui.

    At this moment, Yuan Ming''s gaze was gentle, and his eyes emitted a faint glow, making him lookpletely different from before.

    After more than three years of arduous cultivation, relying on arge amount of Insect Elixirs and the assistance of spiritual incense and other items, he had broken through to the peak of thete Foundation Establishment stage.

    Zuo Qinghui had also been continuously taking Insect Elixirs for cultivation over the past year, and his cultivation had also improved significantly, reaching the mid-Foundation Establishment stage.

    Yuan Ming did not linger at the door, taking Zuo Qinghui straight out of Quicksand City.

    He summoned the White Jade Flying Shuttle, and the two of them soared into the sky. Yuan Ming had already mastered the Hidden Vein Elixir method, sealing arge amount of magical power in his meridians, ready to be called upon at any time to assist in forming the Golden Elixir.

    Additionally, this trip was to find something to assist in forming the Golden Elixir.

    Ten days ago, Xu Che had sent news that he had finally found clues about the Elixir Washing Liquid in Purple Thunder City.

    Forming the Golden Elixir was his top priority, so Yuan Ming did not dare to be careless and set off immediately.

    However, before heading to Purple Thunder City, he had to go to another ce first.

    Momentster, the White Jade Flying Shuttle descended near a hidden valley northwest of Quicksand City.

    A figure with arms reaching past his knees stood in the valley, bathing in the scorching sun, motionless.

    When Yuan Ming had settled the mortals and returned to Quicksand City, Hua Zhi had left to hunt beasts and cultivate in the ck Wind Desert.

    To his surprise, Vajra had also requested to leave, intending to train alone in the ck Wind Desert.

    Vajra had a strong physique and formidable strength, so Yuan Ming did not worry about his safety. He gave him two Earth Escape Talismans and two Avoidance Talismans and let him enter the ck Wind Desert.

    Yuan Ming controlled the flying shuttle tond and was about to greet Vajra when a sh of surprise appeared in his eyes.

    At this moment, Vajra''s appearance had changed dramatically. He had shrunk significantly, now only as tall as an average person. His muscles and bones were more robust, and his skin and fur had be more vibrant, with a golden sheen, looking as if he were cast in bronze.

    Vajra''s eyes were closed, and his breathing was irregr, hissing like a snake.

    Yuan Ming used his spiritual consciousness to examine Vajra''s body, and his surprise deepened.

    Not only had Vajra''s form changed, but his body had also undergone aplete transformation. All the yin energy within him had disappeared, and his muscles, bones, and internal organs had be vibrant, indistinguishable from a true demonic beast.

    Moreover, his demonic power had vanished, reced by a new type of energy that filled his entire body.

    This energy was somewhat simr to magical power but much more intense and substantial.

    With Vajra''s breathing, the energy flowed through his body, causing his internal organs to rhythmically expand and contract, asionally emitting muffled sounds, as if they were being refined.

    Waves of scorching spiritual energy from heaven and earth gathered and poured into Vajra''s organs, making them exceptionally strong, no less than his muscles. His body, from the inside out, seemed like a solid iron te, giving an unshakable impression.

    Yuan Ming was astonished. In just over a year, Vajra''s body had undergone such a significant change. Could it be due to consuming that brass beetle?

    "Master, why are you here?" Vajra sensed Yuan Ming''s arrival and opened his eyes.

    "Using breathing to temper the internal organs." Yuan Ming''s eyes flickered.

    This method of body training was something he had never heard of, possibly a secret technique of body cultivation.

    "How do you feel now? How does yourbat strengthpare to before?" Yuan Ming asked after some thought.

    The air around Vajra suddenly exploded, sending out a wave of scorching air.

    Yuan Ming saw clearly that the air explosion was caused by Vajra''s energy flowing out when he clenched his fist, creating a powerful impact. The energy''s power was indeed impressive.

    "That''s good. Let''s go pick up Hua Zhi." He summoned the White Jade Flying Shuttle, carrying the three of them towards the other side of the ck Wind Desert.

    After picking up Hua Zhi, Yuan Ming did not stop and headed straight for Purple Thunder City. Purple Thunder City was located deep in the ck Wind Desert, quite a distance from Quicksand City. Even at the speed of the White Jade Flying Shuttle, it took a day and a night to reach.

    Like Quicksand City, Purple Thunder City was also built underground. The entrance was a huge fissure several miles long, dark and deep. asionally, beams of light from cultivators flew in from all directions, entering the fissure, while many cultivators flew out from the cave, making it quite lively.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming sighed inwardly. Purple Thunder City was indeed Zhao Country''srgest city in the ck Wind Desert.

    He slowed down and flew into the fissure.

    The deeper he went, therger the fissure became. The entrance above quickly receded, and the light dimmed rapidly.

    There was some light, though. Purple and yellow mushrooms, asrge as umbres, grew on the sides of the fissure, emitting a soft glow and providing some illumination.

    Yuan Ming had been in the ck Wind Desert for several years and had gathered some information about the area. He knew these mushrooms were called "Spiritual Light Mushrooms," living underground in the ck Wind Desert, surviving by absorbing the spiritual power from underground mines.

    Rogue cultivators searching for spiritual materials often relied on Spiritual Light Mushrooms to find treasures. Where the mushrooms grew abundantly, there might be hidden mines.

    Judging by the current situation, this fissure likely contained a mine, though it was unclear if it had been mined.

    While Yuan Ming''s thoughts wandered, the fissure finally reached the bottom.

    The bottom of the fissure was t, about twenty or thirty miles wide, resembling a in. A majestic underground city stood there.

    From a distance, the entire city was enclosed by a massive wall made of purple stones, with seven or eight city gates, some for entry and some for exit. Inside, towering buildings stood tall, grand and imposing, far surpassing Quicksand City.

    It was unclear whether special lighting restrictions were set up underground or if the protective array had its own lighting effect, but the entire underground area was as bright as day, almost indistinguishable from the surface.

    Yuan Mingnded in a designated area for cultivators to ascend and descend near the city, putting away the White Jade Flying Shuttle.

    He then led Zuo Qinghui, Vajra, and Hua Zhi towards a nearby city gate.

    Several cultivators in purple robes stood there, with Wulei Sect''s emblem embroidered on their cors and cuffs, collecting entrance fees.

    Although Vajra and Hua Zhi wore cloaks to conceal their forms and auras, their figures were still somewhat unusual, looking rather odd. However, the gatekeepers from Wulei Sect didn''t bother to ask questions, adopting an attitude that anyone could enter Purple Thunder City as long as they paid the spirit stones.

    So, Yuan Ming paid the required spirit stones and entered the city without any obstacles.

    The architecture in Purple Thunder City followed Zhao Country''s style¡ªtall, ancient, and majestic. The streets were wide, lined with shops selling spiritual materials, elixirs, rune talismans, and other cultivation items.

    Unlike Quicksand City, where shops selling elixirs and rune talismans were scarce, Purple Thunder City had plenty,parable to Xiaohu City and Wangyue City, showing that Wulei Sect had put considerable effort into managing it.

    The streets were bustling with people, lively and vibrant.

    "Master, you have arrived." Near the city gate, a figure quickly approached from a shadowy corner.

    It was Xu Che, wearing a robe that concealed his aura and a veil covering his face.

    "What''s the situation now?" Yuan Ming withdrew his gaze from the surroundings and asked.

 Chapter 340: Hundred Elixir Workshop

    Chapter 340: Hundred Elixir Workshop

    ```

    "Reporting to the master, the situation is a bitplicated. I''ve reserved a private room at the teahouse ahead. Let''s go there and discuss over tea," Xu Che said in a low voice.

    Seeing Yuan Ming nod, Xu Che led the way. Before long, the group arrived at a teahouse named "Ming Yan."

    "This teahouse is run by a cultivator from Zhao Country, a master of tea-making. He uses a unique method to blend different tea leaves with spiritual materials, creating tea cakes brimming with spiritual energy. Please have a taste."

    Xu Che swiftly prepared tea for everyone.

    Yuan Ming took a sip from his cup. The tea was fragrant and left a lingering aftertaste, indeed a rare delicacy.

    Vajra downed his cup in one gulp, smacking his lips as if unsatisfied. Hua Zhi, sitting primly to the side, nced disdainfully at Vajra and, like Zuo Qinghui, did not touch the tea.

    Yuan Ming set down his cup and activated a soundproof barrier before speaking.

    "Alright, let''s hear it.""Following your orders, I came to Purple Thunder City to search for clues about the Elixir Cleansing Liquid. I made no progress in the first year, butter, after mingling with some local cultivators and attending several exchange meetings and auctions, I finally found some information. This liquid is produced by a business called Hundred Elixir Workshop. It''s extremely precious and only supplied to major forces in the ck Wind Desert. Ordinary rogue cultivators know nothing about it," Xu Che reported.

    "I seem to have heard of Hundred Elixir Workshop before. They are famous for their elixirs. Some of the Insect Elixirs in Quicksand City are purchased from them," Yuan Ming said thoughtfully, tapping his fingers on the table.

    "You''re right. Hundred Elixir Workshop is a rising power in the ck Wind Desert, established a few years ago and renowned for their elixirs," Xu Che added.

    "Since you found out they can produce the Elixir Cleansing Liquid, have you made contact with them?" Yuan Ming asked.

    "Yes. I thought if I could buy it, you wouldn''t need toe personally. A few days ago, I spent a sum of spirit stones to invite a somewhat influential cultivator from Purple Thunder City to apany me to Hundred Elixir Workshop. However, the shopkeeper politely refused, citing a shortage," Xu Che exined.

    "Hmph, shortage? More likely an excuse," Hua Zhi said in a sharp voice.

    Hua Zhi''s cultivation had improved significantly, now just a step away from the second upper tier. With her increased strength, her human form had be more lifelike, though she still couldn''t drink tea but could barely speak.

    "It might not be an excuse. If the Elixir Cleansing Liquid were easy to produce, Hundred Elixir Workshop wouldn''t only do business with major forces," Yuan Ming shook his head slowly.

    "Should we sneak in and steal a bottle or two?" Hua Zhi suggested.

    Xu Che''s expression changed slightly. Purple Thunder City was under the jurisdiction of the Wulei Sect, not a ce for reckless actions. He was about to advise against it.

    "Given that Hundred Elixir Workshop can do business with major forces in the ck Wind Desert, they must be quite powerful. Even with your earth-escape technique, it would be difficult to seed," Yuan Ming said.

    "Let''s do this: I''ll make contact first. If we still can''t buy it, we''ll think of another way," Yuan Ming decided after a brief contemtion.

    Hua Zhi remained silent, looking somewhat disappointed.

    Yuan Ming instructed Zuo Qinghui, Hua Zhi, and Vajra to wait at the teahouse while he and Xu Che headed deeper into Purple Thunder City.

    The city''s security was rtively good for the ck Wind Desert, at least not as chaotic as Quicksand City, and there was no distinction between inner and outer city. The two soon arrived at arge shop with a sign reading "Hundred Elixir Workshop."

    The shop was quite spacious, almost the size of two nearby shopsbined, with five floors in total. Business was booming, with cultivators constantlying and going, most with excited expressions.

    Yuan Ming and Xu Che entered the shop, Yuan Ming''s attention drawn to the rows of elixir shelves, which held a wide variety of elixirs, almostparable to those in Qingmu Tower of Shengye Sect.

    "What elixirs do you two gentlemen need?" A green-robed attendant greeted them with a smile.

    Without waiting for Yuan Ming to speak, Xu Che stepped forward. After a brief negotiation, the green-robed attendant nced at Yuan Ming and led them inside, soon arriving at the third floor where they met a white-robed schr, whom the attendant addressed as "Manager Huo."

    "Daoist Xu, why are you here again? As I told you before, I can''t help with that matter. You don''t need to waste your efforts," the white-robed schr said, ncing at Yuan Ming.

    "Manager Huo, I understand. This is my master, who hase personally today. Please inform your shopkeeper, Yan," Xu Che said.

    "Our shopkeeper is not here today, out visiting friends. I''m afraid you two have made a trip in vain," the white-robed schr said coldly, seemingly annoyed by Xu Che''s persistence.

    "Is that so? Manager Huo, why don''t you check inside again? Your shopkeeper might have returned," Yuan Ming said calmly.

    The white-robed schr sneered inwardly.

    Purple Thunder City was thergest city in Zhao Country within the ck Wind Desert, with countless cultivators visiting daily. As a manager of Hundred Elixir Workshop, he usually dealt with high-level officials ofrge businesses or disciples of cultivation sects.

    Who were Xu Che and Yuan Ming? Probably from some small family in a remote corner, yet they dared to order him around.

    He was about to make a seemingly polite but actually sarcastic remark when his gaze met Yuan Ming''s, and he felt as if he were maically attracted, unable to look away. The white-robed schr''s mind went nk, unable to move or make a sound, and he was filled with terror.

    As the fear surged, it multiplied a hundredfold, overwhelming the white-robed schr''s mind in an instant.

    His body trembled, tears streamed down his face, and a wet patch quickly spread on his pants.

    Xu Che watched this scene, his face impassive but his heart filled with surprise and joy.

    The manager of Hundred Elixir Workshop, though somewhat snobbish, was immensely powerful. This white-robed schr was a genue Foundation Establishment stage cultivator, rumored to be close to forming a false Golden Elixir. Yet, he was reduced to tears and incontinence by a single nce from Yuan Ming!

    This was probably one of the rare moments of disgrace in his cultivation career.

    Yuan Ming nodded inwardly. He had just used an illusion to control the white-robed schr and then employed his "Emotion Control" ability to manipte his fear. This was the first time he used this ability on a cultivator, and the result was quite satisfactory.

    Combining Emotion Control with illusions greatly amplified their power. Although the white-robed schr''s cultivation was not much weaker than Yuan Ming''s, he had no chance to resist.

    Yuan Ming stopped manipting the schr''s emotions and casually took a seat.

    The white-robed schr''s fear slowly subsided, and he regained hisposure, feeling a mix of shame and anger but not daring to confront Yuan Ming. After a deep look at Yuan Ming, he hurriedly left.

    "Master, Manager Huo is a prominent figure in Hundred Elixir Workshop. Though he deserved it, making him lose face indirectly offends the shopkeeper. I''m afraid today''s visit might be in vain," Xu Che hesitated.

    "No matter," Yuan Ming waved his hand dismissively.

    Judging by the way Hundred Elixir Workshop sold the Elixir Cleansing Liquid, it was clear they were not just looking to exchange for spirit stones but to make connections with influential friends.

    As a rogue cultivator, Yuan Ming knew it was unlikely he could buy it through normal channels.

    He never expected to purchase it with spirit stones from the start. His goal today was to meet the shopkeeper of Hundred Elixir Workshop.

    Once he met them, he could use other means.

    "By the way, I didn''t have time to ask earlier. Who is the shopkeeper of Hundred Elixir Workshop, and what is their cultivation level?" Yuan Ming inquired.

    "Master, the shopkeeper is named Yan Sijing. I haven''t met her, but she''s said to be young, at thete Foundation Establishment stage," Xu Che replied.

    "Late Foundation Establishment stage!" Yuan Ming was taken aback.

    He had assumed that someone who could establish such arge business must be at least a Nascent Soul stage cultivator, but it turned out to be a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator.

    He became quite interested in this person.

    The white-robed schr hurried to the back hall, changed into clean clothes, and finally calmed down.

    "Damn it, where did that young mane from? Just one look and I ended up like this. Even a Nascent Soul stage cultivator might not be able to do that. Could he be close to forming a Golden Elixir?" He was filled with dread, and any thoughts of revenge vanished.

    After a moment of hesitation, he stomped his foot and headed to the fourth floor.

    Yuan Ming used his spiritual consciousness to track the white-robed schr and, seeing this, felt reassured and withdrew his consciousness.

    It wasn''t that he didn''t want to continue tracking, but the fourth floor of Hundred Elixir Workshop was protected by a barrier that blocked spiritual consciousness. Forcing a probe might trigger the barrier''s rm, which would be counterproductive.

    A white light shed from the jade pendant hanging at the white-robed schr''s waist, allowing him to pass through the barrier on the fourth floor. He quickly reached a side hall and knocked on the door.

    "Manager Huo, what''s the matter?" A clear female voice came from inside, like the tinkling of a spring, yet carrying authority.

    "A guest at the false Golden Elixir stage has arrived, seemingly with some background, wanting to purchase the Elixir Cleansing Liquid. He is apanied by Xu Hu, who came a few days ago. I didn''t dare make a decision and came to seek your instructions," the white-robed schr said, bowing his head.

    Xu Che had enemies in the Wulei Sect, and though he might not encounter them in Purple Thunder City, he had taken the precaution of using a pseudonym.

    "Xu Hu? The one brought by the young master of Hundred Refinement Pavilion? I remember he was a rogue cultivator," the clear voice asked.

    "Yes, but Xu Hu addressed the other person as his master, with great respect. It seems our previous information was incorrect. They should be from a cultivation family, but I couldn''t identify their background and came to seek your instructions," the white-robed schr exined.

    "Oh, if they are from a cultivation family with a false Golden Elixir stage cultivator, it wouldn''t be appropriate to refuse directly. I''ll handle it," the clear voice said.

    The side hall door opened, and a young girl in a pale yellow dress emerged.

    She looked about seventeen or eighteen, lively and charming, withrge, clear eyes that gave her an impish appearance.

    ```

 Chapter 341: Unexpectedly, shes an alchemist

    Chapter 341: Unexpectedly, she''s an alchemist

    "Master." The white-robed schr respectfully bowed to the yellow-robed girl.

    "Tell me in detail about the behavior and conversation of those two after they entered the Hundred Elixir Workshop," the yellow-robed girl said, hoping it would help her deduce the origins of Yuan Ming and hispanion.

    The white-robed schr agreed and recounted every word and action he had observed from Yuan Ming and hispanion. Naturally, he omitted the part where he was so frightened by Yuan Ming''s gaze that he lost control of his dder, instead iming that Yuan Ming had controlled his actions with a mere look.

    After all, that incident was too humiliating. If anyone found out, he wouldn''t be able to stay at the Hundred Elixir Workshop.

    "Controlled your actions with a single look? It must be an illusion technique," the yellow-robed girl muttered to herself, then fell into deep thought as she walked downstairs.

    The white-robed schr followed two steps behind her.

    In the elegant room on the third floor, Yuan Ming sat with his eyes closed. Suddenly, he opened them, a hint of surprise on his face.

    His spiritual consciousness had already detected the yellow-robed girling downstairs, followed respectfully by the white-robed schr. Could this girl be the master of the Hundred Elixir Workshop?

    Before long, the door creaked open, and the yellow-robed girl walked in. The white-robed schr did not enter but turned to go back downstairs to attend to business."Thank you for waiting, Daoists. I am Yan Sijing, the master of the Hundred Elixir Workshop. May I know your esteemed names?" The yellow-robed girl looked at Yuan Ming and bowed.

    "Yuan Ming," Yuan Ming replied, scrutinizing the person before him.

    This girl was indeed the master of the Hundred Elixir Workshop. Now that he had seen her true face, things would be easier.

    Yan Sijing was only at thete Foundation Establishment stage. If he used ck Incense to possess herter, he could easily nt a soul imprint on her and control her actions. With the help of Hua Zhi and the soul crow, obtaining a bottle of Elixir Cleansing Liquid shouldn''t be too difficult.

    Yan Sijing was also sizing up Yuan Ming, secretly pondering where in Zhao Country or even Qin Country there might be a Yuan family of cultivators. Unable to figure it out, she decided not to waste any more effort, as someone in the workshop would analyze it for her.

    "So, Daoist Yuan, are you here to purchase Elixir Cleansing Liquid?" She kept a smile on her face as she asked.

    "Indeed," Yuan Ming replied concisely.

    "I''m afraid you''ll be disappointed. Our workshop..." Yan Sijing shook her head, but suddenly stopped, a look of surprise on her face.

    Yuan Ming had nned to brush her off with a few words and then leave, but seeing her reaction, he paused slightly.

    "Ahem! Thank you, Daoist Yuan, for gracing us with your presence. The Elixir Cleansing Liquid is a secret treasure of our workshop, produced in very limited quantities and usually pre-ordered by esteemed guests. Normally, it would be impossible to purchase it on short notice. However, Daoist Yuan, you are in luck. I just received news that a guest had to return a portion of the liquid due to unforeseen circumstances. If you agree to do a favor for our workshop, I can sell this portion to you at half price," Yan Sijing said, changing her tone.

    Yuan Ming frowned. Yan Sijing''s words were contradictory. What was she ying at?

    However, this turn of events was favorable. If he could obtain the liquid through normal means, he had no intention of resorting to force. With the Wulei Sect overseeing Purple Thunder City, it was best not to stir up trouble.

    "What does Daoist Yan need me to do?" Yuan Ming asked unhurriedly.

    "Rest assured, Daoist Yuan, it''s nothingplicated. Our workshop needs to transport a batch of goods to ck Moon City in three days. Recently, bandits have been rampant in the ck Wind Desert. A convoy of ours was attacked a few days ago, suffering heavy losses. We are short of manpower, so we would like to ask Daoist Yuan to apany the convoy. What do you think?" Yan Sijing said with a smile.

    Yuan Ming raised an eyebrow. If it was just escorting goods, it shouldn''t be too difficult.

    However, if it were just a simple escort mission, Yan Sijing wouldn''t need to offer the precious Elixir Cleansing Liquid as a reward.

    "Alright," Yuan Ming agreed after a brief hesitation.

    Given his current strength, along with Vajra, Hua Zhi, and Lei Yu, he could easily retreat or even kill one or two Nascent Soul stage cultivators. There was no need to worry too much. Even if things went south, he had ways to escape.

    "Thank you, Daoist Yuan," Yan Sijing said, beaming with joy.

    They discussed the details of the task, and Yuan Ming soon took his leave.

    After seeing Yuan Ming and hispanion down the stairs, Yan Sijing turned and walked back upstairs, quickly arriving at the door of a side hall on the fourth floor of the Hundred Elixir Workshop. She pushed the door open and entered.

    A white-robed woman sat quietly inside, fiddling with a white jade slip.

    This woman, in her early twenties, had delicate eyebrows, a straight nose, fair skin, and a face quite simr to Yan Sijing''s, though Yan Sijing''s expression was more innocent and naive. The white-robed woman, on the other hand, exuded a mature and alluring aura.

    However, the white-robed woman''s eyes were vacant and lifeless; she was blind.

    Beside the woman stood a tall yellow wooden bookshelf, almost reaching the ceiling, with tenyers. Eachyer was marked with a year, the topmost being this year.

    The bookshelf held no books but was filled with jade slips, stacked one upon another, with eachyer containing hundreds, if not thousands, of slips.

    The white-robed woman gestured, and a jade slip flew from the second-tostyer into her hand.

    "Sister, why did you agree to sell Yuan Ming a portion of the Elixir Cleansing Liquid? We''ve already recruited enough experts for this mission. The Elixir Cleansing Liquid is difficult to produce and in high demand. We might not have enough to spare," Yan Sijing said coquettishly as she sat beside the white-robed woman, holding her arm.

    "This Yuan Ming is not simple. Look at this information," the white-robed woman said, handing over the jade slip she had just taken.

    Yan Sijing took the slip and used her spiritual consciousness to examine it. "Information about the raid on the Yanlin Mine of the Returning to Origin Sect a year ago? The Dark Moon God? Probably some cultivator pretending to be someone they''re not. Sister, do you think this has something to do with Yuan Ming?"

    "Yes. Yanlin Mine is a rare resource. I sent Uncle Qian to investigate and, after much effort, recently obtained the appearance of the cultivator iming to be the Dark Moon God. Take a look," the white-robed woman said, handing over another jade slip from the topyer of the bookshelf.

    "This appearance is very simr to that of Yuan Ming," Yan Sijing said, her eyes lighting up.

    "ording to the previous investigation, the Dark Moon God who raided the Yanlin Mine is skilled in soul attacks. From Manager Huo''s description, Yuan Ming also excels in this area. With this ovepping information, it''s highly likely they''re the same person," the white-robed woman said slowly.

    "It seems very likely. If Yuan Ming could raid a mine of the Returning to Origin Sect and single-handedly kill a Nascent Soul stage elder, his strength is formidable. With him on board, this mission should be no problem," Yan Sijing said thoughtfully.

    "Yes, my intuition also tells me that his involvement will have a positive impact," the white-robed woman said, tapping her forehead with her finger.

    "Really? That''s great," Yan Sijing said happily.

    "With his inclusion, we''ll need to make some adjustments to our previous ns. Follow the instructions on this slip," the white-robed woman said, handing over another jade slip.

    "Alright," Yan Sijing said, taking the slip without looking at it.

    The white-robed woman was her sister, Yan Siyun. Born blind, she had an extraordinary mind, never forgetting anything she heard and was extremely adept at analyzing situations and predicting the future.

    The jade slips on the yellow wooden bookshelf contained information collected by the Hundred Elixir Workshop, including personal details of key figures from various factions in the ck Wind Desert, events, and bounty orders.

    Based on the collected information, Yan Siyun could deduce many things.

    She also had a unique ability: an extremely sharp intuition, almost to the point of vaguely predicting good and bad oues.

    Using her analytical skills and her ability to foresee oues, Yan Siyun''s predictions were highly urate.

    Although Yan Sijing was the master of the Hundred Elixir Workshop, she mainly focused on refining elixirs. The actual handling of affairs and major decisions were made by her sister.

    Yan Sijing refined elixirs, while Yan Siyun predicted the future. The two sisters worked together seamlessly, allowing the Hundred Elixir Workshop to grow rapidly over the years.

    ...

    Yuan Ming found an inn near the Hundred Elixir Workshop to stay in, while Xu Che returned to the teahouse to bring Zuo Qinghui and the others.

    In his room at the inn, Yuan Ming set up a barrier, took out ck Incense, inserted it into the Stealing Heaven Cauldron, lit it, and closed his eyes, beginning to attempt possession of Yan Sijing.

    At this moment, Yan Sijing was alone in the elixir room.

    She opened her mouth and spat out a white me, enveloping the bottom of a green elixir furnace, her hands constantly forming seals as she refined elixirs.

    "Unexpectedly, she''s an alchemist. But wait, she''s only at thete Foundation Establishment stage. How can she spit out elixir fire?" Yuan Ming was surprised.

    Although he hadn''t focused on alchemy, he was quite familiar with it. Foundation Establishment stage alchemists usually relied on spirit fire provided by formations or earth fire for refining.

    Only those who reached the Nascent Soul stage and nurtured elixir fire could refine elixirs without external fire sources.

    "Could Yan Sijing have a special physique with innate spirit fire in her dantian?" Yuan Ming suddenly thought of a possibility.

    In the cultivation world, some prodigies had special physiques with innate abilities. There were various types of special physiques, some could control the five elements, some couldmunicate with spirit beasts, and others could control ghosts.

    Some fire-attribute special physiques had innate spirit fire, which, even before reaching the Nascent Soul stage, was as powerful as the elixir fire of Nascent Soul stage cultivators, giving them a significant advantage in alchemy and artifact refining.

    As Yuan Ming pondered, Yan Sijing''s hands moved skillfully, continuously adding materials to the elixir furnace. Her alchemy skills were clearly not low.

    Yuan Ming hesitated. He had intended to possess Yan Sijing to investigate the true nature of the escort mission, but now she was refining elixirs.

    Despite being busy with cultivation over the years, Yuan Ming had always been interested in alchemy. He just hadn''t found the right person to learn from and had been too preupied with other matters.

    Yan Sijing''s alchemy skills were not weak, making this a rare opportunity.

    "Never mind, I''ll send my first split soul to infiltrate the Hundred Elixir Workshopter to investigate the escort mission," Yuan Ming quickly decided, calming his mind to carefully observe the alchemy process through Yan Sijing''s perspective.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 343 â€“ Not right

    Chapter 343 ¨C Not right

    "Why are you in such a hurry sote at night? Is there something you need to say?" Elder Chai turned his head to look at Yuan Ming and asked.

    A glint shed in Yuan Ming''s eyes. He silently took two steps back before saying, "I just sensed a group of cultivators heading this way, and among them is a Nascent Soul stage cultivator."

    Elder Chai nodded, seemingly unsurprised, but he still channeled his mana, spreading his voice throughout the entire camp.

    "Enemy attack, wake up quickly!"

    The quickest to react were naturally Young Master Beiyan and the others. Almost as soon as the words left Elder Chai''s mouth, they rushed out of their tents, their faces filled with suspicion and uncertainty, while they used their spiritual consciousness to scan the surroundings.

    However, they soon realized that there were no signs of enemies nearby, and they were all puzzled.

    Seeing Yuan Ming and Elder Chai standing outside, they immediately asked, "Seniors, where is the enemy attack? How many are there, and what is their cultivation level?"

    Elder Chai raised his hand and pointed at Yuan Ming, saying, "He was the one who sensed it."

    Young Master Beiyan and the others were even more surprised. Daoist Gan, in particr, snorted discontentedly and said, "There''s no enemy around here. Did you have a nightmare?"

    Yuan Ming couldn''t be bothered to argue with him. He immediately pointed at Hua Zhi and said, "It was my spirit pet that discovered them. In the northeast direction, there are eight cultivators approaching, led by a Nascent Soul stage cultivator."

    "Traveling underground? How dare they use such a trick in front of me, truly ignorant of their own limits." Daoist Gan sneered.

    Then, he immediately formed a hand seal, activating his mana, and stomped his right foot hard. In an instant, a yellowish-brown light circle spread out from under his foot, quickly extending beyond the camp.

    Yuan Ming immediately felt the sandy ground beneath him be much firmer, and Young Master Beiyan breathed a sigh of relief, smiling, "With Daoist Gan''s Earth Solidification Technique, those people will have a hard time trying to tunnel through."

    Daoist Ganughed heartily, "Of course, they don''t even know who I am. How could they gain any advantage in earth techniques?" Just as he finished speaking, his face suddenly stiffened, and the sound of earth breaking suddenly rang out. Outside the camp, eight cultivators emerged from different directions, stepping on magical artifacts and flying into the air, looking down at the five people in the camp.

    Among them, two were standing in mid-air, clearly at the Nascent Soul stage. One of the Nascent Soul cultivators was a young man around twenty-five or twenty-six, with an exceptionally handsome appearance but a wild look in his eyes. The other was an elderly man with two strands of white hair hanging down to his shoulders, his hands behind his back, standing straight, half a step behind the young man.

    The young man nced at Daoist Gan in the camp and sneered, "So this is Gan Tan, famous in Purple Thunder City for his earth techniques. Your Earth Solidification Technique is not even as good as my spirit dog''s."

    Hearing the young man''s mockery, Daoist Gan was furious, but seeing the two Nascent Soul cultivators standing in mid-air, he felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head. He didn''t dare to say a word in retort. As for Young Master Beiyan and Enshrined Ai, they were even more shocked and fearful. They never expected that these sand bandits, who only dared to attack caravans, would have two Nascent Soul leaders.

    With such cultivation levels, they could be honored guests of any power, or even establish their own city and be city lords. Why would they choose to be sand bandits?@@novelbin@@

    Among the Foundation Establishment cultivators, only Yuan Ming remained calm. His gaze lingered on the young man and the old man for a moment, his mind racing as he calcted how to respond. At that moment, he suddenly noticed Elder Chai standing not far away. Faced with the encirclement of two cultivators of the same stage, Elder Chai seemed to be secretly relieved.

    Something''s not right. Yuan Ming recalled the various suspicious points he had noticed earlier, and a sense of doubt grew in his heart, making him consider retreating.

    "I am Elder Chai of the Hundred Elixir Workshop. This caravan is heading to Sand Dye Valley. Aren''t you afraid of being surrounded by our workshop and Sand Dye Valley if you rob us?" Elder Chai scolded loudly.

    "Haha, Elder Chai, stop using Sand Dye Valley to scare us. Since we dared to rob your caravan, we''ve already done our homework. To be honest, if it weren''t for the Hundred Elixir Workshop''s caravan, I wouldn''t even bother robbing you!" The young cultivatorughed.

    "Our Hundred Elixir Workshop has been in business for many years, always striving to be kind to others. I don''t know when we offended you to make you hold such a grudge." Elder Chai frowned, his voice still calm and unhurried.

    "You''ve offended me in many ways. As for the reason, Elder Chai, you''ll have to ask your old workshop master on the road to the Yellow Springs." The young cultivator said.

    "So, you are from the Flying Feather Gang. Last time, it was also you who robbed Elder Yan''s caravan!" Elder Chai''s eyes shed with a sharp light.

    "Hehe, now you know, but it''s toote! Attack!" The young cultivator sneered. Before his words had even finished, he opened his mouth and spat out a purple light. Apanied by a thunderous sound, the light disappeared in an instant.

    However, Elder Chai seemed to have been prepared. He immediately raised his hand, throwing out a pure white jade ring that he had been holding. The ring shed with a milky white light, then floated above his head, casting down a pale white barrier that protected himpletely. Just as the barrier formed, the disappeared purple light reappeared, striking the barrier and exploding into a blinding purple light.

    The light forced Elder Chai to close his eyes for a moment. When the light faded, he saw that the purple light was actually a small sword wrapped in purple lightning. What shocked him even more was that the barrier protecting him had already developed cracks from just that one strike.

    He was greatly rmed. He knew that this Ice Jade Ring was his carefully nurtured life-bound treasure. Although its techniques were simple, its defense was so strong that even the treasures of mid-Nascent Soul stage cultivators would struggle to break through.

    Yet this young cultivator, clearly also at the early Nascent Soul stage, had such a powerful treasure.

    Seeing that his Purple Lightning Sword had not been effective, the young cultivator seemed a bit surprised. He nced at the jade ring above Elder Chai''s head, a look of greed shing in his eyes.

    Then, under Elder Chai''s astonished gaze, the young cultivator raised his left hand, palm up. Arge jade seal appeared in his hand, its spiritual light swirling around it, seemingly even more powerful than the Purple Lightning Sword.

    Although Elder Chai was an elder of the Hundred Elixir Workshop, he was not wealthy. He had spent nearly all his savings to refine the Ice Jade Ring. Yet this young cultivator, merely a sand bandit, not only had many treasures but each one was more powerful than thest.

    While Elder Chai was filled with doubt and uncertainty, Young Master Beiyan and the others were also struggling in their battles.

    Their opponents were also at thete Foundation Establishment stage, but each of them had several top-grade magical artifacts, and two even had top-grade magical artifacts. Moreover, they were outnumbered. Young Master Beiyan and the others could barely hold on, looking extremely disheveled.

    The only exception was Yuan Ming. After having Hua Zhi entangle one enemy, he took out the Blood Transformation de and engaged in a fierce battle with a cultivator wielding a top-grade magical artifact. As they fought, various spiritual lights shed wildly. Although the battle seemed intense, Yuan Ming had already used illusions to deceive his opponent,pletely controlling the flow of the battle. At the same time, he kept an eye on the Nascent Soul stage battlefield.

    When the young cultivator took out his second treasure, Yuan Ming was slightly surprised. But soon, his attention was drawn to something else.

    Since appearing, the old man had kept his hands behind his back, standing behind the young cultivator, silently watching the fight between the young cultivator and Elder Chai without making a move.

    Yuan Ming was puzzled. He secretly switched his perspective to the soul crow he had sent out to keep watch. He saw that the old man was holding a formation disk behind his back, its spiritual light flickering, seemingly about to activate.

    Seeing this, Yuan Ming immediately warned, "Be careful, that person is activating a formation!"

    Hearing this, Elder Chai was startled. He nced at the old man and instantly understood, his face turning pale.

    The young cultivator also heard Yuan Ming''s words and turned to give him a surprised look.

    "You are quite perceptive. Elder Guo, no need to hide anymore, activate the formation immediately!"

    "Yes, Young Master." The Nascent Soul stage cultivator known as Elder Guo immediately withdrew his hand, holding the formation disk in front of his chest. His left hand quickly formed a seal, then pointed sharply at the formation disk.

    In the next moment, countless lights lit up around the camp. A green light screen rose from the ground, rapidly closing in, about topletely envelop the camp in the blink of an eye.

    At this moment, Elder Chai gritted his teeth, a look of pain on his face as he took out a rune talisman inscribed with unknown runes and pped it onto himself. In an instant, a blue light enveloped him, and just before the formation''s light screen closed, he turned into a stream of light and flew out.

    Seeing this, the young cultivator''s face darkened, and Elder Guo quickly said, "Young Master, forgive me. It was my negligence that allowed him to escape. Please allow me to make amends by capturing Elder Chai."

    The young cultivator immediately shook his head, "No, the items are more important. I''ll go after that old dog Chai. You kill everyone here and take all the storage bags given by the Hundred Elixir Workshop."

    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from bit.ly/3iBfjkV.

    With that, he immediately cast a spell, turning into a stream of light and chasing after Elder Chai.

    Elder Guo watched the young cultivator leave, then turned his resentful gaze towards Yuan Ming, who was trapped in the formation. If it weren''t for Yuan Ming exposing his actions, he wouldn''t have had to rush and let Elder Chai escape, losing face in front of the young master.

    With this thought, his killing intent surged. He immediately wanted to enter the formation and personally kill Yuan Ming. But to his surprise, at that moment, Yuan Ming suddenly spoke, addressing Young Master Beiyan and the others, "I will break the formation in a moment. Think of a way to escape with me."

    His voice was exceptionally calm, showing no signs of fear or tension.

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